Last Friday, Senator John McCain shocked the world by announcing that little-known Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was his choice as vice presidential candidate for the Republican party. If you were like me, you couldn't help but notice that Sarah Palin -- a very attractive, 44-year-old mother of five -- looked an awful lot like some familiar TV faces, like 30 Rock's Liz Lemon.

In fact, at least one Hollywood writer recognized in Sarah Palin's being plucked from virtual obscurity was like one of his creations. Rod Lurie, the writer/producer of Commander in Chief, joked that he and Gena Davis should be asking for royalties if Palin emerges as McCain's VEEP, especially if she becomes president like Davis's character did on that ABC drama series.

Here are the main TV characters that come to mind when you think about Palin:

Rod Lurie is no stranger to writing strong female characters. In film, he wrote and directed The Contender, with Joan Allen as a woman who was being considered for the Vice Presidency of the United States.

Then with Commander in Chief on ABC, he made Geena Davis the President and actually showed her in action -- until the show was canceled.

Lurie's working on another female-driven drama now for Showtime, but this time it's not about politics. Hillary Jones is the name of the show and the character, a police detective working vice in Los Angeles during the week, but moonlighting as a hooker in Nevada during the weekend.

She's not breaking the law, though, because prostitution -- as you and I know from the movies -- is legal there.

Commander in Chief creator Rod Lurie's 2004 series Capital City, which was rejected by ABC, is being given a second chance on the CW network. The original pilot featured Leslie Bibb, Peter Fonda, Mary Steenburgen, Tom Berenger and David Paymer. The series, about a young woman working in congress, will be redeveloped for the CW. Lurie will write and produce the new pilot, and will direct if the network decides to pick up the series. Lurie's latest failed series, Commander in Chief, may return once more as a TV movie to tie up any loose ends. IMDb has the movie listed for 2007, but one can't always trust IMDb on such matters.