Cinemax has announced that production is underway on 'Nemesis,' its new drama series set in the world of international espionage. Created and written by Frank Spotnitz ('The X Files,' 'Strike Back'), 'Nemesis' stars Melissa George ('In Treatment,' 'Home and Away'), Adam Rayner ('HawthoRNe'), Stephen Dillane ('Game of Thrones'), Morven Christie ('The Young Victoria') and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje ('Lost').

The eight-part series is is produced by Kudos Film & Television ('MI-5,' 'Life on Mars') for BBC One and HBO/Cinemax in association with Big Light Productions. It will shoot in Scotland, London and Morocco, and is slated to air on Cinemax in 2012.

Spotnitz will executive-produce along with Alison Jackson, Jane Featherstone and Stephen Garrett from Kudos Film & Television and Christopher Aird from the BBC. Eliza Mellor ('Albert Schweitzer,' 'Derek') produces, and SJ Clarkson ('Heroes,' 'Life On Mars') will direct the first two episodes.

Is AMC determined to shed its image as the second-best old movie channel -- number one id TCM -- to become a serious rival in series TV? It seems that the great success of Mad Men and the nearly as great success of Breaking Bad has emboldened AMC and they are itching for more. AMC has ordered a political thriller pilot from executive producer Jason Horwitch.

The plot involves two potential fascinating elements: a secret society that has political power around the world and uses it to manipulate countries, and also an analyst working in a think tank who discovers that the people with whom he works are not who they seem to be. That last part sounds like a very Hitchcockian idea, especially if he's wrongly accused of something that happens on the job and has to go on the run or go undercover to suss out the bad guys. We'll see...

"This is a world you have not seen on television before -- it's not your typical spy thriller." That's what AMC is saying about the show, and if they can catch an All The President's Men or Parallax View paranoia vibe, they might be right.