The Sci Fi channel has unveiled a new slate of acquisitions that will be at the heart of its prime-time lineup this year and next.

Among the shows picked up are the UK television premiere of The Dead Zone Season 5; the multi-channel premiere of Medium Season 2; plus second run purchases of Dead Like Me, A Town Called Eureka and Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King.

First up on October 16 is the second 22-episode season of the CBS Paramount hit Medium, starring Patricia Arquette as a psychic medium. The show was inspired by the life story of Allison Dubois.

"Medium has been an unqualified success on Sci Fi. It has outperformed our expectations by helping to bring in new audiences and improve ratings week on week," said Jon Farrar, programming director at Sci Fi UK. "The second season will air in the same Monday at 9pm slot as the first and will provide the perfect platform for launching Sci Fi's Quarter Four schedule."

Previously shown on Sky One, Dead Like Me is a black comedy about a grim reaper learning about life in the Pacific Northwest. It comes out of MGM, runs for 13 episodes, and airs on Sci Fi from October 25.

Completing the triumvirate of paranormal dramas is the fifth season of The Dead Zone, based upon characters from the Stephen King novel. Starring The Breakfast Club's Anthony Michael Hall as psychic Johnny Smith, the show's previous four seasons have all premiered on Sci Fi. Distributed by CBS Paramount International Television, it will run for 12 episodes from October 31.

Also on the slate is Sci Fi US' big summer hit, A Town called Eureka about a town of geniuses who create havoc with their inventions. The show lands on Sci Fi UK in early 2007, after completing its first season run on Sky One.

Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King is an eight part anthology series based upon the writings of the eponymous author. Starring Hollywood greats such as William H. Macy, William Hurt, Tom Berenger, Greta Scacchi and Samantha Mathis, the unconnected episodes tell the tales of among others a mystery author who wants to trade places with his fictional detective's character, a hired killer who learns that he himself, is the target; and an American couple honeymooning in London who find themselves trapped in another dimension. Nightmares & Dreamscapes is distributed by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution, and will air on Sci Fi in the new year.