LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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BETWIXT (The CW) - Josh Henderson ("Desperate Housewives") has booked the male lead on the drama pilot, about three teens (Allison Miller, Jessy Schram and Henderson) who discover they're actually "changelings," the children of mythological fairies. He'll play one of them, Nix Uyarak ("handsome, soulful eyes"), who has the ability to see a faintly glowing "halo of light" around people who are about to die. David Gallagher also stars in the hour, which comes from director Christian Duguay and writer Elizabeth Chandler. CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television are the studios attached.
BOSTON'S FINEST (ABC) - Nia Long ("Big Shots") is set and Goran Visnjic ("ER") is in negotiations to star in the drama pilot, about Julia Scott (Katee Sackhoff), a detective who teams with a disgraced ex-cop to solve crimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground. He would play the ex-cop in question, Angus Martin, who has "an animal intensity in his eyes that's sensual and dangerous; and the pain and wear on his face give him a darkly sexual aura." She's on board as Julia's partner, who has "a caustic sense of humor." The role, Taylor Sanchez, was originally written for a Latina. Richard T. Jones, Treat Williams and Will Yun Lee also star in the ABC Studios-based hour, which Gary Fleder is helming off a script by Richard Hatem.
NCIS (CBS) - Marco Sanchez is set to recur on the veteran drama. He'll play Alejandro Rivera, who "is with the Justice Department in Mexico and is in DC to help set up an international law enforcement task force." It's understood said character will make his first appearance during the May sweeps period.
PARKS & RECREATION (NBC) - Former "White Collar" star Natalie Morales is set to appear in two upcoming episodes of the Thursday comedy. She'll play Lucy, "a smart, funny, cute and spunky busgirl at a bar in Pawnee, Indiana." Said episodes are also expected to introduce Rob Lowe and Adam Scott's characters. No other specifics were given.
PLEADING GUILTY (FOX) - Omid Abtahi ("Sleeper Cell") has scored a role on the drama pilot, about Mack Malloy (Jason Isaacs), "an ex-cop and recovering alcoholic now serving as a partner in a top-drawer corporate law firm." He'll play Jonathan Ziven, the youngest associate at Gage & Griswell. He's further detailed as an MIT grad with "a Napoleonic charm" whom Malloy dubs "a little prick." Madchen Amick also stars in the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, which was penned by Jason Tracey. Jon Avnet is directing.
THE QUINN-TUPLETS (CBS) - Molly Parker ("Swingtown") and Dougray Scott ("Desperate Housewives") are the latest additions to the presentation, a drama about five adult quintuplets (Amber Tamblyn, Anna Chlumsky, David Giantoli, Kenneth Mitchell and Sam Witwer), whose entire childhood was documented on TV. Parker will play their mother, Rebecca Quinn, whose passing - she appears only in flashback - sparks the children to return home. Scott then is set as Michael Adatto, the filmmaker behind the PBS documentary about "America's first test tube quintuplets" who went on to marry Rebecca and have a child (Juliette Goglia) with her. Chris Kelley and Mike Kelley co-wrote the CBS Television Studios-based project, which Mimi Leder is directing.
REAGAN'S LAW (CBS) - Tom Selleck ("Jesse Stone: No Remorse") is in final talks to topline the drama pilot, about a family of New York cops. He'll play Michael Reagan ("a vibrant 50-something"), the city's incoming chief of police, a role previously occupied by his father (Len Cariou). Donnie Wahlberg also stars in the hour, which comes from CBS Television Studios and co-creators Mitchell Burgess and Robin Green. Michael Cuesta is directing.
TAX MAN (FOX) - Randall Park ("Dinner for Schmucks") has joined the cast of the pilot, a workplace comedy set at an IRS office in Fresno, California. He'll play John
Rangoon, an overzealous auditor who wears an American flag tie and an American flag patch on the shoulder of his suit. David Krumholtz, Judy Greer and Kerri Kenney also star in the half-hour, which comes from 20th Century Fox Television and Imagine Television. Fred Savage is directing from a script by Brent Forrester.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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