"Cupid" Rising: ABC Resurrects Canceled Rob Thomas Series

It might not be the return of Veronica Mars, but ABC has brought back a Rob Thomas-created series from the dead.

The broadcaster has signed a deal with Rob Thomas to develop a brand-new version of romantic comedy procedural series Cupid, about a man who believes that he is sent to Earth by Zeus in order to unite unexpected lovers. That man was played by Entourage's Jeremy Piven, but don't expect Ari Gold to turn up in the newly fashioned Cupid project.

The original series, which aired 15 episodes during the 1998-99 season, came from Sony Pictures Television; studio has given its blessing to a new version from ABC Studios, part of Thomas' one-year deal with the studio.

"For the last couple years, I've been talking to ABC about how to do an anthological romantic comedy a la Cupid or Love Boat," said Thomas. "We kept beating around ideas and kept coming back to Cupid as the best of the group. So they said to me, 'Why not go back and do Cupid again?"

As part of his development deal with ABC Studios, Thomas will additionally develop a US version of New Zealand drama series Outrageous Fortune, about a family of blue-collar criminals.

While neither project is exactly the return to Veronica Mars that I had hoped for (sigh), I am glad that ABC realizes what an asset it has in Rob Thomas... and that this talented writer won't be stuck with the dreadful Big Shots for more than a season.