Casting Couch: Higgins Cozies Up to "Kath & Kim"

Is it just me or does it seem like Kath & Kim has been casting for nearly a year now?

While it might not be quite that long, it has taken NBC and Universal Media Studios several months to line up the cast for their new comedy series (from Reveille, natch), scheduled to launch this fall, in the Tuesdays at 9:30 pm timeslot (oddly sandwiched between 90-minute installments of The Biggest Loser: Families and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit).

Joining Molly Shannon and Selma Blair in the comedy remake of the Australian cult classic is frequent Christopher Guest collaborator John Michael Higgins (Best in Show). He'll play Kath's boyfriend, a sexually ambiguous man who racewalks and gets facial peels. While it's a casting coup, I still can't help but shudder every time I think of this series, especially given its odd timeslot and underwhelming pilot script.

Still, if there's one director who can manage to coax the funny from this concept it's Paul Feig and Higgins did play the fantastically serious Wayne Jarvis on Arrested Development.

In other casting news, Jonathan Sadowski (Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles) has signed on to star in FOX's "darkly comedic" drama pilot Courtroom K, about a public defender, judge, and district attorney who all jockey for power in a Milwaukee courtroom.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Sadowski will be playing a public defender, but I remember this role--Marijane Diehl--being written as a woman in the script. I believe he'll more likely be playing Kent Pucker, the shifty district attorney. Project, from 20th Century Fox Televison, is written and executive produced by Paul Attanasio.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Survivor: Micronesia--Fans vs. Favorites (CBS); My Name is Earl/30 Rock (NBC); Smallville (CW); Desperate Housewives (ABC; 8-10 pm); American Idol (FOX; 8-10 pm)

9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); The Office/Scrubs (NBC); Supernatural (CW)

10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); ER (NBC); Eli Stone (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8:30 pm: 30 Rock.

By the Hammer of Thor! It's a brand new episode of my favorite comedy on television. 30 Rock returns tonight with a brand-new episode ("MILF Island"), Jack's success following the launch of NBC's newest reality series MILF Island is derailed when he reads a newspaper article that reveals disparaging remarks made by one of his employees. I can't wait!

9 pm: The Office.

The Office returns tonight with its first brand-new installment since last fall. On tonight's episode ("Dinner Party"), Pam and Jim are forced to go to Jan and Michael's house for dinner when they finally run out of excuses why they can't attend and Dwight's jealousy bubbles up when he learns that new couple Angela and Andy have been invited as well.