Casting Couch Sci Fi Edition: "Warehouse 13," "Revolution," and "Caprica"

Casting is ramping up on several Sci Fi Channel pilots this week, including Warehouse 13, two-hour backdoor pilot Revolution, and Battlestar Galactica spin-off Caprica.

Drama pilot Warehouse 13 has nabbed its two leads: Eddie McClintock (Bones) and Joanne Kelly (Vanished) have been cast as two FBI agents--headstrong Peter and buttoned-up Myka--who are "rewarded," after saving the life of the US president, by being relocated to the titular Warehouse 13, a government-controlled depot that houses supernatural and extraterrestrial artifacts that the feds have gathered over the centuries. Together, their job is to retrieve missing objects and investigate the discovery of new items.

Project, from NBC Universal Cable Studio, is written by Rockne S. O'Bannon (Farscape); Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore and Jane Espenson worked on previous drafts of the pilot script. Jace Alexander (Burn Notice) will direct.

Over on Revolution, Peter Fonda has been cast in the role of a robber baron at a 22nd century outpost in this space-set adaptation of the American Revolution.

I've also been keeping my eyes open for casting notices on Caprica, Ronald D. Moore and Remi Aubuchon's gripping two-hour backdoor pilot prequel to Battlestar Galactica.

Deadwood's Paula Malcomson--that workhorse actress recently seen on John from Cincinnati as Jerri, on ER as Meg Riley, and on Lost as Colleen Pickett as well--will star in Caprica as Amanda Greystone, a surgeon and wife to the inventor of the first Cylon prototype, as well as the mother to teenage Zoe, whose exploits kick-start the action of the pilot.

I'm also hearing from sources that an offer is out to Rome's Polly Walker (!!!!) to join the cast of Caprica as Sister Clarice Willow, which if the deal closes--would be phenomenal casting for this intriguing and complex role. Suffice it to say, like Battlestar Galactica, Caprica deals in real world analogies and religious conflict, so look for those complexities to emerge in the prequel as well.

Fingers crossed that Sci Fi and Walker (like Malcomson a true chameleon--just look at her varied roles in Rome, Emma, State of Play, and Cane) are able to come to a deal as this brilliant project just got even hotter.

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: NCIS (CBS); Most Outrageous Moments/Saturday Night Live (NBC; 8:30-10 pm); Beauty and the Geek (CW); Dancing with the Stars Special: Judges' All-Time Top 10 (ABC); American Idol (FOX)

9 pm: Shark (CBS); Reaper (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC); Hell's Kitchen (FOX)

10 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC); Women's Murder Club (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

9 pm: Last Restaurant Standing on BBC America.

On the penultimate episode of this addictive British import, two couples head to Raymond's celebrated restaurant, Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons, where they must work in the kitchens and front of house, stepping up to meet the standards of one of the very best restaurants in the world and producing food and service to rival those of Raymond's in his two-star Michelin establishment. There will be tears, tantrums, and demanding customers and only one team will advance to the final rounds with Raymond's blessing.