Channel Surfing: Taylor Kitsch May Miss "Friday Night Lights," Oprah's Harpo Films Lands HBO Pilot, Production Shut Down on "Cougar Town," and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Bad news for Tim Riggins fans. Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Friday Night Lights executive producer Jason Katims has confirmed that Taylor Kitsch will "will miss part" of the production of Season Five of Friday Night Lights, due to his role in Disney's feature film adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough's "John Carter of Mars." But there's still hope that they can work around Kitsch's schedule. "We are communicating with the [John Carter] production to work out the schedule so that Taylor can be in as much of season 5 as possible," said Katims. Production begins on the fifth season in March. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

HBO has given a pilot order to Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Films for an untitled drama about a woman who walks out on her perfect marriage and children in order to fulfill her secret fantasies in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles. Pilot will be written/executive produced by Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary) and will be executive produced by Winfrey and Kate Forte. "It is unsentimental and pretty shocking, and there is something complicated and destructive driving her," Forte told Variety. "It is literally a day at the pool, where she gets up, in sarong and flip-flops, and walks out of her life, leaving everyone behind so abruptly that her husband and kids initially think she's been kidnapped or murdered." (Variety)

The Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that production has been shut down on ABC comedy Cougar Town in order to allow Courteney Cox "to deal with a private family matter," according to ABC. There's been no indication as of yet when shooting will resume on the series, which had been scheduled to go on hiatus this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. (Hollywood Reporter)

Fringe's executive producers have indicated that the FOX sci-fi series could go on for as many as six seasons. "If we're lucky enough, we have six seasons that we're really excited about," said Jeff Pinkner during a recent press call. "It's such a great show to work on, because we're only limited by our own imaginations. Once you start to get into this wonderful framework of the characters and stuff, it's so much fun. We're constantly saying, 'Oh, what about this?' and then all of a sudden, we're like, 'Well, that will be a season three thing, yeah'." (via Digital Spy)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Brian Austin Green will reprise his role as John "Metallo" Corben on the CW's Smallville this season. He's slated to appear in the series' 18th episode, which will air in the spring. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Joshua Jackson (Fringe) is set to star in a feature film remake of 1970s cult British television series UFO, that is slated to be directed by Matthew Gratzner. Jackson will play Paul Foster, "a test pilot who joins S.H.A.D.O. (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization), a covert org built under a Hollywood studio that defends Earth against a race of aliens who have been abducting humans and using the body parts." (Variety)

TVGuide.com's Joyce Eng catches up with Big Bang Theory's Simon Helberg to talk about tonight's episode of the CBS comedy, which features an appearance by former Battlestar Galactica star Katee Sackhoff (soon to be seen in FOX's 24), who stops by as Howard Wolowitz's conscience. "There's definitely a possibility that she could continue to be his conscience," said Helberg of Sackhoff. "I don't know how much they plan for, say, the entire arc of the season. Who knows? Maybe next time they'll be in a Jacuzzi, maybe even the shower. I don't know if I have to be wet and naked. Maybe he always has to be in a compromising position. It is his fantasy!" (TVGuide.com)

TLC has ordered eight episodes of culinary series Craving Comfort, in which chef Art Smith will "travel the country exploring variations of simple, popular dishes -- from fried chicken to apple pie." Series, from True Entertainment, is slated to air next year. (Hollywood Reporter)

Elsewhere at TLC, the cabler has given a series order for docusoap Mall Cops: Mall of America, which will air in first quarter 2010 and follow the mall cops at the largest mall in the US, and ordered four episodes of docuseries Ghost Intervention, about "a group of women with psychic abilities who help families dealing with paranormal activity in their homes." The latter series, from Pilgrim Films and Television, will launch on December 12th. (Variety)

Stay tuned.