Televisionary Exclusive: First Look at the Pilot Script for NBC's "Rex Is Not Your Lawyer"

One of the most eagerly anticipated (and constantly buzzed about) pilots of this current development season is NBC's legal dramedy, Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, which stars former Doctor Who star David Tennant as the titular non-attorney.

Given Tennant's stature and his popularity coming off of Doctor Who, expectations are running high for Rex, which had been rumored to be under contention for a March launch on NBC... but is now said to be in the mix for a possible slot on the Peacock's fall schedule. (Or is, off the table, should you believe what an unnamed insider told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello earlier this week, though that has been unconfirmed.)

Regardless, I had the opportunity yesterday to sit down to read the pilot script for Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, written by David Lampson and Andrew Leeds, and was pleasantly surprised to encounter a quirky and compelling legal dramedy that juggled both a procedural element (the familiar case of the week) with an overarching, serialized plot.

(Note: As always, please do not reproduce this post in full on other sites. Quoting and excerpting are fine, but wholesale reproduction is definitely not okay.)

That ongoing storyline, which would run under the various cases Rex takes on on a weekly basis should Rex be ordered to series, involves not just the panic attacks suffered by Rex (Tennant) that have rendered him unable to act as an attorney, but also pulls in his panic-stricken shrink Dr. Barry Cannon (Jeffrey Tambor), his mother/mentor Ellen (Jane Curtin), his ex-fiancee Lindsey (Abigail Spencer), and his best friend Bruce (Jerry O'Connell). (There's also Rex's oft-put-upon assistant Sophia, played by Lindsey Kraft.)

But Rex isn't just another legal drama. Yes, there are courtroom shenanigans and cross-examinations, but what separates Rex from the pack is the series' underlying formula: Rex doesn't defend any of his clients himself but rather coaches them to defend themselves in court. The rationale behind the twist stems from his unexplained panic attacks, which leave Rex a wreck whenever he attempts to stand or say anything in a courtroom. For a showman such as Rex, one who loves to dazzle his audience, it's the ultimate form of stage fright.

I don't want to give away too much about the plot, other than that there's a nice love triangle developing between Rex, Lindsey, and Bruce, one that's enabled by Rex disappearing to Canada for six months, after his panic attack left him in the hospital. Reeling from Rex's abrupt departure (he takes off when Lindsey goes home to get a shower), Lindsey begins a tentative relationship with Rex's best friend Bruce. But Bruce isn't a stereotypical viper; he's a nice guy who's played second fiddle to showboat Rex for nearly their entire lives. (And, hell, he even goes so far as to ask Rex for permission to date Lindsey.)

My main complaint with the pilot script is that Jane Curtin's Ellen is given a little bit of short shrift here. Other than having a penchant for wearing bow ties and Prada suits and a subplot that has her dating Barry, Rex's now-former psychiatrist, her character is pretty wafer-thin. However, Curtin's astute comedic timing and superlative presence should help out her character's lack of definition. Still, given that it's one of the rare female characters over the age of 30 this development season, I was hoping for a bit more layering to Ellen; we're told that she skipped her sister's funeral to sit for the bar and that she and Rex like to take walks together but I want to see Ellen less as an extension of Rex and more as her own, fully formed individual.

Still, this is a minor quibble. There's a nice lightness to Rex that would separate it from other legal dramas and the lead character is fitting for David Tennant. Prone to hyperbole, dramatic gestures, and brainy discourse, Rex isn't a hotel-inhabiting lawyer embodying the Doctor but rather a compelling character whose both egocentric and sympathetic, a hyper-ambitious attorney knocked down a few pegs and humbled by his panic attacks. I can definitely see (and hear) Tennant in the dialogue and I think he's well suited for a role that calls for him to deliver fast-paced dialogue, steal the spotlight, and yet remain intriguingly vulnerable at the same time.

Rex Is Not Your Lawyer isn't groundbreaking television but it is fun and frothy, offering a novel take on a popular genre. In other words: should NBC decide to pick this up to series, I'd watch.

Channel Surfing: Mystery Men Back on "Lost," "Rex" Not Dead at NBC, Slew of Guest Stars for "30 Rock," "Mad" Man to Wisteria Lane, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Looks like the Final Battle isn't over yet. The Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Titus Welliver (The Good Wife) and Mark Pellegrino (Supernatural) will return for Season Six of Lost. Welliver will reprise his role as the mysterious man in black during the second half of Lost's final season while Pellegrino will return as Jacob in at least six episodes of Season Six of Lost. (Hollywood Reporter)

[Editor: Meanwhile, also be sure to check out Part Two of Maureen Ryan's fantastic and in-depth Q&A with Lost showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse here.]

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that NBC has yet to make a decision about the fate of legal drama pilot Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, starring David Tennant (Doctor Who). But while the pilot's sets are being dismantled this week, the project isn't dead. "The sets are on fold-and-hold," an unnamed insider told Ausiello. "They will still be available if the show is picked up for the fall." And it's still possible that Rex will make it to air, as that same source told Ausiello that the project is still under consideration for a fall slot on the schedule. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TV Guide Magazine's William Keck is reporting that a bevy of male stars are being lined up to guest star in 30 Rock's Valentine's Day episode, shooting this week. Among the eligible bachelors reuniting with Tina Fey's Liz Lemon: Jon Bon Jovi, Dean Winters, Jason Sudeikis, and Jon Hamm. But it's Sudeikis' Floyd who might have gotten under Liz's skin the most. "Liz is upset to learn Floyd is not only getting married, but is competing to get a free wedding on The Today Show," Fey told Keck backstage at the SAG Awards. (TV Guide Magazine)

Mad Men's Sam Page is heading to ABC Desperate Housewives, reports Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. Page has signed on for a multiple-episode story arc on the ABC drama series, where he will play Jeremy, described as "a well-trained cook who idolizes Bree (Marcia Cross) and her old-fashioned values." His first episode is slated to air in late February. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

How I Met Your Mother creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas have signed a three-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television said to be in the eight-figures range. Under the terms of the deal, the duo will remain on board HIMYM as executive producers through an eighth season (should one be ordered by CBS) and develop new series projects for the studio. The first project under their new deal will be an untitled comedy from writers Kourtney Kang and Joe Kelly about a Pittsburgh couple who are considering taking their relationship to the next level. (Variety)

Joanna Garcia (Privileged) has been cast in ABC's untitled Shana Goldberg-Meehan multi-camera comedy about two sisters, one of whom is unmarried but in a long-term relationship and one who finds herself pregnant and marries her boyfriend. Garcia will play the latter. Elsewhere, Steve Hawey, Shanola Hampton, and Jeremy White have been cast in Showtime's American adaptation of British drama Shameless. (Hollywood Reporter)

Pilot order alert! FOX has given a greenlight to drama Breakout Kings, from Prison Break's Matt Olmstead, director Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Nick Santora and 20th Century Fox Television; series follows a group of US Marshals who team up with former convicts to track down escaped prisoners. FOX also ordered pilots for comedies Traffic Light, based on an Israeli scripted format about three male friends, each in various stages of romantic relationships, from writer Bob Fisher; and Most Likely to Succeed, about a "group of friends who were superstars growing up and are now dealing with the reality of adulthood," from writer Dave Walpert (Scrubs), who will executive produce with David Nevins and Brian Grazer. The latter hails from 20th Century Fox TV and Imagine TV. Elsewhere, ABC scored a pilot pickup for drama Edgar Floats, from Warner Bros. Television and executive producers Rand Ravich and Far Shariat, about a police psychologist turned bounty hunter. NBC ordered two comedies as well: Nathan vs. Nurture, from Moses Port and David Guarascio (Aliens in America) and Sony Pictures Television, about a cardio surgeon who reunites with his biological father and brothers 35 years he was given up for adoption; and This Little Piggy, from writers Stephen Cragg and Brian Bradley (Scrubs), about a married guy whose comfortable family life is turned into chaos when his adult siblings move in with them. (Variety)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Melinda Clarke has signed on for a multiple-episode story arc on the CW's Vampire Diaries, where she will play Matt's trashy mother Kelly... who will soon become involved with Ian Somerhalder's Damon. "If I didn’t have Kelly and Damon hook up there would be no God,” executive producer Kevin Williamson told Ausiello. "What’s the point of doing TV if you’re not going to put those two characters together? That’s going to be a fun relationship to explore... We’ll reveal that she was friends with Sheriff [Elizabeth] and Elena’s mother. The three of them were really tight friends back in the day. Sheriff and Kelly, in particular, have ongoing issues to deal with." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

FOX has moved up the launch date for supernatural drama Past Life to Tuesday, February 9th at 9 pm ET/PT, directly behind American Idol. The series will then settle into its regular timeslot on Thursdays at 9 pm ET/PT on February 11th. (Futon Critic)

Alan Cumming is set to guest star on CBS' The Good Wife later this season. According to TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck, Cumming will play an image consultant named Eli Gold hired to help Chris Noth's Peter makeover his image. (TV Guide Magazine)

Does Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub) know something about Katee Sackhoff's Dana Walsh? TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams caught up with Rajskub to find out. "It's just getting really interesting," said Rajskub about Sackhoff's story arc this season on 24. "In the next few episodes, there's going to be some pretty twisted stuff happening. Honestly, you can't really grasp what's going on with her for many episodes, and we're all just trying to do our own stuff. Although I give her a look and we suspect [something], it doesn't really come out for a while." (TVGuide.com)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams has an interview with Life Unexpected creator/executive producer Liz Tigelaar, who said that viewers shouldn't think of Cate (Shiri Appleby) and Baze (Kristoffer Polaha), the biological parents of Brittany Robertson's Lux who slept together in the pilot, as soulmates. "Obviously when something big happens like that in the pilot, with two characters carrying a significant secret, you're waiting for it to come out," Tigelaar told Abrams. "That will definitely happen, and as most secrets do, they come out at an inopportune time. In terms of Cate and Baze's relationship, these are two people who have to really reconcile what their feelings are about each other. Because of TV, we're trained to think that Cate and Baze belong together. But there's a good question in there: 'Really? You're the soul mate of the guy who knocked you up in high school in the back of a minivan? Really?' Logic says that's ridiculous." (TVGuide.com)

TVGuide.com is reporting that Odessa Rae (Leverage) has been cast in the CW's Smallville, where she will play Siobhan McDougal, a.k.a. the Silver Banshee, described as "a vengeful spirit of a fallen Gaelic heroine [who is] accidentally released from the underworld, and takes out her vengeance at an unassuming country bed and breakfast." (TVGuide.com)

Debmar-Mercury and ITV Studios have teamed up to bring British daytime talk show host Jeremy Kyle to the US, launching relationship/lifestyle series The Jeremy Kyle Show in a test run this summer during daytime first-run syndication. "We believe there's a market for it if he can hit the right tone for this country," said Debmar-Mercury's Mort Marcus. "It's so rare that you get to try out a new show with somebody who has done this kind of TV a thousand times before." (Variety)

Former Universal Cable Prods. executive Nikki Reed has been hired as VP of original series at Disney Channel and Disney XD. Reporting to Adam Bonnett, Reed will oversee the development of live-action programming at both cable networks. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Peacock Feather: Jeff Gaspin and Angela Bromstad Oversee NBC's Executive Session at TCA Winter Press Tour

NBC made the right call in trotting out Jeff Gaspin to answer questions alongside Angela Bromstad at this morning's NBC executive sessions here at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Pasadena.

While critics were eager to get some answers on the still-developing schedule changes afoot at the network (which would have Jay Leno potentially moving to a half-hour timeslot at 11:35 pm--after the local news--and Conan moving The Tonight Show to 12:05 am, followed by Jimmy Fallon at 1:05 am), there wasn't the same baying for blood that marked the August appearance of Bromstad and reality czar Paul Telegdy.

Anticipating the need for concrete information about the Leno-O'Brien situation, Gaspin began the session by stating unequivocally, "I can confirm that, starting February 12th, Jay Leno will no longer air at 10 pm." He also confirmed reports that the current proposal has Leno shifting to 11:35 pm, Conan retaining The Tonight Show title and moving to 12:05, and Fallon moving to 1:05 am. (As for where that would leave Carson Daly, Daly will be a part of "the NBC family regardless of what happens," said Gaspin.)

In other news, Gaspin announced that NBC will go back to the traditional upfront presentations and has settled on the morning on May 17th for their upfront (so long, "in front!") and that the Jerry Seinfeld-produced reality series The Marriage Ref will air immediately following the closing ceremonies of the Olympics.

And J.J. Abrams will be directing the pilot for espionage drama Undercovers, marking his first television pilot directing gig since he helmed the pilot for ABC's Lost.

The potential latenight switch will net at least two additional hours of drama, another of reality, and another hour of Dateline in the 10 pm timeslot through the week. Gaspin, meanwhile, said that he will working on the schedule until the last possible second. Of the decision to put Jay Leno at 10 pm in the first place, Gaspin said, "We wanted an alternative to 10... We still think it's a tough time period. I think, over time, it might have grown."

As for how long it might take for NBC to bounce back from its downturn, Gaspin said, "I almost don't care how quickly it happens as long as it happens."

"Everyone knows we are struggling in primetime," said Gaspin. "But we have Biggest Loser, great Thursday night comedy lineup with The Office and 30 Rock [and new comedies Community and Parks and Recreation], we still have Law & Order...Beyond that, have to work harder. We are happy with the quality of the shows we have on the air... but we want to see bigger ratings."

As for what's coming up, NBC touted the new drama series Parenthood, which launches in March, and said that there were some other projects, including the David Tennant-led legal dramedy Rex is Not Your Lawyer, that could "theoretically" be ready in time for March. (Or Rex could be in contention for an early fall slot on the schedule.) Executives will watch a cut of pilot of Rex is Not Your Lawyer this week. Gaspin said he is "not sure" if Rex or other contenders will make it on the schedule this spring.

"Instead of trying to reinvent, going back to basics is probably best," said Gaspin. "We are not going to do 5 new dramas at 10 pm." Gaspin said that he has "complete confidence" in his development team, while Bromstad said, ""We have absolutely dedicated our resources to fortifying and building up our development slate... We have been able to bring tremendous talent back to NBC."

"We've had a great working relationship with Warner, great talent, Sony... It's been a tremendous year for us," said Bromstad, who announced several pilot pickups, including (courtesy of the NBC release):

• Prime Suspect: Based on the award-winning BBC series centering on a courageous female detective who investigates complex mysteries in a politically explosive big city. Casting will be announced later. The pilot is produced by Universal Media Studios and ITV. Hank Steinberg (“Without a Trace”) and Erwin Stoff (“The Blind Side”) are the executive producers.
• The Rockford Files: the successful NBC drama from the 1970s is re-imagined by executive producers David Shore (“House”) and Steve Carell (NBC’s “The Office”). The title character, Jim Rockford, remains a roguish private eye who tackles the dangerous, quirky and unpredictable cases that no other detective wants to handle. The pilot is from Universal Media Studios and Carousel Productions.
• The Event: a thriller with a unique storytelling device that features multiple points of view concerning a decent, regular fellow who battles against mysterious circumstances that envelope a larger conspiracy. Universal Media Studios produces the pilot that includes Steve Stark (“Medium”) as the executive producer; Nick Wauters (“The 4400”) is the co-executive producer/writer. Casting will be announced later.
• Undercovers: a domesticated husband and wife return from years in retirement and are re-activated as CIA agents. As they work together for the first time on new cases, they discover new aspects from their past - even as they re-ignite their passion for each other. J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” the 2009 feature film “Star Trek”), Bryan Burk (“Lost,” “Star Trek”) and Josh Reims (“Dirty Sexy Money”) are the executive producers; Abrams and Reims are the writers. The pilot is produced by Warner Bros. Television and Bad Robot Productions.
• Chase: a new action-procedural drama from Emmy Award-winning executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer (the “CSI” franchise, “The Amazing Race,” “The Pirates of the Caribbean” feature films). “Chase,” based on a real-life group and set in the American Southwest, follows a crucial fugitive apprehension team comprised of U.S. Marshals that tracks down the nation’s most notorious criminals. Tension builds as the cat-and-mouse game of the ultimate search escalates in each episode. The series is from Warner Bros. Television and Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Joining Bruckheimer as executive producers are Jennifer Johnson (“Cold Case”) and Jonathan Littman (“CSI,” “Cold Case”).
• Kindreds: created by Emmy Award winner David E. Kelley (“Boston Legal,” “The Practice,” “L.A. Law”), follows a curmudgeonly ex-patent lawyer and his group of misfit associates as their lives come together to form an unconventional kind of law practice. The series is from Warner Bros. Television and David E. Kelley Productions. Kelley is the writer and executive producer.
• Love Bites is an hour-long romantic comedy produced by Universal Media Studios and Working Title Films. Writer Cindy Chupack (“Sex in the City,” “Everybody Loves Raymond”), Timothy Bevan & Eric Fellner (both for “Love Actually,” “Bridget Jones’ Diary”) and Shelley McCrory are the executive producers. Casting and producer credits will be announced later.
• Untitled Adam Carolla comedy project: features the humorous radio and TV personality Carolla (“The Man Show,” “The Hammer”) as a contractor who sets out to re-build his life following a divorce. The pilot is produced by Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun. The executive producers are Carolla, Kevin Hench (The Hammer”), Jon Pollack (NBC’s “30 Rock”), Jimmy Kimmel (“The Jimmy Kimmel Show”), Gail Berman (NBC’s “Mercy”), Lloyd Braun (NBC’s “Mercy”), Daniel Kellison (“The Jimmy Kimmel Show,” “The Man Show”) and James Dixon (“Ace in the Hole”).

There was no mention of midseason comedy 100 Questions or sci-fi event miniseries Day One. Additionally, NBC has not indicated when it will return Friday Night Lights to the schedule, though Gaspin has indicated that the series will become available to them beginning March 1st.

(UPDATE: NBC has since indicated that Day One will air as a two-hour backdoor pilot only and 100 Questions will air before the end of the season.)

Asked about whether Heroes will return for a fifth season, Bromstad said, "Heroes is a show that we love and so we are sitting down with Tim Kring and he is pitching his view of the new season." Once they look at the current crop of pilots, they will make decision on the fate of Heroes. But it's looking likely that it will be returning, said Bromstad. "

As for Southland, which has moved to TNT, Bromstad was slightly cagier. "Southland was a really tough decision," said Bromstad. "However, we did launch the show at 10, it did fall off considerably in ratings because of its serialized nature... It probably found a better home in cable."

"We have to remember that it's not like we ripped off a bunch of high-performing dramas at 10 pm to put Leno on," said Bromstad, who clearly didn't recall Law & Order: SVU used to air in that timeslot.

Speaking of Wolf's franchise, it's highly likely that the original flagship will continue on past this season. "It's highly possible that Law & Order will go on beyond this year," said Bromstad, who pitched Dick Wolf an LA-based Law & Order series, which he is lovingly referring to as LOLA (read: Law & Order: LA).

And, lastly, David Hasselhoff's replacement on reality competition series America's Got Talent has been named: it's Howie Mandel. Mandel will join returning judges Sharon Osbourne and Piers Morgan along with host Nick Cannon.

All in all, Gaspin definitely brought poise and confidence to the executive session, answering questions honestly and not offering double-talk when he was unaware of the answer or didn't have one yet. Certainly, a huge improvement over last press tour's disastrous executive session. Can NBC turn their fortunes around? Time will tell but they are clearly willing to shake things up and slay some sacred cows in order to attempt to achieve their goals.

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Jerry O'Connell in, Sendhil Ramamurthy Out at "Rex," No "Who" Movie, "FlashForward," "Big Love" for Alby," and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Heroes' Sendhil Ramamurthy has departed NBC's David Tennant-led legal dramedy pilot Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, allegedly due to scheduling conflicts. (The project was in second position to his role on Heroes.) Ramamurthy's role, that of a good-natured lawyer who falls in love with the fiancee (Abigail Spencer) of his best friend Rex (Tennant), has now been recast with Jerry O'Connell (Carpoolers) coming on board the project. Also cast: Lindsay Kraft (Southland) and Cleo King (The Hangover); Kraft will play Rex's assistant, an aspiring singer/songwriter while King will play a private school bus driver coached to represent herself by Rex in the pilot. Project, from Universal Media Studios, also stars Jeffrey Tambor and Jane Curtin (Hollywood Reporter)

Meanwhile, David Tennant has dispelled rumors that there are any plans for a Doctor Who feature film. "I don't think there is a Doctor Who movie," Tennant told Radio Times. "It's not like I'm hell-bent on breaking into movies but it's a nice notion." (via Digital Spy)

Entertainment Weekly's Jeff Jensen talks to FlashForward creator/executive producer David S. Goyer about the series' three-month hiatus and its overall creative direction. "I know we’re all as writers breathing a sigh of relief," said Goyer when asked about the series' thirteen-week scheduling for the second half of the season. "We feel like we have all the chess pieces on the board and now we can just knock the dominoes over and watch them fall in interesting ways. I kind of feel like we did when we got into working on The Dark Knight after finishing Batman Begins: we got done with the origin story, we don’t have to do that anymore, we can now hit the ground running." [Editor: sadly, Jensen didn't ask Goyer about how the revised scheduling will affect the date-specific narrative.] (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that there are major plans afoot this season for Matt Ross' Alby on HBO's drama series Big Love, which returns for its fourth season on January 8th. "There’s a provocative nature to what we’re doing," co-creator/executive producer Mark V. Olsen tells Ausiello. "It’s more than just the Mormon culture. We’re highlighting certain aspects of the church’s relationship with its gay members that I think, as the story unfolds, is going to cause no [small] amount of controversy." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Cynthia Cidre (Cane) will write the pilot for TNT's revival of nighttime soap Dallas, which is being produced by Warner Horizon. Storyline for the resurrected series are being kept firmly under wraps by the network, although several actors from the original series, including Patrick Duffy, Larry Hagman, and Linda Grey, were reportedly approached by producers about reprising their roles. (Hollywood Reporter)

CBS has given a script order plus penalty to a series adaptation of James Patterson's upcoming novel "Private." Project, from 20th Century Fox Television and Imagine Television, revolves around a former CIA agent/Marine who takes over his father's private investigation firm. Jason Cahill will write and executive produce, alongside Brian Grazer and David Nevins. (Variety)

Seven less questions? NBC has cut down the episodic order for midseason comedy series 100 Questions from thirteen installments to just six. The reason behind the reduction, according to NBC, is due to the fact that both Parks and Recreation and Community garnered full season pickups and that the Olympics will clear the network's schedule for two weeks as well. (Parenthood, however, will keep to its thirteen-episode order.) (Hollywood Reporter)

The Los Angeles Times' Maria-Elena Fernandez has a great interview with Modern Family star Sofia Vergara. (You can literally hear her voice as you read the piece, intonation and all.) (Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker)

Pilot casting alert! Laura Leighton (Melrose Place) and Alexis Denisof (Dollhouse) will star opposite Lucy Hale and Troian Bellisario in ABC Family drama pilot Pretty Little Liars. Also cast: Ashley Benson, newcomer Shay Mitchell, Jean Louisa Kelly and Nia Peeples. Elsewhere at the cabler, Tracey Fairway and Nick Robinson will star opposite Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence in an untitled multi-camera comedy and Vanessa Marano and Chloe Bridges will star with Scott Cohen and Stephanie Childers Michael Jacobs' untitled single-camera comedy. (Hollywood Reporter)

Producer Kenn Viselman, the man responsible for who importing the Teletubbies and Thomas the Tank Engine to American television, has formed production company Kenn Viselman Presents, which will focus on development feature films and television programs aimed at the family market. (Variety)

Former FOX Entertainment chairman Peter Ligouri has been hired by Discovery Communications as the company's chief operating officer, where part of his overall responsibility will be overseeing the launch of OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, scheduled to debut in 2011. Liguori, who will report to David Zaslav, is expected to begin in his new position in January. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Late Show with David Letterman co-head writers (and brothers) Eric Stangel and Justin Stangel have been promoted to executive producers. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Minnie Driver to "Modern Family," Jeffrey Tambor Opposite David Tennant in "Rex," ABC Circling "Charlie's Angels," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Minnie Driver (The Riches) has landed a plum guest role on ABC comedy Modern Family, where she will play "a friend and former co-worker of Claire’s (Julie Bowen). The two reconnect after years of being out of touch and things are not exactly how they remembered." Driver's episode is slated to air in January. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development) will star opposite David Tennant in NBC's legal dramedy Rex is Not Your Lawyer, where he will play the psychiatrist of the panic attack-prone titular lawyer (Tennant) who is described as "a specialist in anxiety disorders who himself suffers from them and who also becomes romantically involved with Rex's mother." David Semel will direct the pilot, written by Andrew Leeds and David Lampson. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC is said to be close to handing out a pilot order to a contemporary remake of Charlie's Angels, with Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) attached to write and executive produce the new project, which hails from Sony Pictures Television. Also attached to executive produce: Leonard Goldberg, Drew Barrymore, and Nancy Juvonen. (Variety)

Syfy has quietly cut back the episodic order of Battlestar Galactica prequel series Caprica by one episode, bringing the total to 19 installments. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

ABC has given a script order to a comedy pilot based on Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee's book "Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid," which will focus on a couple with the failed marriage behind them who are looking to make it work the second time around. Morris and Lee will adapt their own book, with Morris and Elliot Webb attached as executive producers. (Variety)

Maggie Friedman, the executive producer of the newly cancelled supernatural drama Eastwick, has clarified remarks that she made to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello about being "furious" about the axe falling on her series. "The other day, when we were discussing the cancellation of Eastwick, I misspoke in the worst possible way," wrote Friedman. "The word 'furious' was poorly chosen by me. You had said to me that 'the fans are understandably furious' and so I agreed that I was too, but the truth is, I’m not. I see that word now in print attributed to me and it’s very painful, because it seems to imply I am angry with ABC and nothing could be further from the truth. They treated me really well. I am not the least bit furious, with anyone. That’s simply not the kind of person I am. Yes, I’m sad about the show being cancelled, because it was creatively fulfilling and tons of fun to make and an amazing group of people, but I’m not angry." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

SPOILER! E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos and Megan Masters are reporting that there's going to be a rather revealing love scene between outbound Melrose Place stars Colin Egglesfield and Ashlee Simpson-Wentz coming on the nighttime soap before the duo depart the series. "Things get pretty violent and kind of crazy," Egglesfield told E! Online. "Auggie ends up hitting the bottle and falls off the deep end a little bit." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

The CW is developing medical drama series HMS, about a group of promising medical students at Harvard Medical School which is being described as a younger Grey's Anatomy. Project, from Warner Bros. Television is written and executive produced by Amy Holden Jones (Mystic Pizza) and co-executive produced by Heroes star Hayden Panettiere. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: David Tennant Crowned "Rex" for NBC, Naveen Andrews to Guest on "Law & Order: SVU," Ramsay Brings "Masterchef" to US, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Looks like the TARDIS has deposited the Doctor on our shores. Outbound Doctor Who star David Tennant has signed on to topline NBC's legal dramedy pilot Rex Is Not Your Lawyer. Tennant, who departs from Doctor Who at the end of the year, will play the titular character, Rex Alexander, a Chicago lawyer who suffers from crippling panic attacks who begins coaching his clients on how to represent themselves in court. Project, from Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun, is written by Andrew Leeds and David Lampson and will be directed by David Semel, who executive produces with Barry Schindel, Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun, and Gene Stein. (Hollywood Reporter)

Lost's Naveen Andrews will guest star on an upcoming episode of NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Details on his role are being kept firmly under wraps, though it's known that his episode is slated to air in January. (TVGuide.com)

FOX has ordered roughly twelve to fifteen episodes of a US adaptation of British culinary competition series Masterchef from Reveille, One Potato Two Potato, and executive producer Gordon Ramsay, who will likely also appear on the series, possibly as its host. The format is still under discussion but it's thought to likely resemble the Australian version of Masterchef more than the BBC version of the series; hundreds of amateur chefs are invited to audition for a slot on the series which then becomes an American Idol-style elimination-based competition. (Variety, Broadcast)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams interviews V star Scott Wolf about his role on ABC's new iteration of the classic 1980s mini-series. "When we meet him and see his first encounter with [Anna], the leader of the Visitors, he's put in a position where he's forced to either give up the opportunity of a lifetime or compromise himself in a deep way," said Wolf of his character Chad. "You come to understand why Chad is wired the way he is. On the surface, Chad is not necessarily the best guy. He's very ambitious, but I think the thing that makes him really complicated and fun to play is that he's ambiguous. There's a sense that he's a little up for grabs. In a larger way, he represents an idea, in terms of how much faith should be placed in our media figures. It asks the question: Is that a good idea? Or is it potentially dangerous?" (TVGuide.com)

Mark Mylod (Shameless) has will direct the pilot of the US adaptation of British drama series Shameless for Showtime, Warner Horizon, and executive producer John Wells. (William H. Macy is attached to star.) Elsewhere, Clark Johnson (Lights Out, The Wire) will direct TNT drama pilot Delta Blues, which is executive produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov and hails from Warner Horizon as well. (Hollywood Reporter)

Both projects hail from Warner Bros. TV and its cable division Warner Horizon.

Jim Belushi, Diane English, and Barry Levinson have teamed up to develop a drama project that would star Belushi as a defense attorney based on the real-life lawyer Mickey Sherman. Project, currently being packaged by ICM, has yet to be pitched to studios or networks. (Variety)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has broken her vow of silence about the Heroes cast member who is getting the axe this season on the NBC drama series. Said actor only found out about the character demise by reading about it in a script... (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

TNT's run of Season One of Southland could feature bonus, never-before-seen footage that had been cut out of NBC's broadcasts. "It’s my understanding that the actual episodes will have more airtime on TNT, so I believe they will be going back in and [adding] content," series star Michael Cudlitz told Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "They’ll have the opportunity, and, in my opinion the need, to open up the [initial seven] episodes a little bit." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

ABC will produce two additional episodes of reality series Shark Tank using already shot footage, bringing the total of unaired episodes in its stash to five installments. It's unclear when ABC will air these episodes or if the network plans to renew the series for a second season. (Variety)

HBO is developing a telepic based on Steve Knopper's nonfiction book "Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age," about the rise and crash of the US recording industry from the 1970s to the present day. Victoria Stewart is attached to adapt and Bob Cooper will executive produce. (Hollywood Reporter)

Robert Wagner has been cast as the father of Michael Weatherley's Tony DiNozzo on the 150th episode of CBS' NCIS, set to air in January. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Comedian Tom Papa will host NBC's upcoming reality series The Marriage Ref, from executive producer Jerry Seinfeld. Series, which is slated to air in midseason, has couples involved in marital disputes "present their case to a panel of comedians and celebrities." (Hollywood Reporter)

Kathy Griffin will host ABC reality competition series Let's Dance, in which celebrities will perform famous pop dance routines. The series, from FremantleMedia North America, is set to launch Monday, November 23rd at 9:30 pm. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Fisher Stevens has been cast in a potentially recurring role on ABC's Ugly Betty, where he will play Mr. Z., Betty’s "dry, sarcastic new landlord." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Stay tuned.