Network pilots land Edwards, Barrowman

The return of Anthony Edwards to series television and the migration of actors such as John Barrowman, Aidan Quinn and William Forsythe to potential new series highlighted the past week in broadcast network pilot casting. Taking a look, network-by-network ... ABC Edwards accepted his first series lead role since "ER," clocking in for "Zero Hour," the conspiracy mystery from writer Paul Scheuring with Lorenzo DiBonaventura and Dan McDermott also exec producing. Carmen Ejogo ("Chaos") will co-star. "Torchwood" star Barrowman joined the ensemble for 19th-century drama "Gilded Lilys," while Robert Patrick ("The Unit") and Jessy Schram ("Falling Skies") booked Andre Braugher starrer "Last Resort." Series regular Mercedes Masohn of "The Finder" and Robert Buckley ("One Tree Hill") have been cast in ABC drama pilot ''666 Park Avenue." Masohn's part comes in second position to Fox's "Finder." Terry O'Quinn, Dave Annable and Rachael Taylor have previously joined the ensemble. Other castings from the ABC drama division: Karen LeBlanc joined "Beauty and the Beast," Megan Ketch the magical "Gotham" and David Alpay ("The Tudors") and Christine Adams ("Terra Nova") fashion design drama "Americana." In comedy, Wendi McClendon-Covey, recently of "Bridesmaids," joined multicam "Only Fools and Horses" from Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley and featuring John Leguizamo. Ken Marino ("Party Down") and Erica Ash will co-star opposite Judy Greer in "American Judy," and Greg Germann and Mo Gaffney, who have both recurred on Showtime's "House of Lies," will co-star with previously announced Mary McCormack in the Alphabet net's untitled Kari Lizer laffer. Danielle Nicolet ("The Starter Life") booked "White Van Man" with Kyle Bornheimer, and Justin Prentice and Juliette Angelo were cast in Reba McEntire starrer "Malibu Country." CBS Carrie-Anne Moss, who recently recurred on the final season of NBC's "Chuck," will take on another smallscreen adventure in the untitled project from Nicholas Pileggi and Greg Walker set in 1960s Las Vegas and starring Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis. Theo James ("Bedlam"), who played the Turkish diplomat in PBS' "Downton Abbey," grabbed the lead in the Eye's "Golden Boy" that was abandoned last month by Ryan Phillippe. Aidan Quinn ("Prime Suspect") has joined Sherlock Holmes drama "Elementary" with Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, while Rhys Coiro ("Entourage") is aping Rachelle Lefevre in jumping from freshman drama "A Gifted Man" to pilot "Applebaum." Kyle MacLachlan will appear in "Baby Big Shot," while the untitled Ben Falcone/Larry Dorf project added Emily Rutherfurd ("The New Adventures of Old Christine"), Andrea Martin (who will play the wife of Judd Hirsch's character) Emily Alyn Lind ("Revenge") and Quinn Friedman. Tim Robinson joined "Friend Me," Matt Cook the untitled Greg Malins/Greg Berlanti project starring Bryan Greenberg and JoAnna Garcia Swisher, and Timothee Chalamet, Quinn Shephard and Lily Pilblad ("Lights Out") "Trooper" with Mira Sorvino. CW Key casting moves for the CW in the past week include Jay Ryan as the Beast in the network's own "Beauty and the Beast" reboot, and Mamie Gummer ("Off the Map) as the lead in hospital drama "First Cut." Martin Donovan ("Boss") and Leonor Varela were cast as the king and queen in Aimee Teegarden starrer "The Selection," which will also co-star Peta Sergeant and Celia Massingham. The ensemble of "The Carrie Diaries" grew to add Austin Butler ("Switched at Birth"), Brendan Dooling and Freema Agyeman ("Law & Order: UK"), while Paul Blackthorne of ABC's "The River" joined "Arrow." FOX Forsythe ("Boardwalk Empire") is headed for the untitled drama from Josh Berman and Robert Wright with Jordana Spiro playing a doctor beholden to the mob. Jay Harrington, who starred in ABC's "Better Off Ted," has joined Marc Guggenheim-scripted drama pilot "Guilty," with Cuba Gooding Jr. as a wrongly disbarred defense attorney who tries to solve cases of wrongdoing. Jamie Chung ("Sucker Punch") joined "The Asset," starring Ali Larter and Bradley Whitford, while Aly Michalka ("Hellcats") has rebounded into Joe Port-Joe Wiseman comedy "Rebounding," with Steve Levitan also exec producing. Matt L. Jones (Badger on "Breaking Bad") will also co-star. Other recent Fox castings include Adan Canto and Nico Tortorella ("Make It or Break It") for the untitled Kevin Williamson project starring James Purefoy and Kevin Bacon, Victor Rasuk ("How To Make It in America") for Ryan Hansen starrer "El Jefe" and Robbie Amell ("True Jackson, VP") for Bill Lawrence laffer "Like Father." NBC The untitled Jimmy Fallon project scripted by exec producer Charlie Grandy has added Anthony Anderson ("Law and Order") and Jesse Bradford ("Outlaw") to its group, while "Downwardly Mobile" with Roseanne Barr and John Goodman tapped Romy Rosemont ("Glee") and Mary Birdsong (Reno 911!"). Sarah Wright ("Parks and Recreation") joined Hilary Winston's untitled single-cam comedy, and Bebe Wood did the same for "The New Normal" from Ryan Murphy and Allison Adler. Allison Miller ("Terra Nova") is listed as a guest in Scott Silveri comedy "Go On" starring Matthew Perry. In drama, David Harbour ("Pan Am") has been cast in "Midnight Sun," with Julia Stiles and Titus Welliver, Amy Huberman in Justin Kirk starrer "Animal Kingdom" and Amara Miller ("The Descendants") as daughter of Bill Pullman's president in "1600 Penn." Finally, Lauren German ("Hawaii Five-0"), Charlie Barnett and Teri Reeves will suit up for "Chicago Fire," starring Jesse Spencer and Taylor Kinney. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

Hot Trailer: SXSW Debut In Our Nature

EXCLUSIVE: Here’s a first look at SXSW Film Festival world premiere In Our Nature, directed by Brian Savelson. Starring Zach Gilford, Jena Malone, John Slattery and Gabrielle Union, the feature follows two couples at a crossroads. Two young lovers head out for a romantic getaway, but their retreat morphs into an uncomfortable confrontation when the young man’s estranged father shows up with his own girlfriend. Collisions ensue and the weekend transforms into a major turning point for each of them…

SAG, TV Land pact on King Street shows

In the move saved under systems for six several days, the Screen Stars Guild has signed a deal with TV Land for coverage of shows created by its King Street Prods. with potentially less residuals than other SAG-covered shows on fundamental cable. SAG confirmed the signing Sunday evening following a SAG Watchdog website revealed the sale, which was signed in August. "SAG talked about a deal with TV Land's inhouse production company, King Street Prods., that covers all programming celebrate for TV Land," a guild representative mentioned. "The agreement develops SAG's coverage in television and utilizes an exhibit day formula for lower-allotted programs." SAG rejected to provide further particulars. The "exhibition day" formula allows reruns being proven on 12 nonconsecutive days within twelve several weeks in the first airing in the episode. Once the 12 days are actually used, or perhaps the year has lapsed, a residual formula would apply. The sale does not cover TV Land shows for instance "Hot in Cleveland" and "The Exes," which are already trained in American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. SAG and AFTRA are searching for member approval from the merger, with ballots due March 30. The approval came from from the SAG standing committee instead of the nation's board and wasn't published for the membership for approval. The SAG Watchdog posting by site operator Arlin Burns asserted the sale wasn't talked about incorporated within the "fundamental cable discussions" but just like a separate deal, deviating within the SAG practice of settling national uniform contracts. "Clearly, this is why they've always done business at AFTRA now, for brand new, SAG too," Burns written. Leaders of those two unions fought against over provisions of cable deals in 2007 over free reruns on 30 cable shows incorporated in AFTRA for instance "Muck," "Zooey 101," "Hannah Montana" and "The Sarah Silverman Show." SAG's Membership First faction -- which needed control of the guild board in 2005 -- banded together as AFTRAartists to function for slots round the AFTRA national board, the La board to ensure that as affiliates for the national convention round the platform that AFTRA should only sign deals comparable to SAG's. The move didn't produce a alteration of AFTRA policy, however. AFTRA's contention in those days was once the shows are shot on digital, either union might have to go following a program since that area was not defined which AFTRA should make these handles cable systems to avoid producers going non-union. SAG leaders also clashed with AFTRA that year inside the latter's refusal to reduce its 50-50 participation round the settling committees for film-TV and also on ads -- despite composed of a smaller amount in the overall earnings. SAG's complained that AFTRA happen to be offering producers cheaper contracts in fundamental cable, while AFTRA accused SAG leaders to become radical and inflexible, saying that it's "one-size-fits-allInch approach to contracts brought to less union jobs. The Membership First faction began losing energy in 2008 when the Unite for Strength faction began running around the platform that SAG and AFTRA should merge, partly to prevent such jurisdictional disputes. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Lifetime Picks Up Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp Docuseries

Jocko Sims The March 27 episode of CBS' NCIS, titled "The Good Son," is centered around Director Vance (Rocky Carroll) and will provide a rare glimpse into the character's personal life - along with the addition of a new family member. Joining returning members of Vance's kin will be hunky actor Jocko Sims as Vance's brother-in-law, Michael. According to my source, Michael is brought into the world of NCIS when he becomes the lead suspect in a murder case. Jocko (cool name by the way!) was a series regular on the 2008-09 series, Crash. Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!