NBC looking for more comedy imports

NBC is casting its pilot net overseas again, looking to adapt sitcoms from Australia and England for American viewers.

The network, which is already developing a version of the BBC Three show “I’m With Stupid” with the Farrelly brothers, has now set its sights on the Australian hit “Kath & Kim” and another Britcom, Channel 4’s “The IT Crowd.” Both projects are close to receiving cast-contingent pilot orders, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The bawdy “Kath & Kim” centers on a woman (Jane Turner) and her adult daughter (Gina Riley, who’s actually a year older than Turner) who live, not too grandly, in a Melbourne suburb while reality-TV cameras follow them around. The show has aired in this country on the Sundance Channel.

Ben Silverman, an executive producer of “The Office” (which also began life as a BBC series) and “I’m With Stupid,” is also exec producing the adaptation of “Kath & Kim.” Nancy Pimental (“South Park,” “The Sweetest Thing”) is writing the script and will also get an exec producer credit.

“The IT Crowd” debuted on Channel 4 earlier this year and did well enough to earn a second season. It’s about a trio of IT-support workers exiled to the basement of their company’s otherwise posh office building. “Just Shoot Me” veterans Joe Port, Moses Port, David Gaurascio and Joe Wiseman are writing and executive producing.

NBC has a decidedly mixed record with imported shows. “The Office” won this year’s best comedy Emmy and pulls down fairly solid ratings, but past network efforts “Coupling” and “Men Behaving Badly” suffered far crueler fates.

‘Trees’ takes root on ABC Thursday

With its ballyhooed drama “Six Degrees” struggling to hold onto the “Grey’s Anatomy” audience, ABC is making a change on Thursday nights.

In its place will go another freshman show, “Men in Trees,” starting Nov. 30. The dramedy, which stars Anne Heche as a self-help author who tries to put her own life back together in a small Alaska town, has been a steady (although not huge) performer for ABC on Fridays this fall.

Along with the new timeslot, “Men in Trees” has also received a full-season pickup. It will air at 10 p.m. EST Thursdays through December; what comes after that will depend how it performs. As for “Six Degrees,” it’s done for the remainder of 2006, although ABC says it will return to schedule – just where is unclear at the moment – in January.

“We love these two shows and are excited at the promise they have shown,” ABC chief Stephen McPherson says. “Thursdays will be a great platform for “Men in Trees’ to reach a larger audience.”

“Men in Trees” has averaged about 7.5 million viewers per week on Friday nights-where, incidentally, it has followed “Grey’s Anatomy” repeats for most of the fall. In the key adults 18-49 demographic it draws a so-so 2.2 rating.

“Six Degrees,” meanwhile, draws 9.64 million viewers per week, less than half of the 22.1 million who watch “Grey’s Anatomy” right before it. Its 18-49 rating is 4.0, compared to 9.3 for “Grey’s.”

A rerun of Sunday’s “Desperate Housewives” will fill the 10 p.m. spot this Thursday. A previously announced Barbara Walters special is set for 10 p.m. Nov. 16; plans for Thanksgiving night haven’t been finalized yet.

Headey tops Fox’s ‘Terminator’ pilot

Fox has found a leading lady for the high profile pilot “The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” an extension of the big screen “Terminator” franchise.

According to the industry trade papers, Lena Headey will topline the Warner Bros. TV pilot, talking over the Sarah Connor role played by Linda Hamilton on the big screen.

“The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” written by Josh Friedman, will focus on Sarah and son 15-year-old son John in the time after “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

The pilot, to be shot early next year, will be directed by good luck charm David Nutter, whose pilot credits include “Roswell,” “Supernatural,” “Smallville,” “Without a Trace” and ABC’s upcoming “Traveler.”

The 33-year-old Headey was seen last year in “The Cave,” “The Brothers Grimm” and “Imagine Me & You.” Other credits include “Gossip,” “The Jungle Book” and, next spring, the highly anticipated “300.”

‘Rules’ gal researches CBS ‘Big Bang’

Kaley Cuoco is looking to return to prime time as one of the stars of CBS’ comedy pilot “The Big Bang Theory.”

The comedy, from Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, offers the “Weird Science”-esque premise of a pair of brilliant physicists (Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons) and the sexy young woman (Cuoco) who teaches them about real life.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Amanda Walsh was originally cast in the role, but CBS decided in May that the part should be recast. Cuoco auditioned the first time around, but was too young for the part and ended up in another comedy pilot, this one at ABC. Of course, when the role was reconceived at younger, Cuoco got the call.

Best known for her co-starring role on ABC’s “8 Simple Rules,” Cuoco spent last season on The WB’s “Charmed.” Her other credits include “Ladies Man” and the telefilms “Crimes of Fashion” and “Growing Up Brady.”

CBS will split ‘Jericho’ season

CBS announced on Wednesday that “Jericho” will follow in the footsteps of shows like “Lost” and “Prison Break,” splitting its season into two repeat-free segments.

On Nov. 29, “Jericho” will have what is being described as a “fall season finale,” which will conclude with a cliffhanger of some sort. CBS won’t repeat the freshman drama and will instead bring the show back in February with all new episodes running for the remainder of the season.

The network says that the “Jericho” return will be preceded by a recap episode on Feb. 14. The all-new episode on Feb. 21 will flash back to the day before the mysterious nuclear attack that launched the show.

CBS doesn’t play to entirely abandon “Jericho” during its 10-week absence. The network revealed that episodes will continue to stream on its Innertube platform, where it has been CBS’ most streamed show. The show’s Web site will also integrate new original content

In the place of “Jericho,” which has averaged a solid 11.08 million viewers this season, CBS will bring back the comedy “The King of Queens” on Dec. 6 with back-to-back new episodes. Two more new “King” episode will air the following Wednesday as well, with single episodes airing at 8 p.m. on Dec. 20 and Dec. 27. The network says that another seven new “King of Queens” episodes will air at some point in 2007, but failed to clarify, saying only that additional programming announcements will come at a later time.