‘Rust Belt News’: Ravi Patel, Eric Edelstein & Johnny Jay Lee Join CBS Comedy Pilot

EXCLUSIVE: ABC comedy pilot The Son In Law has found its father in law.

Meera Simhan (The Flash) is set as a lead opposite Reema Sampat and Chris Sullivan in The Son In Law, ABC’s single-camera comedy pilot from 20th Television.

EXCLUSIVE: Samantha Mathis and Norm Lewis and are set as series regulars opposite Matt Passmore and Floriana Lima in Blank Slate, NBC’s drama pilot from Dean Georgaris, John Fox, Davis Entertainment and Universal Television.

Former Timeless star Malcolm Barrett has been tapped as the lead of the CBS comedy pilot The Hug Machine. Michaela Conlin and Allison Guinn also will star in the project, from Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist executive producer Sam Laybourne, Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone and CBS Studios.

Nick Grad, president of original programming at FX, announced on Thursday that the network has ordered the pilot of an untitled half-hour comedy written by writer/director Lauren Ludwig. The project is a metaphysical comedy about a group of queer 20-somethings forced by the most unlikely source to confront their generational anxieties and unpack their emotional baggage. Ludwig will executive produce along with Chris & Paul Weitz through their production company Depth of Field.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX has ordered a half-hour comedy pilot from Lauren Ludwig.The pilot is described as a metaphysical comedy about a group of queer twenty-somethings forced by the most unlikely source to confront their generational anxieties and unpack their emotional baggage.Ludwig is writing and executive producing the pilot. Chris & Paul Weitz of Depth of Field, Andrew Miano, Dan Balgoyen and Aaron Kogan will also executive produce.

After six successful, critically acclaimed, and Emmy-winnings seasons, comedic actor Bob Odenkirk is wrapping up his hit spinoff series “Better Call Saul,” based on the “Breaking Bad” series that it spun off from. His relationship with AMC has been mutually beneficial, giving him leading man status and charging the ratings, and now the two of them are looking to reunite on a new show.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLauren Lapkus and Krysta Rodriguez are set for the lead roles in the CBS multi-cam comedy pilot “Sober Companion,” Variety has learned.Rodriguez will play Eliza, described as a fun-loving, quick-witted alcoholic who runs a bookstore/bar with her uncle in New Orleans. After one too many run-ins with the law, she is assigned a court-appointed Sober Companion who will force her to confront her demons, get her act together, and stay sober, all while driving her completely nuts.Lapkus will play Shelley, Eliza’s Sober Companion.

Krysta Rodriguez (Halston) and Lauren Lapkus (Good Girls) have been tapped as the leads in CBS’ multi-camera comedy pilot Sober Companion, from Jane the Virgin creator/executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman and CBS Studios, where Urman is under an overall deal.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGeorge Lopez and Mayan Lopez’s NBC comedy pilot “Lopez vs. Lopez” has added three new cast members, Variety has learned exclusively.Selenis Levya, Brice Gonzalez, and Matt Shivley will star alongside the Lopezes in the multi-cam pilot.

Katy Mixon (American Housewife), Christopher Gorham (Covert Affairs), Cree Cicchino (And Just Like That…) and Connor Kalopsis (The Grinder) are set as leads in Unplanned in Akron, CBS’ multi-camera comedy pilot from Schuyler Helford (Call Me Kat), Erik Feig’s Picturestart and CBS Studios.

Selome Hailu Cree Cicchino, Connor Kalopsis, Katy Mixon and Christopher Gorham have been cast in “Unplanned in Akron,” CBS’s teen-parenting comedy pilot from Schuyler Helford.The series follows two teenagers navigating parenthood in the best way they know how. With a little help from their friends and parents, they’ll learn that mistakes in life don’t have to derail your life — that no matter what age you are, taking care of a child is no joke — but sometimes, you just have to laugh (or cry) your way through it.Cicchino plays Brianna, who is sharp-witted, outspoken and unfiltered.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe ABC comedy pilot “Not Dead Yet” starring Gina Rodriguez has found five new series regulars, Variety has learned.Josh Banday (“Pam & Tommy,” “Upload”), Jessica St. Clair (“Playing House,” “Avenue 5”), Mary Elizabeth Ellis (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Licorice Pizza”), Angela Gibbs (“Black Jesus,” “Hacks”), and Rick Glassman (“Old Dads,” “A Futile and Stupid Gesture”) will all appear alongside Rodriguez.In the single-cam pilot, Nell Stevens (Rodriguez) is broke, newly single and feeling old. Nell – a self-described disaster – works to restart the life and career she left behind 10 years ago.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGina Rodriguez is set for the lead role of the ABC comedy pilot “Not Dead Yet,” Variety has learned.In the single-cam pilot, Nell Stevens (Rodriguez) is broke, newly single and feeling old. Nell – a self-described disaster – works to restart the life and career she left behind 10 years ago.

“I think they’re f*cking losers,” spy veteran Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) says with characteristic brutal honesty to Mi5 superior Diana Taverner (Kristen Scott Thomas) when asked if he really cares for his team of rejects, while they sit on a park bench at 2 am in the middle of a national crisis. “But they’re my losers,” he says with loyal punctuation.

EXCLUSIVE: Rich Sommer (The Dropout), Lauren Lindsay Donzis (Punky Brewster), Jayma Mays (United States of Al), Bentley Green (Snowfall), Angel Laketa Moore (Atypical) and Bailey Gavulic (Fear The Walking Dead) are set as series regulars in CBS comedy pilot Rust Belt News. Additionally, Jeff Blitz (American Auto) has been tapped to direct and executive produce the single-camera comedy pilot from The Simpsons writer and The Mindy Project exec producer Matt Warburton.

EXCLUSIVE: Rosa Arredondo (Ordinary Joe) and Tristen J. Winger (Insecure) are set as series regulars opposite Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin in CBS’ untitled Mother & Son legal drama pilot.

EXCLUSIVE: Reema Sampat (Orange Is the New Black) has been tapped as the female lead opposite Chris Sullivan in The Son In Law, ABC’s single-camera comedy pilot from 20th Television.

EXCLUSIVE: Max Casella (The Tender Bar), Domenick Lombardozzi (The Irishman), Vincent Piazza (Boardwalk Empire), and newcomer Jay Will (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) have been cast opposite lead Sylvester Stallone in Tulsa King (working title), Paramount+’s new series created by Yellowstone‘s Taylor Sheridan, with The Sopranos alum Terence Winter at the helm as executive producer, writer and showrunner.