CBS, ABC Pilots Get Casting Directors

Continuing this week's trend of furious hiring by the studios, five CBS pilots and one ABC pilot have picked up casting directors, Back Stage confirmed.

Sherry Thomas and Sharon Bialy will cast "Widow Detective," produced by CBS Studios. The pilot's protagonist is a detective, but he's not a widow — or a widower, more accurately, considering he's a man. He has, however, had three partners killed in the line of duty, and takes it upon himself to care for the widows of the deceased. No shoot date is set for this pilot.

"Applebaum," also from CBS Studios, will be cast by Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee. The titular character, Juliet Applebaum, comes from a series of mystery novels by Ayelet Waldman. She is described as a part-time sleuth and full-time mother, and is partially based on the author herself. Barden/Schnee are also casting another literary adaptation, the Warner Bros pilot "Scruples" for ABC. The source material is a 1978 Judith Krantz novel about a young widow who opens up a hip boutique in Beverly Hills. Neither project has a start date.

Another CBS Studios drama, "Quean," will be cast by Jennifer Cooper. The pilot centers on an Oakland, Calif. detective who enlists the help of a young female computer hacker to solve difficult cases. CBS police dramas are Cooper's forte, it seems, as she also casts "CSI: NY" and "Hawaii Five-O." This project has no start date.

The following two comedies are also set to start casting: "Friend Me" from CBS Studios and "Super Fun Time" from Warner Bros. Television. The former is being cast by Marc Hirschfeld, the latter by Marisa Ross. "Friend Me" focuses on two friends who move from Indiana to Los Angeles for a new job, and have very different approaches to life in their new city. One prefers to stay in, order out, and play online poker, while the other is determined to make the most of the new social opportunities Los Angeles presents.

"Super Fun Time" is about three ladies who have a standing weekly date to hit the town in hopes of having not just a fun, but a super-fun time. Rebel Wilson, who played Kristen Wiig's roommate in "Bridesmaids," is attached to star. Nether project has a start date.