NBC greenlights six drama pilots

By Nellie Andreeva

TCA -- After retreating from the drama series genre this season to launchfive nights of "The Jay Leno Show" at 10 p.m., NBC is bringing in big dramaguns for next fall, greenlighting pilots from David E. Kelley,Jerry Bruckheimer, David Shore and Hank Steinberg.

At its TCA presentation Sunday, the network announced it had pickedup six drama pilots, in addition to the previously ordered J.J.Abrams drama "Undercovers" and legal dramedy "Rex Is Not YourLawyer."

The new pickups include Steinberg's remake of the icon Britishdrama "Prime Suspect," Shore's updated version of the classic "TheRockford Files," Kelley's legal drama "Kindreds" and theBruckheimer-produced action procedural "Chase," as well as romanticcomedy "Love Bites," from "Sex and the City" alumna Cindy Chupack,and thriller "The Event" from Nick Wauters.

Additionally, Abrams has signed on to direct "Undercovers," about a husband-and-wife duo of spies, which hepenned with Josh Reims.

NBC plans to order 10 drama pilots for next season, leaving a fewslots left for contenders like "Midnighters," based on the Alloybook series, and the Dick Wolf-produced "Sam & Twitch." NBCalso is developing a Los Angeles-set "Law & Order" series eyedfor fall.

-- "Kindreds," written on spec by Kelley, follows a curmudgeonlyex-patent lawyer and his group of misfit associates as their livescome together to form an unconventional kind of law practice. Theproject, from Warner Bros. TV and David E. Kelley Prods., was takento NBC on Tuesday and, in a competitive situation, NBC closed adeal Friday.

-- "Prime Suspect," from UMS and ITV, centers on a courageousfemale detective who investigates complex mysteries in apolitically explosive big city. Steinberg and Erwin Stoff areexecutive producing.

-- The new "Rockford Files," from UMS and Steve Carell's CarouselProds., centers on Jim Rockford, a roguish private eye who tacklesthe dangerous, quirky and unpredictable cases that no otherdetective wants to handle. Shore and Carell are execproducing.

-- "The Event," from UMS, features multiple points of view andfollows a regular fellow throw in a large government conspiracy.Steve Stark is exec producing, with Wauters co-execproducing.

-- "Chase," from WBTV and Jerry Bruckheimer TV, based on areal-life group in the American Southwest, follows a fugitiveapprehension team of U.S. Marshals that tracks down the nation'smost notorious criminals. Jennifer Johnson wrote the script and isexec producing with Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman.

-- "Love Bites," from UMS and Working Title Films, is exec producedby Chupack, Timothy Bevan, Eric Fellner and Shelley.

On the comedy side, the network has picked up one project so far, asingle-camera comedy starring Adam Carolla.