James Van Der Beek has joined CBS' comedy pilot "Sex, Power, Love & Politics," Ron Livingston has been tapped for one of the two leads in Fox's drama pilot "Primary," and Steven Culp has joined ABC's drama pilot "Traveler."

Meanwhile, CBS has picked up "Waterfront," a drama pilot from "ER" veteran Jack Orman with Joe Pantoliano attached to star.

In other pilot castings, Jonah Lotan and Rachel Stirling have come on board Fox's drama "Beyond," Peter Dinklage has joined CBS' drama "Ultra," Alan Tudyk has been cast in CBS' untitled Carol Mendelsohn drama, Swoosie Kurtz has been added to CBS' comedy "Play Nice," and John Allen Nelson has been cast in Fox's drama pilot "Vanished."

Additionally, Lux Medlin (CBS' "Still Standing") and Beth Lacke are set to star in the Fox comedy pilot "Happy Hour," while Eric Stonestreet has joined Fox's drama pilot "13 Graves."

"Sex, Power, Love & Politics," from Sony Pictures TV, revolves around staffers in their mid-30s who work on Capitol Hill.

On the show, Van Der Beek joins the previously cast Jane Krakowski and Jay Harrington.

"Dawson's Creek" alum Van Der Beek toplined another CBS pilot last development season, the comedy "Three."

He is repped by the Gersh Agency.

"Primary," from 20th Century Fox TV, centers on a male (Livingston) and a female hostage negotiator who try to navigate their budding relationship and the demands of their job. Livingston's credits include feature "Little Black Book," the mini "Band of Brothers" and series "Sex and the City."

"Traveler," from Warner Bros. TV, is a thriller about three Yale graduate students who become wrapped up in a national security emergency after one of them frames the other two for the bombing of a famous New York art museum.

Culp most recently starred as Rex Van De Kamp in the first season of ABC's hit "Desperate Housewives."

"Waterfront," from Warner Bros. TV, stars Pantoliano as the wildly charismatic and ethically challenged mayor of Providence, R.I.

Gersh-repped Orman is the writer-exec producer.

The pilot keeps Pantoliano in the CBS fold after the actor's starring role in the network's drama "The Handler."

"Beyond," from 20th Century Fox TV and Imagine TV, is a thriller set in NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab that chronicles the dawning of a new race to space.

Lotan, who is recurring on Fox's "24," is repped by Gersh, his British agent John Grant and manager Larry Taube at Principal Entertainment.

Based on the comic book, "Ultra," from CBS Paramount TV, centers on a single, city-girl superhero (Lena Headey).

Dinklage will play The Scientist.

"Play Nice," from CBS Paramount TV, revolves around a brother-sister odd couple (Timm Sharp, Sara Rue) who run a family toy company. Sharp plays the brother, while "Less Than Perfect" star Rue has been tapped for the sister, in second position to the ABC comedy.

Kurtz will play the wife of the company's legendary owner (Fred Willard).

The untitled Carol Mendelsohn project, from CBS Par TV, revolves around brilliant legal associates. Tudyk will play one of them, a competitive and arrogant Ivy League graduate.

The actor, most recently seen in "Serenity," is repped by Endeavor and manager Geordie Frey.

"Vanished," from 20th TV, chronicles the disappearance of a senator's wife.

Nelson, a recurring on "24," will play the senator.