'My Name Is Earl's' Jason Lee to Star in CBS Drama 'Second Sight'

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Jason Lee

My Name Is Earl's Jason Lee is returning to the police force.

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The former star of TNT's Memphis Beat has been tapped to star in CBS' police drama Second Sight, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

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Based on the U.K. series of the same name by Paula Milne, which stars Clive Owen, the gothic psychological thriller revolves around a detective who is suddenly afflicted with an autoimmune virus that causes hallucinations reflective of his subconscious. He discovers that catching the killer depends as much on insight as eyesight.

Lee will star as Ross Tanner, the lead detective within the New Orleans Police Department, who is concealing a troubling secret: He has an ocular disorder that causes him to have horrifying and visually stimulating anxiety dreams and hallucinations. Told by his doctor that he will not go blind, he's encouraged to think of the disorder's effects as a gift -- signposts from his subconscious. 

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Homeland's Michael Cuesta will pen the drama alongside his brother, Gerald Cuesta. Both will exec produce, with the former also directing the pilot. CSI's Carol Mendelsohn will also exec produce the CBS Television Studios drama alongside Julie Weitz, Nick Reed, Phil Goldfine and Paula Milne.

The new role for Lee comes after he starred as a Memphis cop for two seasons on TNT's Memphis Beat. Lee most recently had a multiple-episode arc on Raising Hope, reuniting with Earl's Greg Garcia, as well as a handful of episodes of Up All Night. He's repped by CAA, Ribisi Entertainment and Hansen Jacobson.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit