Jim Belushi returning to series television

10:22 PM PDT 10/13/2010 by Nellie Andreeva, AP

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'SNL' alum to star in CBS pilot 'Defenders'

Jim Belushi is returning to series television, this time on the drama side.

Belushi has been tapped to star in CBS' hourlong pilot "Defenders."

The project, from CBS Studios, centers on two charismatic and fiery Las Vegas defense attorneys who go to the mat for their clients.

Belushi will play one of them, Nick Mancini, who has marital troubles and loves to drink his sorrows away.

"Saturday Night Live" alum Belushi most recently toplined ABC's family sitcom "According to Jim."

He has ventured into dramatic series before, most recently on the ABC series "Total Security," created by Steven Bochco, Charles H. Eglee and David Milch.

Niels Mueller and Kevin Kennedy wrote the script for "Defenders" and are executive producing with Joe and Harry Gantz, "CSI" maven Carol Mendelsohn and the pilot's director Davis Guggenheim.