Posted: Wed., Feb. 15, 2006, 9:00pm PT

ABC dolls up 'Guys' pilot

Britton turns on 'Lights'

By Michael Schneider

Polo

Britton

Higgins

Doyle

ABC's made friends with "The Guys," greenlighting the comedy pilot from Warner Bros. TV and the Tannenbaum Co.

Meanwhile, Connie Britton will reprise her "Friday Night Lights" role in the TV version, while Teri Polo ("The West Wing") and Rachel Blanchard ("Snakes on a Plane") have also landed pilot roles.

"The Guys," from scribes Craig Doyle and Al Higgins, revolves around five men who become pals after their kids become friends. Doyle and Higgins will exec produce with Eric and Kim Tannenbaum.

Doyle's credits include "The Andy Dick Show," while Higgins spent several years with "Malcolm in the Middle."

Meanwhile, Britton will play the wife of Kyle Chandler's character in "Friday Night Lights," the NBC pilot inspired by the feature. Britton played the same role -- but opposite Billy Bob Thornton -- in the movie.

NBC Universal TV and Imagine TV are behind "Friday Night Lights," which revolves around small-town high school football.

Britton most recently appeared in "24" and shot two indie films, "The Last Winter" and "The Lather Effect." Her credits also include the TV skeins "Spin City" and "The Fighting Fitzgeralds," as well as feature "The Brothers McMullen."

Polo, meanwhile, will star in the CBS pilot "Welcome to the Jungle Gym," which has lifted the project's cast contingency.

She'll play a working mother in the sitcom, which comes from Warner Bros. TV. Polo's credits also include "I'm With Her."

And Blanchard will play Jessica in ABC's "Our Thirties," which looks at a group of anxious thirtysomethings. Sitcom comes from Touchstone TV and the Littlefield Co.

Blanchard starred in the TV version of "Clueless" and also appeared in "7th Heaven." Feature credits also include "Without a Paddle."

Other castings Wednesday:

• Ben Shenkman ("Just Like Heaven") will play Brian in ABC's "20 Questions." Conspiracy thriller revolves around a new State Dept. official who becomes embroiled in an international scandal.

Touchstone TV is producing the drama pilot. Shenkman's credits also include "Angels in America" and "Law & Order."

• Riley Smith ("24") will play Karl in CBS' "The Way."

Pilot, from Sony Pictures TV, revolves around a New England Mafia family that dabbles in witchcraft. Smith was also seen in the features "New York Minute" and "Not Another Teen Movie."