Roday
USA is psyched over "Psych," greenlighting 11 episodes of the one-hour drama for a summer launch.
Skein stars James Roday ("Miss Match") as a failed cop who saves himself from jail time by pretending to be a psychic detective but winds up getting recruited by officials to assist them on the job. Dule Hill ("The West Wing") plays a pharmaceutical rep and longtime friend of Roday's character. Corbin Bernsen also stars.
USA picked up the project to pilot last year (
Daily Variety, June 17). Steve Franks ("Big Daddy") will exec produce in association with Tagline Pictures' Kelly Kulchack and Chris Henze and NBC Universal Television Studio. Michael Engler directed the pilot.
"Psych" will run alongside new episodes of "The Dead Zone," slated to bow in June, and likely the third season of "The 4400," also set to air in summer. Drama is the first scripted skein to go to series since the short-lived update of "Kojak" starring Ving Rhames.
Two other onehour pilots remain in contention for a series pickup at USA. "In Plain Sight," from "Dawson's Creek" exec producer Paul Stupin and "Huff" writer David Maples, revolves around a woman (Mary McCormack) who works in the top-secret witness protection branch of the government, unbeknownst to her friends and family (
Daily Variety, Jan. 5).
Then there's "Underfunded," from "Monk" scribe David Breckman and Ross Abrash, about an underfunded Canadian secret service outfit. Mather Zickel, Ryan McPartlin, Joanna Canton, Brian Howe and Dhirendra star.
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