Posted: Thu., Feb. 15, 2007, 9:00pm PT

'Clerks' director takes 'Reaper'

Smith teams up with 'Grey's' producer

By Josef Adalian

In what will be his first gig directing a TV pilot, Kevin Smith has signed on to helm "Reaper," the supernatural-themed CW drama from exec producer Mark Gordon ("Grey's Anatomy").

CW drama chief Thom Sherman has lined up several other major TV and feature helmers for the net's first full slate of drama pilots, including James Frawley and brothers Josh and Jonah Pate, as well as the previously announced Rod Lurie and Mark Piznarski.

Smith will begin lensing next month on "Reaper," an ABC Television Studio-produced hour about a 21-year-old slacker who ends up becoming Satan's bounty hunter, retrieving souls lost from Hell.

While Smith hasn't directed a TV pilot, he's not a complete stranger to the medium. He adapted his pic "Clerks" as a short-lived animated show for ABC that he exec produced.

On the feature front, he most recently directed "Clerks 2" and had an onscreen part in the Jennifer Garner starrer "Catch and Release."

As for the CW's other drama helmers:

• Frawley ("The Muppet Movie") is aboard to direct the untitled Maggie Friedman project, an hour about a young woman with magical powers. Helmer's recent credits include "Notes From the Underbelly" and "Ghost Whisperer." Warner Bros. TV is producing.

• The Pate brothers are signed to direct "Gravity," an hour about rookie cops in L.A. Helmers' credits include episodes of "Friday Night Lights" and "Battlestar Galactica." They created the NBC skein "Surface."

• Jason Ensler ("Help Me, Help You") will direct "The World According to Barnes," the "Animal House"-like hour about crime-solving college students.

• Bryan Gordon will direct the net's untitled South African-set family drama. Helmer's credits include segs of "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "The Office" and "Weeds."

• Lurie was previously announced to direct "Paige Armstrong," which he also wrote. Piznarski signed on last month to direct "Gossip Girl."