Bad omen for 'Reaper'? Tyler Labine takes pilot role

Julie Gonzalo, Billy Zane cast in NBC, ABC projects

March 12, 2009


Tyler Labine

One of the stars of The CW's "Reaper" has signed on to a FOX pilot in what could be an ominous sign for the devilish series.

Tyler Labine has taken the lead role in a comedy pilot called "Sons of Tucson," where he'll play a guy hired by three boys to pose as their father while their real dad is in prison. The latest round of pilot casting also includes Julie Gonzalo ("Eli Stone") joining NBC's "Day One" and Billy Zane and Clancy Brown signing on to a legal drama at ABC.

Labine's casting in "Sons of Tucson" will take second position to his role as Sam's (Bret Harrison) slacker buddy Sock on "Reaper," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show has averaged about 2.2 million viewers in its first two episodes this season, down a little from its average last year, and is considered on the bubble for renewal.

Gonzalo, who was also a regular on the final season of "Veronica Mars," will play one of the leads in NBC's disaster drama "Day One." She'll play a character who feels guilty about her inability to save her fiance's life. Derek Mio ("Greek") and Addison Timlin ("Cashmere Mafia") have also joined the cast.

At ABC, Zane and Brown have joined writer David Hemingson's untitled legal drama, which stars Matt Long as a law-school graduate who joins a boutique firm in Los Angeles. Zane ("Titanic," "BloodRayne") will play the firm's managing partner, while "Carnivale" star and prolific voice actor Brown will play another partner.