12 Stars Returning to TV in 2022–23 Pilots
Some cast members of This Is Us might not get much time off after the NBC drama’s sixth and final season wraps: Three of them have already booked broadcast TV pilots for the 2022–23 season.
And they’re not the only ones. Blair Underwood is returning to an iconic role, Niecy Nash is portraying another small-screen Rookie, and—as we found out last week—Misha Collins is making a “Dent” in another genre TV project.
Here are more details on those casting coups, plus other big names you might see on the primetime lineup next fall.
Misha Collins
The Supernatural alum will play district attorney (and future Two-Face) Harvey Dent in The CW’s Gotham Knights, a series in which Batman’s son teams up with the children of Gotham’s villains after they’re framed for the Caped Crusader’s death.
Charles Michael Davis
In CBS’ Early Edition reboot, this star of NCIS: New Orleans and The Originals will play Derick, a cop who becomes bodyguard to Alice Eve’s seemingly prophetic reporter, Beth.
Marcia Gay Harden
After Geena Davis abruptly dropped out of CBS’ untitled project—currently dubbed Mother & Son Legal Drama Pilot—this alum of Code Black stepped in. She’ll play Margaret, an attorney navigating a breakup and working alongside her P.I. son Todd (Skylar Astin).
Justin Hartley
Fresh off the farewell season of This Is Us, Hartley is executive-producing and starring in The Never Game, CBS’ adaptation of the Jeffrey Deaver bestseller. The actor will play Colter Shaw, a survivalist and “reward seeker” who relies on his tracking skills to solve mysteries.
Raymond Lee
With Kevin Can F**k Himself canceled, Lee has joined NBC’s reboot of Quantum Leap, a sequel of sorts to that 1990s sci-fi drama. Lee will play Ben Seong, a scientist who restarts the Quantum Leap project only to become trapped in the 1980s.
Niecy Nash
Whereas The Rookie focuses on the oldest rookie in the LAPD, the show’s still-untitled spinoff project will center on the FBI Academy’s oldest rookie, played by this Claws star. Keep your eyes peeled for a backdoor pilot on The Rookie later this season.
Chris Sullivan
Another This Is Us veteran, Sullivan will lead the cast of the comedy pilot The Son in Law as Jake, a plumber trying to impress his potential father-in-law while also contending with his own potential son-in-law.
Jimmy Smits
This TV veteran of NYPD Blue and The West Wing fame is a cast member of CBS’ pilot East New York, in which he’ll play the three-star Chief John Suarez, the new deputy inspector of the titular Brooklyn neighborhood. Amanda Warren will costar as Regina Haywood.
Max Thieriot
Currently a star of SEAL Team, Thieriot may pull double duty if CBS goes forward with the pilot Cal Fire. In the latter project, the actor will play Bode Donovan, a convict who enlists with a firefighting program in his small Northern California town.
Blair Underwood
Underwood is reprising his career-making role of Jonathan Rollins on L.A. Law, ABC’s revival of the famed ‘90s NBC legal drama. In the update, Rollins and his old colleague Arnold Becker, played by returning costar Corbin Bernsen, will work alongside a younger generation of attorneys at the law firm of McKenzie Brackman.
Milo Ventimiglia
The third This Is Us cast member on this list, Ventimiglia will star in the ABC drama pilot The Company You Keep. He’ll play a con man named Charlie, who unwittingly becomes entangled with undercover CIA officer Emma after a one night stand.
Ariel Winter
This former child star of Modern Family fame has replaced Demi Lovato in the pilot for the NBC comedy Hungry, in which she’ll join Valerie Bertinelli, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, and other familiar faces as the members of a “food issues group.”
