Channel Surfing: Melora Hardin Turns "Lights Out" for FX, Signs Point to Possible Renewals for "Bones" and "Lie to Me," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Melora Hardin (The Office) has been cast as the female lead in FX drama pilot Lights Out, where she will play the wife of a former heavyweight boxing champ Patrick "Lights Out" Leary (Holt McCallany) who is diagnosed with pugilistic dementia and must find another way to support his family before his brain turns to mush. Also cast in the drama pilot, written by Justin Zackham and to be directed by Clark Johnson: Elisa Koteas (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Kevin Conway (The Black Donnellys), who will play Leary's father/former trainer and his manager/business partner respectively.

Hardin, meanwhile, isn't expected to reprise her role as Michael Scott's ex-girlfriend Jan Levinson for the remainder of the current season of The Office but will guest star in at least one episode next season. (Hollywood Reporter)

The internet was abuzz yesterday with news that FOX wouldn't be airing the final produced episode of Joss Whedon's drama Dollhouse, entitled "Epitaph One," though an insider told me that "Omega," the twelfth episode of the series would provide closure for the freshman season's storylines. Also of note: the fact that the thirteenth episode is actually being considered the series' fourteenth (if you include the scrapped pilot) and was not financed by the network but by the studio for international and DVD purposes. (Televisionary)

Pointing a sign toward possible renewal, FOX has announced that it will air repeats for dramas Bones and Lie to Me this summer. Beginning May 25th, the network will air repeats of House and Lie to Me on Monday nights from 8-10 pm ET/PT while repeats of Bones will air Thursday nights at 8 pm, leading into the new season of So You Think You Can Dance. (Futon Critic)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has the scoop on just how T.R. Knight's George will be leaving Grey's Anatomy, with a storyline that involves the doctor going, uh, overseas. Elsewhere, he reports that BSG star James Callis and Sarah Drew (Everwood) will guest star in the season finale of CBS' NUMB3RS, set to air on May 15th. Callis will play a charismatic sociopath who is suspected in the kidnapping of Amita (Navi Rawat), while Drew will play one of his followers. (Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello)

The New York Times' Arts Beat talks to Eastbound and Down co-creator/executive producer Jody Hill about what to expect for the series' recently announced second season... and learns almost nothing. So what can viewers expect? "First of all, let me just say: They’re bringing Kenny Powers back," joked Hill. "Isn’t that crazy? We were always debating [whether to do additional seasons of the show], because I think it tells a complete story in one season. But it’s such a fun show to do, so I guess we’re going to go for more." (New York Times' Arts Beat)

Showtime is said to have narrowed down its potential contenders for series orders to drama pilot Possible Side Effects, from writer/director Tim Robbins. Series, which stars Josh Lucas, follows the lives of a dysfunctional family who run a behemoth pharmaceuticals company. (Variety)

The pay cabler was said to have passed on Lionsgate Television half-hour comedy Ronna and Beverly, which Showtime was said to be very high on. The comedy pilot, created by Jenji Kohan (Weeds) and stars Jessica Chaffin and Jamie Denbo, was about "two middle-aged Jewish women who tirelessly promote their book, a dating guide for Jewish singles." The studio is said to be shopping the project to other networks. News comes after Showtime passed on the Matthew Perry-led pilot The End of Steve, which producer Sony Pictures Television will also be shopping elsewhere. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC has moved the premiere dates for two four-hour mini-series. Meteor, starring Christopher Lloyd and Marla Sokoloff, was originally intended to air June 7th and June 14th and will now bow on Sunday, July 12th and July 19th from 9-11 pm ET/PT. The Storm, starring Treat Williams and James Van Der Beek, originally slated to air on July 19th and July 26th, will instead be broadcast on July 26th and August 2nd. (via press release)

Stay tuned.