Channel Surfing: ABC Dumps "Single With Parents," "Heroes" Nabs "Everwood" Alum, Van Der Beek and Denman Check Out "Eva Adams," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. I definitely felt the lack of Pushing Daisies last night (my Wednesday night cure for any rough week) but I was completely sucked in by the season premiere of Top Chef (airing next week), which had more tension, drama, and pitch-perfect casting in its one-hour running time than the entire last season of Project Runway did.

ABC has yanked midseason comedy Single With Parents off of its schedule. The comedy, from ABC Studios and Kristin Newman, starred Alyssa Milano, Eric Winter, Annie Potts, Beau Bridges, and Amanda Detmer. Decision behind the cancellation (months before it was to launch on ABC) is said to stem from creative differences between the studio and the series' creator Kristin Newman. (Variety)

In other ABC midseason news, the Alphabet has opted to reduce its initial order on two midseason drama series, Castle and The Unusuals. ABC has approached ABC Studios about reducing Castle from 13 episodes to ten and has spoken with Sony about doing the same with The Unusuals (easily the best new series ABC has on offer in midseason). Decision is said to be based on inventory needs rather than creative decisions. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC's Heroes has cast Justin Baldoni (Everwood) in its next story arc, entitled "Fugitives." He'll play Alex, a surfer from California who works at a comic book store. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Battlestar Galactica returns to Sci Fi on Friday, January 16th but before that, keep your eyes open for a half-hour special entitled BSG: Essential Elements on January 11th at 11 pm and the latest batch of Battlestar Galactica webisodes, scheduled to air during the January 15th telecast of Pitch Black. Meanwhile, Sci Fi will add repeats of Invasion and Moonlight to its Friday night lineup beginning January 23rd. (Futon Critic)

James Van Der Beek (Dawson's Creek) and David Denman (The Office) have joined the cast of FOX drama pilot Eva Adams, based on telenovela Lalola. Project, from Journeyman creator Kevin Falls and Sony Pictures Television, follows a egocentric sports agent who turns into a gorgeous woman after being the victim of a witch's spell and is forced to endure the same sexist treatment he once dished out. Van Der Beek and Denman will play agents at the firm. (Hollywood Reporter)

A&E is developing paranormal/medical procedural drama Signs & Wonders with executive producer Jed Mercurio (Bodies), Fox Television Studios, and Mandalay Television. Project will follow a psychiatrist who oversees the cognitive sciences research division at a university and leads a team of graduate students in solving bizarre medical mysteries. (Variety)

Executive producer Joel Fields has left Ugly Betty after eight months and has accepted a position on TNT's legal drama Raising the Bar. Fields, brought in to replace Marco Pennette, was hired to oversee the series' transition from Los Angeles to New York and now that stories have been approved by the network for the remainder of the season, his services are considered completed. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Guide talks Supergirl with Laura Vandervoort who returns to Smallville tonight as Clark's cousin Kara, following a brief stint in the Phantom Zone. (TV Guide)

Bob Balaban will direct Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons in Lifetime biopic Georgia O'Keefe, which will follow the two-decades-long tortured romance between celebrated painter Georgia O'Keefe and photographer Alfred Steiglitz. Telepic is slated to debut in third quarter 2009. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.