NBC greenlights raft of pilots

US broadcast network NBC has ordered several pilots including a legal drama from L.A. Law creator David E. Kelley and a police procedural from Jerry Bruckheimer. There was also an order for a US version of UK cop series Prime Suspect.

Kelley’s Kindreds will be produced by Warner Bros. TV and David E. Kelly Prods. and will follow a group of legal eagles setting up a new law firm. Bruckheimer’s Chase will follow a group of cops in the US Southwest. It will also be produced by Warner Bros. TV, alongside Jerry Bruckheimer Prods.

Prime Suspect will be made by ITV Studios and Universal Media Studios. The show is the first of three that NBC has agreed to take from ITV under the terms of a pact inked late last year. Hank Steinberg (Without a Trace) is writing the two-hour pilot.

NBC also ordered include J.J. Abrams-directed Undercovers, about a husband and wife CIA agents. The show will be produced by Abram’s Bad Robot Prods. and Warner Bros TV. Other pilot orders include The Event, a Universal Media Studios-produced sci-fi series. There is also a remake of the classic cop series The Rockford Files, from House showrunner David Shore.

NBC ordered the pilots as it announced that it is cancelling The Jay Leno Show in its 10pm timeslot. NBC affiliates welcomed the move, which will see drama return to the 10pm slot. Leno switched to a 10pm start time last September. NBC entertainment boss Jeff Gaspin said he wants to move Leno to 11.35pm with The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien moving to 12.05am, but has yet to ink an agreement with the talkshow hosts.