In the wake of the writers rebellion, pilot season is more than a little confused. CBS and Fox seem to be ordering new shows left, right and centre (though even now Fox has ordered only 1/4 of the pilots it ordered last year) while ABC and NBC seem to be biding their time. It is all a bit strange. What hasn't changed however, is the usual gossip about who is up for what part. All scurillous gossip of course, but here we go.

Whedon, having already signed Eliza Dushku to lead his Dollhouse, has apparently called in several members of the Whedon-pack to read for other roles in the series.  Whether that is James Masters, Charisma Carpenter or... well any of them actually, is anyone's guess. We know it is not Sarah Michelle Gellar, though reports are that she is being tempted back to television and Michelle Trachtenberg because she is being lined up for Gossip Girls, allegedly, but the anyone else... so go wild with your fetid imaginations.

Because there are so few new shows in production it is very much a commissioners market when it comes to talent and there are some big hot names being talked around some of the new shows... Gena Davis being the exception that proves the rule.  Dominic West has apparently hit the big time now that his stint on The Wire, and indeed The Wire, has come to an end. Another Brit making headway in Hollywood is Rufus Sewell, though the two of them hardly constitute the brit-plague that was last year's pilot season. Matthew Perry, now free after Studio 60 was criminally cancelled is apparently being fought over by a number of projects and there are rumours that Amy Smart is also being tempted back to television... though why there are rumours about Amy Smart (other than her three guest appearances on Scrubs) is something of a mystery. But there you go.

One other piece of unsubstantiated gossip is that the American adaptation of Spaced has started hiring. Simon Pegg recently went on record saying he was disappointed by the fact that the production did not think to consult the original creators, ie him, in the development process. One can't helping thinking it would be a bit of a slight someone buying your show and not wanting you in it... anyway that comes nicely back to the point which is that Australian Josh Lawson of... well... pretty much nothing recognisable, is reported to have been lined up to play Tim Bisley. Which has got to sting even more. I mean to reshoot the show with American friendly (ie American) actors is one thing... but to use an Australian!