Friday, May 8, 2015

CBS Orders 'Angel From Hell,' 'Code Black,' 'Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders,' 'Life in Pieces,' 'Limitless' & 'Rush Hour'

CBS has just made the bulk of its pick-up decisions for the upcoming 2015-16 season, with official series orders for four dramas - Code Black, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Limitless, Rush Hour - and two single camera comedies - Angel From Hell and Life in Pieces. They join the recently ordered Supergirl on the network's schedule.




Here are the series descriptions for CBS's six new series:

CODE BLACK - A medical drama set in the busiest and most notorious ER in the nation where the extraordinary staff struggle in the face of a broken system to protect their ideals and the patients who need them the most.

The drama stars Marcia Gay Harden, Bonnie Somerville, Raza Jaffrey, Luis Guzman, Melanie Kannokada, Harry M. Ford, Ben Hollingsworth and William Allen Young.

The pilot was written by Michael Seitzman, who executive produces with Marti Noxon, Linda Goldstein-Knowlton, Ryan McGarry and director David Semel. ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios produces.


CRIMINAL MINDS: BEYOND BORDERS - Introduced in the April 8 episode of Criminal Minds as a planted spinoff, the drama focuses on a division of the FBI that helps American citizens who find themselves in danger abroad.

The drama stars Gary Sinise, Tyler James Williams and Daniel Henney. Anna Gunn co-starred in the backdoor pilot but will not be continuing with the series.

The backdoor pilot episode was written by Erica Messer, who executive produces with Mark Gordon and Nick Pepper. ABC Studios, CBS Television Studios and The Mark Gordon Company produce.


LIMITLESS - Based on the 2011 feature of the same name, the drama follows Brian Finch (Jake McDorman) as he discovers the power of the mysterious drug NZT, and is coerced into using his newfound drug-enhanced abilities to solve weekly cases for the FBI.

Jennifer Carpenter, Hill Harper and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio co-star on the drama.

Craig Sweeny wrote the pilot, and executive produces with Bradley Cooper, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Neil Burger, Heather Kadin, Todd Phillips, Ryan Kavanaugh, Tucker Tooley, Tom Forman and director Marc Wedd. CBS Television Studios, K/O Paper Products and Relativity Media produce.


RUSH HOUR - Based on the feature film franchise of the same name, a stoic, by-the-book Hong Kong police officer (Jon Foo) is assigned to a case in Los Angeles where he's forced to work with a cocky African-American LAPD officer (Justin Hires) who has no interest in a partner.

The series also stars Aimee Garcia, Wendie Malick, Jessika Van and Page Kennedy.

The pilot was written by Bill Lawrence and Blake McCormick, who executive produce with Brett Ratner, Jeff Ingold, Arthur Sarkissian and director Jon Turteltaub. Warner Bros. Television and Doozer produce.


ANGEL FROM HELL - When Amy (Jane Lynch) enters Allison's (Maggie Lawson) life and claims to be her guardian angel, they form an unlikely friendship and Allison can't be sure if Amy is an angel or just nuts.

The comedy co-stars Kyle Bornheimer and Kevin Pollak

Tad Quill wrote the pilot, which was directed by Don Scardino. CBS Television Studios produces.


LIFE IN PIECES - A comedy about one family told through the separate stories of its different family members.

The cast includes Dianne Wiest, James Brolin, Colin Hanks, Thomas Sadoski, Betsy Brandt, Zoe Lister Jones, Angelique Cabral, Dan Bakkedahl, Niall Cunningham, Holly J. Barrett and Giselle Eisenberg.

Justin Adler wrote the pilot, and executive produces with Aaron Kaplan and director Jason Winer. 20th Century Fox Television and Kapital Entertainment produce.