This news just in from The Futon Critic: Stargate star Ben Browder‘s Hellcats pilot has been picked up to series by The CW for the fall!
Hellcats is an ensemble drama set in the world of competitive college cheerleading. Aly Michalka, Ashley Tisdale, Ben Browder, Elena Esovolova, Gail O’Grady, Heather Hemmens, Matt Barr, Robbie Jones and Sharon Leal all star in the project, which comes from CBS Television Studios, Tom Welling Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Allan Arkush directed the pilot presentation, which was penned by Kevin Murphy.
Browder’s character description (from an earlier announcement):
He’ll reportedly play Red Irvine, Lancer University’s football coach, “a handsome rogue who never lost the boyishness of youth.” He and the Hellcats coach Vanessa Hodge (Sharon Leal) share a history – they had an affair while he, then married at the time, was an assistant coach and she was cheer captain – and now he wants payback (she dumped him after he left his wife without telling her) in the form of getting her fired after one of the Hellcats (Heather Hemmens) gets hurt.
The pilot was shot in Vancouver, so the show will most likely also film there. According to the show’s overview page at the Critic’s website, there will be 13 episodes in the first season.
Browder is also producing and starring in the web-based series Naught for Hire, which will consist of thirteen six-minute episodes and is expected to premiere in December.
Congratulations, Mr. Browder!
You know, there’s been no official mention of Ben being in this show since before the pilot was shot. Eg, it wasn’t in the Entertainment Weekly announcement. It’s also not on his IMDB page. So I’m wondering if he’s still in it… sure hope so.