LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- ABC has issued series orders to its Hilary Swank-led drama "Alaska"; "The Rookie" spin-off "The Rookie: Feds"; and the Gina Rodriguez-led comedy "Not Dead Yet" to series.
In "Alaska," Swank plays Eileen Fitzgerald, "a recently disgraced reporter who leaves her high-profile New York life behind to join a daily metro newspaper in Anchorage on a journey to find both personal and professional redemption." Also starring are Jeff Perry as Stanley Cornik, Matt Malloy as Bob Young, Meredith Holzman as Claire Muncy, Grace Dove as Rosalind "Roz" Friendly, Pablo Castelblanco as Gabriel Martin, Ami Park as Jieun Park and Craig Frank as Austin Greene. Swank, writer/director Tom McCarthy, Melissa Wells, Bert Salke, Kyle Hopkins and Ryan Binkley also executive produce for 20th Television.
"The Rookie: Feds" stars Niecy Nash-Betts as Simone Clark, first introduced in a two-part event of the parent series as the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy. Also starring are Frankie Faison as Christopher "Cutty" Clark and Felix Solis as Matthew Garza. Nash-Betts, Mark Gordon, Nathan Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross and Corey Miller executive produce alongside creators Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter for Entertainment One and ABC Signature.
And "Not Dead Yet" features Rodriguez as Nell Stevens, "a broke and newly single self-described disaster, working to restart the life and career she left behind 10 years ago. When she lands the only job she can find - writing obituaries - Nell starts getting life advice from an unlikely source." Rodriguez, McG, Mary Viola and Corey Marsh executive produce alongside creators David Windsor and Casey Johnson for 20th Television. Dean Holland directed the pilot.
As for ABC's other completed pilots, the network has passed on its Blair Underwood-led revival of "L.A. Law" as well as the Jo Koy-led half-hour "Josep." The latter however may be redeveloped into another vehicle starring Koy.
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