Debra Messing cast in new CBS pilot, final death knell for 'Smash'

Credit: Eric Liebowitz/NBC

Debra Messing has landed the lead in an untitled CBS comedy pilot that more or less confirms what we've all taken as a given: NBC's Smash is headed for the TV graveyard.

The 'Smash' star will play a forty-something mother of three who is incapable of telling to the truth, using big lies and little lies to balance out her hectic life, relationships and responsibilities. Overseen by Emmy-nominated "Sex and the City" writers Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky, who also worked on "Smash", the series is based on an Israeli comedy.

This will be Messing's first role in a half-hour comedy since the end of "Will & Grace".

As for "Smash", the series will air two more episodes in its current Tuesday night timeslot before finishing its disastrous season 2 run on Saturday nights.

Of course, Messing's role on the CBS pilot is in second position to her role on "Smash," which means that if "Smash" is somehow, miraculously renewed, she'll have to give up the pilot to stay with NBC's Broadway soap opera. But that would take some kind of a ratings miracle. So yeah, probably not.

Via: Zap2It