Jason Priestley is stepping back in front of the camera to join Syfy's 'Haven.'

According to TVLine, Priestley will play Chris Weekly, an antisocial genius marine biologist. He'll have an affliction of sorts that some would call a blessing.

Priestley is signed to appear in four episodes during season 2. The 'Beverly Hills, 90210' star will also direct an episode of the Syfy series. (The series airs on Showcase in Canada.)

In other casting news ...

• Ellen Barkin has joined NBC's 'A Mann's World.' The pilot, from 'Sex and the City's' Michael Patrick King, stars Don Johnson as an aging hair stylist. Barkin will play Johnson's character's ex-wife. [Vulture]

• Paul F. Tompkins is getting his evil genius on at Comedy Central. Tompkins will write and star as Professor Tiberius Lynch, a villain who has successfully taken over the world. What happens next? How do you run Earth? Those are Professor Lynch's questions. [Deadline]

• Eddie Cibrian is replacing Jeff Hephner in the NBC drama pilot 'Playboy.' Hephner reportedly performed well in his auditions but didn't work out after the table read. [Deadline]

• Titus Welliver has been tapped to star in The CW's 'Awakening.' 'The Good Wife' and 'Lost' actor will play a zombie hunter. [TVLine]

After some bogus SIM cards and a big shootout (including some decent stunts from LL Cool J), OSP partners G. Callen and Sam Hanna are able to recover a hijacked shipment of missiles for 'NCIS: Los Angeles' (Tue., 9PM ET on CBS). But one more thing.

G's ex-wife ex-partner Tracey Keller was involved in the heist. She begs him to let her go, and seals the request with a kiss. Next scene, she's strutting through the sunny Grand Cayman Islands. But somebody's there to meet her. "Never vacationed in the Caymans. Always working," says G.

*Warning, spoilers from this week's episode.*

This week's scene with 24's Acting President Noah Daniels pawing and kissing his aide Lisa Miller in the Oval Office, was, in a word, creepy. And when I thought about this season's multitude of, shall we say, unusual romantic/couple scenes -- of which there's been an abundance by 24 standards -- there was no question that the Daniels-Miller necking topped my list of the most uncomfortable amorous moments the season.

Other awkward contenders:

While 24 viewers await the return of fan-favorite Sandra Palmer (you know she's overdue for an appearance), this week's most snarky character came in the form of CTU analyst Nadia Yassir.

With Milo Pressman absent and likely getting his bullet wound taken care of (although torture wounds to the shoulder via power tools aren't enough to incapacitate Morris "Drill Bit" O'Brian), Nadia took over the role of the CTUer who harasses Morris, the role previously filled by Milo.

Nadia relentlessly followed Morris around the office and questioned his work, which clearly wasn't up to par because 1) He was literally drilled a few hours ago and 2) He's been apparently hitting the sauce again.

This week we focus on The National Justice Project's Sonya Quintano (Marisol Nichols), as a case from her past re-surfaces. We haven't seen much of Sonya except where she is a secondary player, so this is a good chance to explore her character. We also focus on attorney David Swain (Kyle MacLachlan) and investigator Charles Conti (Jason O'Mara).

Okay, I lied; Sonya is not the focus of this episode, unlike Brianna (Constance Zimmer) was last episode. She's there for a few scenes but it's mostly Conti and Swain in this episode. I can't believe TV lies to me like that!

There are a few things going for this show. First, it's not a show about a bunch of attorneys with suits and briefcases (well, accept David Swain) who leave the investigation to others. This show is about a bunch of attorneys in jeans and sneakers who learn how to perform the investigations on their own. In other words, they use their skills. In every episode Conti, or whoever is handling the investigation, asks questions to the other attorneys as to what is amiss about the case they are looking into.

The other thing about this show is that they aren't afraid to learn more about criminal investigation. In one scene Conti learns a little bit about what the criminal scientists call "smears"; fingerprints that smear on a weapon. With the knowledge that Conti gathers you already can see that the client in this episode was actually innocent.

 

According to fellow TV Squadder Bob Sassone, I could be reviewing one of the last episodes of In Justice before it goes on "hiatus". I'm surprised at this, considering that ABC has been touting the show as the highest rated new drama on Friday nights. That, and I never had a chance to warm up to the show.

Or, this could be all bogus and we could be talking about the show ten years from now and how it jumped the shark in season seven when it became a three-camera, studio audience sitcom. 

Despite the speculation, I shall plow ahead. This week the focus is on Constance Zimmer's character Brianna. What I didn't realize last episode was that Brianna, as well as Jon (Daniel Cosgrove) and Sonya (Marisol Nichols) are attorneys at the National Justice Project. Charles Conti (Jason O'Mara) is the exception; he's a former cop.

I didn't set out to watch In Justice, and the last thing I need is another courtroom drama to love. But it was Sunday, all of my favorite shows were in re-runs or supplanted by tedious TV movies or double-length episodes of Extreme Makeover, my boys were all feverish, and I wanted to do nothing for a while. And so, I didn't change the channel from the very dull Desperate Housewives recap.

And look! There's Kyle MacLachlan, who last played Charlotte's impotent Scottish husband on Sex and the City. And hey! That's Constance Zimmer, who I finally identified as the only reason worth watching the insultingly awful Good Morning Miami. And the criminal who is so grateful to be taken in by the Justice Project - that's one of my faves, she played Sela Ward's sister on the fabulous and much-missed Once and Again. (And if you're still wondering where it is you've seen Marisol Nichols - she played Audrey Griswold on Vegas Vacation. *groan* She's still a hottie, though.)