Attention 'Battlestar Galactica' fans: Tricia Helfer is back on TV and playing one heck of an imposing character once again. Helfer co-stars opposite Josh Lucas in NBC's midseason series 'The Firm.'

Based on the popular John Grisham novel and feature film, 'The Firm' picks up 10 years after the events of the film and stars Lucas as Mitchell McDeere. Helfer plays Alex Clark, the senior partner at Kinross & Clark, the firm Mitch McDeere joins as a partner. Juilette Lewis, Molly Parker and Callum Keith Rennie also star.

'The Firm' premieres Sun., Jan. 8 at 9PM ET before moving to its regular timeslot, Thursdays at 10PM ET on Jan. 12.

Check out two sneak peek promo videos below.

Well, we were right: The ax-wielders over at NBC have decided to give fledgling drama 'Grimm' time to find its feet and develop an audience. 'Entertainment Weekly' reports that the network has placed a full series order, making 'Grimm' the only new NBC hour-long series to get a "back nine" episode order this fall.

NBC President, Robert Greenblatt, said "We are very pleased to be making a full-season commitment for 'Grimm.' This series is turning the traditional procedural drama on its head and is attracting a loyal following for us on Friday nights. We love where it's going creatively and we're excited to deliver more episodes to our audience."

NBC is doing a big midseason shuffle, putting '30 Rock' in the 'Community' timeslot, a move that could spell the end for the quirky cult-hit comedy. What else is changing? Well, quite a bit.

'30 Rock' returns to the Peacock on Thurs., Jan. 12 at 8PM ET, knocking 'Community' off NBC's schedule completely. New drama 'The Firm' takes the Thursdays, 10PM ET slot now held by 'Prime Suspect' and 'Whitney' swaps time slots with 'Up All Night.'

'Smash' hits NBC on Mon., Feb. 6 at 10PM ET, moving 'Rock Center' to Wednesdays at 9PM ET. However, those aren't the only changes. Check out the full schedule below for all the details.

NBC made no mention of 'Community,' 'Prime Suspect,' 'Awake,' 'Bent,' Betty White's 'Off Their Rockers' or 'BFFs' in their announcement. Per Vulture: NBC says 'Community' will return to the schedule, but no date has been given.

Here we are: Fall TV premiere week.

There are some exciting shows slated for fall, including 'Person of Interest' (CBS' Michael Emerson-Jim Caviezel procedural with a twist), 'Up All Night' (NBC's relatable new comedy starring Will Arnett, Christina Applegate and Maya Rudolph), 'Pan Am' (ABC's swinging '60s drama set in the world of mile-high espionage), 'Secret Circle' ('The Vampire Diaries' boss Kevin Williamson's answer to witches) and 'Terra Nova' (Fox's ambitious time-travel dinosaur drama, pictured), just to name a few.

But some of the most buzzed-about shows are being held for January 2012 and beyond, and we're not the only ones taking note.

We gathered a group of esteemed critics to pick their favorite new dramas and comedies -- check out all our videos here -- and the conversation changed completely when we opened the selection up to include midseason offerings as well.

So, as much as people are probably over this common fill-in-the-blank statement, I'm saying it: This year, midseason is definitely the new fall. Check it out ...

'Battlestar Galactica' star Tricia Helfer has joined the cast of 'The Firm.'

Helfer will recur on NBC's mid-season drama as Alex Clark, the senior partner at Kinross & Clark, the firm Mitch McDeere (Josh Lucas) joins as a partner. TVLine confirmed the news.

"Just signed a recurring role "Alex Clark" in NBC's 'The Firm' airing this winter," Helfer said on Twitter. "Will be working with some amazing talent - very excited!"

After years in development hell, a television version of hit film and novel 'The Firm' is slated for a 2012 mid-season debut on NBC in the U.S. and Global in Canada. It's been 20 years since the book topped best-seller lists and 18 since the film added to the oeuvre of films that feature Tom Cruise running. It's hard to say if this time-lapse will be a boon to the show (at least it doesn't feel too soon, like a certain 'Spiderman' reboot) or a deficit -- does anyone care what the McDeere family is up to ten years later?



Maybe they will when they see who's in the cast for the small screen version -- it's a collection of some of the brightest, smartest and creepiest actors working. And I mean that in the most complimentary way. With Josh Lucas as Mitch, Molly Parker as his wife Abby, Callum Keith Rennie as brother Ray and Juliette Lewis as assistant Tammy, we viewers will never be able to trust a single one of them.

NBC's midseason show 'The Firm,' based on the John Grisham thriller of the same name, has locked in its female lead.

Molly Parker, formerly of HBO's 'Deadwood,' will play Abby McDeere in the new drama, Vulture reports. Abby is the wife of the main lawyer character, played by Josh Lucas in the new show (and Tom Cruise in the movie).

In other TV news ...

Michelle Krusiec has booked one very mysterious 'Fringe' role.

According to TVLine, the 'Dirty Sexy Money' and 'Community' alumna will play the recurring role of "New Female Character." Sounds juicy, right?

Just who is this new character? Well, with name that vague, don't look for producers or even the actress to give up details.

"I got a very cool job offer last night at 11.45pm for a cool new recurring on a TV series," Krusiec said on Twitter.

Mum's the word!

In other TV news ...

Josh Lucas is reportedly taking a break from movies to take on his first starring role in a major TV drama series.

Acccording to Deadline.com, the 'Poseidon' star is in final talks to star in the long-awaited TV version of John Grisham's novel 'The Firm.' The series is based on both the bestselling novel and the 1993 movie, and is set 10 years after they ended.

Lucas will take on the role of Mitchell McDeere -- Tom Cruise's character in the movie -- who, as a young lawyer, took down a prestigious Memphis law firm after discovering that it had a dark side, operating as a front for the Chicago mob.

A decade later, 'The Firm' follows McDeere and his family as they return to the real world to reclaim their lives after traumatic events including a spell in the Federal Witness Protection program. However, past dangers are still lurking and new threats are everywhere.

'NCIS' creator Don Bellisario is suing CBS for not including him in the creation of the now-franchise's successful spin-off, 'NCIS: Los Angeles.'

Although Bellisario was fired from the show after season 4 when star Mark Harmon threatened to leave, Deadline reports Bellisario is saying that the network was still contractually obligated to include him in the spinoff show.

The network has countered via a statement to Entertainment Weekly, saying "Don Bellisario has no rights to what he is claiming in this suit. The contract is clear, the facts are undeniable and the courts won't need Naval intelligence to conclude that the case has no merit. We continue to honor all of our obligations to Mr. Bellisario under the actual agreement."

In other TV news ...

• The CW network has a new boss. Mark Pedowitz was named the new head of the network. Former chief Dawn Ostroff announced her exit earlier this year. [TV Guide]

• The 'Glee' gang has scored a major guest star while they film the Nationals episode in New York this week. Apparently, Broadway leged Patti LuPone is filming scenes today with 'Glee' stars Lea Michele and Chris Colfer. [TV Line]

• NBC is working on a TV series based on John Grisham's 'The Firm.' The author is on board the project as a producer. [EW]

It's been almost 20 years since John Grisham's 'The Firm' made him an airport kiosk staple, and now, 'lo these couple of decades later, his legal thriller seems poised to finally make it to the small screen.

Deadline is reporting that a series based on a spec script by writer Lukas Reiter ('Emerald City') has been pitched to NBC and Fox as well as to a number of cable networks, including FX, A&E and TNT.

Reiter, who will exec produce the series with Grisham, attempted to get the series going at CBS a couple of years ago but never even got it to the pilot phase.

Although TV fans would know him from his role as Will's dad on Will and Grace, he was also, of course, an acclaimed film director, helming such movies as Three Days of the Condor (one of my favorite films), Tootsie, Out of Africa, The Way We Were, The Firm, Havana, Absence of Malice, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Jeremiah Johnson, and The Interpreter. He also directed several TV shows back in the 60s, including The Fugitive, Ben Casey, Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Defenders, Slattery's People, and many others.

Pollack's other acting roles included spots on The Sopranos, King of the Hill, Frasier, Mad About You, Playhouse 90, and The Twilight Zone, along with the movies Michael Clayton, Eyes Wide Shut, Husbands and Wives, A Civil Action, Death Becomes Her, and The Player. His last acting role was in this year's Made of Honor and his last directing job was 2005's Sketches of Frank Gehry.

Pollack died of cancer this afternoon in Pacific Palisades, CA. He was 73.

Kelly Clarkson just solidified her standing as my favorite American Idol (sorry Bo, you're #2). She has managed to escape from the strangle-hold that American Idol has on most of its contestants' careers. In an article that comes out in today's Time magazine, Kelly says she didn't want to make From Justin to Kelly with runner-up Justin Guarini but she was contractually obligated. I never saw it, because it looked like some terrible version of Beach Blanket Bingo and it only got 8% on Rotten Tomatoes. She said, "I knew when I read the script it was going to be real, real bad...I could not get out of it." Kelly eventually did get out of her contract with 19 Entertainment, the studio that manages all the American Idol winners, when folks in charge wouldn't allow her to write any songs for her new album, Breakaway. She ended up writing or co-writing six of twelve tracks and now is managed by a new company. Just call her Miss Independent.

By the way, Kelly is scheduled to perform on the Grammy Awards this Wednesday. She is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album. Knowing that her personal stamp is on that album, I'm definitely rooting for her!