Take Two: ABC Orders Series Starring Eddie Cibrian and Rachel Bilson

(Photo credits: Jean Nelson / DepositPhotos.com)

While Castle was cancelled after eight seasons, the Alphabet Network hasn’t cut ties with creator Andrew W. Marlowe. ABC has ordered his Take Two TV show straight to series. The “light crime procedural” will reportedly star Hart of Dixie‘s Rachel Bilson as well as Eddie Cibrian, late of the cancelled FOX TV series, Rosewood.

Marlowe created Take Two with his wife, Terri Edda Miller, who was also an EP on Castle. The new series is an ABC Studios co-production with StudioCanal’s Tandem Productions. Marlowe and Miller are executive producing with Rola Bauer and Tim Halkin.

Here is more on Take Two from Deadline:

Described as an upbeat procedural, Take Two, written by Marlowe and Miller, stars Bilson as Ella, the former star of a hit cop series who’s fresh-out-of-rehab following a bender of epic proportion. Desperate to restart her career, she talks her way into shadowing rough-and-tumble private investigator Eddie (Cibrian) as research for a potential comeback role. Though lonewolf Eddie resents the babysitting gig, high-spirited Ella proves herself to be surprisingly valuable, drawing on her acting skills and 200 episodes of playing a detective. When the press touts Ella’s role in solving a high-profile case, Eddie finds his phone ringing off the hook with new clients looking to hire the pair.

“Rola Bauer, Tim Halkin and the team at Tandem Productions have been stellar partners in this groundbreaking venture,” said Miller and Marlowe. And we are thrilled to be back working with our good friends at ABC and our new friends at France 2 and RTL/VOX.”

The project had been in the works for awhile. It was cast-contingent, with its straight-to-series order dependent on locking in actors for the two leads.

“Terri and Andrew have created wonderful characters and a light-hearted, yet strong drama that has excited leading networks on both sides of the Pond,” said Rola Bauer, Managing Director at StudioCanal TV. “This is a new paradigm for network co-productions with the anchor networks being in the US and Europe. To be here now with ABC, RTL/VOX and France 2 is a testament to Terri and Andrew’s creative vision. We are all thrilled that Rachel and Eddie will join this journey.”

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“Andrew and Terri are wonderful storytellers and this is the perfect project for their return to ABC,” said Channing Dungey, President, ABC Entertainment. “We’re excited to see Rachel and Eddie bring these characters to life.”

StudioCanal will serve as the lead studio. ABC Studios’ affiliate, Disney Media Distribution, will handle international sales.

Bilson was most recently seen playing Alyssa Green in Season 5 of CMT’s hit country music drama Nashville. She also starred as Dr. Zoe Hart in four seasons of The CW’s Hart of Dixie, and appeared in Drunk History. She’s repped by CAA.

Cibrian played Jesse Cardoza in CSI: Miami and most recently was a series regular on Rosewood. He’s repped by Gersh and manager Steve Sauer at Media Four.

What do you think? How do you like the sound of the Take Two TV series? Who else would you like to see cast in this new ABC TV show? Let us know, below.