TVSquad

If Judy Greer was in tears about Miss Guided not being picked up by ABC for the fall schedule, she can wipe her eyes and blow her nose because something else -- maybe better -- has come along. Greer has been cast as the lead in HBO's Suburban Shootout. This is the same comedy that has already been announced with Kelly Preston, Rachael Harris (Notes from the Underbelly) and Kerri Kenney (Reno 911).

The comedy pilot is being directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, best known for features like Men in Black and Addams Family (I'll be kind and not harp on The Wild, Wild West), but on TV is one of the prime players behind ABC's Pushing Daisies (as well as Notes from the Underbelly which is the connection to Rachael). So, you see, Judy may have landed in a project that's bound for glory. Well, we'll see, but it does sound interesting.

Suburban Shootout is the American version of a Brit series of the same name about two groups of women in seemingly pleasant suburbia (Wisteria Lane-like) who are warring with each other. Greer's character is the newcomer to the development and finds herself in the middle of a gang fight. I'm thinking Desperate Housewives meets Weeds with a dash of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, what about you?

The half-hour comedy should be no-holds-barred since it's set for HBO, and unlike Miss Guided, Greer can probably count on the show running for a while (unless the pilot goes the way of 12 Miles of Bad Road, the Lily Tomlin dramedy dumped unceremoniously in March -- but that was an aberration for HBO).

One interesting note about Judy Greer's status. According to Hollywood Reporter, the HBO project is "formally in second position" to Miss Guided. That means, she's still under contract to 20th Century Fox TV which produced the sitcom. The company's options on the cast doesn't run out until June 30. If, by some chance, ABC chooses to resurrect Miss Guided before that date, then Judy would be contractually obligated to return to that show which could screw up the HBO deal, but how likely is that to happen?