Ryan Hansen cast in NBC comedy pilot -- but what about his other NBC show?

Ryan Hansen, whom you may know from "Party Down" and "Veronica Mars," has been cast in a comedy pilot at NBC.

The show is called "Lovelives," and it's about a couple "and their challenges of love and infidelity," Deadline reports. Hansen will play half of the couple, a college professor named Tim.


So why are we writing about Hansen's casting here instead of in our daily rundown of pilot news? Because he's already in another NBC show: "Friends With Benefits," which NBC picked up last spring but has yet to put on its schedule. Officially, "Lovelives" is in second position to "Friends With Benefits" for Hansen, which means that should "FWB" somehow get a second season, "Lovelives" would have to recast Hansen's part.

But when people attached to current shows start accepting pilot offers, that's usually not a good sign.

"Friends With Benefits" also stars Jessica Lucas ("Melrose Place"), Danneel Harris ("One Tree Hill"), Zach Cregger and Andre Holland, and it's one of a glut of couples-hanging-out comedies that have hit the airwaves in 2011. Three of them (NBC's own "Perfect Couples," FOX's "Traffic Light" and CBS' "Mad Love") are on the air now, and another, ABC's "Happy Endings," is scheduled to premiere in April.

None of the three series currently on the air have hit it big in the ratings, so maybe NBC figures that the fifth time won't be the charm. (The network, but the way, also has two other shows in scheduling limbo: "Love Bites" and "The Paul Reiser Show.") It wouldn't be surprising to see "Friends With Benefits" get a spot in the late spring or summer, but given that one of its leads is now seeking other work, it doesn't sound like the show is going to get much of a chance.