News Briefs: NBC Got Its Butt Kicked at 10pm on Thursday

MUSTN’T-SEE TV NEWS

… Remember when Thursday nights were owned by NBC? Friends! Seinfeld! ER! Now it’s got… The Firm. The 10pm showing of the new drama drew a pathetic 0.9 rating in the adult demo on Thursday, placing it EIGHTH for the evening. I know what you’re saying: “But Tim, there are only like five major networks!” Exactly. MTV won the time period with Jersey Shore‘s 3.5, followed by CBS’s The Mentalist, ABC’s Private Practice, TNT’s Lakers vs. Heat NBA game (haha, Lakers!), TBS’s rerun of a The Big Bang Theory, Univision’s Rosa De Guadalupe, and A&E’s Beyond Scared Straight. Keep in mind that Fox and The CW don’t schedule the 10pm slot. [Deadline Hollywood]

BUILDING A BETTER MOUSETRAP NEWS

… Discovery Channel is going forward with Unchained Reaction, a reality competition series that will be executive-produced by Mythbusters duo and cannonball unleashers Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman. The show will pit contestants from various backgrounds against each other in a contest to see who can build the biggest, most spectacular chain-reaction contraption. Think those awesome, over-complicated mousetraps from old Tom & Jerry cartoons. [Discovery, via press release]

CASTING NEWS

… Victor Garber (Alias) is headed to The Big C. Garber’s character will cause problems for Sean after “an accidental phone call leads to a harassing situation.” Whatever you say, Showtime. [Showtime, via press release]

… Revenge is welcoming James Purefoy for a recurring role. Purefoy (Rome) will romance the ice queen herself, Victoria (the sublime Madeleine Stowe). Look for him in Episode 17. [TV Line]

… Kevin Nealon will star in the NBC comedy pilot Isabel opposite Marcia Gay Harden. Nealon will play the father of a girl with magical powers if NBC is still around when it’s time to film this thing. Weeds fans, don’t worry; he’ll continue on that show. [Deadline Hollywood]

… 30 Rock is bringing back Steve Buscemi. The Boardwalk Empire star will not only reprise his role as private dick Len Wosniak, he’ll direct the episode. Personally, I prefer my Buscemi putting on lipstick. [EW]

… HBO’s upcoming pilot The Corrections, based on the book about a family on the rocks, is looking at casting a quartet of actors. The drama already has a fantastic trio in Dianne Wiest, Chris Cooper, and Ewan McGregor, and might add Maggie Gyllenhaal, Bruce Norris, Greta Gerwig, and Rhys Ifans. Geez, The Corrections! Leave some actors for everybody else! [Deadline Hollywood]

… FX’s upcoming comedy Anger Management, already famous for being Charlie Sheen’s vehicle back into show business, has narrowed down its choice of female leads to four actresses. Selma Blair and Elaine Hendrix are vying for the role of Charlie’s therapist, and Shawnee Smith and Kate Reinders are in talks to play his ex-wife. [Deadline Hollywood]

… Grimm has cast Bree Turner as a “Fuchsbau,” a fox-like creature from the fables. She’ll recur as Rosalee, a former drug addict who’s trying to stay clean. She’s pretty cute. That’s why you read these things, right? To see how hot I think these actresses are? [EW]

Follow TV.com writer Tim Surette on Twitter: @TimAtTVDotCom