Medical Drama Pilot 'HMS' Still In Contention At

http://www.deadline.com/2010/07/medical-drama-pilot-hms-still-in-contention-at-the-cw-as-actors-options-expire/

Medical drama presentation HMS is not flatlining just yet even though the options on its cast have expired. The options on the actors originally expired on June 30 but were extended by 7 days to give the network more time to make a decision on a possible midseason order. After another 24-hour extension granted by the actors on Wednesday night, the options finally expired yesterday. There is still no final word from the CW but I hear producer Warner Bros. TV is not giving up and is still hoping for a series order for the project, written/executive produced by Amy Holden Jones, co-executive produced by Hayden Panettiere and directed by Mark Piznarski. The actors are aware of the studio's efforts and appear willing to return if there is a pickup soon. The CW, which has already picked up 2 new series from WBTV for next season, Nikita and Hellcats (Hellcats and HMS are co-productions with CBS Studios), has been taking its time making a final decision on HMS, the only pilot of this year's crop remaining in contention. The network has no scripted backup series for midseason. However, for the first time in its history, it announced an all-original Monday-Friday lineup for fall, so it could presumably revert to a Top Model return on Friday and move one of veterans Smallville or Supernatural to plug a hole if a new series fails. HMS, about bright freshmen at Harvard Medical School, stars Megan Boone, Sarah Jones, Jai Rodriguez, Tasso Feldman, Steven Strait, Dejan Loyola and Ali Ahn.