‘The Ordained’: CBS Pilot Gets Veteran Showrunner

The Ordained pilot for CBS just landed a veteran showrunner in Rene Balcer, according to a Monday report from Deadline.

Balcer has been connected to the Law and Order franchise for more than 20 years, most recently having developed Law and Order: Criminal Intent with Dick Wolf, the franchise creator.

Balcer got his start as a writer in 1990 during the inaugural season of Law and Order and joined the writing team in an official capacity the following year.

Throughout the series run, he worked his way up to executive producer before getting a shot at Criminal Intent.

The Law and Order series, and Criminal Intent specifically, have developed reputations for bringing the real world into living rooms everywhere, turning to current events such as the Spider-Man Broadway musical and the rantings of Charlie Sheen for inspiration.

Judging from the synopsis of The Ordained pilot, it’s likely you’ll see that tradition continued under Balcer’s influence.

The Ordained follows the son of a Kennedy-modeled family, who abandons the priesthood for a law degree and works to prevent the assassination of his politician sister.

How those two tie together is anybody’s guess, but helping viewers figure things out are Charlie Cox (Boardwalk Empire) in the role of son Tom and Hope Davis (Real Steel) as his sister, Packy.

The story comes from journalist and author Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, who in addition to The Ordained pilot script, is also author of the upcoming novel Pastors’ Wives, according to her official website.

Last week, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Sam Neill, Emmanuelle Chriqui, and Jorge Garcia, would also be joining The Ordained cast.

Neill will co-star as Michael Thomas Riley, the patriarch and former three-term governor for the state of New York. As a failed presidential candidate, he is said to hold high aspirations for Packy’s political future.

Does the cast and the addition of veteran showrunner Rene Balcer make The Ordained must-see television?