Last fall, Kal Penn returned to series television for “We Are Men,” a short-lived CBS sitcom. Just a few months later, Penn has already booked a new gig at the network.
Deadline is reporting that Penn has joined “Battle Creek,” the new CBS drama pilot that was originally created by Vince Gilligan (“Breaking Bad”) back in 2002. The potential series focuses on the odd partnership between an FBI agent and a local detective as they try to “clean up the semi-mean streets of Battle Creek, Michigan.”
Although Penn is the first cast member signed to “Battle Creek,” he will appear in a costarring role as one of the other local detectives in town who has reservations about working with the FBI agent. This project also serves as a reunion for Penn and “Battle Creek” executive producer, David Shore; who had cast Penn in “House” before Penn left the series to serve in the Obama administration’s Office of Public Engagement.
Prior to his role in “House,” Penn was best known for his leading roles in the Harold & Kumar films, National Lampoon’s Van Wilder in addition to a guest stint on “24” and his recurring role on “How I Met Your Mother.”
Shore and Gilligan are both executive producing “Battle Creek” and Shore will be the showrunner if it goes forward at CBS. The other principal cast members of “Battle Creek” will likely be cast soon.
