Jay Harrington cast in NBC comedy pilot, which needs to have a role for Portia de Rossi

Better Off Ted‘s Jay Harrington has been cast as the lead in the NBC comedy pilot Nathan vs. Nurture. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Nathan is in second position to Ted, but per Michael Ausiello’s renewal scorecard, and anyone who watched as ABC burned off episodes of Ted, a conflict is a long shot. (Update: Harrington tells my colleague Ken Tucker he still has hope that Ted isn’t dead.) He’ll play Nathan, “an overachieving heart surgeon who reunites with his birth father and underachieving brothers 35 years after his adoption.” My first thought: Heart surgeons wear scrubs and suits. YES. Second thought: You know what would be great, if Nathan had a much-feared female superior at the hospital who only he understood and who he’d occasionally have sex with and she’d be played by Portia de Rossi. Third thought: They could cast Eddie McClintock, who played Ted’s sibling in the last episode, as one of Nathan’s brothers. Fourth thought: DON’T CANCEL BETTER OFF TED.

How do you think Nathan vs. Nurture sounds? Do you second my pitch for Portia?

Photo credit: Ron Tom/ABC