NBC Passing on "Legally Mad"

According to Daily Variety, the National Broadcasting Corporation has passed up the David E. Kelley drama, Legally Mad.

The network is expected to pay a hefty penalty to Warner Bros., which inked a deal with NBC that gave Warner Bros. its commitment to the show.

Legally Mad would have been the first David E. Kelley drama on the network since L.A. Law, and was set to feature an all-star cast led by Kristin Chenoweth and Kurt Fuller. Kenny Ortega directed the pilot.

In lieu of Legally Mad, NBC is expected to renew another Warner Bros. vehicle, Chuck. The decision is not tied to the decision to cancel Legally Mad, insiders claim, though the tech-spy comedy has been on the bubble as NBC wrestles over whether to renew the show for a third season.

The news doesn't come as a shock to observers of NBC's fall schedule, who noticed the conspicuous absence of Legally Mad on the network's calendar.

In related developments, the Fox network has canceled the half-hour animated comedy, Sit Down, Shut Up, amid content concerns. The show polled a dismal 0.7 percent among the 18-49 year demographic in the Nielsen ratings last week. In lieu of Sit Down, Shut Up, the network will air a repeat of King of the Hill in the 7 p.m. slot that Sit Down occupied.