Casting issues bump Kelley drama to midseason '08

ABC has decided to delay its pilot "Life on Mars," hoping a later start will give the project a better pick for its lead role.

The network and producer David E. Kelley were having trouble finding the right actor to play the lead role, the showbiz trade papers report, and so decided to push the pilot, an adaptation of a BBC series, back to midseason 2007-08. Doing so will allow Kelley and Co. to pick from a bigger pool of actors than are currently available in the crush of pilot casting.

"Life on Mars" centers on a present-day detective who finds himself transported back to the early 1970s, when policing relied on brute force more than careful analysis of evidence. Though he's stuck in the past, he uncovers clues that may help solve the abduction of his girlfriend in the present day -- provided he can get back there.

The British show, which stars John Simm ("State of Play"), debuted last year and is currently in the middle of its second season on the BBC. The first season aired on BBC America last summer.

Rachelle Lefevre ("What About Brian") is thus far the only actor cast in the ABC version. She is set to play the lone female detective in the '70s-era department.