‘Community’s’ Ken Jeong Enlists in ABC Comedy ‘Spy’

FILM: Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong is making plans for a post-Community world.

The Hangover actor has joined the cast of ABC comedy pilot Spy, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

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Based on the British series of the same name, the single-camera comedy revolves around Tim (Warm Bodies' Rob Corddry), the well-intentioned father of a highly intelligent and verbal son named Marcus (Mockingbird Lane's Mason Cook), who also happens to be his complete opposite. Tim inadvertently takes a job at the secret service in order to prove himself a worthy father. Criminal Minds' Paget Brewster co-stars as Tim's ex-wife.

Jeong will play "The Examiner," a mischievous man who, after years in the CIA, has begun to lose his marbles. He's erratic, incorrigible and inappropriate with his fellow agents. Described as a bit of a lothario who's slightly out of touch with the modern world, he's wise and treats his agents like family. He prizes Tim above everyone else, much to the latter's chagrin.

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For Jeong, the casting is in second position to NBC's bubble comedy Community, which has been struggling on Thursday nights. The often-delayed Joel McHale starrer most recently notched a 1.1 rating in the key adults 18-49, down a tenth of a point week-over-week and topped by The CW's The Vampire Diaries.

Repped by CAA, Aligned Entertainment and Stone Meyer, Jeong becomes the latest actor to take a role in second position this pilot season. Up All Night's Will Arnett also joined CBS' "unauthorized" Greg Garcia comedy, and Deception's Tate Donovan booked CBS' Hostages. Meanwhile, Glee's Vanessa Lengies took ABC's Mixology in first position, and Psych's Maggie Lawson booked NBC's untitled Cullens comedy, a likely indicator that the USA Network drama is in its final season.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

Lesley Goldberg