Julie Benz

"Dexter" alumna Julie Benz has been tapped to star opposite Michael Chiklis in ABC’s drama pilot "No Ordinary Family."

In other pilot castings, Christina Chang also has come aboard "No Ordinary Family," Jaime King and Mehcad Brooks have joined ABC’s hourlong "Generation Y," Fran Kranz has landed a role on NBC comedy "Friends With Benefits," Alexandra Breckenridge has come aboard Fox’s comedy "Traffic Light," "Friday Night Lights" alumna Adrianne Palicki and Bryce Johnson are set for Fox’s drama "Midland," and veteran Peggy Lipton and Escher Holloway have been added to ABC’s dramedy "Cutthroat."

"Family" revolves around a typical American family led by Jim (Michael Chiklis), a once aspiring artist-turned-police artist, who suddenly finds themselves with new "abilities."

Benz, who recurs on ABC’s dramedy "Desperate Housewives" this spring as a lap dancer taking up residence on Wisteria Lane, will play Jim’s wife, a gifted scientist who develops a power for superspeed.

Chang, who has recurred on "CSI" Miami" and "24," will play a young police officer who works at the same precinct as Jim. She is repped by APA and MJ Management.

"Generation Y" is a documentary-style dramedy that revolves around a disparate group of former high school classmates, tracking their paths during the past 10 years and the events that have shaped their lives.

King, repped by Gersh and Raw Talent, will play the beauty queen who is now an unhappily married failed actress. "True Blood" alum Brooks will play the jock, a lieutenant in Afghanistan trying to get back to his pregnant wife. The actor, who is co-starring on ABC’s "The Deep End," is repped by Innovative and Mosaic.

"Benefits," directed by David Dobkin, explores modern-day romance through the eyes of five friends, each looking for "the one" but in the meantime settling for "friends with benefits."

Kranz, repped by UTA and the Hofflund Co., will play one of them, a nerdy but cute hopeless romantic who is worth $12 million after selling an algorithm to Google.

Fox’s "Traffic" revolves around Adam (Nelson Franklin), a magazine editor who recently moved into a new house with his girlfriend (Breckenridge), and his two best buddies. Breckenridge ("Life Unexpected") is repped Kohler and Kritzer Levin Wilkins Griffin.

The Marc Webb-directed "Midland" centers on a con artist (Jimmy Wolk) juggling two lives in two Texas cities with two women (Palicki, Eloise Mumford). Johnson, repped by Fortitude and Untitled, will play Palicki’s brother.

"Cutthroat" centers on Nina Cabrera (Roselyn Sanchez), an upscale Beverly Hills widow and soccer mom who runs an international drug cartel.

Lipton will play her mother, a former Miss California. Holloway, repped by APA and Evoluton, will play her 16-year-old stepson.