NBC adds Puzzled and What the Dead Know to recent drama pilot orders

US network NBC has ordered two more drama pilots, adding to its recent spate of pilot orders.

Dick Wolf

From Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, What the Dead Know is based on the memoir by former New York City medical examiner Barbara Butcher and follows an investigator who teams up with police to solve their toughest cases.

The drama is written and exec produced by Beth Rinehart, with Dick Wolf, Tom Thayer, Peter Jankowski and Anastasia Puglisi also exec producing. Butcher co-exec produces with Kevin Plunkett and Rebecca McGill.

The second pilot, Puzzled, follows a once promising college athlete who suffers a traumatic brain injury that gives him the unique ability to see the world in an unexpected way and helps him solve crimes with local police.

Based on the Puzzle Master books by Danielle Trussoni, who produces, the Universal Television show is written and exec produced by Joey Falco and exec produced by Jordan Cerf.

The pilot orders follow three placed by NBC last week, one of which was inspired by the real-life work of profiler and author Dr Ann Burgess. The as-yet-untitled show follows a trailblazing psychologist who consults with the FBI to solve the most baffling and elusive cases.

Burgess acts as consulting producer, alongside Steven Constantine, while John Davis exec produces through his prodco Davis Entertainment. Dean Georgaris and John both write and exec produce. Universal Television is again behind the show.

The other two pilot orders were a reboot of 1970s detective drama series The Rockford Files and crime drama Protection.