TV Bites: Jerry O'Connell Is Your Fictional NBC Lawyer

· Only a week after casting Sendhil Ramamurthy in comedic drama pilot Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, NBC has replaced the Heroes regular with real life Southwestern Law School student and actor, Jerry O'Connell. Rex stars David Tennant as the title character, a Chicago litigator who begins suffering from panic attacks and coaches his clients to represent themselves in court. O'Connell will play an "ambitious but good-natured lawyer who was in Rex's shadow until Rex's career switch and whose friendship with Rex becomes complicated when he falls in love with his pal's fiancee (Abigail Spencer)." That Introduction to Legal Writing seminar will come in handy after all. [ABC News]

ABC forgives Adam Lambert, reality television stars eat rats, and more TV Bites after the jump.

· Two contestants from the British version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! out-headlined reigning Celebrity Hall of Famers Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag by killing, cooking and eating a rat on the show. Chef Gino D'Acampo and actor Stuart Manning will most likely not serve jail time, but rather endure a lifetime of being known as "the guys who ate a rat on reality TV." [BBC]

· TNT's Dallas remake now has a writer: Cynthia Cidre, the creator of Cane, will resurrect the Ewing clan for Warner Horizon. The series will likely center around J.R. and Sue Ellen's son John Ross and Bobby and Pam's adopted son Christopher. Someone hide the bourbon, mirrors and loaded guns -- Larry Hagman, who played J.R. in the original series, Patrick Duffy (Bobby) and Linda Gray (Sue Ellen) were approached two months ago about reprising their roles. [Reuters]

· A hygienic salute to Monk, which became the "most-watched episode of a regular drama series ever in basic cable" when its series finale attracted almost 9.5 million viewers. [Variety]

· After canceling three of Adam Lambert's performances after a racy AMA number, ABC has extended an olive branch to American Idol star in the form of a pre-taped View performance and interview on December 10. But be careful to adhere to the contractually agreed-upon and rehearsed number because ABC's legal department -- and Elisabeth Hasselbeck -- will be watching. [Hollywood Reporter]