Kelsey Grammer’s previously reported ABC sitcom pilot Roman’s Empire is no more after the network failed to move forward with it. No worries, though, because now he’s been given another chance to return to the tube with a second, currently untitled ABC comedy pilot.

The latest project stars Grammer as a wealthy businessman derailed by a downsizing that leaves him without his high-power job. As a result, he finds himself with lots more time to hang out with his family.

Fingers crossed the four-time Frasier Emmy winner has better luck with this potential series, although I’d watch him in just about anything.

As has been widely reported, Frasier and Back to You star Kelsey Grammer suffered a mild heart attack on Saturday morning while in Hawaii.

The actor has a home there, and according to an official statement, he is “resting comfortably” and is expected to be released from the hospital this week.

It’s good to hear Grammer is all right.

Whew! That was fast!

Not two weeks after Fox canceled his latest sitcom, the entertaining broadcast-news series Back to You, star Kelsey Grammer has already lined up another comedy-TV gig.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Grammer has just joined the cast of ABC’s Roman’s Empire … as the lead title character! Talent like Grammer’s cannot be denied, so what in the world was Fox thinking? (Hint: money)

The ABC single-camera sitcom — a departure for Grammer from his previous multi-camera shows Cheers, Frasier, and Back to You — is about a nice guy who gets dumped by his rich girlfriend but then can’t get away from her family, which is helmed by her colorful father Roman Pretty (Grammer).

A final detail of note concerns Ashton Kutcher, who is co-executive producing the new series.

Perhaps, loyal viewers, perhaps.

Rumors spread early this weekend that Fox has canceled the broadcast-news sitcom Back to You, reportedly because of the high price tag attached to its big-name stars Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton.

TV Week indicates all is not said and done regarding the show’s future, however. On Sunday, the website reported that Back to You’s production studio, 20th Century Fox TV, is shopping the show to CBS.

The studio has apparently given CBS head Leslie Moonves several episodes of the series to evaluate. If the comedy should move to a new home at the network, the switch wouldn’t be all that shocking — Heaton starred on the Eye Network’s monster sitcom hit Everybody Loves Raymond, and the network once contemplated a spinoff of NBC’s monster sitcom hit Frasier, which starred Grammer.

Fans will know the absolute fate of Back to You sooner rather than later since upfront week, the time when broadcast networks push their fall schedules and recent ratings performance for prospective advertisers, is here. Stay tuned…

In other related Fox news, the rookie dramas Canterbury’s Law and New Amsterdam, both midseason series, have also been given the ax. The major difference is those cancellations seem to be done deals as there’s no talk of shopping either show elsewhere.

That time of the year is upon us, namely the spring upfront season, which is when viewers learn the fates of their favorite shows on the bubble. The industry-speak phrase refers to those series that network executives haven’t yet decided what to do with: cancel, renew, or downsize to a midseason replacement. The last two options are obviously better than the first.

Fox has spoken regarding a couple of its shows on the cusp or brink or edge or whatever — the sitcoms ‘Til Death and its broadcast companion Back to You. Shockingly (at least in my head), the first series has been renewed for a third season while the second show, which stars TV-comedy heavyweights Kelsey Grammer (Frasier, Cheers) and Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond), has been axed.

Say what?!

Sure, Back to You isn’t the best it could be, but it’s still highly watchable on a decent night, and downright hilarious most times that regulars Fred Willard and/or Ty Burrell are onscreen (and when you get them both together, just sit back and soak up the comedy genius). I actually thought a sophomore run was more or less a lock for the series. That shows how much what I think matters.

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Back to You’s May 7 episode, The New Boss, guest stars Suzy Nakamura (Help Me Help You) as the new woman in charge at WURG.

Of course, to everyone’s great dismay, she swoops in and starts changing stuff. Unfortunately for Team Ambush, Chuck and Kelly, she’s also more than a little savvy, which allows her to successfully derail their ambush … to their disadvantage.

This episode sounds like it’s going to be a step in the right direction, finally taking viewers away from all of that self-involved angst over revealing to Gracie that Chuck is her father. That’s gotten old, so I, for one, am anxious to just move on already.

Oh — And Ayda Field is back on this episode from wherever she was as sexy weather anchor Montana Diaz Herrera. Great.

Two quick preview clips from “The New Boss” follow the jump.

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Original Air Date: April 30, 2008

Picking up right where the last episode left off, KELLY wakes up from her faint, and she and CHUCK clarify for Gracie that the two of them conceived her the “old-fashioned way.” When Chuck admits to GRACIE that he didn’t tell her he was her father because he didn’t know himself, Gracie gets angry that her mother lied to her, and then she runs upstairs.

As Chuck and Kelly repair Gracie’s science project, which was broken when Chuck fainted on it, they reminisce about how they hooked up that one time in the first place.

It was New Year’s Eve in 1997, and the station was holding a farewell party for Chuck, who was about to depart for a bigger news market in Minneapolis/St. Paul after six years in Pittsburgh. The two anchors had both been drinking, and at night’s end, Kelly started to tell Chuck what she would really like as she was leaving. Assuming he knew what she was going to say, Chuck kissed her.

The office party then moved to Kelly’s house after MARSH overheard the two planning to go there themselves. Hours later, Kelly finally manages to get everyone to leave, and the next morning Chuck tries to do the same himself, without saying goodbye to Kelly.

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Original Air Date: April 16, 2008

There are lots of changes on Back to You post-hiatus. The first thing we notice during this episode is that the actress who plays Chuck and Kelly’s daughter Gracie has changed. She’s no longer Laura Marano, formerly of Without a Trace, but a newcomer named Lily Jackson. The network still lists Marano as the actress for Gracie in print material, yet Jackson’s name appears in the opening credits now, making it unclear if this is a permanent or temporary situation.

Another change introduced with this episode is that Ayda Field, who played weatherwoman Montana Diaz Herrera, has disappeared from the opening credits, the scenes, and the network’s press releases describing plots. Since there’s been no announcement that I know of regarding her sudden absence, I and lots of other people are wondering what’s going on.

Now to the recap…

GRACIE calls the news station office to tell her mom she made the honor roll. CHUCK takes the call because KELLY’s at a meeting to accept the Most Trusted Woman honor. Unfortunately, she couldn’t read Chuck’s handwriting from the message he took. As a result, she misinterprets his “9” as a “4” and ends up at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting instead.

Another unfortunate turn of events happens then because a WURG employee named MARGARET (Guest Star Amy Farrington) is also there, attending her regular AA meeting. Margaret is one of those needy people in search of a friend, and she latches onto Kelly and refuses to let go, although Kelly repeatedly tells her she’s not an alcoholic.

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The April 23 episode of Back to You, “Hug & Tell,” will pack an extra shot of star power due to the guest appearance of entertainment pioneer Diahann Carroll.

Carroll is an icon for so many reasons besides her obvious beauty, talent, and good deeds. She’s the first black actress to star in her own television series in an untraditional non-servant role (the 1968–1971 sitcom Julia, on which she played a nurse), the first black woman to win a Tony Award for Best Actress (the 1962 musical No Strings), and one of only seven black actresses ever nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award (the 1974 comedy drama Claudine).

The episode itself revolves around Chuck and Kelly’s decision to finally tell Gracie who her father is. We all know that’s what Chuck wants, despite Kelly’s continual concerns. But, when a therapist enters the picture, the situation becomes even more difficult for all involved.

I personally think it’s time for the so-called adults to get this over with and let Gracie know what’s what. She deserves the truth, especially considering her maturity for her age, not to mention that she already knows Chuck fairly well.

Back to You airs Wednesdays on Fox at 8:30pm EST.

Fox newbie Back to You returns from writers strike-induced hiatus on April 16 with the festive episode “The Wall of Fame.”

Crotchety sports reporter Marsh plans a big surprise for his colleague Chuck that leads to a troubling discovery for Chuck and Kelly. Of course, the two, ever concerned about appearances, then go to great lengths to make sure that nobody else finds out what they just found out. I’d bet money they won’t succeed either.

Back to You airs Wednesdays on Fox at 8:30pm EST.