Anytime you watch a movie about a dog or a horse, it’s fair to say you run a pretty big risk of crying at the end when the story inevitably reminds you that pets are awesome and then they die. TV shows are a bit more lenient on their viewers in that respect. Like babies, most shows don’t bother with pets unless they’re relevant to the story, in which case they're usually kept around (See: Lassie) or written off the show (Friends). The pets are, anyway. Babies usually get aged up, but that’s irrelevant to this news.
TNT has a drama pilot in the works called Scent of the Missing, which follows Susannah, a K-9 Search and Rescue volunteer who works with a golden retriever named Puzzle. Considering Puzzle (who has yet to be cast) plays an integral part of the series, I'd say it's safe to assume he (or she) will be kept around for a while, though it's probably also fair to expect the dog will be put in harm's way at least a few times, for suspense purposes.
According to Deadline, TNT is putting Tricia Helfer back in a starring role on cable. The Battlestar Galactica star has been cast to play the role of Susannah, who’s described as “tenacious” and “strong-willed.” Those who have seen Helfer in BSG, or her more recent appearances (Dark Blue, No Ordinary Family) aren’t likely to have trouble picturing Helfer as a strong female lead.
Helfer is also set to appear in NBC’s upcoming drama The Firm, and was cast in a role in 17th Precinct, a pilot by Ronald Moore that did not receive a series order last spring.
Gerald McRaney (Undercovers, Fairly Legal) has also been cast in Scent of the Missing. He’s set to play Helfer’s character’s father, Jerry.
