Selma Blair is set as the female lead opposite Charlie Sheen in his new comedy series Anger Management. On the Lionsgate TV-produced series, which has an initial 10-episode order from FX, Sheen portrays Charlie, a former baseball player with anger issues who winds up as an unconventional anger management therapist. Blair will play Charlie’s own therapist, envisioned as a love interest for him. Shawnee Smith was cast last week as Charlie’s ex-wife. In interviews at NATPE last week, Sheen raved about the possibility of working with Blair, who was among the actresses invited to test for the two roles and one of two finalists for the role. Production is slated to begin in mid-March. Under the model employed by Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury, if the 10-episode run of Anger Management hits a ratings target, that will trigger a 90-episode order by FX, which would be produced on an accelerated schedule over the next two years. Blair is with Gersh.

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There are 3 other leads on the series — all female — Charlie’s own therapist (the role in which Selma Blair is up for), envisioned as a love interest for him, his ex-wife and his 13-year-old daughter. Under the model employed by Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury, if the 10-episode run hits a ratings target, that will trigger a 90-episode order by FX, which would be produced on an accelerated schedule over the next 2 years.

The key actors in the trailer — Blair, Sorvino and Sirico — are still attached though there are no deals in place with NBC. Foxx and Taylor co-wrote and co-directed the trailer, which was financed by a private investor. Girl will now be produced by UMS. In addition to Girl, Foxx is also executive producing a midseason sketch comedy series for Fox. Foxx and Zamacona are with CAA.

Life, also from UMS, centers on Andy, husband and father of two young girls, whose mellow suburban family world is thrown into chaos when he is found by Dru, the 19-year-old mixed race son he never knew he had. Andy is over the moon to learn that he has a son and that enthusiasm is more than Dru can handle. Pappas and Bernier, repped by CAA and Epidemic, will write the project and will executive produce it with Armstrong, who has a first-look deal with NBC, and Ravi Nandan, an executive at Armstrong’s American Work production company.

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The back-nine order for the UMS/Reveille-produced comedy, an U.S. version of the hit Australian half-hour, follows a Nielsen uptick Thursday night when “Kath” drew 5.5 million viewers, 2.3 ratings in 18-49.

While it has slipped following its strong premiere, “Kath & Kim” has consistently retained all of its “My Name Is Earl” lead-in among adults 18-49. In its four airings to date, “Kath” has averaged 2.6/ 6 in 18-49 and 6.0 million viewers overall.

“‘Kath & Kim’ is a show we love and believe in,” NBC’s exec vp Teri Weinberg said. “We have incredible confidence in the creative auspices of this show and we believe it’s a perfect fit with our Thursday-night comedies.”

“Kath” stars Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as an iconoclastic mother-daughter duo.

Michelle Nader, who adapted the Australian format, is exec producing with the original series creators and stars Gina Riley and Jane Turner along with Rick McKenna and Howard T. Owens.

TV giant NBC is backing the show, slating it to take on the second half-hour of Grey’s Anatomy, CSI and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.

Stiff competition, guys.