Tuning In

More drama at ESPN

ESPN will risk further blitzes from critics and athletes alike by producing more scripted dramas.

The cable sports network, which took heavy criticism from the National Football League over its controversial series “Playmakers,” has commissioned a pilot script for a series set in the worlds of gambling and college football, sources told Reuters News Agency.

Titled “The Fix,” the script will be written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, whose film credits include this year’s “Runaway Jury” and “Rounders” (1998).

The original concept came out of discussions between reality producer Bruce Nash (“Meet My Folks”) and ESPN executives. Mr. Nash still would serve as an executive producer on the show, sources said.

It remains to be seen how the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which partners with ESPN on the programing of a wide variety of sports, including football, will react to such a show. The NFL publicly criticized “Playmakers” for its unflattering depiction of professional football, even though it was a fictional series.

Mark Shapiro, executive vice president for programming and production, said “Fix” is one of dozens of scripts he’s reviewing for a shot at becoming ESPN’s second original-series effort.

ESPN hasn’t yet decided whether to renew the attention-grabbing “Playmakers.” The network says it will give a thumbs up or down on a possible second season before March.

Bonus ’CSI’

CBS looks to extend its dominance over the pack by airing an extra installment of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” tonight.

The new episode, airing at 8, finds the CSI team investigating a double homicide in which one victim bears a strong resemblance to Sara (Jorja Fox).

The CSI team, originally tracking the culprit behind a single murder, finds the remains of that crime’s prime suspect along the way, turning a murder into a double homicide. “CSI,” which stars Marg Helgenberger and William Peterson, also airs tomorrow at 9 p.m. in its regular time slot.

Martha’s mess

Court TV examines domestic diva Martha Stewart’s sticky legal woes tonight on a new episode of “Dominick Dunne’s Power, Privilege and Justice.”

Mr. Dunne, a friend of the embattled home design giant’s, traces her rise from a Wall Street trader to the queen of a popular public company. Miss Stewart will go on trial soon for reportedly lying to the federal government about a disputed stock sale.

The Stewart episode of “Power, Privilege and Justice” airs at 10 tonight on Court TV.

’Greenlight’ a go

Finally, some good news is heading Ben Affleck’s way.

Production partners Miramax Television and LivePlanet, which is run by Matt Damon and Jennifer Lopez’s perpetual fiance, will return to create a third season of “Project Greenlight” for Bravo, according to Reuters News Agency.

The series, which will premiere its third season early next year, offers a behind-the-scenes look at fledgling filmmakers.

HBO opted late last year not to order more episodes of “Greenlight.”

“We had a great run with HBO,” said Bob Osher, Miramax Television co-president of production, at the Television Critics Association press tour in Hollywood. “But Bravo has a bigger television universe, so we’re looking forward to a broader audience.”

“Greenlight,” however, will return in a somewhat altered state.

The series will be enlarged to nine hourlong episodes instead of the half-hour installments HBO aired. Mr. Damon, Mr. Affleck and fellow LivePlanet principal Chris Moore will all return on both sides of the camera, but Mr. Moore will not serve as executive producer of the “Greenlight”-produced movie; that position has yet to be filled.

In addition, while the “Greenlight” contest will seek out both a writer and director — as it did during the second season — the producers will seek a “genre” picture, preferably in the horror-thriller vein.

“We’re hoping it will create a more accessible movie,” said Frances Berwick, Bravo’s senior vice president for programming.

By “accessible,” she means one that won’t immediately tank at the box office, as the first two “Greenlight” movies did — “The Battle of Shaker Heights” and “Stolen Summer.”

Compiled by Christian Toto from staff and wire reports.