Upfronts 2013: NBC Picks Up 'About a Boy,' 'Believe,' Sean Hayes Comedy

Complete Coverage: Upfronts 2013

Updated at 2:25 p.m. ET

NBC placed the first of its new series orders on Thursday, picking up the comedies About a Boy, The Family Guide and a Sean Hayes laffer as well as dramas from Rand Ravich and J.J. Abrams.

Based on Nick Hornsby's novel and the 2002 film, About a Boy stars David Walton (Bent) as a bachelor man-child who forms a friendshipp with the young boy who moves in next door with his crazy, single mother (Minnie Driver). The single-camera comedy is written/produced by Jason Katims (Parenthood) and Jon Favreau (Iron Man) directed the pilot. The project is from Universal Television, True Jack Productions, Working Title Productions, Tribeca Productions and counts Robert DeNiro as an executive producer.

Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) returns to comedy in Sean Saves the World, starring as a divorced gay dad learning to be a parent after his 14-year-old daughter moves in full-time. The single-camera project is from Universal Television and Hazy Mills Productions.

The Family Guide is about a son who idolizes his blind father (J.K. Simmons), is amused by his mother's (Parker Posey) newfound adolescence and watches his family come together post-divorce. The single-camera comedy is from Universal Television and Aggregate Films and counts Jason Bateman and DJ Nash as executive producers.

Crisis, starring Dermont Mulroney (New Girl) and Gillian Anderson (The X-Files), follows Washington, D.C. power brokers as they are pulled into a global conspiracy. The action/adventure drama is from 20th Century Fox Television and executive producer Ravich. Lance Gross (Tyler Perry's House of Payne) and Rachael Taylor (666 Park Avenue) also star.

Abrams' Believe centers on the relationship between an orphaned girl with a supernatural gift and the man ordered to protect her from the evil elements hunting her power. The drama is from Warner Bros. Television and Bad Robot.

The orders join NBC's Michael J. Fox comedy, which is already picked up for 22 episodes.