Jessica Lucas has snagged the female lead in the untitled third installment of the “Big Momma’s House” franchise.

Lucas currently stars in the CW revival of “Melrose Place.” Her feature credits include J.J. Abrams’ “Cloverfield.”

New Regency is fully financing and producing the next chapter in the raucous “Big Momma” franchise, which returns Martin Lawrence in the title role.

Director John Whitesell is set to begin lensing in April.

20th Century Fox will distribute.

Brandon T. Jackson (”Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” “Tropic Thunder”) joins the franchise as the nephew of Lawrence’s character. Duo dress as femmes and go undercover at a performing arts school.

Lucas’ character meets up with the nephew — first as a boy, and later as a girl.

David T. Friendly is returning to produce via Friendly Films.

Adoring Jessica Lucas would like to wish all of the visitors Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and fabulous New Year 2010! I really love working on the site and appreciate your continued support. I can’t wait to see what 2010 will bring to Jessica – and you can be sure that I’ll be here to cover it every step of the way!

A show that continues to relate itself to absolutely no one with lame characters and even lamer plotlines
Grade: C
Stars: Katie Cassidy,Stephanie Jacobsen, Jessica Lucas, Shaun Sipos, Michael Rady, Colin Egglesfield, Ashley Simpson
Release Date: Sept. 15, 2009

While watching the second episode of the re-launch of MELROSE PLACE I couldn’t help but thinking one thing.
I just don’t care.

I don’t care about these people at all. From the public relations specialist to the stars Ella (Katie Cassidy), to the newly engaged Riley (Jessica Lucas) and Jonah (Michael Rady), to David’s (Shaun Sipos) budding artist career, to the doctor turned hooker Lauren (Stephanie Jacobsen). I just don’t care.

None of these people have any basis in reality. At least on medical dramas or even police shows you get a sense that these people could actually exist or that they would act and say the things they are saying. But on MELROSE PLACE it is beyond fake, it’s just good looking schlock without any substance.

Auggie’s (Colin Egglesfield) breakdown about his dead girlfriend and how she got sliced by some random dude in a bar was supposed to be heavily dramatic and important. I was laughing the whole time at how cliché the whole bit was. Oh the troubled boy with a drinking problem and hang-ups on a girlfriend that was knifed in a bar fight, how completely and utterly stupid and predictable. And if they are trying to be shocking, they fail on all levels as this same plotline has been re-used more times in Hollywood than some casting couches.

And is it me or why doesn’t Lauren just get a school loan? Is it that hard to fill out the paper work and go through the proper channels? Instead you turn to whoring yourself out for rich kids that live in these expensive place and can’t find their own dates? Yeah, that makes sense. Normal people always immediately turn to being a hooker when they are faced with bills.

Then there is the character of Ella. Who acts the way she does? Cassidy was great in HARPER’S ISLAND and showed she has the chops to act and play a good character well but give her better material. Ella personifies spoiled youth with a chip on her shoulder and damning anyone and everyone that gets in her way. Of course, she delivers lame one-liners and a can-do attitude in the face of times where she should be all business. In reality, she’d get laughed out the room. But in the land of MELROSE PLACE, it works to get what she wants.

Now, let’s just clear the air. There is nothing wrong with the acting here. And the cast is freaking awesome to look at – Jacobsen, Lucas, Cassidy and even Ashley Simpson (who is more of a bit part player at this point) are amazing looking women. That alone gives me a reason to check out the show but between the nice view, it is like pulling teeth trying to get into any of the plotlines.

Even the murder from last week continues to linger on rather than just leaving it as there may be a random killer running around. Instead, they bring up a host of new potential suspects that might have done the deed. Why not let it stew for a few episodes and then bring it back with another murder or some other devious act. Why bring it up with a host of new suspects to confuse us even more.

While the pilot gave us a decent introduction of the cast and at least a feeble and totally unbelievable situations for these characters, “Nightingale” didn’t give us anything new, but further what we already knew about the character and that this show is only going to give us milquetoast plotlines that are unintentionally laughable.