NBC has cast Peter Krause in a leading role in its upcoming drama pilot centered on a deadly conspiracy and a targeted law enforcement family. The project marks his first major television role since exiting 9-1-1 and adds him as the first confirmed member of the ensemble.
Peter Krause to star in Protection pilot
Peter Krause will star in the NBC drama pilot Protection, which NBC picked up in January (via Variety). He joins the project as the first confirmed cast member in what is described as an ensemble. NBC originally announced the project in January as one of its early scripted pilot orders of the year.
The logline states, “When a U.S. Marshal falls in the line of duty, a seemingly cut-and-dry case turns into a deadly conspiracy as a family of law enforcement agents become the target of a mysterious assassin. Bridging personal differences and crossing professional boundaries, the Thornhill family must use the expertise from a lifetime of protecting civilians and politicians to protect one another and bring the killer to justice … even if it means betraying their sworn code”.
Krause will play Mike Thornhill, described as “a former Secret Service agent and now Assistant Director of Intelligence. Mike is a career blue-collar government worker who doesn’t want his job to end. He’s been the life of the party forever and that attitude has come at a cost.” The role marks a return to NBC, where Krause previously starred in Parenthood for six seasons.
Krause joined 9-1-1 as a main cast member at its launch and stayed with the series until he exited toward the end of the eighth season in 2025. He also starred in Sports Night and Dirty Sexy Money. He appeared in the HBO series Six Feet Under, earning three Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations for his role.
Writer and executive producer Josh Safran created Protection for NBC, and Jenna Bush Hager and Ben Spector executive produce alongside him. Universal Television produces the pilot. CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman represent Krause.
