Taylor Schilling, known for her starring role in Orange Is the New Black, has landed the lead role in NBC’s upcoming drama pilot What The Dead Know. The project comes from prolific producer Dick Wolf and his Wolf Entertainment company, marking Schilling’s return to network television in a crime procedural role.
The pilot, which NBC ordered in January 2026, is based on the real-life memoir of former New York City medical examiner Barbara Butcher. Schilling will play Ava Ledger, a death investigator with a unique set of skills .
What Is ‘What The Dead Know’ About?
The show centers on a character who feels more comfortable with the deceased than the living. According to the official logline, Ava Ledger is “really good with dead bodies. It’s the living that give her trouble” .
The series follows Ava as she teams up with the NYPD to solve their most difficult cases. A character description further explains that Ava is “highly intelligent and hypervigilant” and “feels more at ease searching for cause-of-death than socializing with the living” .
The story draws from real-life experience. Barbara Butcher spent years working as a death investigator in New York City, and her memoir provides the foundation for the series. Her firsthand knowledge of how medical examiners and law enforcement work together to solve deaths gives the show a grounding in reality .
Who Is Behind the Camera?
Dick Wolf executive produces through his Wolf Entertainment company. Wolf is the mastermind behind the long-running Law & Order franchise as well as the FBI shows on CBS. His involvement signals that What The Dead Know follows the procedural format he has perfected over decades .
Beth Rinehart wrote the pilot script and also serves as an executive producer. Rinehart has extensive experience with crime dramas, having worked on FBI: Most Wanted, Law & Order: SVU, and Chicago Justice .
The executive producing team includes Tom Thayer, Peter Jankowski, and Anastasia Puglisi from Wolf Entertainment. Kevin Plunkett, Rebecca McGill, and Barbara Butcher herself are co-executive producers. Fred Berner directs and also executive produces .
Universal Television produces the pilot, as Wolf Entertainment holds an overall deal with the studio .
Taylor Schilling’s Career Move
For Taylor Schilling, this role represents a return to a leading part in a series. She is best known for playing Piper Chapman in Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, a role that earned her an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations .
Since that show ended in 2019, Schilling has taken on various roles across television and film. She appeared in the Apple TV+ series Dear Edward opposite Connie Britton. She also had a guest arc in the second season of Poker Face on Peacock and starred in an episode of the Fox anthology Accused .
Her film work includes the independent movie Queen of Bones with Martin Freeman, Julia Butters, and Jacob Tremblay. She also appeared in Pam & Tommy on Hulu and voiced a character in the AMC animated series Pantheon .
When Will It Premiere?
What The Dead Know is currently in the pilot stage. NBC ordered the pilot in January 2026 as part of its development slate for the 2026-2027 television season .
At this point, no premiere date has been announced. The network must first complete filming the pilot and then decide whether to order it to series. If picked up, it would likely air during the 2026-2027 season .
No other cast members have been announced yet. Schilling is the only actor confirmed for the project so far .
NBC’s Crime Drama Lineup
What The Dead Know is one of several crime drama pilots NBC has ordered for the upcoming season. The network has focused heavily on procedurals, ordering five drama pilots that all fall within the crime genre .
Other projects include a reboot of The Rockford Files starring David Boreanaz. Emily Deschanel, Boreanaz’s former Bones co-star, will lead an untitled criminal profiler drama based on the work of FBI researcher Dr. Ann Burgess .
Damon Wayans Jr. stars in Puzzled, a drama about a man with Acquired Savant Syndrome who helps police solve crimes. Peter Krause recently joined the cast of Protection, an ensemble drama about a law enforcement family targeted by an assassin .
What This Role Means for Schilling
Taking on the role of Ava Ledger allows Schilling to play a character far removed from Piper Chapman. Where Piper was an inmate trying to survive prison, Ava is a professional investigator with authority and expertise.
The character’s struggle with social interaction while excelling at her job provides dramatic opportunities. Descriptions emphasize that Ava’s comfort with the dead stems from her difficulty connecting with living people, a trait that could make for compelling television .
For fans of Orange Is the New Black, Schilling will also appear at Comic Con Liverpool in May 2026 alongside former co-stars Laura Prepon and Dascha Polanco. This marks the first time Schilling and Prepon have appeared together at a convention, giving fans a chance to see the actors who played Piper and Alex reunite .
The convention takes place May 2-3, 2026, in Liverpool, where the three actors will participate in autograph and photo sessions .
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The Source Material
Barbara Butcher‘s memoir provides authentic details about death investigation work. As a former chief of staff at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Butcher brings real expertise to the project. Her role as co-executive producer suggests the show will strive for accuracy in its portrayal of how death investigators operate .
The book What the Dead Know details Butcher’s experiences handling thousands of death scenes, from homicides to suicides to accidents. Her insider perspective on how the dead can “speak” to trained investigators forms the basis for the show’s premise .
With a proven lead actress, experienced producers, and authentic source material, What The Dead Know has strong foundations as it moves toward production. The coming months will determine whether NBC adds it to their schedule for the 2026-2027 season.
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