Katherine Heigl to attempt a TV comeback in 'State of Affairs'

Almost five years have passed since Katherine Heigl's last TV performance. At the height of her popularity in a major role on the hit series "Grey's Anatomy," the actress decided to leave TV behind to focus on her family life.

At the time, it seemed likely that she might transition to a career on the silver screen. But after getting off to a promising start with the comedies "Knocked Up" and "27 Dresses," Heigl has made some questionable moves. After the disappointing critical and public reception of "One for the Money" and "Killers," Hollywood studios were less eager to work with the actress, who became increasingly trapped in the romantic comedy genre.

After seeing her request to return to "Grey's Anatomy" denied by showrunner Shonda Rhimes in 2012, Heigl is finally bouncing back with the new NBC series "State of Affairs." In the vein of "Homeland," the new drama will be the latest entry in the political series genre, which has recently enjoyed a resurgence on the small screen ("House of Cards," "Scandal," "Madam Secretary"). Heigl will star in a role quite different from the surgeon she played on "Grey's Anatomy."

In "State of Affairs," the actress is Charleston Tucker, a high-ranking CIA agent and a special security advisor to the White House. Each morning, she prepares the president's daily briefing (PDB), which details the most important security issues and threats facing the nation. This high-stakes role in the nexus of power is particularly challenging due to Tucker's personal relationship with the president, whose son, Aaron, was Tucker's fiancé when he was killed in a terrorist attack. Rather than facing her grief, the CIA agent submerges herself in her work and does everything in her power to find out the reasons behind her fiancé's death.

Heigl will share the screen with Alfre Woodward ("Desperate Housewives"), who plays the first female African-American US president, Constance Payton.