Eva Longoria is heading back to the spotlight on the small screen…

NBC has given a 13-episode order to the 39-year-old Mexican American actress’ single-camera comedy Telenovela. 

It will mark Longoria’s first series starring role since Desperate Housewives.

Telenovela, set behind the scenes of a Spanish language telenovela, was guaranteed a 13-episode order if Longoria committed to star in the project and a pilot order if she didn’t.

Additionally, since Telenovela is set behind the scenes of a telenovela, NBC has had discussions with sister network Telemundo about doing 4-5-minute segments in Spanish that would be used to promote the NBC series to Spanish-speaking audiences.

Despite the straight-to-series 13-episode order, Telenovela will do a pilot.

NBC was one of two networks pursuing Longoria in a big way this development season. At ABC, there was a comedy from ABC Studios. It was fast-tracked as a script that will go to pilot with a 13-episode penalty for Longoria attached if she commits to star.

Longoria had been developing Telenovela through her Universal Television-based UnbeliEVAble at NBC for some time.

Written/executive produced by Cougar Town co-executive producers Chrissy Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein, based on an idea by Longoria, it stars Longoria as the willful but popular diva Ana Maria, star of Latin America’s most beloved telenovela who strives to stay on top in a world where the drama on-camera is nothing compared to the drama off-camera.

Since the end of Desperate Housewives, Longoria had been focused on producing through her UnbeliEVAble banner.  She executive produces Lifetime’s Devious Maids and her company has sold nine projects this development season, including medical drama Critical at NBC and Texas political/family drama Pair of Aces at ABC.