Former ‘Friend’ going back on the small screen

Courteney Cox is headed back to the small screen.

The FX cable network has ordered 13 episodes of “Dirt,” which stars the former “Friend” as the editor of a pair of celebrity-obsessed magazines.

The show, with Cox and husband David Arquette as executive producers, is scheduled to go into production in the fall and debut late this year or in early 2007.

“Dirt” will be Cox’s first TV role since “Friends.” She co-stars in the feature film “Alpha Dog,” which premiered at Sundance this year, and in the superhero comedy “Zoom” opposite Tim Allen.

CBS still courting Jenna

CBS didn’t pick up Jenna Elfman’s sitcom “Courting Alex” for next season, but apparently there are no hard feelings on either side.

Elfman has signed a new deal with the network, which is looking for a writer to develop a comedy project for her.

“Courting Alex,” in which Elfman played a buttoned-up lawyer who falls for a laid-back bar owner, started off well in the cozy Monday spot between “Two and a Half Men” and “CSI: Miami.” Its ratings plummeted, however, after a move to Wednesday nights, and it was pulled in late March.