David Hyde Pierce joins "The Good Wife" in recurring role

Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor David Hyde Pierce is coming back to television.

Pierce is joining the cast of CBS' "The Good Wife" in a recurring role during the drama's upcoming sixth season, the network announced Thursday.

He will play a highly respected cable news legal commentator who is so disgusted by the corruption and murder rate in Chicago that he decides to run for office in order to affect change.

The role will mark Pierce's first appearance in a television series since "Frasier" ended its run in 2004.

"We couldn't be more thrilled and flattered that David's making 'The Good Wife' his first TV role since 'Frasier,"" said executive producers/showrunners Robert and Michelle King. "We're tremendous fans of his dramatic skills as well as his comedy."

Pierce earned four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Dr. Niles Crane on "Frasier." Since that series ended, he has made voice cameos on "The Simpsons" and a brief appearance on "Sesame Street." His film credits include "Sleepless in Seattle," "Nixon," "A Bug's Life" and "Wet Hot American Summer," and he's appeared on Broadway in "Monty Python's Spamalot" and "La Bete," earned a Tony Award for "Curtains" and another nomination for "Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike." He is slated to make his Broadway directorial debut this spring with the new musical "It Shoulda Been You."

"The Good Wife" returns for its sixth season on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS.