Showtime has given series orders for its two pilots.
House of Lies, starring Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell, and Homeland, toplined by Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, have been given 12-episode orders by new Showtime entertainment president David Nevins.
“On the heels of successfully launching our four freshman series in the last 8 months, we’re excited to introduce the next wave of Showtime shows,” said Nevins. “Homeland and House of Lies are audacious in both their concept and their casting. They build upon the network’s successful pedigree and expand the definition of what a Showtime series can be.”
Lies, a half-hour comedy created by Matthew Carnahan, revolves around a successful and cutthroat consultant (Cheadle) who is never above using any means (or anyone) necessary to get his way with and for his clients.
Homeland, a psychological thriller from Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa and Gideon Raff, tells the story of a CIA officer (Danes) battling her own demons and who becomes convinced that the intelligence that led to the rescue of a U.S. soldier (Lewis) was a setup.
Both series will begin production this summer.
Showtime recently launched historical drama The Borgias last weekend and is coming off successful runs of freshmen series Shameless and Episodes, both of which have been renewed for second seasons. The pay cabler debuts its U.S. run of Secret Diary of a Call Girl and new docu-series Gigolos on Thursday.
