Showtime Gives Second-Season Pickups to Shameless & Episodes

LOS ANGELES: The freshman hits Shameless and Episodes have both received orders for second seasons from Showtime.

Shameless, which stars William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum, is an hour-long family drama. From John Wells and Paul Abbott, the series is based on the long-running hit British show. Showtime has ordered 12 additional episodes for a second season. "We’re delighted that our wonderful partners at Showtime are giving us the opportunity to make additional episodes of Shameless," said executive producer John Wells. "We’re having an unbelievably good time making the show and look forward to bringing more of the humor, pathos, and wild sexuality of the dysfunctional Gallagher family to a shocked American audience."

The Showtime-BBC co-production Episodes stars Friends’ Matt LeBlanc. The half-hour comedy is written and executive produced by David Crane (Friends) and Jeffrey Klarik (Mad About You). The half-hour comedy will return for an undetermined number of new episodes. "To have the opportunity to make another series of this show with David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik and then to make that show for both Showtime and the BBC, whose combined portfolios of comedy are second to none, is both a thrill and a great privilege," commented executive producer Jimmy Mulville. "At the end of the first series the writers have placed our three protagonists in the middle of comedy hell. Like the rest of the audience I can’t wait to see what is going to happen to them!"

"The viewer loyalty and critical acclaim that has met both Shameless and Episodes since their January debuts makes it clear that these two brash and sophisticated series are burgeoning hits," added David Nevins, the president of entertainment at Showtime Networks. "John Wells is carving out a tone that is truly unique in the television landscape—equal parts drama and comedy. And Episodes marks the universally embraced and hilarious return to television of an inspired comedy triumvirate: Matt LeBlanc, and creators Jeffrey Klarik and David Crane.  We are thrilled with the response to both series and eager to start planning for their second seasons."