Weeds Heads to Basic Cable

LOS ANGELES: Lionsgate’s acclaimed Showtime series Weeds is to make its basic-cable debut on TV Guide Network this September.

TV Guide Network has acquired the rights to air all episodes in the first five seasons of the series, as well as the show’s future episodes (a sixth season is currently in production.) Weeds is produced by Lionsgate Television in association with Tilted Productions. It was acquired by TV Guide through Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury subsidiary.

"Like with Curb Your Enthusiasm, we’ve gotten in Weeds a terrific, well-acted show with a devoted fan-following," said Allen Shapiro, the chairman of the TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com. "We’re very excited that our friends at Lionsgate Television and Tilted Productions have entrusted us with one of the smartest and funniest shows on television."

TV Guide Network is set to premiere another premium-cable comedy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, this summer. In the fall it will launch a revamped prime-time schedule including strips of Weeds, Curb Your Enthusiasm and another acquisition, Ugly Betty.