Some renewals for some popular cable television programs have been ordered.  Briefly:

  • Showtime has ordered new seasons of Shameless, House of Lies, and Californication to air in 2014.
  • Cinemax has renewed True Blood creator Alan Ball’s new series Banshee for a second season that will debut in 2014.
  • BBC America has ordered an 8-episode second season of the mystery series Ripper Street to air in 2014.

Hit the jump to read the press releases.

shameless-season-4

Here’s the official press release from Showtime:

SHOWTIME® ORDERS ANOTHER ROUND OF SHAMELESS,

HOUSE OF LIES & CALIFORNICATION

Following Record-Breaking Season Premieres And Continued Year-To-Year Audience Growth, All Three Hit Series To Return in 2014

LOS ANGELES, CA – (January 29, 2013) – After record-setting premiere ratings on the network’s Sunday night line-up and continued year-to-year audience growth, SHOWTIME has picked up brand new seasons of SHAMELESS, HOUSE OF LIES and CALIFORNICATION for 2014. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.  Season-to-date, all three series are pacing above their prior seasons across platforms. The third season of SHAMELESS is up 22 percent, currently averaging 5.4 million weekly viewers across platforms (vs. second season average of 4.4 million), and up 63 percent versus its first season (vs. 3.3 million). The second season of HOUSE OF LIES is averaging 3.2 million weekly viewers across platforms, up 10 percent from its freshman season (vs. 2.91 million), and the sixth season of CALIFORNICATION is averaging 3.1 million weekly viewers, up 21 percent versus season five (vs. 2.5 million). Production for the new seasons of all three series will kick-off in Los Angeles later this year.

"CALIFORNICATION, HOUSE OF LIES, and SHAMELESS possess highly distinctive comedic voices, and given that all three continue to grow their audience season after season – the pick-up decision was easy,” said Nevins. “I am incredibly excited to see what each of these series has in store for their next seasons."

SHAMELESS, HOUSE OF LIES and CALIFORNICATION returned on January 13 with their highest-rated episodes ever, up double-digits versus their series averages and besting their prior season premieres and season finales. In its third week (January 27), SHAMELESS delivered 2.53 million viewers for the night, the series’ biggest total night ever, outperforming the season three premiere night (vs. 2.44 million – 2 plays). On Sunday, HOUSE OF LIES' third episode was on par with its season premiere, which delivered the series’ best numbers ever, with 1.4 million viewers for the night across two plays. CALIFORNICATION's third episode attracted 1.05 million viewers.

From Emmy® Award-winning television and film producer John Wells, SHAMELESS (Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT) stars Academy Award® nominee William H. Macy and Golden Globe® nominee Emmy Rossum.  Season three picked up several months after last season ended, with the Gallaghers each seeking their own unique version of the “American Dream.” Fiona (Emmy Rossum) realizes that it’s going to take more than earning her GED to make ends meet, and that a long term relationship with Jimmy (Justin Chatwin) isn’t as fulfilling as she expected.  Brothers Lip (Jeremy Allen White) and Ian (Cameron Monaghan) continue their ingenious scamming ways, which threatens Ian’s shot at West Point, while Sheila (Joan Cusack, in her Emmy Award-nominated role) and Jody (Zach McGowan) do their best to raise baby Hymie. Meanwhile, Frank (Macy) reappears south of the border with no idea as to how he got there. The series also stars Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Laura Slade Wiggins, Noel Fisher and Emma Greenwell. Based on the long-running hit UK series, SHAMELESS is executive produced by Emmy Award-winning television and film producer John Wells, Andrew Stearn and Mark Mylod. Wells developed the series for American television. Paul Abbott serves as Executive Consultant. SHAMELESS is produced by Bonanza Productions, Inc. in association with John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television.

HOUSE OF LIES (Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT), which stars Don Cheadle in his Golden Globe® Award-winning and Emmy nominated performance as Marty Kaan, is a timely comedy that dives head-first into the shark tank known as corporate America. Marty is the big-money earner at Galweather Stearn, who commands a hot, young team known as The Pod: Jeannie (Kristen Bell), Clyde (Ben Schwartz) and Doug (Josh Lawson). Marty and The Pod's work life revolves around first-class travel, top-shelf liquor and anything they can charge the client on a black Am Ex. Marty is the ultimate power player and under his direction, this ruthless, pull-no-punches team is here to beat the corporate suckers at their own game – and they’re loving every minute of it. This season, The Pod – especially Marty and Jeannie – must deal with the fall-out from the big merger showdown. On the home front, Marty is thrown when Roscoe (Donis Leonard Jr.) decides to move in with his unbalanced mother, Monica (Dawn Olivieri). The series is based on the hit tell-all book from best-selling author Martin Kihn (House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time). Produced by SHOWTIME, HOUSE OF LIES is created and executive produced by Matthew Carnahan. Jessika Borsiczky, Stephen Hopkins and Don Cheadle also serve as executive producers.

CALIFORNICATION (Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT) stars David Duchovny in his Golden Globe Award-winning role as hedonistic novelist Hank Moody, who struggles to be a good father to his college-aged daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin), while still carrying a torch for her mother, and his ex-girlfriend, Karen (Natascha McElhone). For the sixth season, noted actress Maggie Grace (Lost) has signed on for nine episodes as the infamous rock groupie Faith, who develops an unconventional relationship with Hank. She is joined in two episodes by her former Lost co-star Jorge Garcia as an old contact from Faith’s past. International comedy star Tim Minchin takes on the role of Atticus Fetch, a mad-as-a-hatter rock star who will write the music for the Broadway production of Hank’s hit novel.  Fetch enlists the ever-cynical Hank to collaborate on the project, which he calls “…a rock opera about love conquering all.” Notorious rocker Marilyn Manson will also make a guest appearance. CALIFORNICATION is created and executive produced by Tom Kapinos and executive produced by David Duchovny.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, FLIX ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network's authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

ripper street cast

Here’s the official press release from BBC America:

SECOND SEASON ORDERED FOR BBC AMERICA’S RIPPER STREET IN 2014 

New York - January 29, 2013 - BBC AMERICA co-production Ripper Street has been ordered for eight more episodes, with the second season set to premiere in 2014. Ripper Street is produced for BBC ONEby Tiger Aspect ProductionsLookout Point and BBC AMERICA. The gripping series instantly struck a chord with audiences and critics alike, with The Hollywood Reporter saying it’s a “well-acted, well-written and compelling mystery series” and the Los Angeles Times saying it “opens with chilling promise and ends on a decidedly modern note.”

With stellar performances from the three leads Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn and Adam Rothenberg, writer Richard Warlow has created an extraordinary series set in the East End of London in 1889, during the aftermath of the "Ripper" murders. The second episode premiered on BBC AMERICA this past weekend and new episodes will premiere on Saturdays at 9:00pm ET/PT.

Ben Stephenson, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning says: “Quality and ambition run through Ripper Street, from Richard Warlow’s original scripts, the incredible cast and the captivating direction. All combine to create a period series with a modern and gripping edge that will return for a second series in 2014.”

Creator and writer Richard Warlow says: "I am enormously grateful to have been given the opportunity to return to 'H' Division once more and will be working tirelessly to ensure that those who have joined us each week will find ever more compelling crime-fighting thrills down on Ripper Street the second time around. The series will move forward into the 1890s; the death rattle of a century coming to a close, the labor pains of a modern world on the rise. It is this sense of climax and calamity that, week by week, our heroes will confront with conviction and heroism."

BBC AMERICA’s SVP of Programming, Richard De Croce said: “Ripper Street on BBC AMERICA has just begun, with an additional six more episodes featuring great guest stars and powerful performances ahead this season. We’re looking forward to exploring more of Victorian London in season 2.”

Simon Vaughan, Lookout Point says: "Partnering with BBC AMERICA was always our ideal scenario and it has proven to be a wonderful decision. They have given the series an amazing launch in America and we are delighted to be moving into series 2 together."

Will Gould, Head of Drama Tiger Aspect Productions says: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Richard Warlow will be taking us on another unforgettable walk on the wild side of 1890s Whitechapel. Series two will again explore the dark and extraordinary secrets of the Victorian world, and will further mine the hopes and hidden complexities of our heroes.”

The second season was commissioned by Danny Cohen, Controller BBC ONE and Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama Commissioning. Ripper Street is executive produced for Tiger Aspect by Will Gould, Richard Warlow and for Lookout Point by Simon Vaughan. Polly Hill executive produces for the BBC. Shooting will commence in the spring for transmission in 2014. The series is distributed internationally by BBC Worldwide.