Showtime Picks Up The United States Of Tara For Second Season

Showtime has given a second season to The United States of Tara. The network has renewed the Toni Collette comedy about a woman with multiple personalities for another round. The show has averaged 2.1 million per week, including repeat airings, which is better than Dexter and Weeds in their first seasons (the Tara number also doesn’t include DVR use or on-demand viewing). Sunday night’s fourth episode climbed 15% over the previous week.

As for Showtime’s other current series, The L Word is already in its final season and Secret Diary of a Call Girl has a third season coming as part of the show’s original acquisition deal.

Eva Amurri And Kimberly Quinn Join Possible Side Effects

Eva Amurri and Kimberly Quinn have been added to Showtime’s drama pilot Possible Side Effects. Tim Robbins’ Possible Side Effects revolves around the Hunt family, which runs a pharmaceutical firm. Amurri – the daughter of Robbins’ partner, Susan Sarandon – is playing Libby, the angst-ridden lesbian daughter of Max Hunt (Josh Lucas). Quinn plays Max’s wife.

Five More Join Matthew Perry’s End Of Steve

Martha Plimpton, Kiele Sanchez, Eddie Shin, Nate Torrence and Dreama Walker have joined Matthew Perry on his dark comedy Showtime pilot The End of Steve. The show, penned and executive produced by Peter Tolan and Perry, stars Perry as Steve, an egomaniacal local talk show host who is on a reluctant path to redemption. Plimpton will play he show’s producer. Sanchez will play his pretty co-host, by whom he is completely entranced. Shin will play Bob Hu, Steve’s boss. Torrence, who co-starred with Perry on NBC’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, will play Nathan, Steve’s assistant. Walker will play the hot teen daughter of the manager of the apartment complex where Steve lives.

Showtime Developing SciFi Drama Syns

Showtime is developing a character-driven sci-fi-themed drama with Jericho consulting producer John McNamara and Supernatural supervising producer/writer Sera Gamble. Syns (formerly Dolls’ Hospital) centers on a world in which human-like synthetic organisms, known as Syns, are used for various purposes. Showtime has bought U.S. rights to the project, which originally was developed at the BBC. Stephen Volk created the British version; Gamble and McNamara are credited as co-creator/exec producers on the U.S. version. Gamble also is writing the script.

Showtime Gets More Californication

Showtime has greenlighted a third season of its comedy series Californication says The Hollywood Reporter. The cable network has ordered 12 episodes scheduled to go into production in the spring for a late 2009 premiere. The series stars David Duchovny as Hank Moody, a hedonistic novelist/blogger who struggles to raise his Goth-loving teen daughter (Madeleine Martin), while still carrying a torch for his disapproving ex-girlfriend (Natascha McElhone). Evan Handler also stars in the series, which is created and executive produced by Tom Kapinos. Duchovny, who won a Golden Globe this year for his role, also executive produces. Through the first six episodes of this season, Californication is averaging 2.2 million total viewers, according to Live + 7 and on-demand data.

Jason Butler Harner Joins Showtime’s Possible Side Effects

Jason Butler Harner has joined the cast of Showtime’s drama pilot Possible Side Effects. The Tim Robbins’ drama revolves around the Hunt family, which runs a pharmaceutical firm. Harner will play the middle son, Silas, peacekeeper and perhaps the only sane member of the clan. Jason London originally was tapped for the role. The recasting was done after the table read for the pilot this week.