TV Renewals: RAY DONOVAN, MASTERS OF SEX, HALT AND CATCH FIRE

Halt and Catch Fire, Ray Donovan, Masters of Sex, and other TV shows have all made recent TV show news by being renewed for an additional season. and other television productions have all made recent TV show casting, TV movie casting, and TV directing news. These shows air on AMC and Showtime.

Halt and Catch Fire (AMC)

AMC today announced that it had ordered a second season of the drama Halt and Catch Fire, a show that attracted a committed core audience and notable critical acclaim across its initial season. The show will return to AMC next summer.

“This is a show about invention, experimentation, and the inherent risks in trying to break new ground — themes that really resonate with us as a network and attracted a passionate audience,” said Charlie Collier, AMC president. “We have a history of demonstrating patience through the early seasons of new shows, betting on talent and building audience over time. We see that opportunity here and look forward to a second season of Halt and Catch Fire from creators Chris Cantwell and Chris Rogers, and showrunner Jonathan Lisco.”

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to continue telling this story. Our series about creation, innovation, and taking bold risks wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for our partners at AMC, a network known for these very things,” Lisco, Cantwell and Rogers said. “Harnessing the momentum of our first season, this next chapter will take the rich characters our audience has come to love in new and surprising directions.”

Click here to watch Season 1 of Halt and Catch Fire on amc.com (Log-in required.)

According to Nielsen data, the first season of Halt and Catch Fire was one of the most upscale dramas on ad-supported television, #3 among adults 18-49, behind Mad Men and The Good Wife, and #4 among adults 25-54, behind Mad Men, The Good Wife and Parenthood. It was also one of cable’s most engaging dramas among adults 18-49 (#3) and adults 25-54 (#4), according to Nielsen TV Brand Effect.

Ray Donovan & Masters of Sex (Showtime)

LOS ANGELES, CA (August 20, 2014) – Hot off the continued critical and audience acclaim for the second seasons of RAY DONOVAN and MASTERS OF SEX, SHOWTIME is green lighting third seasons for both of its hit drama series.  The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President, Showtime Networks Inc.  Both series will receive 12 one-hour episode orders, and will begin production in early 2015.

“Both RAY DONOVAN and MASTERS OF SEX are quintessentially SHOWTIME: bold, provocative, premium television with production values at the top of the food chain,” says Nevins. “These acclaimed shows are filled with complex and interesting characters and settings that will no doubt give audiences compelling television to invest in for seasons to come.”

MASTERS OF SEX scored five Emmy^® Award nominations this year, including nods for actors Lizzy Caplan, Beau Bridges and Allison Janney, who was honored this past weekend with an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Margaret Scully. RAY DONOVAN’s Jon Voight is also an Emmy contender, receiving his first ever series nomination for his role as Mickey Donovan. Both series continue to resonate with the network’s subscribers, delivering season high numbers for their past few episodes. MASTERS OF SEX’s fifth episode delivered the series’ highest ratings of the season, up 18 percent versus the season two premiere. The series currently averages nearly four million viewers across platforms per week. Similarly, RAY DONOVAN’s fifth episode was up 16 percent versus its season two premiere, and season-to-date is averaging five million weekly viewers across platforms.

Set in the sprawling mecca of the rich and famous, RAY DONOVAN stars Golden Globe^® and Emmy nominee Liev Schreiber as L.A.’s best professional fixer, the man called in to make the city’s celebrities, superstar athletes, and business moguls’ most complicated and combustible situations go away. As the season unfolds, Ray continues to seek balance between the demands of his family, including his volatile relationship with Mickey (Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Jon Voight), and the demands of his Hollywood clients.  The cast also includes Paula Malcomson, Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Steven Bauer, Katherine Moennig, Pooch Hall, Kerris Dorsey and Devon Bagby. Oscar^®-nominated actor Elliott Gould guest stars. The impressive line-up of guest stars for season two also includes Hank Azaria, Ann-Margret, Wendell Pierce, Sherilyn Fenn, Vinessa Shaw, Brian Geraghty, Heather McComb and Kip Pardue. RAY DONOVAN is created and executive produced by Ann Biderman.  A SHOWTIME production, the series is also executive produced by Mark Gordon, Bryan Zuriff and David Hollander.  For a sneak peek at Sunday’s episode, go to: https://s.sho.com/1pFvuJm.

Starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Michael Sheen and Emmy nominee Lizzy Caplan as real-life pioneers of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson, MASTERS OF SEX chronicles their unusual lives, romance and pop-culture trajectory. Their research touched off the sexual revolution and took them from a mid-western teaching hospital in St. Louis to the cover of Time magazine. The series is an adaptation of Thomas Maier’s book Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How To Love.  Season two also stars Caitlin FitzGerald, Teddy Sears and Annaleigh Ashford. Beau Bridges, Allison Janney, Julianne Nicholson, Betsy Brandt, Sarah Silverman, Keke Palmer, Courtney B. Vance, Rene Auberjonois, Jocko Sims, Greg Grunberg, Barry Watson and Christian Borle guest star. MASTERS OF SEX was developed for television by Michelle Ashford (The Pacific) who also serves as an executive producer. In addition, the series is executive produced by Carl Beverly, Sarah Timberman, Judith Verno and Amy Lippman.  Michael Apted, Michael Sheen, Tammy Rosen and Thomas Maier serve as producers.  MASTERS OF SEX is produced by Sony Pictures Television. For an early look at Sunday night’s new episode, go to: https://s.sho.com/MOSS2E7.

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Source: Showtime, Slashfilm