JoJo Whilden/Showtime
Showtime is investing in Billions.
The premium cable network has renewed its financial drama Billions for a second season, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Factoring in three days of delayed viewing, Billions premiered this month to 6.5 million across multiple platforms, up 7 percent from Ray Donovan in 2013.
Starring Homeland veteran Damian Lewis and Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti, the hourlong entry is set in the Manhattan world of high finance and tells a contemporary tale of power politics.
Billions is written and executive produced by Rounders' Brian Koppelman and David Levien along with The New York Times' Andrew Ross Sorkin, who famously chronicled the most recent financial crisis in his tome Too Big to Fail. (Given the dramatic nature of the crash, the latter was adapted into a critically acclaimed telepic starring Giamatti as Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke by HBO.)
The speedy renewal for Billions (only two episodes have aired thus far) comes as Showtime is poised to shift its rollout strategy for originals. Showtime CEO David Nevins told reporters this month at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour that he wants to begin staggering original series premieres from two by two to once a month. That strategy kicked off this month with Billions and Shameless, with the latter also renewed.
Billions is part of a drama roster at Showtime that also includes Homeland, The Affair, Masters of Sex, hourlong dramedy Roadies, Ray Donovan and more.
