Showtime Orders Drama ‘Homeland,' Comedy ‘House Of Lies'

Showtime is adding another pair of series to its lineup.

Homeland is an hour-long drama starring Claire Danes, Damian Lewis and Mandy Patinkin.

House of Lies is a half-hour comedy starring Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell.

Showtime ordered 12 episodes of each, which will start production this summer, Showtime Networks entertainment president David Nevins said in a release.

Homeland (pictured left) is a psychological thriller about Carrie Anderson (Danes), a CIA officer battling her own demons, who becomes convinced that the intelligence that led to the rescue of Scott Brody (Lewis) a U.S. soldier who had been missing and presumed deal for nine years, was a setup and may be connected to an Al Qaeda plot to be carried out on American soil. Patinkin will portray Saul, a veteran CIA division chief and Carrie's boss and mentor.

Homeland is written by Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa and Gideon Raff, and is based on Raff's Israeli television series Prisoners of War. It will be produced by FOX 21.

House of Lies is a comedy created, written and executive produced by Matthew Carnahan from the hit tell-all book House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time, by Martin Kihn. It's a scathing look at a self-loathing management consultant from a top-tier firm, Showtime said.

Cheadle stars as Marty, a highly-successful and cutthroat consultant who is never above using any means (or anyone) necessary to get his way with and for his clients. Bell (Veronica Mars) will play Jeannie Van Der Hooven, a razor-sharp, Ivy-League graduate who works at Marty's firm. Co-stars include comedian Ben Schwartz (Undercovers) and Josh Lawson (Romantically Challenged) as Marty's corporate team members; Dawn Oliveri (Heroes) as Marty's acerbic ex-wife; Glynn Turman (In Treatment) as his psychoanalyst father; and Donis Leonard Jr. (The Fresh Beat Band) as Marty's young son. Jessika Borsiczky (Flash Forward) will serve as executive producer, and Emmy winner Stephen Hopkins (Californication, 24) directs and executive produces.