PASADENA, Calif. -- HBO, which is largely recovered from a year or two in the wilderness, has renewed its three summer series -- "True Blood," "Entourage" and "Hung" -- for new seasons to return next year.
Regarding other series:
No decision has been made about bringing back "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency." "We're in coversations right now trying to figure out the next step on that show," said HBO programming president Michael Lombardo.
Never believe an actor about a show's renewal: In January, "Little Britain USA" star Matt Lucas said the show would return to HBO. But network executives said it won't be back, however the creators are developing some specials with all-new characters that will air late next year or early in 2011.
The miniseries "The Pacific," which tells a story of World War II in the Pacific theater from the same producers who made "Band of Brothers," is slated to air in March. "Treme," a New Orleans-set drama from David Simon, creator of "The Wire," will premiere in April.
HBO executives are waiting on delivery of the pilot of Martin Scorsese's "Boardwalk Empire," a period drama set in Atlantic City, before ordering a full first season, but they said they're excited and optimistic that it will come to fruition as a series. "We're set to get going in September," Lombardo said.
Executives are ready to order a third season of "Flight of the Conchords," but they're waiting on the show's stars/creators, who are working on a new album, to say they want to return to production on the TV show. "I'm sure that will happen," Lombardo said.
"Big Love" will return for a new season in January.
"In Treatment" was based on an Israeli series that only ran for two seasons so to make a third season would require creating stories from whole cloth. "We're trying to put it together," said HBO co-president Richard Plepler.
Animated show "The Life and Times of Tim" will return for a new season, but it hasn't been scheduled yet.
Podcasts created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant and featuring Karl Pilkington will be animated for an upcoming HBO series. Some new material will also be recorded.
"Epitafios," a terrific Spanish-language thriller filmed in Argentina, returns for a second season on HBO2 on Sept. 22 (11 p.m.).
Posted
Jul 30 2009, 06:36 PM
by
Rob Owen