NEW YORK, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- CBS is considering showing edited episodes of Showtime shows to fill air time during the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, USA Today reported.

CBS owns the premium cable channel.

"There are some shows on that network that we think would work well on CBS," said CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves Tuesday at the UBS Annual Global Media & Communications Conference in New York.

Among Showtime's hits are the edgy offerings "Dexter," "Weeds," "Brotherhood" and "Californication."

Addressing a resolution to the writers' strike, which has shut down production on most scripted TV shows, Moonves admitted: "I'm hopeful. I'm not terribly optimistic.

"Obviously, we are quite far apart at this point," he said.

The WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers were slated to return to the bargaining table Wednesday.