TV's 'Hawthorne' to return for 2nd season

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. television medical drama "Hawthorne," starring Jada Pinkett Smith and Michael Vartan, has been renewed for a second season, TNT announced.

The series is averaging about 3.8 million viewers during its current first season, the cable network said.

An additional 10 episodes of the show have been ordered and are expected to start airing in 2010.

"'Hawthorne' has been a great addition to TNT's lineup of original series, and Jada Pinkett Smith's performance has been a tremendous draw with viewers," Michael Wright -- executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies -- said in a statement. "There are powerful episodes remaining, and we're looking forward to what is certain to be an extraordinary second season."