'Patrick Melrose' to premiere on Showtime May 12

March 17 (UPI) -- Benedict Cumberbatch's Patrick Melrose miniseries is to premiere in the United States on Showtime May 12.

Based on the semi-autobiographical novels of Edward St. Aubyn, the five-part drama is "an acerbic and fearless look at the protagonist's harrowing odyssey from a deeply traumatic childhood to his remarkable survival as an adult," a news release from the cable network noted.

"As the size of our programming slate continues to grow, it makes sense for Showtime to offer another night of premieres -- allowing us the opportunity to eventize series like Patrick Melrose," David Nevins, president and chief executive officer of Showtime Networks Inc., said in a statement. "Offering original content on Saturdays not only enables us to fully service our subscribers with diverse offerings, it gives viewers enough time to enjoy them all. And a series with the ambition and quality of Patrick Melrose is the perfect place to start."

The series' ensemble includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hugo Weaving, Anna Madeley, Blythe Danner, Allison Williams, Pip Torrens, Jessica Raine, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Holliday Grainger, Indira Varma and Celia Imrie. It will begin airing May 13 on Sky Atlantic in the United Kingdom.