Showtime orders Cheadle, Danes shows

LOS ANGELES, April 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. cable channel Showtime says it has ordered 12 episodes each of its new comedy "House of Lies" and drama "Homeland."

"Homeland" is an hourlong psychological thriller starring Claire Danes, Damian Lewis and Mandy Patinkin. It is about a CIA officer battling her own demons, who becomes convinced the intelligence that led to the rescue of a U.S. soldier -- who had been missing and presumed deal for nine years -- was a setup and may be connected to an al-Qaida plot to be carried out on American soil.

"House of Lies" is a half-hour comedy starring Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell. Created, written and executive produced by Matthew Carnahan and based on the tell-all book "House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time" by Martin Kihn, the show is about a self-loathing management consultant from a top-tier firm, Showtime said in a synopsis.

Both series are to start production during the summer.