Showtime orders second season of 'Billions' starring Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti

NEW YORK, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Showtime says it has ordered a second season of its finance-themed drama Billions.

The show, which premiered this month, had the cable television network's best series debut ever with 6.5 million viewers.

It stars Paul Giamatti, Damian Lewis, Maggie Siff, Malin Akerman, Toby Leonard Moore, David Costabile and Condola Rashad.

"Billions is a bold, contemporary drama series that melds the worlds of ultra-wealth, influence and corruption as personified in two highly ambitious opposing figures: hard-charging, blue-blooded, politically connected U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades and brilliant, calculating, blue-collar billionaire hedge-fund king, Bobby 'Axe' Axelrod," a synopsis said. "Set amongst the Machiavellian machinations of New York City power politics and finance, Billions weaves a complex, intricate narrative featuring a high-stakes game of predator-versus-prey."