Showtime Announces Launch Dates for Shameless, Episodes and Californication

Showtime today announced launch dates for its two newest series Shameless, Episodes and the return of Californication.

The absolutely fantastic US adaptation of British drama series Shameless will kick off on Sunday, January 9th at 10 pm ET/PT.

The following evening, Showtime will launch the fourth season of Californication at 10 pm ET/PT, immediately followed by the launch of the Matt LeBlanc-led comedy series Episodes.

Here's how Showtime is positioning these two new series:

SHAMELESS, a new drama series from John Wells (“ER,” “The West Wing,” “Southland”) and Paul Abbott (“State of Play,” “Touching Evil”) is based on the long-running hit UK series and stars Emmy® Award winner and Oscar® nominee William H. Macy (Fargo, Pleasantville, The Cooler) and Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera, Mystic River). Macy plays a far-from-stellar working class patriarch of an unconventional Chicago brood of six motley kids (headed by eldest sibling Rossum) who keep the home afloat while he’s out drinking and carousing. SHAMELESS is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Wells and Abbott are executive producers; Andrew Stearn (“The West Wing,” “Southland”) is co-executive producer.

New comedy series EPISODES stars Matt LeBlanc (“Friends”) and is executive produced and created by David Crane (“Friends”, “The Class”) and Jeffrey Klarik (“The Class”, “Mad About You”). The series focuses on a British couple whose hit, erudite UK show is turned into an Americanized sitcom starring LeBlanc (as himself). Jimmy Mulville executive produces through his successful Hat Trick production company ("Whose Line Is It Anyway?," "Worst Week"). EPISODES is a co-production of SHOWTIME and the BBC.

The full press release from Showtime can be found below.

SHOWTIME ANNOUNCES JANUARY PREMIERE SCHEDULE
 SHAMELESS, EPISODES & CALIFORNICATION Kick off 2011
 
LOS ANGELES, CA – (July 12, 2010) – SHOWTIME® will bring in the New Year in a most spectacular way with the premieres of new drama series SHAMELESS (Jan. 9th at 10pm) with William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum; new comedy series EPISODES starring Matt LeBlanc (Jan. 10th at 10:30pm); and the fourth season premiere of the hit comedy series CALIFORNICATION starring David Duchovny (Jan. 10 th at 10pm).
 
SHAMELESS, a new drama series from John Wells (“ER,” “The West Wing,” “Southland”) and Paul Abbott (“State of Play,” “Touching Evil”) is based on the long-running hit UK series and stars Emmy® Award winner and Oscar® nominee William H. Macy (Fargo, Pleasantville, The Cooler) and Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera, Mystic River). Macy plays a far-from-stellar working class patriarch of an unconventional Chicago brood of six motley kids (headed by eldest sibling Rossum) who keep the home afloat while he’s out drinking and carousing. SHAMELESS is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Wells and Abbott are executive producers; Andrew Stearn (“The West Wing,” “Southland”) is co-executive producer.
  
New comedy series EPISODES stars Matt LeBlanc (“Friends”) and is executive produced and created by David Crane (“Friends”, “The Class”) and Jeffrey Klarik (“The Class”, “Mad About You”). The series focuses on a British couple whose hit, erudite UK show is turned into an Americanized sitcom starring LeBlanc (as himself). Jimmy Mulville executive produces through his successful Hat Trick production company ("Whose Line Is It Anyway?," "Worst Week"). EPISODES is a co-production of SHOWTIME and the BBC.
 
Finally, SHOWTIME will premiere the fourth season of hit comedy series CALIFORNICATION, starring David Duchovny in his Golden Globe®-winning role as hedonistic novelist Hank Moody who struggles to raise his teenage daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin), with on-again, off-again girlfriend Karen (Natascha McElhone). This season, Hank will have to deal with the fall-out from his one-night stand with then-underage pseudo step-daughter Mia (Madeline Zima) going public. His epic legal troubles force him to enlist the aid of hot, high-powered defense attorney Abby (Carla Gugino) to keep him out of the big house. Rob Lowe (“Parks & Recreation”) special guest stars. Guest stars include  Michael Ealy (“Flash Forward”), Zoe Kravitz (“Twelve”) Stephen Tobolowsky (“Glee”), Callie Thorne (“Rescue Me”), Addison Timlin (“Cashmere Mafia”) and rocker Tommy Lee. Duchovny executive produces alongside creator and EP Tom Kapinos.
 
Premiere Schedule is as follows:
 
Sunday, January 9th
SHAMELESS (10pm)
 
Monday, January 10th
CALIFORNICATION (10pm)
EPISODES (10:30pm)
 
All times Eastern/Pacific