TV Hot Spot: News

Dexter: Moving to CBS?

Post by: Sal


The breakout hit "Dexter" and other Showtime series could soon land on sibling broadcast network CBS if the writers strike stretches into the new year.

CBS Corp. president and CEO Leslie Moonves said at an investor conference Tuesday in New York that CBS is planning to repurpose some Showtime programs.

"Dexter is probably the first one to go on -- with some edits," he told reporters afterwards. "It fits with our crime shows."

"Dexter," a racy critical and ratings hit for Showtime, stars Michael C. Hall as a Miami police forensics expert who moonlights as a vigilante serial killer.

CBS, of course, is the leader in the forensic crime drama genre with the "CSI" franchise.

Moonves didn't specify when "Dexter" would launch on CBS beyond saying it should come "in the near future."

Now in its second season on Showtime, "Dexter" has broken ratings records for the premium cable network. Its Nov. 18 episode ranked as the most watched in Showtime's history.

The broadcast networks have been exploring the idea of repurposing series from their sister cable networks as strike contingency.

NBC has been rumored to be looking at a potential a second window on the network for such NBC Uni cable series as USA's "Monk" and "Burn Notice" and Sci Fi's "Battlestar Galactica." NBC already exercised its option to repurpose "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," which moved from the broadcast network to USA in the fall.

In addition to "Dexter," CBS also might consider Showtime's racy period drama "The Tudors," which was originally developed for CBS, and critically praised comedy "Weeds," about a weed-peddling soccer mom. However, both will need heavy editing to make it to broadcast primetime.

Take Care,

Sal