Frank Ockenfels 3/SHOWTIME Prepare for lots more sex and spying in 2014!
Homeland and Masters of Sex have both been officially renewed, Showtime announced on Tuesday. Both drama series will return with 12 episodes in 2014; Homeland will be heading into its fourth season, while Masters of Sex will return with its sophomore season.
"Homeland continues to prove its strength for Showtime, and is one of television's most exciting, provocative and widely-discussed shows. It has grown its audience significantly in each of its three seasons," Showtime president David Nevins said in a statement. "The critical and audience reaction to Masters of Sex since its great launch has been incredibly gratifying. It's a privilege to get to work with such talented and creative people as Alex Gansa and Michelle Ashford, as well as their tremendous casts. They have each created truly original shows, with distinctive voices that are among the most admired series on television."
While Homeland is the network's number one series, bringing in an average of 6.5 million viewers (up 26 percent from season two), its third season has received from flak from fans and critics for its slower-than-normal pace and recent twist with Claire Danes' character Carrie. Plus, male lead Damian Lewis hasn't been featured in every episode, a polarizing storytelling choice.
Starring Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex tells the story of the two pioneers of the study of human sexuality: William Masters (Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Caplan), the real-life couple whose research in the 1960s paved the way for the sexual revolution. In its freshman season, Masters of Sex has been averaging 5.4 million viewers.
In our Save It or Sink It poll, 78.27 percent of voters chose to "Save" the new series.
Homeland airs Sunday at 9 p.m. and Masters of Sex airs at 10 p.m. on Showtime.