Showtime Orders Two More Seasons of 'Dexter'

Showtime is giving its top rated drama series Dexter another two seasons. The series, currently in the middle of season three, has been drawing record ratings for the premium cable network, surpassing three million viewers in its premiere week.

Seasons four and five will consist of 12 episodes each, with production on season four beginning in the Spring.

"Dexter's enormous success is a tribute to the great achievements of its cast, the producing team, the author of the original book, and the gifted Michael C. Hall,” said Showtime entertainment president Robert Greenblatt, announcing the pickup.  “I thought at best we would attract a devoted cult audience but soon realized that, ironically, this show is so thematically rich and layered with humanity that audiences of all kinds have flocked to it."