Showtime Renews 'Homeland' for Season Two

Showtime has ordered a second season of Homeland, its new CIA thriller starring Claire Danes.

Homeland's debut on Oct. 2 gave the network its highest-rated drama premiere in eight years, drawing more than 1 million viewers at 10 p.m. The series went on to attract 4.4 million cross-platform viewers in its first week, and posted a series high in its most recent Sunday episode.

Twelve new episodes will begin production in spring 2012.

"Homeland is just getting started," said Showtime entertainment president David Nevins. "Clearly, the overall audience growth from week one to week four demonstrates that this show is hitting a nerve in the cultural zeitgeist. Alex and Howard have created a psychological thriller that holds special relevance in the post 9/11 world. I'm quite confident that its passionate audience will be riveted as the season unfolds and people discover where this story is going."