‘Homeland’ officially renewed through season 8; ‘Ray Donovan’ through season 5

As a part of their TCA Summer Press Tour event on Thursday, Showtime made some key announcements all about their future as a network … including some renewals that are not particularly much of a surprise.

Let’s start with the long-rumored news that “Homeland” was going to preemptively get a renewal all the way up to season 8, which will match the show with some other long-running network programs like “Dexter” and “Weeds.”  There is no confirmation as of yet that season 8 will be the show’s last; ultimately, we figure that they’ve got a heck of a lot of time to figure that out based on where things are going. Season 6 just started filming in New York City, and is going to premiere early next year. This is the first time that the series has ventured outside of its typically fall landing spot.

Elsewhere, Showtime has also done the predictable move of ordering a fifth season of “Ray Donovan,” given that the action drama starring Liev Schreiber has become a summer staple for them. It also consistently has drawn some awards recognition, which is something that cable series always look for as a means of getting some more attention. It’s a little early to know whether or not this show will last for eight seasons; if it does, it’ll be a miracle if Ray is still alive just because of all of the various carnage that he has caused over time.

As per usual, we’ll have further news on both shows as it starts to become available.

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