Showtime gives ‘Dexter’ another stab

Showtime has picked up a second season of the dark serial killer dramedy “Dexter.”

Production on the 12-episode second run will begin next spring for a 2007 premiere.

“Dexter is a home run for us, both critically and in popularity,” raves Showtime Entertainment President Robert Greenblatt. “The show was launched at the height of all the broadcast networks’ fall premieres yet instantly became our 1 rated show. People seem fascinated by the moral ambiguity of Dexter, as played by the gifted Michael C. Hall. This character and the world of this show are a welcome addition to our “premium’ line-up.”

Hall plays Dexter Morgan, a Miami PD forensics expert and part-time serial killer prone to killing some of the city’s worst criminals. The show’s first season has followed the plot of Jeff Lindsay’s novel “Darkly Dreaming Dexter” and co-stars Jennifer Carpenter, Julie Benz and James Remar, among others.

Because Showtime keeps its viewership figures close to the vest, it’s hard to know how many people are watching “Dexter,” but the Oct. 1 premiere drew 600,000-plus viewers, making it the channel’s second most watched one-hour drama premiere behind “The L Word.”

Meanwhile, despite teasing “Weeds” finale viewers with the promise of a third season, Showtime is still reportedly finalizing a formal deal, though an announcement is expected soon.

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Kelley plans a midseason ‘Wedding’ for Fox

With many of its new dramas struggling in the post-baseball returns, Fox is pushing ahead on a slew of midseason hopefuls including a wedding-planning show from David E. Kelley.

According to the industry trade papers, Fox has ordered 13 episodes of “The Wedding Store,” from David E. Kelley Prods. and 20th Century Fox. The addition of this series to Fox’s slate means the death of “The Wedding Album,” which the network presented to advertisers back in May.

At the time “The Wedding Album” starred Bruno Campos as a wedding photographer, but almost immediately after upfronts, Fox announced first that Campos was being recast and then that the entire creative direction of the pilot was being overhauled by “Pepper Dennis” scribes Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts.

Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox was also going back to its vaults and looking at “The DeMarco Affairs,” a pilot that Kelley and Jason Katims did for ABC in 2004. That pilot, which didn’t make the ABC cut, starred Selma Blair, Sabrina Lloyd and Lindsay Sloane as three sisters working at the family’s wedding emporium in Long Island. The company liked the basic idea there and asked Kelley to revamp the pilot (Katims is currently working as showrunner on NBC’s “Friday Night Lights”).

The reconceived “Wedding Store” will focus on a group of wedding planners who are dedicated to keeping their clients happy. The sister angle from “DeMarco” won’t make the cut.

After a slow couple years, Kelley is having a busy development season. He’s adapting the BBC hit “Life on Mars” for ABC and executive producing the comedy pilot “We the July” for Fox.

With new dramas like “Vanished,” “Standoff” and “Justice” all on the ropes, Fox is stocking up for the spring. In addition to “The Wedding Store,” the network has also grabbed 13 episodes of “Drive.”

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Corbett is Showtime’s ‘Manchild’

John Corbett is reuniting with “Lucky” creators Rob and Mark Cullen on “Manchild,” a comedy pilot for Showtime.

The Cullens are executive producing the American adaptation of the BBC hit with Darren Star and Nick Fisher.

The show focuses on four male friends going through midlife crises in their 40s. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Corbett will play a pothead who constantly sabotages his professional and romantic relationships.

Paul Hipp was already cast as another member of the quartet.

Other series credits for Corbett include CBS’ “Northern Exposure” and HBO’s “Sex and the City.” He’s been seen on the big screen in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “Raising Helen,” among films.

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‘Will & Grace’ creators bring comedy to CBS

David Kohan and Max Mutchnick have sold a new comedy pitch to CBS and it sounds like the “Will & Grace” creators put a lot of thought into this one.

According to the industry trade papers, CBS has given a put-pilot commitment to a multi-camera comedy that will be produced through Warner Bros. TV and the writers’ KoMut Entertainment.

The untitled show is a buddy comedy about a gay writer and a straight writer who are best friends. It might be just slightly based on the real experiences of Kohan, who is straight, and Mutchnick, who is gay, both writers and close buddies since high school. The show will also feature their pair of “hot young assistants.”

Where ever will they be able to find sources of research and inspiration?

Since creating the hit “Will & Grace” for NBC, Mutchnick and Kohan have been a little less successful. They followed that Emmy-winning series with “Good Morning, Miami,” “Three Kings” and “Twins.” They also executive produced CBS’ “The Stones,” which was created by Kohan’s sister Jenji.

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‘Flavor’ ladies head to ‘Charm school’

Because two seasons of “Flavor of Love” and a “Flavorette” spinoff aren’t enough, VH1 is extending the franchise a little bit more.

The network has ordered up a series called “Charm School,” in which comedian Mo’Nique takes 13 former “Flavor of Love” contestants and tries to teach them a little bit about manners and poise and such. The prize is cash and the title of “Charm School Queen.”

“These girls are outspoken and outrageous, but they need some focus and direction. I’m just the woman to give it to them,” Mo’Nique declares. “You will see a metamorphosis in these girls, I promise.”

The show will consist of a series of challenges in which the contestants will be judged on how they apply their etiquette training in “difficult situations.” Presumably among the lessons will be, you know, not squatting in the middle of the room to relieve oneself, as contestant “Somethin” did in the season two premiere.

That VH1 would want to bleed “Flavor of Love” for every last drop of its appeal is no surprise. The show has drawn record-breaking ratings, and the second-season finale was by far the most-watched show in VH1 history.

“Charm School” comes from the “Flavor”/”Surreal Life” team of Chris Abrego, Mark Cronin and Ben Samek. A premiere date hasn’t been set.

Mo’Nique is probably best known for her role on UPN’s “The Parkers.” Her movie credits include “Domino” and “Phat Girlz,” and she also hosted an executive produced the plus-size beauty pageant “Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance,” which aired on Oxygen last year.