Showtime Free Preview Weekend Available to 74 Million Homes Starting Friday, May 9

General Hospital's Roger Howarth is appearance on the latest
season of Californication on Showtime.

Showtime will be available to 74 million households during a Free Preview Weekend this Friday, May 9 through Sunday, May 11. Viewers nationwide will be able to sample the network's award-winning programming on Showtime, Showtime On Demand, Showtime Anytime and on a number of participating distributors' TV Everywhere portals. The Free Preview weekend will include the series premiere of the new drama series Penny Dreadful, as well as new episodes of the critically-acclaimed hit series Nurse Jackie and Californication, the premium television premiere of Scary Movie 5, and the premiere of Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana, the thrilling 12-round welterweight world championship unification bout from Saturday, May 3. During the Preview, Showtime will also debut the second episode of Penny Dreadful on Showtime Anytime immediately following the series premiere on Sunday, May 11th at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Showtime Announces Spring 2014 Schedule

Today, Showtime announced premiere dates for a number of its highly-anticipated new and returning programs this Spring. Beginning Sunday, April 13, the sweeping docu-series YEARS OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY makes its debut in time for Earth Day at 10 p.m., immediately following the season six premiere of NURSE JACKIE, starring Edie Falco, at 9 p.m. and the seventh and final season of CALIFORNICATION, starring David Duchovny, at 9:30 p.m. SHOWTIME's new series PENNY DREADFUL, the psychological thriller starring Eva Green and Josh Hartnett, premieres on Sunday, May 11 at 10 p.m.

NURSE JACKIE stars actress Edie Falco in her Emmy Award-winning role as Jackie Peyton, a strong-willed and brilliant - but very flawed - emergency room nurse. Emmy Award nominee Clyde Phillips serves as showrunner and executive producer. Richie Jackson and Tom Straw and also serve as executive producers. The series also stars Merritt Wever, Paul Schulze, Dominic Fumusa, Anna Deavere Smith, Stephen Wallem, Betty Gilpin, Adam Ferrara, Ruby Jerins, Mackenzie Aladjem and Peter Facinelli. Morris Chestnut is the season six special guest star.

CALIFORNICATION Returns in April, Will End After The Next 12 Episodes

Showtime viewers will take one last romp with Hank Moody when the hit comedy series' seventh season premieres in April 2014 (date TBD), it was announced today by David Nevins, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc. The final 12 episodes will neatly wrap up our unforgettable time following Hank (David Duchovny), Karen (Natascha McElhone), Becca (Madeleine Martin), Charlie (Evan Handler) and Marcy (Pamela Adlon) in their audacious comic mis-adventures and sexcapades.

"With its unique blend of lyricism and excess, CALIFORNICATION has been one of our groundbreaking signature series," said David Nevins. "We will always be indebted to Tom Kapinos for leading the creative charge on this memorable comedy, and to David Duchovny for making us root for an unapologetic hedonist like Hank Moody. Tom has carefully planned the final chapter of Hank's journey and has brought it to a beautiful and satisfying conclusion for new and long-time fans alike."

Roger Howarth Signs On For Multi-Episode CALIFORNICATION Arc

Actor Roger Howarth, who currently stars as Franco in GENERAL HOSPITAL and Todd on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, is adding another gig to his busy schedule. Deadline.com is reporting that Howarth is set for a multi-episode arc on Showtime’s veteran comedy CALIFORNICATION. He will play a yoga teacher in the class of Karen (Natascha McElhone), Hank’s (David Duchovny) longtime, on-again/off-again girlfriend and mother of his daughter.

CALIFORNICATION stars David Duchovny in his Golden Globe Award-winning role as hedonistic novelist Hank Moody who is co-parenting his college-aged daughter Becca (Madeleine Martin), while still carrying a torch for her mother, his ex-girlfriend and muse Karen (Natascha McElhone). Best friend and agent Charlie (Evan Handler) and Charlie’s ex-wife Marcy (Pamela Adlon) are always there for moral (and immoral) support. The series is created and executive produced by Tom Kapinos and executive produced by Duchovny.

Production on the show's seventh season began in April for a premiere in 2014 on Showtime.

SHAMELESS, HOUSE OF LIES and CALIFORNICATION Return January 2013

To kick off the New Year, Showtime will debut all-new seasons of SHAMELESS, HOUSE OF LIES and CALIFORNICATION on Sunday, January 13, 2013.

The fun begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT with the third season of SHAMELESS. It’s several months after the last season ended and the Gallaghers are each seeking their own unique version of the “American Dream.” Jimmy (Justin Chatwin) has moved into the Gallagher home, and Fiona (Emmy Rossum) soon realizes that a GED will only get her so far and that a long-term relationship with Jimmy isn’t as fulfilling as she expected. Meanwhile, Frank (William H. Macy) reappears south of the border with no idea as to how he got there. Based on the long-running hit UK series, SHAMELESS is executive produced by Emmy® Award-winning television and film producer John Wells, as well as Paul Abbott and Andrew Stearn. Wells developed the series for American television.

Sunday Night Nielsen Ratings: GLOBES Dominate, ONCE UPON A TIME Down, HOUSEWIVES Down, GOOD WIFE Down, PAN AM Steady, More

Here's a look at the preliminary Nielsen ratings for Sunday, January 15, 2012:

- GOLDEN GLOBES RED CARPET rated a a 1.9 Adults 18-49 with an audience of about 7.35 million.

- GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS rated a 5.0 Adults 18-49 with an audience of about 16.8 million.