“Leverage”-lovers can relax; TNT has jumped in early to pick up the Tim Hutton caper series for a second season. The release follows. By the way, if you’ve missed episodes, I recently discovered that some are available on-demand on Charter. Go to On Demand, then Primetime Free and then TNT. As of today, I see three episodes up.

TNT Renews Popular Drama Series LEVERAGE for Second Season
Acclaimed Series, Starring Oscar® Winner Timothy Hutton,
Ranks as Ad-Supported Cable’s #1 Entertainment Program in the Tuesday 10 p.m. (ET/PT) Timeslot
Series Averages 3.2 Million Viewers and Scores Big Growth Through Time-Shifted Viewing
 
TNT’s critically acclaimed hit series LEVERAGE will be back for a second season, according to an announcement today by Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM).  TNT has ordered 15 new episodes of the popular, high-octane series, which stars Oscar® winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People, Nero Wolfe), Gina Bellman (Coupling), Christian Kane (TNT’s Into the West), Beth Riesgraf (Without a Trace) and Aldis Hodge (Friday Night Lights).

LEVERAGE currently airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), with the second season slated to begin later this year.  The series is produced by Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment.  Dean Devlin (Independence Day, TNT’s The Librarian movie series), John Rogers (Cosby) and Chris Downey (The King of Queens) serve as executive producers.

LEVERAGE ranks as ad-supported cable’s #1 entertainment program in the Tuesday 10 p.m. (ET/PT) timeslot among viewers, households and adults 25-54.  The Dec. 7 premiere was watched by 5.6 million viewers and scored TNT’s best original series telecast ever in delivery of adults 18-49 during the regular broadcast season.  Through its first nine episodes, LEVERAGE has averaged 3.2 million viewers and 1.4 million adults 18-49 in Live + Same Day viewing.  The first six episodes scored strong growth when comparing Live to Live + 7 numbers, with total viewership rising 33% to 4.1 million and adults 18-49 rising 42% to 1.9 million.

“We’re thrilled that audiences and critics have responded so positively to LEVERAGE and made the show a solid hit,” Wright said.  “We look forward to another great season of fun and exciting storylines brought to life by the outstanding cast, led by Timothy Hutton, and the incredible production team, headed up by executive producers Dean Devlin and John Rogers.”

LEVERAGE follows a team of thieves, hackers and grifters who seek revenge against those who use power and wealth to victimize people.  Hutton stars as a former insurance investigator whose son died as a result of corporate greed.  He now puts his energy, quick mind and keen intellect toward securing justice for society’s underdogs.

“We had an amazing experience shooting the first season of LEVERAGE with such a talented cast and crew and with the full support of TNT behind us,” Devlin said. “We can’t wait to get to work on season two and take viewers on another adventure with Nate and his team.”

LEVERAGE is part of an ongoing collaboration between TNT and Devlin.  Previously, he executive-produced The Librarian action-adventure movies starring Noah Wyle (ER).  The third installment in the franchise, The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice, premiered as the lead-in to the first episode of LEVERAGE.

The renewal of LEVERAGE is the latest move by TNT in its aggressive strategy to ramp up original series production.  The network recently announced that it is greenlighting two new series: Time Heals, a character-driven medical drama starring Jada Pinkett Smith (The Women, The Matrix Trilogy), and the fast-paced, undercover police drama The Line, starring Golden Globe® winner Dylan McDermott (The Practice, TNT’s The Grid).