LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- While it's the 2011 TCA Summer Press Tour, Showtime's President of Entertainment David Nevins wasted no time in planting the network's 2012 flags, announcing its Don Cheadle/Kristen Bell-led comedy "House of Lies" will premiere Sunday, January 8 at 10:00/9:00c bookended by the new seasons of "Shameless" and "Californication."

Nevins also revealed the pay channel has commissioned 10 half-hour episodes of the interview series "Laughing Stock." Hosted by David Steinberg and executive produced by Steinberg, Steve Carell, Vance DeGenereres and Charlie Hartsock, the newcomer will feature one-on-one sit-downs with the likes of Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Don Rickles, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Larry David, Ellen DeGeneres, Judd Apatow, Tina Fey, Jane Lynch and Sarah Silverman.

On other fronts:

-- "Oliver Stone's Secret History of America" is still in the works, now likely in 2012, but is being hampered by the director's commitment to the Taylor Kitsch-led film "Savages." Nevins adds that he's seen cuts of about four or five of the 10 planned episodes.

-- "The Borgias" will likely be back for a 10-episode second season in April. "Season one was a lot about gaining power. Season two is a lot about how power corrupts and the way it rips apart that family," Nevins teased. "It's a lot about brother versus brother. Season one sort of leaned towards white collar crime. Season two is a little bit more violent and visceral." He adds that there's "great stuff" ahead involving Machiavelli and da Vinci. "They really sort of figure [into] the larger plot movements."

-- "In a Dan Brown kind of way there's a story to be followed and there's clues to be unpacked and there's sort of a very interesting story that develops," Nevins said with regards to new additions Colin Hanks and Edward James Olmos on the upcoming season of "Dexter." "That story has its own mystery to it which I think is really cool."

-- On canceling "United States of Tara": "You've got to make decisions about where to deploy your resources. We sort of felt like the show had accomplished what it was going to accomplish. And [it was] time to invest and plant some new seeds."

-- No decision has been made about the future of "The Real L Word." "I think the show made some very interesting creative adjustments this year and in a lot of really good ways. I think it became more distinctive and more about a specific subculture. I found it to be much more interesting this season too."

-- "I think it's a very interesting idea for a television series," Nevins says about its "100 Bullets" adaptation, which is still in the script stage. "I'm not ready to make a move [to pilot] just yet but it's an important piece for us."

-- On the future of "Weeds": "I'm optimistic. It's been an interesting year... I think that show's got real life in it. [Jenji Kohan] has done a really great job of evolving the show, making it move to different places and reinventing [itself] in really interesting ways over the years."

-- Nevins says "Dexter" gets the biggest boost from DVD sales.