Previews: Susan Sarandon on 'The Big C'; Showtime renews 3 series; CBS sets date for Robert De Niro drama – The TV Guy – Orlando Sentinel

Previews: Susan Sarandon on ‘The Big C’; Showtime renews 3 series; CBS sets date for Robert De Niro drama – The TV Guy – Orlando Sentinel Image

In programming announcements today:

***Showtime says that Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon will play a cancer survivor on several episodes of "The Big C." The Showtime comedy starts a new season at 9:30 April 8. The Sarandon character, Joy, will push Laura Linney's character, Cathy, "to question her own cancer experience and how she lives her life," Showtime said.

***CBS set an April 15 premiere date for "NYC 22," a police drama from executive producer Robert De Niro. The show will take the 10 p.m. Sunday time slot after "CSI: Miami" has completed its season. "NYC" focuses on six rookie officers working in upper Manhattan.

The series stars Terry Kinney, Adam Goldberg, Leelee Sobieski, Stark Sands, Judy Marte, Harold "House" Moore, Tom Reed and Felix Solis.

The other executive producers are Jane Rosenthal, Richard Price, Ken Sanzel and James Mangold. Novelist Price created the drama.

***Showtime ordered new seasons of "Shameless," "House of Lies" and "Californication."

It will be season three for "Shameless," which is Showtime's No. 2 rated series after "Dexter." It will be season two for "House of Lies," a comedy with Don Cheadle. And it will be season six for "Californication," which stars David Duchovny.

Previews: Susan Sarandon on 'The Big C'; Showtime renews 3 series; CBS sets date for Robert De Niro drama – The TV Guy – Orlando Sentinel