Showtime Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Viola Davis’ new drama First Ladies, in which the Oscar winner portrays Michelle Obama, has been picked up for a full series.

With the departure of “Shameless” and “Homeland” and the sudden cancellation of “Ray Donovan,” it’s the end of an era at Showtime.

Showtime has given a straight-to-series order to one-hour drama “First Ladies,” whose first season stars Viola Davis as former first lady Michelle Obama. Davis also executive produces the series, which was put on fast-track development at the premium cabler last August with a three-script commitment.

Michelle Obama is coming to TV, well, fictionally at least.

Some people might come to a Go-Go’s documentary wanting a purely fun, bubbly experience, based on the effervescence the group projected at its breakthrough peak in the early ’80s. Others might want a sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll tell-all, if they’re aware of the tensions and bad habits that led the all-female band to acrimoniously break up in the mid-’80s (before many off-again, on-again reunions that have followed).

You’ll be seeing and hearing a lot of Yassir Lester in the next few months (and beyond).

Johnny Flynn has been cast opposite Andrew Scott in the upcoming Showtime series based on Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley novels.

Though the network will not air live coverage during the election cycle, Showtime still very much so intends to have its finger on the political pulse, doubling its dose of “The Circus” during this presidential election year.

Showtime has renewed “Shameless” for an 11th and final season.

Showtime has renewed “The L Word: Generation Q” and “Work in Progress” each for a second season.

John Ridley has signed on to the untitled musical drama in the works at Showtime.

“Kidding” creator Dave Holstein and fellow executive producer Roberto Benabib have signed a first-look deal with Showtime.