Ready for more steamy, illicit romantic encounters from the men of the cloth on 'The Borgias'?

Showtime has renewed the series, about the scandal-ridden reign of Pope Alexander VI, for a second season.

The series, set in 1492 Italy, stars a charismatic Jeremy Irons as the Spanish patriarch Rodrigo Borgia, who eventually becomes the head of the Catholic Church. David Oakes, François Arnaud, Holliday Grainger, Lotte Verbeek and Aidan Alexander also star.

'The Borgias' drew an audience of more than 1 million to its April 3 premiere, Showtime's best ratings for a drama series premiere in seven years.

If you saw 'The Tudors,' what transpires on 'The Borgias' (9PM ET Sunday, Showtime) won't come as much of a shock. Bodices are ripped, blasphemies are prosecuted, and the rich get richer -- when they're not killing each other, that is.

It's another dose of middlebrow history with a soupçon of smuttiness, but the difference here is that 'The Borgias' has a much better cast than 'The Tudors' ever did.

'The Tudors' had a number of good supporting actors, but at the center of that show was the leaden, one-dimensional performance of Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who appeared to think that pasting a mild sneer on his face constituted "acting." 'The Borgias,' on the other hand, has Jeremy Irons' steely portrayal at its core, and his velvety magnetism allows the viewer to pardon quite a few of this period drama's lesser sins (even if a few serious sins remain).

The first cut of the film that made Peter and Bobby Farrelly famous, 'Dumb and Dumber,' was three and a half hours long, they shared on 'Late Night' (weeknights, 12:37AM ET on NBC). The brothers screened it for their friends, and one called it "the all-time worst movie." Ouch.

A lot has changed for the screenwriting and directing duo since 1994. The Farrellys have gone on to helm more than 10 comedies, and even directed host Jimmy Fallon in 'Fever Pitch.'

"I think your films are wonderful," said fellow 'Late Night' guest Jeremy Irons. Bobby Farrelly asked, "Are you outta work?" Irons replied, "They never come to me for comedy. I don't know why." Fallon loved the idea: "Let's have Jeremy Irons be in a comedy! C'mon, let's make this happen!" So, how 'bout it?

Elizabeth Mitchell has been a castaway, a doctor and an FBI agent, but this March she'll add a not-so-glamorous role to that list: a woman accused of molesting and murdering a child on 'Law & Order: SVU.'

According to TV Guide, the 'V' star will play an unmarried piano teacher who was the last person to see a student before they died. Jeremy Irons will reprise his role of Dr. Cap Jackson in the same episode.

Irons' sex doctor has experience in researching women who commit sexually deviant crimes, so Benson and Stabler call Dr. Jackson in to consult on the case.

Oscar-, Emmy-, Tony-, SAG- and Golden Globe–winning actor Jeremy Irons has always been a believable villain on stage and screen, but his first U.S. television starring role might be his most scheming of all.

In Showtime's epic new Renaissance-era series 'The Borgias' (two-hour premeire Sun., April 3, 9PM ET), Irons plays Rodrigo Borgia, the Spanish family's patriarch who rises to power in Italy and eventually becomes the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Alexander VI.

With that newfound authority, Rodrigo and his family became synonymous with scandal. The show documents their controversial reign with gorgeous scenery (shot outside of Budapest, Hungary) and period costuming -- something Irons really got used to. In fact, when I sat down with him, he was complaining about how difficult it was to go back to wearing pants after shooting. Not to mention how hard it was to not be Pope anymore ...

"Before the Tudors, there were the Borgias," reads the official description of Showtime's newest sprawling period drama. Appropriately titled 'The Borgias,' the new series stars Jeremy Irons as the dastardly patriarch of a social-climbing family during the Italian Renaissance.

The tagline of the show touts the Borgias as "the original crime family." And how: a peek at the House of Borgia Wikipedia page (because we're scholarly like that) reveals that the noble family was accused of adultery, theft, rape, bribery, incest and murder during its reign. How very TV-friendly!

The official trailer Showtime released on Monday hints at plenty of those crimes (heavy on the adultery), leading us to believe that the show will be a cross between 'The Tudors' and 'The Sopranos,' with a little Catholicism thrown into the mix. In other words: We're sold.

Watch the trailer after the jump.

'Chase' fans, your show is in trouble. NBC has cut the order of episodes from 22 to 18.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the series has struggled in ratings and come January it will go against Fox's 'American Idol.'

The drama about U.S. Marshal Annie Frost (Kelli Giddish) and her squad of fugitive chasers has failed to deliver in the coveted 18-49 demographic. Its most recent episode brought in a 1.6 rating in adults 18-49.

In other TV news ...

• Rapper/actor Method Man is guest starring on 'The Good Wife.' CBS has teased the actor may play a prison friend of Peter Florrick (Chris Noth). [CBS]

• Jeremy Irons has been tapped by 'Law & Order: SVU.' The Oscar-winner will play a sex therapist who runs a sex addiction clinic. [TV Guide]

• The CW is preparing a drama based on the DC Comics character Raven. The character, known for her demon origins, has been a mainstay of 'Teen Titans' for years. Diego Gutierrez is writing the project and will serve as executive producer if the script order turns into a pilot. [Variety]

Power, sex, and lots of red velvet. Showtime found success with the royal saga of 'The Tudors' and will now reach back a few decades to examine another dysfunctional ruling family. 'The Borgias' is slated for a 2011 debut and will replace 'The Tudors' in Showtime's lineup.

Whether you're 20 years old, or 420, you may have heard "Lucrezia Borgia" used as an insult. Lucrezia's reputation as a promiscuous murderess has endured since the 15th century. But the centerpiece of Showtime's drama will be Lucrezia's father, Rodrigo. Played by Oscar-winner Jeremy Irons ('Reversal of Fortune'), the scheming Rodrigo is elected Pope in 1492.

There are two groups of people who get really excited about pilot season: L.A. actors hoping for a break and television writers. Being a member of the latter category, I admit to a tingly feeling creeping over me as word of the shows in development at all the big networks are starting to leak out. While most people are attributing feelings of renewal to the change in the weather, I'm happily anticipating what J.J. Abrams has in store for us this fall.

Building on the lush historical production values of the soon-to-sunset 'The Tudors,' Showtime has ordered 13 episodes of 'The Borgias,' starring Jeremy Irons.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the show, set during the Italian Renaissance in 1492, will follow the colorful Borgia crime family, with Irons on board to play its patriarch.

The real Borgia was the controversial Pope Alexander VI for 11 years.