Sunday Nights Sizzle This Summer on The Movie Network and Movie Central with the Final Season of Showtime's Dexter and New Drama Ray Donovan

• Subscribers get an early look at the highly acclaimed Ray Donovan season premiere on multiple platforms starting June 18

TORONTO, June 6, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Astral's The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (Western Canada) splash into summer with highly anticipated new and returning dramas from Showtime. The eighth and final season of iconic series Dexter, starring Michael C. Hall in his Golden Globe^® Award-winning role as Dexter Morgan, and the series premiere of edgy new crime drama Ray Donovan, starring Liev Schreiber and Jon Voight, will air back-to-back on Sunday, June 30, 2013 beginning at 9 p.m. ET/MT, day-and-date with Showtime in the US.

The eighth season of Dexter picks up six months after LaGuerta's murder - and Dexter is still trying to manage life as a dad, brother and serial killer. As Deb (Jennifer Carpenter) struggles to deal with the consequences of her actions, a mysterious woman comes to work with Miami Metro, offering first-hand information on Dexter's past. With 25 Emmy^® and 10 Golden Globe^® Award nominations in total, Dexter's eighth season brings Showtime's landmark, and highly decorated, series to a close.

The series also stars Desmond Harrington, C.S. Lee, Aimee Garcia, David Zayas, Geoff Pierson and James Remar. Produced by Showtime, Dexter is executive produced by John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Scott Buck, Manny Coto, Tim Schlattmann, Wendy West, Jace Richdale and Michael C. Hall. Subscribers can catch up on Dexter Season 7 with TMN GO, The Movie Network On Demand, and Movie Central On Demand before the premiere of the new season.

Immediately following Dexter, Showtime's new big-buzz one-hour drama Ray Donovan premieres at 10 p.m. ET/M. The series stars Liev Schreiber in his first lead television role, as the go-to guy who does the dirty work for L.A.'s top power players and makes the problems of the city's celebrities, superstar athletes and business moguls disappear. However, even Ray is not immune to powerful family drama. When Ray's father (Jon Voight) is unexpectedly released from prison, a chain of events is set off that shakes the Donovan family to its core.

The series' all-star cast includes Oscar^® winner and guest star Elliott Gould as Ray's long-time client and mentor; Paula Malcomson in the role of Ray's wife Abby; and Eddie Marsan and Dash Mihok who play Ray's brothers. The cast also includes: Katherine Moening, Pooch Hall, Steven Bauer, Kerris Dorsey, and Devon Bagby. Ray Donovan is created and executive produced by Ann Biderman. The series is executive produced by Mark Gordon and Bryan Zuriff.

Starting June 18, 2013, get an early look at the season premiere of Ray Donovan when the full episode is made available to subscribers via the On Demand and Online services of participating television providers. The episode will also be available on TMN GO.

In Eastern Canada, the first season of Ray Donovan and the eighth and final season of Dexter will be available in High Definition, on demand, on TMN GO and on The Movie Network OnLine.

In Western Canada, the first season of Ray Donovan and the eighth and final season of Dexter will be available in High Definition on Movie Central HD, on demand, and via mobile and online with participating service providers.

The Movie Network is a pay television service available in eastern Canada. With premiere access to Hollywood hit movies, new and exclusive HBO content, critically acclaimed Showtime series and first-rate Canadian programming, this pay-television service presents Canadians with some of the best television entertainment available. The Movie Network service includes five 24-hour multiplex channels - The Movie Network, HBO Canada, MExcess, MFun! and MFest - which deliver diverse and entertaining programs in an uncut and commercial-free television environment. All five multiplex channels are also simulcast in High Definition and are joined by The Movie Network OnDemand, a Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) service, available in select areas across eastern Canada; TMN OnLine an Internet-based content streaming service available to BellTV, Rogers and Videotron subscribers; and TMN GO, a video streaming service currently available to Bell TV and Cogeco Cable subscribers. For more information, please visit www.themovienetwork.ca.

The Movie Network is a member of the Astral family. Astral Media Inc. (TSX:ACM.A/ACM.B) is one of Canada's largest media companies. It operates several of the country's most popular pay and specialty television, radio, out-of-home advertising and interactive media properties. Astral plays a central role in community life across the country by offering diverse, rich and vibrant programming that meets the tastes and needs of consumers and advertisers. To learn more about Astral, visit astral.com.

Movie Central is a commercial-free premium pay TV service available in western Canada. Movie Central premieres the best in Hollywood, international and Canadian films across nine 24-hour movie channels, including dedicated high-definition feeds, a Movie Central On Demand service and exclusive HBO content on HBO Canada. Movie Central is also the first window for Showtime content and home to cutting-edge Canadian series. A major force in the Canadian independent film and television production industry, Movie Central, through Script to Screen, a writer-oriented feature script development program funded by Movie Central and delivered by NSI supports Canadian filmmaking. Visit the Movie Central website at www.moviecentral.ca.

Movie Central is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc., a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.

For access to The Movie Network's media room or Movie Central's press site, please visit http://press.astral.com or http://mediacentre.corusent.com.

SOURCE: The Movie Network

Media Contacts:

The Movie Network (Eastern Canada)                        
Ellery Ulster
[phone]
[email protected]

Movie Central (Western Canada)
Owen McCorquodale
[phone]
[email protected]