Proving that it's never too early to think about next year, Showtime has given early renewals to two freshman series and ordered production on a third.

The pay cabler announced that it has ordered second seasons of its tights-and-fights costume drama The Tudors, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and the Ira Glass documentary series This American Life.

Season Two of The Tudors will bow in 2008, with 10 episodes all written again by series creator Michael Hirst. Production on the second season, which will recount the marriage of Henry VIII to the doomed Anne Boleyn and the birth of their daughter (and future British monarch) Elizabeth, begins in May in Dublin.

Six episodes of the brilliant documentary series This American Life, featuring Ira Glass and his crew touring the nation in search of everyday stories from everyday folk, have been scheduled for next year as well.

Meanwhile, Showtime has ordered a new series from British comedy doyenne Tracey Ullman. The order for State of the Union (working title) comes as a departure for the British star, who had worked with pay TV competitor HBO for a series of specials and her Tracey Takes On series over the course of the last 14 years.

Ullman's new series will offer "a satirical look at a day in the life of America," according to Variety. As always, Ullman will write/executive produce/star in the show as a variety of characters, ranging from everyday Americans to celebrities. Showtime has ordered at least five episodes of State of the Union, to launch in 2008.

Those series join new comedy Californication, starring David Duchovny, as well as new seasons of Weeds, Brotherhood, and Dexter.

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Jace is an LA-based television development and acquisitions junior exec who watches way too much television for his own good and would love a TiVo for every room in the house. (He’s halfway there.) His blog, Televisionary, can be found at televisionary.blogspot.com.

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