TNT renews 'Raising the Bar' and 'Saving Grace'

After just three episodes have aired, TNT has ordered a second season of "Raising the Bar" (cast pictured at right).

Steven Bochco's legal drama, starring the controversial long locks of Mark-Paul Gosselaar, premiered this month to 7.7 million viewers -- the biggest audience ever for a new-series launch on ad-supported cable TV.

To date, the per-average episode is 5.5 million viewers. "Bar" airs Mondays at 10 p.m.

TNT has also renewed "Saving Grace," a one-hour series starring Holly Hunter as a reckless Oklahoma City cop, for a third season. "Grace" is averaging 4.4 million viewers in the first half of its second season. (The second half will air in early 2009.)

TNT will premiere two additional original dramas in the coming months. The action series "Leverage," from producer Dean Devlin and starring Timothy Hutton as one of a gang of modern-day Robin Hoods, will debut in December. "Trust Me," starring Eric McCormack and Tom Cavanagh as Chicago ad men, will start in January.

-- Denise Martin

Photo credit: TNT