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The breakout hit "Dexter" and other Showtime series could soon land on sibling broadcast network CBS if the writers strike stretches into the new year.

CBS Corp. president and CEO Leslie Moonves said at an investor conference Tuesday in New York that CBS is planning to repurpose some Showtime programs.

"Dexter is probably the first one to go on -- with some edits," he told reporters afterwards. "It fits with our crime shows."

"Dexter," a racy critical and ratings hit for Showtime, stars Michael C. Hall as a Miami police forensics expert who moonlights as a vigilante serial killer.


CBS, of course, is the leader in the forensic crime drama genre with the "CSI" franchise.

Moonves didn't specify when "Dexter" would launch on CBS beyond saying it should come "in the near future."

Now in its second season on Showtime, "Dexter" has broken ratings records for the premium cable network. Its Nov. 18 episode ranked as the most watched in Showtime's history.

The broadcast networks have been exploring the idea of repurposing series from their sister cable networks as strike contingency.

NBC has been rumored to be looking at a potential a second window on the network for such NBC Uni cable series as USA's "Monk" and "Burn Notice" and Sci Fi's "Battlestar Galactica." NBC already exercised its option to repurpose "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," which moved from the broadcast network to USA in the fall.

In addition to "Dexter," CBS also might consider Showtime's racy period drama "The Tudors," which was originally developed for CBS, and critically praised comedy "Weeds," about a weed-peddling soccer mom. However, both will need heavy editing to make it to broadcast primetime.

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Starting in February, previously aired episodes of Showtime's serial killer drama will be moving to CBS in a heavily edited form.

The premiere of the first season of "Dexter" will launch on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 10 p.m. ET, with the remainder of the debut season airing over the next 11 Sundays.

"We're excited to work with our corporate cousins at Showtime on this unique programming opportunity," says CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler. "'Dexter' is a high-quality, compelling series that will be new and original programming for most CBS viewers. It's also a great match with our existing lineup, affording us the opportunity to promote this critically decorated series in CBS's top-rated crime dramas."

The corporate siblings boast that this is the first time that a full season of a premium cable drama series has made the transition to network TV (CBS previously aired an edited episode of Showtime's "Brotherhood" in a primetime slot).

"We're thrilled to have the chance to expose 'Dexter' to a wider audience on CBS," says Showtime Entertainment President Robert Greenblatt. "I think it will be very compatible with their lineup as well as be a great opportunity to promote our brand on a platform that reaches every home in America."

There has been speculation that CBS may recruit edited episodes of several additional Showtime hits to fill space during the writers strike, with "Dexter" being the logical starting point due to both its critical acclaim and its status as Showtime's most successful original program.

"Dexter," which stars Michael C. Hall as a charismatic forensic expert/killer recently completed its second season on Showtime. The show's assortment of honors have included Golden Globe, Emmy and SAG nominations plus consecutive years on the AFI's list of the Top 10 outstanding TV programs.

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