Nellie Andreeva

Starz has ordered a second 10-episode season of upcoming drama Boss ahead of the series’ October 21 premiere. A couple of years ago, the network did the same with its flagship series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Boss, from Lionsgate TV, stars Kelsey Grammer as a ruthless Chicago mayor who has a secret that threatens to topple him. Boss was created by feature writer Farhad Safinia (Apocalypto), with Gus Van Sant making his TV debut directing the first episode. Production on Season 2 is slated to begin in early 2012. Starz originally picked up Boss straight-to-series by Starz last year. “The first time we read Farhad’s script, we knew we had to make Boss,” the pay cable network’s president and CEO Chris Albrecht said. “With each episode, the story grew richer, and the cast continues to turn in breakthrough performances.” There has been buzz about former Frasier star Grammer’s performance, which has been compared to those of other sitcom leading men who have transitioned to playing dark characters on cable dramas like Breaking Bad‘s Bryan Cranston and The Shield‘s Michael Chiklis. Co-starring opposite Grammer on Boss are Connie Nielsen, Jeff Hephner, Hannah Ware, Kathleen Robertson and Troy Garity. “It’s nice to get this vote of confidence,” Grammer said. “Good thinking, I love this show.” Grammer executive produces Boss with Safinia, Van Sant, Brian Sher, Stella Bulochnikov, Richard Levine and Lyn Greene. It is kind of ironic that Hephner is getting a second-season renewal for the show that he booked shortly after he was let go from The Playboy Club — where he had been cast as the lead — on the same day Playboy‘s second-week ratings took a dive, spelling a certain cancellation for the NBC period drama. Here is a trailer for Boss:

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