Lifetime has renewed The Client List for a second season. The Jennifer Love Hewitt soap will return with 15 new episodes sometime in 2013.

The former star of Ghost Whisperer plays Riley Parks, a single mother from Texas who resorts to giving “happy ending” massages at a day spa in order to make ends meet.

The TV series began as a TV movie last year and that paved the way for a 10 episode first season. Airing on Sunday, April 8th, the show debuted to a 0.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 2.79 million total viewers.

While most series see a decline in their second week, Client List saw incrememntal growth in the demo in both weeks two and three. Week four saw a decline and last night’s numbers aren’t available yet.

The 10th and final episode of season one is expected to air on June 17th.

Here’s the Lifetime press release about the second season renewal:

LIFETIME RENEWS HIT SERIES “THE CLIENT LIST,” STARRING JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT, FOR SECOND SEASON

THE CLIENT LIST Propels Lifetime to Number One Spot on Cable Sundays at 10 pm

LOS ANGELES, CA (May 7, 2012) – Lifetime has renewed its hit scripted series The Client List, starring and executive produced by Jennifer Love Hewitt, for a second season to premiere next year with 15 all-new episodes, it was announced today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks.

Regarding the announcement, Dubuc said, “The Client List represents everything we want to be — fresh, exciting and original with attitude. We love Jennifer and this series, and are equally thrilled that they have connected with our audience, especially as we express our new brand, ?Your Life. Your Time.'”

Hewitt added, “I couldn’t be happier about Lifetime’s decision to renew The Client List for a second season. It has been so much fun working with such a great cast and crew on the wonderful stories we tell, and I’m ready to see where The Client List takes all of us next year.”

The Client List, last week’s number one drama on basic cable among Adults 18-49, tells the story of Texas housewife “Riley Parks” (Hewitt), who, after being deserted by her husband, takes a job at a seemingly traditional day spa only to learn that sexual favors are being offered there on the side. Conflicted at first, she seizes the opportunity and takes the job, balancing two starkly different lives – one as a single mom in a conservative town struggling to provide for her family – and the other as a masseuse working with a rowdy and unpredictable group ofwomen. The Client List also stars Golden Globe winner Cybill Shepherd (Cybill), Emmy(R) Award-winning actress Loretta Devine (Grey’s Anatomy) and Colin Egglesfield (Something Borrowed). Based on the network’s hit 2010 original movie, The Client List is executive produced by Hewitt, John Tinker (Hawthorne, The Practice), Jordan Budde (GCB, 90210), Efrem Seeger (Queer as Folk, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Howard Braunstein (The Client List, The Informant!) and Dannielle Thomas (The Client List), with Fedora Films and Jaffe/Braunstein producing, in association with Sony Pictures Television.

In its April 8th premiere, The Client List averaged 2.8 million Total Viewers, becoming the network’s most-watched series launch since Drop Dead Diva in 2009. The drama has launched Lifetime to be the number one cable network among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, Women 2+ and Women 18+ in the Sunday 10:00-11:00pm time period. Season-to-date (through 4/29/12), the show has averaged 2.7 million Total Viewers, 1.3 million Adults 25-54, 1.3 million Adults 18-49, 993,000 million Women 25-54 and 936,000 Women 18-49.

Lifetime’s scripted fare for 2012 includes season six of the highly rated Army Wives and the June 3rd premiere of season four of the critically acclaimed Drop Dead Diva.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES TELEVISION

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry’s leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment around the world and for every platform: broadcast and cable television, first-run and off-network syndication and digital distribution. In addition to one of the industry’s largest libraries of feature films and television shows, SPT boasts a current program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and gameshows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and criticallyacclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. Internationally, SPT produces 6,000+ hours of programming annually in over 70 countries. SPT is a leader in local language productions, some of which are co-produced with local partners, and sells SPE-owned formats around the world. To better serve its clients and partners worldwide, SPT maintains offices throughout the world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. SPT’s worldwide television networks portfolio is a key strategy inSPE’s long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with 120 channel feeds, which are available in 159 countries reaching more than 543 million households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE’s premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT owns Dutch entertainment company 2waytraffic, production company Embassy Row and Sony Movie Channel, and is a part owner of cable channel GSN, new 3D channel 3net, FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service, and national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT advertiser sales is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT’s syndicated series as well as in all of SPE’s digital businesses in the United States. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

ABOUT LIFETIME

Lifetime Television is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, andadvocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. The network posted major growth in viewership among the key demographics in First Quarter 2012 versus First Quarter 2011, including a 9% jump in Adults 25-54, +12% with Women 25-54, +14% with Adults 18-49 and +18% with Women 18-49. In addition, the quarter marks the first time Lifetime has posted First Quarter year-on-year growth for Adults 25-54, Women 25-54 and Women 18-49 in seven years. Lifetime Television(R), LMN(R), Lifetime Real Women(R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBC Universal.

What do you think? Are you glad to hear that The Client List has been renewed or do you feel like the show should have been cancelled to make way for something else?

Image courtesy Lifetime.