But YouTube just announced that the full-length Showtime season premieres of Dexter and Californication can now be watched by US viewers through October 12th. Given that CBS owns Showtime, this is a huge win for YouTube, as these shows are top-notch premium content, and the new episodes likely won't find their way to Hulu.
The hit edgy TV shows both premiered on Showtime last night, but in case you missed the premieres or don't pay for Showtime, you can now catch edited versions of the episodes on YouTube. In you're unfamiliar with the shows, they're both extremely adult in nature — Dexter is a serial killer with altruistic intentions, while Californication's Hank Moody is a bit of a boozer and womanizer.
We're intrigued by YouTube's new risque offerings and we hope to see them continue to air episodes from both series as the fall season progresses, though it is quite possible that it is a temporary partnership designed to expose a larger audience to Showtime's pay-per-view content. Either way, we think it's an interesting maneuver by CBS, and one that could prove more fruitful than last year's Join Showtime initiative.
If you're looking to kill a few hours, we've embedded both premieres below for your viewing pleasure.