CTV has picked up Dexter for its winter season and will air the cable series in simulcast with CBS on Sundays at 10 p.m. starting on Feb. 17. The 12-episode first season is the second big acquisition the net has announced this month, following last week’s buy of Mad Men.

Dexter is a morally challenging drama about a forensics expert for the Miami police (Michael C. Hall of Six Feet Under) who moonlights as a serial killer.

‘Dexter is a brilliant, challenging and risky series that was a must-have for CTV,’ said CTV president creative, content and channels Susanne Boyce. ‘Not since Tony Soprano has there been an anti-hero on television that is so immensely alluring, despite his immorality. The ethical challenge to the viewers is whether they can like a character who kills in cold blood. It’s a daring premise — and it works.’

The series recently completed its second season on Showtime in the U.S., with its second season finale last month delivering 1.4 million viewers, the largest audience ever for an original Showtime broadcast. The show also stars Julie Benz (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Jennifer Carpenter (The Exorcism of Emily Rose), Erik King (National Treasure), Lauren Velez (Oz), David Zayas (Michael Clayton) and James Remar (Sex and the City).

From Media in Canada