After an impressive series of guest appearances on regular TV shows throughout the 80s and 90s (including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Don Cheadle took Hollywood by storm, developing quite the resume of films. He’s now set to return to his former medium with a brand new comedy on Showtime, entitled House of Lies.

In the new series, Cheadle stars as Marty Kaan (as in ‘con’), a scheming management consultant at a top-notch firm (Galweather & Stearn). He wheels and deals, saying anything to get the biggest, richest companies to spend their money listening to him and his team, even if their services aren’t necessary whatsoever. While he’s the man on the job, his personal life is anything but stable as he deals with a cross-dressing young son and an ex-wife he can’t stop sleeping with. To make matters worse, Kaan’s ex-wife works in the same business, for his firm’s major competitor.  How long before a house built on such a fragile foundation comes tumbling down?

Rounding out the cast are Dawn Olivieri, who plays Kaan’s ex-wife, Ben Schwartz as Marty’s best friend and colleague, and Kristen Bell (she just keeps getting roles!) as an Ivy League educated up-and-comer in the business.

If the previews are any indication, this show will be smart, filthy, and sleazy. Given the way that most of us feel about the big time corporations, we probably won’t mind seeing the ultimate hustlers get hustled. The question is, will it be funny?

See for yourself when House of Lies debuts on Showtime Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 10 pm ET.

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