Why 'Devious Maids' Is Getting the Last Laugh

Seems the Devious Maids got the last laugh. Though the Lifetime drama started soft, ratings for the new series, executive produced by Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, have surged in recent weeks, growing 45 percent from its weak June premiere. And, as it turns out, those numbers ended up being enough to land Devious Maids a second season.

According to Deadline, the series will enjoy another 13 episodes on the air after becoming the network's fastest-growing drama. And the drama did enjoy quite a bit of drama before it even premiered on Lifetime — many complained about the concept of Devious Maids, which centers on a group of Hispanic women working for a group of Caucasian women, saying it stereotyped Latina women. Longoria has fought back against criticism, telling dissenters, "I think it's important for us to have a dialogue of identity in our culture, and even though this show may not be your experience, it is a lot of people's experience."

The series stars Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz and All My Children's Susan Lucci, and joins other successful Lifetime series like Army Wives and The Client List. And, if the ratings are any indication, Devious Maids will continue to clean up in Season 2.