Lifetime gives series order to Marc Cherry soap ‘Devious Maids’

“Desperate Housewives�mastermind Marc Cherry has found a new employer for his ABC pilot “Devious Maids�: Lifetime.

The cable channel has ordered 13 episodes of the soap that are slated to roll out in 2013. It was originally developed for ABC and a contender for the fall season, but the network ultimately passed on it. The series centers on a group of five maids and the rich Beverly Hills families they tend to. The sudser is an adaptation of Mexican telenovela “Ellas son la Alegría del Hogar� from Televisa and will include Ana Ortiz (“Ugly Betty�), Roselyn Sanchez (“Without a Trace�), Grant Show (“Melrose Place�) and Susan Lucci (“All My Children�) among its cast.

The show, produced by ABC Studios, will be filmed in Atlanta to lower the cost of production in its move from broadcast to cable -- the pilot was shot in Los Angeles. The top producers were also asked to accept lower fees.

In addition to Cherry, the show boasts “Desperate Housewives� alum Eva Longoria among its many executive producers.

“Devious Maids� joins “Army Wives,��Drop Dead Diva,� and “The Client List� in Lifetime’s growing list of scripted fare.

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Twitter: @villarrealy