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The Gallaghers and Sacha Baron Cohen may have something in common other than their mutual love of portraying terrible characters. Shameless and Who Is America? have both become incredibly successful shows for Showtime largely thank to streaming. At the Television Critics Association‘s 2018 summer tour, David Nevins, President and CEO of Showtime Networks Inc., and Gary Levine, President of Programming of Showtime Networks Inc., took the stage to discuss how the company’s streaming strategy has offset a “slightly declining” television universe.

“With 8 million viewers a week, Shameless just had the most-watched season in Showtime history, up 22 percent year over year,” Necins said. “In fact, Shameless is the No. 1 show among all premium series on Sunday nights this year.”

This year will mark the first time the audience for a Showtime series watched a show more on streaming than on live television. According to Nevins, more than 75 percent of viewers watched Shameless’ Season 8 premiere after its Sunday night airing. That number is even bigger for Shameless viewers under the age of 35. Eighty percent of those viewers watched the premiere after its live TV slot.

“We’re not ad-supported, so viewers choosing to watch on their own timetable is fine with us as long as they continue subscribing,” he said.

Sacha Baron Cohen’s prank show Who Is America? has also been a huge hit for the premium cable network. The series saw a 30 percent increase in viewers in Week 2 followed by another increase in Week 3. Nevins credits those bumps largely to streaming. “A show like Who Is America? works great on streaming. It’s a show that has happened by word of mouth and has grown really dramatically over the course of the four episodes,” he said.

Currently Showtime and CBS are reporting that they have 8 million OTT subscribers (CBS combines Showtime’s streaming numbers with those for CBS All Access). When asked if the network’s success with streaming has effected its programming decisions, Nevins and Levine mentioned it causes them to do things “perhaps a hair younger.” The CEO also revealed that the success of streaming has offset the live TV decline the industry has been seeing. But largely the network is still mostly focused on building programming that can be binge-watched. “We are always built for the binge, always built for the binge, and the binge helped sell DVDs of Dexter in the old days, and it’s helped make people whip through and wait for the next episode of Homeland or Billions,” he said. “It’s the same dynamic.”

Though Nevins highlighted the importance of creating shows that can act as renewable resources, he also praised limited series. Twin Peaks, Patrick Melrose, and the upcoming star-packed Escape at Dannemora have allowed the network to explore interesting stories. But its CEO still considers its long-running dramas and comedies to be the “backbone” of Showtime.

And that’s good news for fans of Showtime originals. Levine revealed that as long as John Wells, Nancy Pimental, Emmy Rossum, and William H. Macy want to keep making more seasons of Shameless, they will have a home at the cable network. Likewise, Ray Donovan and Billions aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The network is even open to creating a second season of Who Is America? though both executives acknowledged it would be tough as Cohen becomes more recognizable.

This strong backbone also plays into Showtime’s plans to significantly increase its original programming. Nevins revealed that Showtime plans on expanding the network’s scripted drama and comedy slate as well as its limited series and documentary programming. Those expansion plans start with two fall premieres, Kidding and Escape at Dannemora.

Starring Jim Carrey, Catherine Keene, and Judy Greer, Kidding tells the story of Mr. Pickles (Carrey), an iconic live-action character in children’s entertainment. But when his family starts to fall apart, he has reckon with his persona while in the middle of a breakdown. The series is directed by Michel Gondry, making the series the second collaboration between Carrey and Gondry after Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Kidding premieres September 9 at 9 p.m.

The eight-episode Escape at Dannemora retells the real story of the 2015 Clinton Correctional Facility prison escape. The series follows how two murderers managed to escape with the help of a female prison employee who was sleeping with them both. The series stars Benicio del Toro and Paul Dano as Richard Matt and David Sweat, the two convicted murderers who escaped. Patricia Arquette plays Tilly Mitchell, the woman who helped them escape. Ben Stiller will direct all eight episodes, which will premiere on Sunday, November 18 at 10 p.m.