OWN Doubles Episode Order for Tyler Perry's THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today that it has ordered an additional 16 episodes of the network's popular drama series from Tyler Perry THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS (Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET) bringing the total season order to 32 episodes.

The show's current cycle will air through September 3 with the new episodes premiering in early 2014.

"THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS, which follows the complicated dynamic between the rich and powerful Cryer family and the hired help who work in their opulent mansion, premiered May 28 and was the highest rated series premiere in network history. Since its launch, the series has become Tuesday night's #1 original cable series for women 25-54 (1.42 rating) and is averaging over 1.5 million total viewers. In addition, "The Haves and the Have Nots" is the #1 television show on Tuesday nights (non-sports) for all African-American women.

"Naturally, it is wonderful to have the network's first scripted series score so resoundingly," said Sheri Salata, president, OWN. "Tyler's fans and OWN viewers have responded to this guilty pleasure in record numbers, and we are happy to give them more of a good thing."

THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS follows the complicated dynamic between the rich and powerful Cryer family and the hired help who work in their opulent Savannah, Georgia mansion. From the outside, the Cryers are the enviable face of success and wealth, but behind the veil, the family's dysfunction threatens to destroy their world of privilege. Cryer family patriarch Jim Cryer (John Schneider, THE DUKES OF HAZZARD) is a powerful judge whose double-life, including tawdry affairs with high-priced escorts, puts his family and political ambitions at risk. His wife, Katheryn Cryer (Renée Lawless, "Wicked"), is the ultimate matriarch portraying a loving and dutiful wife, but she is willing to do anything to protect her family's status. Their son Wyatt (Aaron O'Connell) is a troubled angry jock who cares little for his own image and finds himself in and out of rehab. His sister Amanda (Jacyln Betham), a struggling law student, tries harder to live up to her parents' expectations, but unknowingly has befriended a scurrilous young woman, Candace Young, with the power to ruin the entire family. Hanna Young (Crystal Fox) is the Cryer's maid and the matriarch of her family. Despite having no money, she has found other types of wealth through religion and virtue. She prides herself on her dutiful son Benny (Tyler Lepley), the glue who helps keep the family together. Hanna does have one dark secret, however, her estranged daughter Candace (Tika Sumpter, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) --- a manipulative opportunist who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. In a bizarre coincidence, Candace is shocked to find out that her newfound friend Amanda's father is Jim Cryer, the very man who has been paying her for sex and who also employs Candace's mother as his family's maid. Other characters in the series include the Cryer's chef Celine (Eva Tamargo, PASSIONS), their wealthy friends Veronica (Angela Robinson) and David Harrington (Peter Parros, AS THE WORLD TURNS) and son Wyatt's rehabilitation counselor, Jeffery Harrington (Gavin Houston).

THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS is produced for OWN by Tyler Perry Studios. It is created, written, directed and executive produced by Tyler Perry.