NEW HBO COMEDY SERIES HUNG DEBUTS JUNE 28

Thomas Jane, Jane Adams And Anne Heche Star

Things are tough for Ray Drecker these days. A former high school sports legend turned middle-aged high school basketball coach, he's a divorced dad in dire straits, struggling to make ends meet and regain control of his life. Because desperate times call for desperate measures, the well-endowed Ray decides to exploit his best asset in a last-ditch attempt to change his fortunes.

HUNG kicks off its ten-episode first season SUNDAY, JUNE 28 (10:00-10:45 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, followed by half-hour episodes on subsequent Sundays at the same time. Created by Dmitry Lipkin (creator of "The Riches") and Colette Burson, the timely show uses dark humor to tell the story of a man fighting to survive personal setbacks that have been compounded by a troubled economy.

The series stars Thomas Jane ("The Punisher," HBO's "*61") as Ray Drecker; Jane Adams ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind") as Ray's business partner, Tanya Skagle; Anne Heche ("Men in Trees") as Ray's ex-wife, Jessica Haxon; Eddie Jemison ("Ocean's Thirteen") as Jessica's successful husband Ronnie; Sianoa Smit-McPhee ("As the Bell Rings") as Ray's daughter Darby; and Charlie Saxton ("The Lovely Bones") as Ray's son Damon.

The first episode of HUNG was directed by Alexander Payne, who received an Oscar� for co-writing "Sideways," as well as an Oscar� nomination for directing the film.

June's episode:

Episode #1: "Pilot"

Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 28 (10:00-10:45 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates: June 28 (midnight) and 30 (2:15 a.m.), and July 2 (10:00 p.m.), 3 (midnight), 5 (8:00 p.m.), 6 (9:00 p.m.), 8 (midnight), 10 (midnight) and 23 (8:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: June 29 (9:30 p.m.) and July 1 (12:10 a.m.) and 4 (1:15 p.m., 9:00 p.m.)

Years ago, as a student at Detroit's West Lakefield High School, Ray Drecker (Thomas Jane) was athletic, popular and destined for success. Today, as a West Lakefield teacher and coach of the varsity basketball team (which is on an unprecedented losing streak), he's underpaid, uninsured and embittered that his wife of 20 years (Anne Heche) left him for her dermatologist, Ronnie Haxon (Eddie Jemison). After fire damages the rundown lakeside home he inherited from his parents, Ray's fortunes reach an all-time low when his twin children Darby (Sianoa Smit-McPhee) and Damon (Charlie Saxton), who had been living with him, move in with their mom and her smug husband.

Lonely, run down and at wit's end, Ray attends a self-help class, where the mantra is to identify a personal "winning tool" to market for financial success. After a not-so-fulfilling encounter with fellow attendee Tanya Skagle (Jane Adams), a would-be poet, Ray has a "eureka" moment. With the help of Tanya, the well-endowed Ray sets out to exploit his greatest asset in hopes of changing his fortunes.

Written by Colette Burson & Dmitry Lipkin; directed by Alexander Payne.

HUNG was created by Dmitry Lipkin and Colette Burson; executive producers, Colette Burson, Dmitry Lipkin, Alexander Payne, Michael Rosenberg, John Morayniss and Noreen Halpern; co-executive producers, Scott Stephens and Emily Kapnek.