‘Diary’ another converted Brit hit

Showtime has paired up a couple of successful if shady female entrepreneurs on its Monday night lineup.

Following suburban pot dealer Nancy Botwin on “Weeds” at 10 p.m. will be a woman who sells the world’s oldest commodity.

Hearkening back to its early soft-porn successes, Showtime has imported the British hit “Secret Diary of a Call Girl,” which debuts at 10:30 tonight.

A growing trend in TV, especially during this season’s writers strike, has been to import concepts for shows from overseas, to be converted into Americanized versions.

That wouldn’t have been possible with “Secret Diary,” as the necessary, fairly graphic sex scenes would never have survived on the networks, or probably even basic cable.

Billed as a comedy, “Secret Diary” is more of a dramedy, delving into the personal life of twentysomething Hannah/Belle, supposedly a legal secretary but actually a high-end call girl.

As played by Billie Piper (“Doctor Who”), Hannah/Belle is an able professional with a very messed-up personal life, whether it’s her relationships with her family or even her best, platonic friend, Ben (Iddo Goldberg).

Having Hannah/Belle serve as narrator, often speaking directly to the camera, actually works, as she describes the intricacies of her profession. But Piper’s face also speaks volumes, even when she’s not saying a word.

While an intriguing addition to the Showtime lineup, “Secret Diary of a Call Girl” isn’t a great fit with “Weeds.” But then few shows have managed the balance between comedy and drama quite as well as that acclaimed Mary-Louise Parker vehicle. Still, “Call Girl” will get viewers through the night.