NEW YORK, NY: May 3, 2004 -- Close on the heels of the heavily promoted fourth season launch of its groundbreaking series QUEER AS FOLK, SHOWTIME has given the provocative drama a fifth season renewal, it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt, Showtime's President of Entertainment. The fifth season will premiere in the Spring of 2005. The series currently airs on Sundays at 10pm (ET/PT). Credited with starting television's current wave of gay programming, and hailed by Tom Shales of The Washington Post as "the drama series least likely to play it safe," QUEER AS FOLK began its fourth season on April 18 and continues to be one of Showtime's highest rated series.

 

"Since its premiere in 2000, Queer As Folk has distinguished itself not only as a valuable signature series for Showtime, but it has significantly helped change the television landscape by portraying gay men and women as fully dimensional characters," said Greenblatt. "It is responsible for blazing the trail for other gay-themed programs to thrive. Its fifth season will be no less impactful, as we continue the compelling stories and relationships that have made this series so indelible," he added.

 

Starring Michelle Clunie, Robert Gant, Thea Gill, Gale Harold, Randy Harrison, Scott Lowell, Peter Paige, Hal Sparks and Sharon Gless, each hour-long episode focuses on the relationships, careers, loves and challenges of a group of gay men and women living in Pittsburgh.

 

QUEER AS FOLK is executive produced by Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman and Tony Jonas. Cowen & Lipman developed the series for American television based on the British series created by Russell T Davies. Sheila Hockin serves as producer. The SHOWTIME series is from Cowlip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions and Temple Street Productions.

 

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL" and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME® TOO", SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE® and TMC xtra.  SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD®, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND". SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL®, which is owned by SNI, Robert Redford and Universal Studios. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME® PPV.   Additionally, the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME EXTREME® is available in Spain through a joint venture with Media Park and the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.