In celebration of the Pride month, Showtime has officially released the first seasons of their hit LGBTQ+ series on their YouTube channel which will be available for free viewing throughout this month. The three shows included are Ilene Chaiken’s groundbreaking dramas The L Word and The L Word: Generation Q as well as Abby McEnany’s comedy series Work in Progress. In addition, the said shows are now also available on other streaming platforms and on VOD.
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Set over 10 years after the events of The L Word, The L Word: Generation Q features the return of original series stars Jennifer Beals, Kate Moennig, and Leisha Hailey who reprise their roles as Bette, Shane and Alice, respectively. Joining them are a new generation of diverse, self-possessed LGBTQIA characters experiencing love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks and success in L.A.
Marja-Lewis Ryan (The Four-Faced Liar, 6 Balloons) serves as showrunner and is executive producing with original series creator Ilene Chaiken and original series stars Beals, Moennig, and Hailey. Kristen Campo also serves as executive producer. The pilot was directed by Steph Green who also serves as executive producer on the episode.
The groundbreaking drama series originally ran on Showtime from 2004-2009. The L Word spawned a reality spinoff The Real L Word, as well as a pilot in 2008 for a spinoff called The Farm, which was set in a woman’s prison.
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Work in Progress features Abby McEnany playing a fictionalized version of herself, who is a 45-year-old self-identified fat, queer dyke whose misfortune and despair unexpectedly lead her to a vibrantly transformative relationship. It also stars Karin Anglin as Alison, Celeste Pechous as Campbell and former Saturday Night Live member Julia Sweeney.
The series is written, executive produced by McEnany, Tim Mason and Lilly Wachowski (The Matrix Trilogy), who all serve as co-showrunners with Mason also set as the series’ director. It is executive produced by Lawrence Mattis, Ashley Berns and Josh Adler of Circle of Confusion, Tony Hernandez of JAX Media (Desus & Mero) and Julia Sweeney.
