Will & Grace isn’t the only queer series being revived—Deadline reports that Showtime is ready to say The L Word again. The pay-cable network’s developing a sequel to the groundbreaking lesbian-centered drama, which starred Jennifer Beals, Pam Grier, Mia Kushner, Leisha Hailey, Laurel Holloman, and Katherine Moennig. Cybill Shepherd, Marlee Matlin, Sarah Shahi, and Rose Rollins also recurred in later seasons of the series, which was the first show to focus on complex lesbian characters.
Created by Ilene Chaiken, Michele Abbot, and Kathy Greenberg, The L Word ended in 2009 after six seasons. Chaiken will executive produce the sequel, but won’t be a part of daily operations. Showtime is currently searching for a new EP, showrunner, and writer “with ties to the lesbian community to helm the followup series, aimed to reflect how members of that community’s relationships, their lives, and experiences have evolved, what has changed (and what hasn’t) since the show’s inception.”
Beals, Moennig, and Hailey have also signed on as executive producers of the sequel series, and would in all likelihood appear on camera, should Showtime move forward with it. Other original cast members are considering reprising their roles, but the sequel series is expected to focus on a new group of women, whose “lives, loves and tribulations” would play out on screen.
The L Word inspired two spin-offs: a reality show, The Real L Word, and the Showtime drama The Farm, the latter of which never made it past the pilot phase.