The moment "The L Word" fans have been dreaming of has finally arrived. Eight years after wrapping up the show's six-season run, the popular series is finally having another installment.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator Ilene Chaiken has signed an exclusive deal with Showtime to produce a "The L Word" sequel. Since Chaiken is currently busy working on "Empire," the network is now searching for a new writer to fill in as showrunner.
Showtime is reportedly keen on finding someone with ties to the lesbian community to bring a fresh perspective to the show by documenting how relationships and experiences have evolved and what has changed and not changed since the series first launched in 2004.
"The past few years have seen lesbian and queer women characters in television killed off in shockingly high numbers. It is refreshing and exciting to see GLAAD Media Award-winning 'The L Word' returning to television where it can tell nuanced, entertaining, and beautiful stories of a largely underrepresented community," said GLAAD president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis.
However, one question remains unanswered — which of the original cast members will be back? Should the sequel move forward, Mia Kirshner, Jennifer Beals and Katherine Moennig could reprise their respective roles as Jenny Schecter, Bette Porter and Shane McCutcheon.
Other characters which include Dana Fairbanks (Erin Daniels), Tina Kennard (Laurel Holloman) and Kit Porter (Pam Grier) may also appear in the planned "The L Word" sequel, though none are attached just yet.
Following the exciting news, Beals talked about where the idea for "The L Word" sequel came from. She said it sprang from the increasing hatred towards the LGBT community and those who are categorized as "others."
"We need to tell' stories... exploring the complexities of friendship and love are all that more crucial," the 53-year-old actress said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "Representation of everything. You can't go backward."
