Showtime gay tv -serie
TO: Gene Falk, Senior Vice President
Showtime
Matt Farber, Consultant
MTV
FROM: Stephen Tropiano, PopMatters Columnist
RE: Lgbtq+ TV Network
DATE: April 10, 2002
Dear Sirs:
I am pleased MTV and Showtime are joining forces to create a queer television network. Actually, I’m not surprised, because it’s obvious you have not only been keeping your gay and lesbian viewers and subscribers in soul when making programming decisions, but you have also repeatedly shown a real commitment to social and political issues that are vital to the homosexual community.
As you recognize, MTV produced Anatomy of a Abhor Crime, the first of the three made-for-TV movies about Matthew Shepard. The film’s premiere advocate in 2000 launched the network’s year-long campaign against hate-crimes. In addition to breaking new soil with the first gay situation comedy (Brothers back in 1984), cable drama about AIDS (As Is, 1986), and dramatic series (Queer as Folk), Showtime has produced some quality gay-themed films, like Blind Faith (1998), Execution of Justice (1999), and Dirty Pictures (2000). But now, instead of being limited to a limited hours of lgbtq+ programming a month, we will
Showtime Drops Millions to Push Queer as Folk
Touting the fourth season of Queer as Folk, Showtime has mounted a multi-million dollar integrated marketing, advertising and publicity campaign.
The network formed a sponsorship deal with Motorola and its cable partners to host screening events in Miami, Fresh York, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Cable affiliates in selected markets have contributed over $1 million in advertising to support the launch on April 18. Additionally, product placement of three Motorola phones, the V600, T730 and V60P, will be featured in this season's episodes.
On April 7, a screening will be held at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco targeting the same-sex attracted, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. The screening will main attraction the Queer as Folk season opening episode in addition to the season finale of Showtime's The L Word.
"We've always had a strong connection with the gay society by marketing with a very one-to-one attitude," said Stephanie Gibbons, SVP-advertising and promotion for Showtime Networks. "We purchased a great deal of media this season and will support the exhibit throughout the year at gay events and with same-sex attracted
Showtime To Encore 'Queer As Folk,' 'The L Word'
Honoring Gay Pride Month in June and beyond, Showtime is reprising series Queer as Folk and The L Word.
The premium programmer will air all seasons of the groundbreaking lgbtq+ and lesbian series on Showtime Showcase from June through November.
From June 2-30, the network will breeze back-to-back episodes of both critically-acclaimed series weekdays at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). Then, starting on July 3, back-to-back episodes will breeze every Thursday night through November 13.
Subscribers can also catch up on the full five seasons of Queer as Folk, which explored the lives of young gays and lesbians in Pittsburgh and the six seasons of The L Word, which centered on both gays and straight folk in Los Angeles through stories of career, family, struggles, friendship and romantic relationships, on Showtime on Demand. The series will also be accessible to the network's authenticated service Showtime Anytime, starting this summer.
These iconic series were hailed for tackling important issues and shattering stereotypes, and were both honored by the GLAAD Media Awards for outstanding drama series. Viewers can expect more from The L Wor Following the premiere of “The L Word: Generation Q,” gay audiences who lined up outside viewing parties for the nostalgia-TV event of the year would be wise to leave the TV on for another half-hour. If they execute, they will be delightfully surprised by “Work in Progress,” the most drastic queer show to ever make its way to television. Showtime‘s new half-hour comedy stars co-writer Abby McEnany, a Chicago improv mainstay who created the show with director Tim Mason (Lilly Wachowski is also an EP and writer). The semi-autobiographical series follows Abby — a suicidal, funny, heavyset butch with OCD — as she embarks on a relationship with a much younger trans man. In the four half-hour episodes provided to critics, “Work in Progress” sensitively mines comedy from body shame, mental illness, trans literacy, consent, and gender policing — all through Abby’s hilariously neurotic point of view. Playing a fictionalized version of herself, McEnany is able to navigate such otherwise heavy topics with lightness and humor b
‘Work in Progress’ Review: The Queerest Show on TV Is About a Suicidal Butch With OCD