A sequel to "The L Word" is coming to Showtime by the end of this year.
The announcement about an eight-episode continuation of the groundbreaking lesbian-centric drama came Thursday during the network's portion of panels at the Television Critics Assn. press tour.
Stars Jennifer Beales (Bette), Katherine Moennig (Shane) and Leisha Hailey (Alice) _ all of whom are executive producers on the revival _ will reprise their roles from the original series. The update will also introduce a new ensemble of characters navigating life and love in L.A.
Playwright and screenwriter Marja Lewis-Ryan will serve as the showrunner; she'll also executive produce alongside original series creator Ilene Chaiken.
"The L Word" originally ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009 and was hailed for its exploration of the lesbian community. News that a sequel was in the works hit last year.
"Marja has brought her unique and contemporary vision to 'The L World' and blended it beautifully into the fabric of Ilene's groundbreaking series," Gary Levine, Showtime's president of entertainment, said in a statement.
"This revered show was both entertaining and impactful when it originally ran on Showtime and we are confident that our new version will do that and more in 2019."
