This article was published on April 12th, 2021
Regarded as one of the first ground-breaking television shows of its time the first time around, Queer As Folk is poised to return for a third time with a new cast, new network, and recalibrated for a new generation.
The trailblazing series first premiered as a British series from creator Russell T. Davies and depicted some of the first portrayals of realistic queer characters that are regarded today as iconic. After a successful run, the show was remade in the early 2000s for American viewers on the Showtime network. The latest iteration, however, is taking the premise and putting a southern American spin on it.
As far back as 2018, there were rumblings of bringing a new version of the series back to television, but now it has been confirmed and it will debut on Peacock streaming service. The reboot of Queer As Folk takes place in New Orleans and centers on a diverse group of comrades that are dealing with the repercussions of a shared tragedy.
Whereas the first two versions of the series were set in Manchester and Pittsburgh respectively, the upcoming one will be located in New Orleans and will be written and executive produced by Stephen Dunn, who will also serve as the director of the pilot. Also returning as executive producer is Russell T. Davies, along with Lee Eisenberg, Emily Brecht, Richard Halliwell, and Nicola Shindler. Dunn had this to say about the return of the revered series:
“It is a surreal honor to adapt the notoriously groundbreaking series by Russell T. Davies. When the show originally aired, the idea of unapologetic queer stories on TV was so provocative that I felt I could only watch Queer As Folk in secret. But so much has changed in the last 20 years and how wonderful would it be if the next generation didn’t have to watch Queer As Folk alone in their dank basements with the sound muted, but with their family and friends and the volume cranked all the way to the max.”
The Peacock streaming service is considered by many to be the ideal home for the latest reboot of Queer As Folk, and the new platform has managed to make a big splash quickly, establishing itself as one of the premier destinations for older shows. Already the home for the reboots of Punky Brewster and Saved by the Bell, the strategy appears to be to hone in on fan favorites that are familiar and beloved by the masses.
This version of Queer As Folk is telling a new story and will not connect to the old series, but should still stand out.
What are you looking forward to seeing in the latest revamp of this show? Tell HomoCulture what you would like to see and how the older versions impacted your life as a queer person. Sound off below in the comments!
