The L Word: Generation Q has been cancelled at Showtime after three seasons. The news, which was first reported by Deadline, comes after the network’s recent cancellation of other popular shows as part of its merge with Paramount + later this year. Fortunately, plans to continue The L Word franchise have been made.
The L Word: Generation Q will not be renewed for a fourth season, with the cancellation of the Showtime series coming just after Season 3 wrapped up two months ago. The decision has been made as part of CEO of Showtime and Paramount Media Networks Chris McCarthy’s (who succeeded Showtime CEO David Nevins in October) reevaluation of the network’s programming slate in preparation for its planned integration with streaming service Paramount+ later this year.
All hope is not yet lost for The L Word franchise, however, with a reboot of the original series in the works at Showtime. The L Word: New York (the title of which is only a draft) was announced by McCarthy in December at the same time as the renewal of Yellowjackets. “[Our plan is] to lean into Showtime’s strengths and focus on three key areas that have defined the brand: Complex and subversive antiheroes like Dexter and Yellowjackets, powerful high-stakes worlds like Homeland and Billions, and unconventional cultural takes like The L Word and The Chi – all with an eye towards making the biggest hits possible and building them into hit franchises as we have done very successfully across the company,” McCarthy said at the time. Whilst the reboot has not been mentioned since this announcement, it is believed it is still in development with Ilene Chaiken, the creator of the original 2004 series, involved in the project. Fellow Travelers and The Chi have also been listed as being in development, with reboots of Billions and Dexter currently underway.
The L Word: Generation Q is not the only program to be cancelled, with several other shows from Showtime rejected for renewal. Since January’s announcement that the two platforms would be merged, no Showtime programs have been renewed. Both Let the Right One In and American Gigolo aired for just one season before they were recently cancelled, with new series Three Women and upcoming series Ripley forced to find new homes at Starz and Netflix respectively. Only one show, I Love That for You, a comedy series starring Vanessa Bayer as a childhood cancer survivor pursuing her dream as a television host, currently remains at Showtime; the chances of it being renewed, however, are also unknown at this stage. Rumours have currently surfaced that some well-received series may still have a chance at being renewed, with an internal push for their renewal currently underway.
The L Word franchise has seen several series and spinoffs released since its inception in 2004. The original drama-romance ran until 2009, following the lives of a tight-knit group of lesbian women living in Los Angeles. The L Word: Generation Q, first aired a decade after the original series wrapped up, following the same group as they intermingle with younger women and share their experiences. Executive-produced by Marja-Lewis Ryan, Chaiken, Kristen Campo, Allyce Ozarski, Melody Derloshon, Jennifer Beals, Kate Moennig, and Leisha Hailey, the series stars Beals, Hailey, Moennig, Arienne Mandi, Leo Sheng, Jacqueline Toboni, Rosanny Zayas, Sepideh Moafi, Jordan Hull, Jillian Mercado, and Jamie Clayton. The franchise has also seen two separate spinoffs, including reality show The Real L Word (which premiered in 2010) and a documentary film, L Word Mississippi: Hate the Sin (2014).
The L Word: Generation Q is currently available on Showtime. Check out the official trailer for Season 3 below: