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Queer as Folk gets US reboot

Seminal gay drama series to be reimagined two decades later, now set amongst friends in New Orleans.

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Seminal gay drama series Queer as Folk is on the comeback trail with a reimagined version greenlight by NBC’s streaming service Peacock.

The new version will be set in New Orleans and centres around a diverse group of friends whose lives are transformed in the aftermath of a tragedy.

The original UK series by Russell T. Davies was considered ground-breaking for tackling frank and taboo subjects when it screened for just 8 episodes from 1999 – 2000. A Canadian-US adaptation (pictured) set in Pittsburgh, which ran for 5 seasons, was equally well-received. Both screened in Australia on SBS.

US writer Stephen Dunn (Little America) has been developing the project since late 2018

“It is a surreal honor to adapt the notoriously groundbreaking series by Russell T. Davies,” Dunn said. “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 …”

“Queer as Folk was more than just a show, it was a groundbreaking and necessary voice for so many people. Stephen’s new version for Peacock arrives at yet another pivotal moment in our culture,” said Lisa Katz, president of scripted content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “Alex Sepiol, exec vp drama programming, and his team have championed this project from the first moment it landed on their desks, working to ensure the script became the series we’re announcing today. The entire team is so excited to be a part of introducing a new generation to this type of authentic and affirming storytelling.”

Source: Hollywood Reporter

8 Responses

  1. Looking forward to this. In highschool i would stay up for QAF 10pm Monday nights on SBS with the remote in hand ready to change the channel in case my parents walked in lol.

  3. I wonder where this will land in Australia. If I’m not mistaken, scripted NBC doesn’t have a natural outlet here and their only streaming service is Hayu for unscripted. Could be a tussle between SBS, Foxtel and Stan?

    1. Given the vibe of Stan and the way they seem to capture the queer market of late, I assume this will end up in their pockets (plus I think they already have the existing US series)

        1. I would assume the music rights are what’s keeping this from the streaming services. Similar to China Beach, Murphy Brown, Wonder Years and others.

          1. Remastered 1st season of the US version was shown on SBS a couple of years or so back.

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