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The Real L Word aired on Showtime from 2010 to 2012. It was one of the first reality television series to follow the lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women who lived in Los Angeles. The original cast starred me, Jill Goldstein who was my fiancé at the time, Tracy Ryerson, Rose Garcia, Whitney Mixter and Mikey Koffman.

With a successful career behind the lens in entertainment, I’m often asked why Jill and I chose to put our lives on camera. The answer is simple: Seeing relatable stories and experiences on television can be validating and empowering.

As our narrative in the series was about wedding planning (which was legally unrecognized and unlawful in 2010 in California), we told our story to be seen and heard, to be visible outside of our community, to normalize our love for one another as no different than a traditional union between a man and a woman.

Exclusive: Showtime has opted not to renew The L Word: Generation Q for a fourth season. However, the franchise may continue on the network — The L Word: New York (working title), a reboot of the groundbreaking original series, is in development with the 2004 series’ creator Ilene Chaiken expected to be involved in some capacity, I hear.

The L Word: Generation Q‘s cancellation comes two months after the series’ third season ended its run. No Showtime series has been renewed since the January announcement that the premium cable network will be integrated into Paramount+ across both streaming and linear later this year and renamed as Paramount+ with Showtime.

There had been a programming slate reevaluation since Chris McCarthy added Showtime to his purview following the exit of longtime CEO David Nevins in October. Let the Right One In and American Gigolo were both canceled after one season. Showtime also opted...

Exclusive: The L Word creator Ilene Chaiken has signed a big overall deal with Universal Television to develop and produce scripted content. As part of the pact, Chaiken will serve as executive producer/showrunner on the first season of NBC’s upcoming Law & Order: Svu spinoff series, Law & Order: Organized Crime, starring Chris Meloni, from Dick Wolf’s Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Chaiken succeeds Matt Olmstead, who stepped down as showrunner in October.

She is coming off a high-profile showrunner stint on Fox’s Empire at her previous studio home, 20th Television. Chaiken also boarded Empire, created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, at the start as showrunner, steering its ascent to become the biggest series on television early in its run. Chaiken ran Empire for the series’ first 4.5 seasons.

“I’ve always admired Ilene’s work from afar and...

Magical Elves executives Casey Kriley and Jo Sharon have been promoted to co-CEOs of the production company.

“These past six months have only confirmed our instinct that Casey and Jo are the ideal duo to keep Magical Elves firing on all cylinders. Individually, Casey and Jo have each been invaluable contributors to the success of Magical Elves, and together, they are an unstoppable force perfectly equipped to lead their tight-knit team as they produce the next generation of hit shows,” Arthur Smith, the company’s chairman, said in a statement.

“Magical Elves has an incredible legacy that we are privileged to continue with our impossibly talented colleagues,” Kriley and Sharon said. “The magic of the organization has always been the people, and the team is in place and ready to grow our slate of aspirational programming with our signature brand of excellence.”

Also Read: A Smith and Co Names Caroline Baumgard CEO,...

Longtime Magical Elves executives Casey Kriley and Jo Sharon have been named co-CEOs of the production company behind Top Chef and Project Runway.

“These past six months have only confirmed our instinct that Casey and Jo are the ideal duo to keep Magical Elves firing on all cylinders,” said Arthur Smith, chairman of Tinopolis USA and A. Smith & Co. Productions. “Individually, Casey and Jo have each been invaluable contributors to the success of Magical Elves, and together, they are an unstoppable force perfectly equipped to lead their tight-knit team as they produce the next generation of hit shows.”

Said Kriley and Sharon: “Magical Elves has an incredible legacy that we are privileged to continue with our impossibly talented colleagues. The magic of the organization has always been the people, and the team is in place and ready to grow our slate of aspirational programming with our signature brand of excellence.

Showtime has set a late fall premiere date for The L Word: Generation Q. The eight-episode sequel to the groundbreaking series will debut Sunday, December 8 at 10 Pm ET/PT. Production is currently underway in Los Angeles. The date was announced Friday during Showtime’s presentation the TCA summer press tour.

Original series stars Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey topline the sequel, executive produced by showrunner Marja-Lewis Ryan, original series creator Ilene Chaiken, Kristen Campo and Steph Green (pilot). Beals, Moennig and Hailey also executive produce.

Generation Q continues to follow the intermingled lives of Bette Porter (Beals), Alice Pieszecki (Hailey) and Shane McCutcheon (Moennig), along with new characters Dani Nùñez (Arienne Mandi), Micah Lee (Leo Sheng), Finley (Jacqueline Toboni), Sophie Suarez (Rosanny Zayas) and Gigi (Sepideh Moafi) as they experience love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks and success in L.A. Guest stars include Brian Michael,...

Showtime has revealed the official title of its anticipated sequel to The L Word sequel. The L Word: Generation Q will debut in the fall on the premium channel. The eight-episode series is slated to begin production in Los Angeles this summer.

Marja-Lewis Ryan serves as showrunner and is executive producing the sequel with original series creator Ilene Chaiken and original series stars Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey. Kristen Campo also serves as executive producer. The pilot is directed by Steph Green, who also is an Ep on the episode.

The groundbreaking drama series originally ran on Showtime from 2004-09. In the sequel, Beals, Moennig and Hailey will resume their original roles alongside a new generation of diverse, self-possessed Lgbtqia characters experiencing love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks and success in L.A. The series sparked subsequent versions, including the docuseries The Real L Word and...

U.S. writer, showrunner and producer Ilene Chaiken, best known for “The L Word,” “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Empire,” will be among the recipients of the Médailles d’Honneur, a career achievement award bestowed by Cannes-based TV conference and market MipTV.

The honor, handed to TV executives who have “through their talent, leadership and passion made a significant contribution to the world of television and the development of the international TV community,” will also go to Stéphane Courbit, chairman of France’s Banijay Group, Mosunmola “Mo” Abudu, CEO of Nigeria’s EbonyLife Media, and Jane Millichip, managing director of the U.K.’s Sky Vision.

The four will receive their awards at a cocktail and awards ceremony taking place at Cannes’ InterContinental Carlton Hotel on April 8.

Best known for creating the Showtime series “The L Word,” Chaiken received an Emmy for Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” She was...

Showtime has greenlighted a new incarnation of The L Word, a sequel of the network’s influential 2000s series.

Showtime president of programming Gary Levine was cautious Monday at TCA when asked about the status of the project.

The follow-up series, which has been in the works at Showtime for more than an year, is aimed at reflecting how members of that community’s relationships, their lives, and experiences have evolved and what has changed (and what hasn’t) since the show’s inception.

Marja-Lewis Ryan serves as executive producer and showrunner. Mothership series creator Ilene Chaiken also is executive producing, along with Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey, who all starred in the premium network’s original series.

The original The L Word revolved around a group of lesbians in West Hollywood and their friends, family and lovers. Hailed as the first drama series to focus on lesbian characters...

Showtime has been developing a new incarnation of The L Word, a sequel of the network’s influential 2000s series.

Showtime president of programming Gary Levine was cautious Mondaay at TCA when asked about the status of the project. “There are a lot of revivals out there,” he said during Showtime’s executive session. “We are working hard not to repeat ourselves. If we end up with a show that has something new to say, we will be excited to proceed.”

The follow-up series, which has been in the works at Showtime for about an year, is aimed at reflecting how members of that community’s relationships, their lives, and experiences have evolved and what has changed (and what hasn’t) since the show’s inception.

In November, Marja-Lewis Ryan was tapped as executive producer and showrunner. Mothership series creator Ilene Chaiken also is executive producing, along with Jennifer Beals,...

Dexter is set to make a killing this summer.

Showtime boss David Nevins announced Sunday at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour that the the hit drama will debut three months earlier than usual on Sunday, June 30 at 9/8c, where it will lead into the new drama Ray Donovan.

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Homeland, meanwhile, will stay put in the fall. Its third season will bow Sunday,...

The Real L Word is getting a third round on Showtime — and expanding to New York City.

Nine new episodes of the lesbian docu-reality show (which the network is describing as “controversial” for some reason) will air in early 2012. While the first two seasons focused on a group of women in Los Angeles, season 3 expands to include characters in New York City with plans to contrast the East Coast vs. West Coast lifestyles of its cast.

“We’re excited and gratified to be picking up the stories of our most beloved season 2 cast members at some truly major and life-altering junctures,...

Sneak Peek the new poster supporting Showtime's reality TV series "The Real L Word", premiering Sunday, June 5, 2011.

"The Real L Word: Los Angeles", following a group of six women during their daily (sex) lives in Los Angeles, debuted June 20, 2010, created by executive producer Ilene Chaiken and Magical Elves Productions, following the success of the Vancouver-lensed television drama "The L Word".

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Real L Word"...

"Californication's" Hank Moody has a slew of problems to contend with. For the time being, cancellation won't be one of them.

Showtime's original comedy has been picked up for a twelve-episode fifth season the channel's President of Entertainment David Nevins told reporters attending the TCA Winter Press Tour on Friday. The renewal comes on the heels of "Californication's" best-ever premiere, according to a network release, garnering 1.2 million total viewers on its first night of airing.

Nevins also announced that Showtime is developing an unscripted and currently untitled series about the San Francisco Giants. Nevins, whose executive producer resume includes "Friday Night Lights" and "Arrested Development," explained that the documentary-style series will follow the 2010 World Series Champion team's players, coaches and personnel for 10 months.

Among returning series, Showtime announced "Nurse Jackie" and "United States of Tara" return for their third seasons on March 28 at 10 and 10:30pm. The cabler's new period epic "The Borgias," starring Jeremy Irons, will have a two-hour debut on April 3 at 9pm.

Friday's session represents Nevins' first Press Tour appearance as Showtime's head of entertainment, a position inherited from Robert Greenblatt, who left the premium channel to become head of NBC Universal TV Entertainment. However, Greenblatt did not appear for NBC's TCA presentations on Thursday because the merger between the broadcast network and its new owner, Comcast, has yet to receive the Federal Communications Commission's and the Justice Department's respective seals of approval.

Be that as it may, Greenblatt left Showtime in top form for Nevins, who already gave the green light two high-profile pilots: "House of Lies," a half-hour comedy starring Don Cheadle, and the drama "Homeland," starring Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin and Damian Lewis. Showtime will also air Lisa Kudrow's Internet shorts, "Web Therapy," at some point in the second quarter.

Nevins sought to reassure critics of how seriously he takes his role as the steward of the Showtime brand. His first major act as entertainment president was to decline the opportunity to pick up Joel Surnow's eight-part miniseries "The Kennedys" after History Channel unceremoniously dropped it last week.

""It didn't feel like premium cable," Nevins told reporters, later adding that he felt it was well-made and well-acted. Nevertheless, "I just kind of felt, 'Not Showtime.'"

Apparently a upcoming Las Vegas reality series about male prostitutes, "Gigolos," is Showtime, as is a second season of "The Real L Word," which struggled to find an audience in its first season. "Sometimes in those reality shows, you get it right in year two," Nevins explained.

About two years ago, I interviewed some amazing friends who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. They were (and in some cases, still are) responsible for the creatures in Lord of the Rings and Narnia, the clothes on True Blood, the girls on America's Next Top Model, the "look" of Itty Bitty Titty Committee, and Tyra Banks' production needs. Jealous? Yeah, me, too.

Well, it's been too long since we pulled back the curtain on Tinsel Town, so over the next few days, you'll meet a few more talented women who help bring you the shows you know and love. Beats working a desk job. And... action!

Cynthia Childs, Supervising Producer

Surrounded by The Real L Word storyboards

If you think shaping and telling stories for reality shows is easy, think again. Cynthia Childs knows a thing or two about making the most of what you've got, having story produced shows like Project Runway,...

The L.A. lesbians are back! But this time, they're the real thing. The Real L Word, a reality show following the loving, lusting and high drama of six high-achieving West Coast gay girls, debuts this Sunday on Showtime (June 20, 10/9c). TV Guide Magazine talked to producer Ilene Chaiken, who hopes to follow her scripted hit, The L Word, with this tasty Sapphic gumbo of ...

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Showtime announced debut dates for new and returning original series this summer.

The eighth season of "Penn & Teller: Bullshit" launches Thursday, June 10 at 10 p.m., paired with the new comedian roundtable series "The Green Room with Paul Provenza" at 10:30 p.m.

"The Real L Word" reality show, following a group of lesbians in Los Angeles, gets underway Sunday, June 20 at 10 p.m.

Dark comedy series "The Big C," starring Laura Linney as a suburbanite diagnosed with terminal cancer, starts Monday, Aug. 16 at 10:30 p.m. "Big C" will be paired with the sixth season of "Weeds" at 10 p.m.

It's slim pickings when it comes to lesbians on reality TV. But come June, Ilene Chaiken, executive producer of the Showtime series The L Word, a fictional drama about the fabulous (and far-fetched) lives of lesbians in Los Angeles, is making her scripted show a reality. The Real L Word: Los Angeles follows "a group of real-life, high-profile, left coast lesbians as they go about their daily lives, at work and play." Think Real Housewives, but gay. And as the name suggests, if the L.A.-based show is successful, Chaiken could create Real L Word franchises across the country. The documentary series about the real lives of lesbians has also been called the first gay-themed premium cable reality series (Logo's Curl Girls, a six-part series about lady surfers in 2007, was the first lesbian reality show on a major network). Until recently, The Real...

Showtime has announced its original programming plans for the summer, setting returns for "Weeds" and "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!," plus premieres for "The Big C," "The Real L Word" and "The Green Room with Paul Provenza."   The summer programming will begin on Thursday, June 10 with the eighth season of "Penn & Teller: Bullshit!" taking the 10:00 slot. Among this season's topics are Cheerleaders, Vaccinations and Teen Sex.   "The Green Room," which features comic/producer Provena hosting a weekly panel of well-known comics giving unprecedented and candid access to their creative process, will take the 10:30 slot on Thursdays. Early...