One 'L' of a Finale! SHOWTIME Renews THE L WORD(R) for 6th & Final Farewell Season

Last Eight Episodes of First-Ever Lesbian Primetime Drama To Premiere in Early 2009

LOS ANGELES, March 10 -- SHOWTIME has renewed the critically- acclaimed, groundbreaking lesbian drama THE L WORD(R) for a sixth and final season, it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt, SHOWTIME's President of Entertainment. One of the network's longest running series, THE L WORD(R) will culminate early next year in eight final episodes, marking the end of an era chronicling the lives of these iconic characters who have played a pivotal role in changing cultural perceptions of lesbians and the transgender community on and off screen. Production will resume in early summer.

"It has been a privilege to do this series and tell these stories and have these characters in my life and to share them with the show's passionate fans," says Ilene Chaiken, creator and executive producer of THE L WORD(R). "I am thrilled that SHOWTIME has given us this final opportunity to conclude this journey we have all taken together." "We are enormously proud of the legacy of THE L WORD(R), a groundbreaking series that well surpassed its niche as a gay show," said Greenblatt. "The title of the show became part of the lexicon, and the breadth and reach of the characters and storylines are a testament to the talent of Ilene Chaiken and her incredible cast. We have a strong tradition of shows that move beyond the stereotypes of lesbian and gay characters, and we are grateful to everyone involved with THE L WORD(R) who contributed to its legacy."

"THE L WORD(R) has been such an important franchise for SHOWTIME," adds SHOWTIME Chairman and CEO, Matthew Blank. "We look forward to an outstanding finale season next year and know this show will live on in many, many ways."

THE L WORD(R)'s large and loyal audience has played an unprecedented role in propelling the plotlines throughout the show's five year history. Chaiken indicates that the final season will be even more interactive, with fan input guiding the season to its climactic conclusion. "This is by no means the end of THE L WORD(R)," she adds. "The brand and the social network community, OurChart.com, will continue to live and be a destination for lesbians everywhere and a lasting tribute to what THE L WORD(R) has accomplished."

In its five seasons on SHOWTIME, THE L WORD(R) generated an avid audience, as well as critical praise and GLAAD Award recognition for its provocative, sexy storylines, the principal cast and for being a magnet for celebrated directors and guest stars. The groundbreaking series follows a group of Los Angeles-based friends as they navigate careers, families, friendships, inner struggles and romantic entanglements. Since its January 2004 debut, the series has become part of American popular culture, spawning its own social networking site (OurChart.com), huge popularity in Second Life, dedicated fan websites and blogs, along with ancillary products such as THE L WORD(R)- branded perfume, jewelry and books.

THE L WORD(R) is executive produced by Ilene Chaiken through her production company Little Chicken Inc. The series was created by Chaiken and Kathy Greenberg & Michele Abbott and is being distributed internationally by MGM International Television Distribution, Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(R) and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE(R) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(R) XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(R) HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(R) ON DEMAND. SNI is also an owner and manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL(R), a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV(R).

SOURCE Showtime Networks Inc.
http://www.SHO.com http://OurChart.com