‘The L Word’ Sequel Series Will Premiere on Showtime by End of 2019

After much speculation and hints over the past few years, “The L Word” is finally returning to the air.

The original series, which ran for six seasons between 2004 and 2009, followed a core group of lesbian women as they navigated love, friendship, and everything else life in West Hollywood has to offer.

Speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour, Showtime’s President of Entertainment Gary Levine revealed that the show would be returning for an eight-episode run, planned to premiere as soon as the end of this year.

While this new series will expand beyond the central group of existing characters, Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig, and Leisha Hailey will all reprise their roles. Original “L Word” creator Ilene Chaiken is also returning as an executive producer, while Marja-Lewis Ryan will take over showrunning duties.

As Thursday’s announcement also explains, “In this revival, Beals, Moennig, and Hailey will star on the series as their original characters alongside a new generation of self-possessed LGBTQIA characters experiencing love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks and success in L.A.”

As IndieWire’s Jude Dry wrote back in 2017, when a reboot was still just a developing possibility, “As more and more high-quality shows make demands on our diminishing time and attention spans, it can be hard for viewers to know where to start. ‘The L Word’ comes with a built-in and loyal fanbase (sometimes scarily so), and it’s one that has been sorely ignored for far too long.”

This new “L Word” joins an upcoming 2019 Showtime slate that also includes the Russell Crowe-starring Roger Ailes series “The Loudest Voice,” Sacha Jenkins’ docuseries “Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men,” Boston crime drama “City on a Hill,” and legal thriller “Your Honor,” starring Bryan Cranston.