Showtime bringing back Queer As Folk

Showtime has renewed its controversial Queer As Folk series for a second season.

Jerry Offsay, president of programming for Showtime Networks, said the premium cable network had ordered an additional 20 episodes of the original series which has produced Showtime's highest ever primetime ratings. The series, which focuses on the lives of gay men and lesbians living in Pittsburgh, Pa. Queer As Folk has been slammed by some critics for overplaying the sexual side of those stories in each hour-long episode.

Showtime plans to keep the series, executive produced by Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman and Tony Jonas, in its present Sunday night slot.
- Richard Tedesco