Russell T. Davies' groundbreaking Queer as Folk is getting the reboot treatment over at Peacock. While this isn't the first attempt to reboot the series — Bravo tried back in 2018 — this one seems a little bit more hopeful.
The original series ran for 10 episodes back in 1999-2000 in the UK, with a North American remake following in 2000. The latter ran for for five seasons with Gale Harold, Randy Harrison, Hal Sparks, Peter Paige, and Scott Lowell all starring. The legacy of the series cannot be understated, and those in charge of this new reboot seem very aware of that fact.
“’Queer as Folk’ was more than just a show, it was a ground-breaking 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 for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “Alex Sepiol, EVP of 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.”
Katz isn't the only one aware of the responsibility the Peacock team has to this new project. Series writer Stephen Dunn commented on the project as well.
“It is a surreal honor to adapt the notoriously groundbreaking series by Russell T. Davies. 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,” noted Dunn. “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's creator, Russel T Davies, is on board to executive produce alongside Dunn who will also write the series and direct the pilot. Nicola Shindler — an executive producer on the original project — will return as well. Lee Eisenberg, Emily Brecht and Richard Halliwell are also signed on as executive producers
