Queer as Folk (American TV series)
| Queer as Folk | |
|---|---|
| File:QaF-(US)-cast.jpg | |
| Created by | Russell T. Davies and Developed for American Television by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman |
| Starring | Gale Harold Randy Harrison Hal Sparks Sharon Gless |
| Country of origin | United States/Canada co-production |
| No. of episodes | 83 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 44 to 58 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | Showtime U.S. and Showcase Canada |
| Release | December 3, 2000 on Showtime and January 22, 2001 on Showcase – August 7, 2005 on Showtime and August 15, 2005 on Showcase |
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Queer as Folk was an American/Canadian television series co-production, produced by Showtime and Temple Street Productions, which was based on the British series of the same name created by Russell T. Davies. This US version of Queer as Folk used various Canadian directors known for their independent film work (Bruce McDonald, David Wellington, Kelly Makin, Jeremy Podeswa and Michael DeCarlo to name a few) as well as famed Australian director Russell Mulcahy (Highlander) who directed the pilot episodes. The head writers were Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman who were also the Executive Producers of the series along with former Warner Bros. Television president Tony Jonas. Other writers in the later seasons included Michael MacLennan, Efrem Seeger, Brad Fraser, Del Shores, and Shawn Postoff.
General description
This series was the story of five gay men who lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Brian, Justin, Michael, Emmett, Ted, and a lesbian couple, Lindsay and Melanie; another main character, Ben, was added in the second season. The series was filmed in Canada, with frequent location filming in Toronto's Church and Wellesley gay village.
The show was noted for its somewhat frank depiction of gay lifestyles and sex. A disclaimer, "Queer as Folk is a celebration of the lives and passions of a group of gay friends. It is not meant to reflect all of gay society" appeared after each episode on Showtime in the U.S. but this disclaimer was not broadcast on Showcase in Canada (instead, the disclaimer "This show contains nudity, sexuality and coarse language -- viewer discretion is advised" was broadcast before each airing and after each commercial).
The title of the show comes from a dialect expression from some parts of Northern England, "there's nought [colloquially pronounced 'nowt'] so queer as folk", meaning "there's nothing as weird as people".
The show drew strong ratings for both Showtime and Canada's Showcase. In fact, in Canada, the series had such high ratings that by the end of the 5th season so many sponsors had purchased advertising time that Showcase had to air the show in an hour and ten minute time block to accommodate all the ads and not cut out any scenes. This was not a problem for Showtime, of course, since that service is commercial free and no ads were ever broadcast during a QAF telecast.
The series ran for five seasons (2000 to 2005 on Showtime and 2001 to 2005 on Showcase). It was believed by fans that the show could have run for another year (most of the cast originally had six year contracts but according to one rumor the contracts were renegotiated to five years after the first season).
However, Showtime was concered about the rising production costs due to the strength of the Canadian Dollar. Some of the cast, however, felt that Showtime didn't want to be known as a "gay only" network so they cancelled the show. Publically, at least, Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman both stated that they didn't feel there were really any further stories that they could tell and also Randy Harrison (Justin) was reported as saying that had the series gone into a sixth season, he would not have been part of it.
Canada's Showcase, which was making a great deal of money from the advertising demand, did briefly consider producing a sixth season, but as Showtime owned much of the rights to the series and funded much of the budget, Showcase decided against it.
Awards
2001
- GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series (winner)
- Third Prize nominated for Effects Titles Ident's PSA's (winner)
- Golden Reel Awards nomineted for Best Sound Editing - Television Episodic - Music
- Artios nominated for Best Casting for TV, Dramatic Pilot
2002
- GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series
- DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Direction
- DGC Team Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in a Television Series - Drama
2003
- GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series
- ACTRA Toronto Awards nominated for Outstanding Performance - Female (Thea Gill)
- DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing - Short Form (winner)
- DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Direction - Television Series
- DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Picture Editing - Short Form
- DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design - Short Form
- DGC Team Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in a Television Series - Drama (winner)
2004
- GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series
- DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Picture Editing - Television Series
- DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design - Television Series
- Golden Reel Award nominated for Best Sound Editing in Television Episodic: Music
2005
- GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series
- DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Picture Editing - Television Series
- DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design - Television Series
- DGC Team Award nominated for Outstanding Team Achievement in a Television Series - Drama
- Prism Award nominated for TV Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline (winner) tied with Lost
- Prism Award nominated for Performance in a Drama Series Storyline (Scott Lowell)
- BMI Cable Award Ray Ketchem nominated for Television Music Award (winner)
Character descriptions, plot details
Brian is a handsome, 29-year old advertising executive with a voracious sexual appetite. Raised by a carousing, alcoholic father and a devoutly Catholic mother, he lives a self-contained/centered lifestyle and prefers the honesty of lust to the dishonesty (and vulnerability) he perceives in love and romance. Michael, also just turning 30, is his best friend since childhood, and begins the series working at a retail store called The Big Q. Ted, 33, is an accountant with low self-esteem, and Emmett is a flamboyant Southerner who works in trendy clothing shop "Torso" on Liberty Avenue.
The first episode finds the four friends ending a night at an idealized gay oasis called Babylon. Jaded Brian picks up and deflowers the sensitive and artistic Justin, a 17-year-old prep school student who becomes far more than a one-night stand. Brian also becomes a father that night, having sired a child for college friend Lindsay, an art teacher, and her partner Melanie, an attorney who loathes Brian as much as Lindsay loves him. Debbie is Michael's mother and a committed gay-rights activist. She waits tables at the Liberty Diner, which serves as a haven for the group of friends. Her brother Vic has been critically ill with AIDS and lives with her.
The characters become enmeshed and entangled in various ways over the course of five years. Michael's seemingly unrequited love for Brian fuels the story, which he occasionally narrates in voice-over. Justin's coming out and budding relationship with Brian has unexpected effects on Brian's and Michael's lives. Justin confides in straight high-school friend Daphne, while struggling to deal with homophobic classmates and his dismayed, divorcing parents, Craig and Jennifer. Later in the second season Justin & Michael co-create sexually-explicit underground comic "Rage", featuring a "Gay Crusader" superhero inspired by Brian.
Brian's son Gus, being raised by Lindsay and Melanie, becomes the focus of several episodes as issues of parental rights come to the fore. Ted is Melanie's accountant and once harbored a longstanding crush on Michael. He and Emmett begin as best friends, but briefly become lovers later in the series. Their relationship ends as Ted, unemployed and with a criminal record earned from running a porn website, becomes addicted to crystal meth. In the fourth season, Brian, who has lost his job assisting Justin in opposing an anti-gay political client, starts his own agency. Michael marries an HIV-positive partner and the couple adopts a son, Hunter, who is also HIV-positive as a result of his experiences as a child prostitute.
Melanie and Lindsay's relationship, while on the surface, might represent a more "stable" relationship is actually quite tumultuous and controversial. Each cheats on the other at various points in the series, both tackle on a threesome shortly after they marry in an unlawful ceremony and become separated for much of the 4th and 5th season. Melanie is impregnated by Michael through artificial insemination in the fourth season, so that the best friends are now co-stepfathers. Brian's new advertising agency; Kinnetik, becomes highly successful both through a combination of Brian's customer loyalty and his edgier advertising. As a result of this, Brian is able to purchase Club Babylon from its now bankrupt owner.
In the fifth and final season, the boys have become men and the series, perhaps more comfortable in its role in gay entertainment, tackles political issues head-on and with much more fervor.
A political campaign called "Proposition 14" is depicted during much of the final season as a looming threat to the family-relations that the four principle characters have created. This proposition, like so many real-life recent legislative moves that have affected many US states, threatens to outlaw same-sex marriage, adoption and other family civil rights. The many ways in which such a proposition would affect the characters are depicted through nearly every episode. Debbie, Justin, Jennifer, Daphne, Emmett, Ted, Michael, Ben, Lindsay, Melanie and the children are depicted standing up and fighting against this proposition both by active canvassing, political contributions and other democratic processes, but are met with staunch opposition, discrimination, outright hatred and political setbacks by their neighbors.
The show climaxes near the end of the series when a benefit to support opposition to Proposition 14 hosted at Brian's club Babylon (after repeated relocations of the benefit, due to discrimination) is attacked by a bomb that kills 4 (including one supporting character) and injures 67.
This horrible event sets the bittersweet tone for the last three episodes in which Brian, frightened into reality by his third possible loss of Justin to an early death, finally declares his love for him. The two even plan a wedding, but Justin's artistic abilities get noticed by a New York agency and the two decide in favor of a more realistic approach to a relationship that works for their characters. Melanie and Lindsay, realizing they have more in common than they don't, resolve their relationship but relocate to Canada to "raise (their children) in an environment where they will be not called names, singled-out for discrimination, or ever have to fear for their life."
Brian and Justin resolve their relationship, as do Deb & Horvath, and the lesbians; Emmett becomes a Queer-Eye type TV presenter but is later fired when a professional football player kisses him on the news. Ted confronts his midlife crisis head-on and finally reunited with Blake. Hunter returns and the Novotny-Bruckner family perseveres.
The series came full circle with the final scenes staged in the newly re-built Babylon nightclub. In the final scene, Brian dances to Heather Small's "Proud," a song that accompanied a pivotal scene between Brian and Michael in the very first episode of the series, as Michael recites the final lines:
So the "thumpa thumpa" continues. It always will. No matter what happens. No matter who's president. As our lady of Disco, the divine Miss Gloria Gaynor has always sung to us: We will survive.
Cultural implications
The American version of Queer as Folk quickly became the number one show on the Showtime roster. The network's initial marketing of the show was primarily targeted at gay male audiences, yet a sizeable segment of the viewership turned out to be straight women.
Groundbreaking scenes abounded in Queer as Folk, beginning with the first episode, containing the first simulated explicit sex scene between two men shown on American television (including mutual masturbation, anal sex, and rimming), albeit more tame than the scene it was based on in the UK version. Despite the frank portrayals of drug use and casual sex in the gay club scene, the expected conservative uproar never materialized.
Initially, most of the actors kept their real-life sexual orientations ambiguous in the press so as not to detract from their characters, causing much speculation among the viewing audience. Since that time, Randy Harrison, Peter Paige, Robert Gant and Jack Weatherall have stated that they are gay, while the remainder of the cast have stated they are straight or have avoided public discussion of their orientation.
Controversial storylines which have been explored in Queer As Folk have included: coming out, same-sex marriage, recreational drug use and abuse (cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, cannabis); gay adoption, artificial insemination; vigilantism; gay-bashing; safe sex, HIV-positive status, child prostitution; actively gay Catholic priests; discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation, the internet pornography industry and bug-chasers (HIV-negative individuals who actively seek to become HIV-positive).
The series was set in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which it depicted with a good deal of creative license. Pittsburgh was chosen as the closest parallel to the U.K. series' industrial setting of Manchester, England. However, since Pittsburgh does not have a large gay district like San Francisco or New York, almost all of the Liberty Avenue scenes were filmed in and around the Church and Wellesley area of Toronto which is that city's gay village. In fact, not a single shot of the real Liberty Avenue was ever used in the series. Toronto was chosen as the production center of the series because of its lower cost of production and established mature television and film industry. And, as it happens, Toronto's gay village had the look the producers needed to bring their vision of Liberty Avenue alive.
Woody's, the central bar in this fantasy Pittsburgh, is the name of a leading gay bar in Toronto, whose real exterior was shot with only minor disguise. (In a Season 4 episode in which several characters travelled to Toronto, the real Woody's was dubbed "Moosie's".) While Pegasus, the most popular gay club in Pittsburgh, is located on the real-life Liberty Avenue, it is not the gay mecca that is portrayed on the show.
The series has, at times, made humorous reference to its image in the gay community. A few episodes featured show-within-a-show Gay as Blazes, a dull, politically-correct drama which Brian particularly disagreed with, and which was eventually cancelled.
Criticisms of Queer as Folk
In many ways, the American series was groundbreaking on many social levels. Because of this, many gay critics and audience members, citing their under-representation in the past, have all made public claims that the show had a certain level of social responsibility. This feeling is perhaps the strongest reason for much criticism and controversy within the gay community concerning Queer as Folk's portrayal of gay and lesbian issues.
Like the original UK series, Queer as Folk has been strongly criticized by some in the gay community for what they feel is an unrealistic portrayal of actual gay relationships and/or gay life. The producers of the show have stressed from the beginning both in a written statement that appeared at the end of each show (Seasons 1-3) and in the press, that they were not attempting to make any representations or generalizations. However, many in the gay press have nonetheless charged that this would be the effect on many viewers, whether desired or not. A few gay columnists have therefore taken issue with what they feel are unrealistic portrayals as well as "hidden agendas" within the show's content. Examples used have been the lack of people of color on the show, the unrealistic (overly attractive) portrayal of patrons at bars/clubs, the overabundance of public sex at the bars (which is illegal in most places in the US, including Pennsylvania), and finally, the vilification of certain aspects of some gay men's lives (such as bareback sex), yet complacent treatment of hard-drug use and infidelity which, as critics have charged, is a taking of sides on controversial issues within the queer community and fails to "non-represent." The lack of the realism of the setting has also been criticized, since the program depicts the gay scene in Pittsburgh as much more urbane and arguably sophisticated than it actually is.
Still, others claim that while the depiction of drugs and sex is realistic, its portrayal is a counter-productive airing of "dirty laundry" to the larger community, to whom the gay community is appealing for legal protection of their civil rights.
Others in the gay community have praised it for its reflection of previously-taboo aspects of their lives, whether realistic or romanticized. On balance, many viewers see the show in a generally positive light for its contribution to gay media exposure.
Some critics and fans alike point out that some of these issues (including the lack of racial diversity and the heavy focus on sex) are common in TV shows about heterosexuals, too. As such, they argue that it is unfair to single out Queer as Folk for criticism on these issues.
Cast
- Gale Harold as Brian Kinney
- Hal Sparks as Michael Novotny
- Randy Harrison as Justin Taylor
- Peter Paige as Emmett Honeycutt
- Scott Lowell as Theodore 'Ted' Schmidt
- Thea Gill as Lindsay Peterson
- Michelle Clunie as Melanie Marcus
- Sharon Gless as Debbie Grassi Novotny
- Jack Weatherall as Vic Grassi (Seasons 1 - 4)
- Chris Potter as Dr. David Cameron (Season 1)
- Dean Armstrong as Blake Wyzecki (Seasons 1, 4 - 5)
- Robert Gant as Professor Ben Bruckner (Seasons 2 - 5)
- Fabrizio (Fab) Fillipo as Ethan Gold (Seasons 2 - 3)
- Harris Allan as James "Hunter" Montgomery (Seasons 3 - 5)
- Sherry Miller as Jennifer Taylor
- Makyla Smith as Daphne Chanders
- Peter MacNeill as Detective Carl Horvath (Seasons 2 - 5)
- Matt Battaglia as Drew Boyd (Seasons 4 - 5)
Season filmography
| Production | Director | Writer | Original Airdate (U.S.) | Original Airdate (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot (U.S.)* | Russell Mulcahy | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | December 3, 2000 | Not aired |
| Pilot (Canada)** | Russell Mulcahy | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | Not aired | January 22, 2001 |
| Episode 103 | Russell Mulcahy | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | December 10, 2000 | January 22, 2001** |
| Episode 104 | Kevin Inch | Richard Kramer | December 17, 2000 | January 29, 2001 |
| Episode 105 | Kari Skogland | Jason Schafer | January 7, 2001 | February 5, 2001 |
| Episode 106 | Kari Skogland | Jonathan Tolins | January 21, 2001 | February 12, 2001 |
| Episode 107 | David Wellington | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | January 28, 2001 | February 19, 2001 |
| Episode 108 | Steve DiMarco | Richard Kramer | February 4, 2001 | February 26, 2001 |
| Episode 109 | John Greyson | Jason Schafer & Jonathan Tolins | February 11, 2001 | March 5, 2001 |
| Episode 110 | John L'Ecuyer | Doug Guinan | February 18, 2001 | March 12, 2001 |
| Episode 111 | Michael DeCarlo | Jason Schafer & Jonathan Tolins | February 25, 2001 | March 19, 2001 |
| Episode 112 | John Greyson | Richard Kramer, Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | March 4, 2001 | March 26, 2001 |
| Episode 113 | Ron Oliver | Drew Z. Greenberg | March 11, 2001 | April 2, 2001 |
| Episode 114 | Michael DeCarlo | Doug Guinan | March 18, 2001 | April 9, 2001 |
| Episode 115 | Alex Chapple | Garth Wingfield | April 1, 2001 | April 16, 2001 |
| Episode 116 | Jeremy Podeswa | Jason Schafer | April 8, 2001 | April 23, 2001 |
| Episode 117 | Michael DeCarlo | Jonathan Tolins | April 15, 2001 | April 30, 2001 |
| Episode 118 | Russell Mulcahy | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, Jason Schafer & Jonathan Tolins | April 22, 2001 | May 7, 2001 |
| Episode 119 | David Wellington | Garth Wingfield | April 29, 2001 | May 14, 2001 |
| Episode 120 | Russell Mulcahy | Jason Schafer & Jonathan Tolins | June 10, 2001 | May 21, 2001 |
| Episode 121 | Michael DeCarlo | Garth Wingfield | June 17, 2001 | May 28, 2001 |
| Episode 122 | Alex Chapple | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | June 24, 2001 | June 25, 2001 |
'*'The U.S. Pilot consisted of Episodes 101 and 102 combined into a single episode (90 minutes). '**'The Canadian Pilot consisted of Episodes 101, 102 and 103 combined into a TV movie (150 minutes including commercials).
NOTE: After their original broadcasts, the Pilots were re-edited into individual episodes (101, 102 and 103). Episode 102 was also lengthened by two scenes to expand its original run time within the Pilots. This expanded version was broadcast on both Showtime and Showcase during reruns of the first season but was not included on the First Season DVD package (the U.S. Pilot was used).
Season 2 (2002)
| Production | Director | Writer | Original Airdate (U.S.) | Original Airdate (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 201 | Alex Chapple | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | January 6, 2002 | January 21, 2002 |
| Episode 202 | John Greyson | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | January 13, 2002 | January 28, 2002 |
| Episode 203 | Michael DeCarlo | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Karen Walton | January 20, 2002 | February 4, 2002 |
| Episode 204 | Kevin Inch | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | January 27, 2002 | February 11, 2002 |
| Episode 205 | David Wellington | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Efrem Seeger | February 3, 2002 | February 18, 2002 |
| Episode 206 | Bruce McDonald | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, Matt Pyken & Michael Berns | February 10, 2002 | February 25, 2002 |
| Episode 207 | Michael DeCarlo | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Blair Fell | February 17, 2002 | March 4, 2002 |
| Episode 208 | Alex Chapple | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | March 3, 2002 | March 11, 2002 |
| Episode 209 | Bruce McDonald | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Efrem Seeger | March 10, 2002 | March 18, 2002 |
| Episode 210 | Michael DeCarlo | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, Matt Pyken & Michael Berns | March 17, 2002 | March 25, 2002 |
| Episode 211 | Kevin Inch | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Karen Walton | March 31, 2002 | April 1, 2002 |
| Episode 212 | Thom Best | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | April 7, 2002 | April 8, 2002 |
| Episode 213 | John Greyson | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Efrem Seeger | April 14, 2002 | April 15, 2002 |
| Episode 214 | John Fawcett | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, Matt Pyken & Michael Berns | April 28, 2002 | April 29, 2002 |
| Episode 215 | Jeremy Podeswa | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Karen Walton | May 5, 2002 | May 6, 2002 |
| Episode 216 | Bruce McDonald | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | May 12, 2002 | May 13, 2002 |
| Episode 217 | Davdi Wellington | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Efrem Seeger | May 26, 2002 | May 27, 2002 |
| Episode 218 | Alex Chapple | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, Matt Pyken & Michael Berns | June 2, 2002 | June 3, 2002 |
| Episode 219 | Michael DeCarlo | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, Efrem Seeger, Michael MacLennan, Matt Pyken & Michael Berns | June 9, 2002 | June 10, 2002 |
| Episode 220 | David Wellington | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | June 16, 2002 | June 17, 2002 |
Season 3 (2003)
| Production | Director | Writer | Original Airdate (U.S.) | Original Airdate (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 301 | Jeremy Podeswa | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | March 2, 2003 | April 7, 2003 |
| Episode 302 | Bruce McDonald | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | March 9, 2003 | April 14, 2003 |
| Episode 303 | Laurie Lynd | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Efrem Seeger | March 16, 2003 | April 21, 2003 |
| Episode 304 | Kari Skogland | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Del Shores | March 30, 2003 | April 28, 2003 |
| Episode 305 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Shawn Postoff | April 6, 2003 | May 5, 2003 |
| Episode 306 | Bruce McDonald | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, & Brad Fraser | April 13, 2003 | May 12, 2003 |
| Episode 307 | Kevin Inch | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | April 20, 2003 | May 19, 2003 |
| Episode 308 | Bruce McDonald | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Efrem Seeger | April 27, 2003 | May 26, 2003 |
| Episode 309 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Del Shores | May 11, 2003 | June 2, 2003 |
| Episode 310 | Kevin Inch | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Shawn Postoff | May 18, 2003 | June 9, 2003 |
| Episode 311 | Chris Grismer | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Brad Fraser | May 25, 2003 | June 16, 2003 |
| Episode 312 | David Wellington | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | June 8, 2003 | June 23, 2003 |
| Episode 313 | Alex Chapple | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Efrem Seeger | June 15, 2003 | June 30, 2003 |
| Episode 314 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | June 22, 2003 | July 7, 2003 |
Season 4 (2004)
| Production | Director | Writer | Original Airdate (U.S.) | Original Airdate (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 401 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | April 18, 2004 | April 19, 2004 |
| Episode 402 | Jeremy Podeswa | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | April 25, 2004 | April 26, 2004 |
| Episode 403 | Chris Grismer | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Brad Fraser | May 2, 2004 | May 3, 2004 |
| Episode 404 | Kevin Inch | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Del Shores | May 9, 2004 | May 10, 2004 |
| Episode 405 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Shawn Postoff | May 16, 2004 | May 17, 2004 |
| Episode 406 | Bruce McDonald | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, & Michael MacLennan | May 23, 2004 | May 24, 2004 |
| Episode 407 | Alex Chapple | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Brad Fraser | May 30, 2004 | May 31, 2004 |
| Episode 408 | Bruce McDonald | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Del Shores | June 6, 2004 | June 7, 2004 |
| Episode 409 | Kevin Inch | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Shawn Postoff | June 13, 2004 | June 14, 2004 |
| Episode 410 | John Fawcett | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | June 20, 2004 | June 21, 2004 |
| Episode 411 | Thom Best | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Del Shores | June 27, 2004 | June 28, 2004 |
| Episode 412 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Brad Fraser | July 4, 2004 | July 5, 2004 |
| Episode 413 | Michael DeCarlo | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Shawn Postoff | July 11, 2004 | July 12, 2004 |
| Episode 414 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | July 18, 2004 | July 19, 2004 |
Season 5 (2005)
| Production | Director | Writer | Original Airdate (U.S.) | Original Airdate (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 501 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | May 22, 2005 | May 23, 2005 |
| Episode 502 | Michael DeCarlo | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Del Shores | May 22, 2005 | May 30, 2005 |
| Episode 503 | Michael DeCarlo | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Brad Fraser | May 29, 2005 | June 6, 2005 |
| Episode 504 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | June 5, 2005 | June 13, 2005 |
| Episode 505 | Chris Grismer | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Shawn Postoff | June 12, 2005 | June 20, 2005 |
| Episode 506 | Alex Chapple | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, & Del Shores | June 19, 2005 | June 27, 2005 |
| Episode 507 | Thom Best | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Shawn Postoff | June 26, 2005 | July 4, 2005 |
| Episode 508 | Thom Best | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Shawn Postoff | July 3, 2005 | July 11, 2005 |
| Episode 509 | David Wellington | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Brad Fraser | July 10, 2005 | July 18, 2005 |
| Episode 510 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Shores | July 17, 2005 | July 25, 2005 |
| Episode 511 | David Wellington | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Brad Fraser | July 24, 2005 | August 1, 2005 |
| Episode 512 | John Fawcett | Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman & Michael MacLennan | July 31, 2005 | August 8, 2005 |
| Episode 513 | Kelly Makin | Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman | August 7, 2005 | August 15, 2005 |
This Showtime original drama was aired in the U.S. at 10pm ET/PT on Sunday nights. It was broadcast in Canada on Showcase on Mondays at 10pm ET/PT where it was labelled a Showcase Original.
It was produced by CowLip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions and Temple Street Productions in association with Channel 4 Television (the co-owner of the original UK series) and Showcase Television. Warner Bros. Television holds the international distribution rights to the series outside the US and Canada.
All five seasons were filmed in wide-screen HDTV however only seasons 4 and 5 were regularly broadcast in HDTV in both the U.S. and Canada. In the U.S., Showtime did run Seasons 1, 2 and 3 in HDTV on Tuesday nights as a special repeat of an episode's full-screen broadcast the previous Sunday. These HDTV broadcasts from the first three seasons were not broadcast by Showcase in Canada. The episodes that appear in the commercially released DVD packages were taken from the HDTV versions.
Keeping up with the technology, Queer as Folk's Season 5 was one of the first series to be recorded using the relatively new digital video process rather than being made exclusively on film. The raw digital video was combined with some scenes that were filmed into a finished episode and then color corrected using a computer process to make the entire episode appear to be filmed.
Throughout all five seasons, the series was filmed primarily at Dufferin Gate Studios in Etobicoke, Ontario (a southwestern borough of Toronto).
Many of Season 3's non-location scenes of Babylon, Woody's and Liberty Diner were filmed at Greystone Studios in Mississauga (the city adjacent to Toronto's western border).
These same scenes for seasons 4 and 5 were filmed at the now-former Dufferin Gate Studios "B Studio" in Mississauga about 10-15 minutes from Dufferin Gate's home studio in Etobicoke. (This studio is now used by Shaftesbury Films as the home base for a Canadian series called ReGenesis).