On the heels of a year highlighted with industry recognition and critical acclaim for its award-winning original programming including Weeds, Dexter, and Brotherhood, SHOWTIME has ordered a fifth season of its hit drama series The L Word, it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt, President of Entertainment, SHOWTIME Networks Inc. Twelve new episodes are set to begin production this summer and premiere on SHOWTIME sometime in early 2008. The series was recently nominated for the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series.

"The L Word is a signature franchise for us and one of our most popular series," says Greenblatt. "This season's guest star Cybill Shepherd and new series regular Marlee Matlin are indicative of the show's great quality. With our launch of OurChart.com (a social networking site that grew directly out of The L Word), and the show's growing popularity in Second Life, this series goes well beyond the boundaries of a mere television show. Since its launch in 2004, the zeitgeist has never been the same."

The L Word, which premiered its fourth season on January 7th, is one of SHOWTIME's most popular series, generating a large and loyal audience, as well as critical praise for its provocative, sexy storylines, the principal cast and for being a magnet for celebrated directors and guest stars. Premiering Sundays at 10 p.m. PT/ET with several multi-plays during the week and available on the ever-growing SHOWTIME ON DEMAND, the groundbreaking series follows a group of Los Angeles-based friends as they navigate careers, families, friendships, inner-struggles and romantic entanglements. Since its debut in January 2004, The L Word has become part of American popular culture, spawning dedicated fan websites and blogs, along with ancillary products such as The L Word-branded perfume, jewelry and books.

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