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Groundbreaking! Provocative!
Queer as Folk Season 1 DVD Box Set

NEW YORK ­ On January 8, 2002, Showtime Entertainment proudly presents the release of the complete 22-episode first season of the critically-acclaimed and highly-rated landmark SHOWTIME series Queer As Folk, one of the most courageous and daring series of all time.

Available for the first-time ever on video and DVD, Queer as Folk Season One will be presented in a special boxed collection featuring all 22 episodes in a 5-tape VHS set and a 6-disc Special Edition Collectors DVD set featuring almost three hours of extras including "Meet the Folk"—unique biographies on the eight key characters as described by the actors playing them, as well as filmographies on the actors and four producers; extended scenes with introduction by Hal Sparks; a gag reel of hilarious outtakes; a photo gallery put to music from the series; and special editions of episodes 1, 11 and 18 with commentary by the actors and producers. Both box sets, with a running time of 990 minutes, are available to own on January 8, 2002 for an SRP of $119.98. Showtime will make Gift Certificates available to consumers for Holiday gift giving through retail partners and via websites.

Based on Britain's controversial series of the same name, Queer As Folk is about the lives of a group of gay men and women living in Pittsburgh. Focusing on their relationships, their careers, their loves and ambitions, the series is a brave, realistic, funny and sometimes graphic portrayal of society that has never been seen before on U.S. television.

Stunning audiences with its graphic sexual content, provocative dialogue and unflinching portrait of an aspect of gay cultural life, Queer as Folk premiered on SHOWTIME in December 2000 and captivated critics and viewers alike, becoming the highest rated series on SHOWTIME (until the L Word, that is!).

SPECIAL DVD FEATURES
Queer as Folk Special Edition DVD Collectors Box will feature almost three hours of compelling value-added materials including:
*Special editions of episodes 1, 11 and 18 with actor and producer commentary
*A gag reel of hilarious outtakes
*Extended scenes with introduction by actor Hal Sparks
*A sneak peek at Season Two!
*"Meet the Folk" - unique biographies on the eight key characters as described by the actors playing them, as well as filmographies on the actors and producers
*Photo gallery put to music from the series
*Full motion menus *Scene access *Show bumpers *Widescreen format
*"At a Glance" - an index outlining the content on each disc
*DVD-ROM lock and key feature that will push users to the website where they can access special exclusive content with planned periodic updates
*CONSUMER SWEEPSTAKES & IN-PAK COUPON BOOK
*In conjunction with the DVD and VHS release, SHOWTIME Entertainment is conducting the "Queer as Folk" sweepstakes with several substantial prizes including a Subaru Outback, $10,000 of home furnishings from Mitchell Gold and many others. Another bonus for consumers who purchase Queer as Folk on VHS or DVD, is an in-pak coupon book with over $50 in savings on a broad spectrum of consumer products, including a $25 credit from Showtime with a new subscription (3 months of cable bills proof of purchase required).

SYNOPSIS
Queer as Folk is about the lives of a group of gay men and women living in Pittsburgh who, like anyone, are focused on their relationships, careers, loves and ambitions. The series is a realistic, funny and sometimes graphic portrayal of a minority community living in present-day society. It's not West Hollywood, it's not the Castro and it's not Chelsea. It may be a small world—a gay Main Street with a couple of bars, a disco, a few shops and a diner - but its reverberations are universal. Queer as Folk is an unapologetic celebration of life in its varied forms. And as always, in the differences we discover the similarities that make us all human.

Brian Kinney (Gale Harold), is a sexual animal, always on the prowl for his next conquest. Michael Novotny (Hal Sparks) is his best friend. Justin Taylor (Randy Harrison) is a 17-year-old boy whose life is changed one night when he experiences sex and what he thinks is love, for the first time. Emmett Honeycutt (Peter Paige) is the most flamboyant of his friends and wears it with pride. Ted Schmidt (Scott Lowell) is an accountant whose fatal flaw is a lust for 20-somethings who don't return his interest. Debbie Novotny (Sharon Gless) is Michael's eccentric mother—vehemently proud of her gay son. Dr. David Cameron (Chris Potter) is the dreamboat chiropractor who makes Michael forget about Brian, for a while. Lindsay Peterson (Thea Gill), an art teacher and Melanie Marcus (Michelle Clunie), a lawyer, are a loving lesbian couple who decide to have a child sired by Brian (whom Melanie despises), not realizing exactly how complicated and entwined their lives will become.

Queer As Folk is executive produced by Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman and Tony Jonas. Cowen & Lipman developed the series for American television based on the British series created by Russell T. Davies. Sheila Hockin serves as producer. Davies is a consultant on the SHOWTIME series from Tony Jonas Productions, Cowlip Productions and Temple Street Productions.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME, THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME TOO, SHOWTIME SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME, SHOWTIME BEYOND, SHOWTIME NEXT, SHOWTIME WOMEN, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE and TMC xtra. SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL, which is owned by SNI, Robert Redford and Universal Studios. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SET (Showtime Event Television) Pay Per View. Additionally, the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME EXTREME is available in Spain through a joint venture with Media Park and the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.

Rating: (on a scale of 1-5, with one being poor and five as excellent)
Queer as Folk Season 1

Queer as Folk Season 1 Box Set Street Date: January 8, 2002 Starring: Gale Harold, Hal Sparks, Randy Harrison, Sharon Gless Released: 2002 | Rated: NR Category: Television Drama Length: 990 min. + 3 hours bonus feature footage (DVD only) Retail: $119.98 (VHS/DVD) Amazon: $89.98 Format: VHS / DVD Click here to buy QUEER AS FOLK SEASON 1 Click here to buy from Wolfe Video

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