6th season of 'L Word' to be show's last

LOS ANGELES, March 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. cable television network Showtime announced this week it has renewed its lesbian drama "The L Word" for a sixth and final season.

Production is expected to resume in early summer, the network said.

"It has been a privilege to do this series and tell these stories and have these characters in my life and to share them with the show's passionate fans," Ilene Chaiken, creator and executive producer of "The L Word," said in a statement. "I am thrilled that Showtime has given us this final opportunity to conclude this journey we have all taken together."

"We are enormously proud of the legacy of 'The L Word,' a groundbreaking series that well surpassed its niche as a gay show," added Robert Greenblatt, Showtime's president of entertainment. "The title of the show became part of the lexicon, and the breadth and reach of the characters and story lines are a testament to the talent of Ilene Chaiken and her incredible cast. We have a strong tradition of shows that move beyond the stereotypes of lesbian and gay characters, and we are grateful to everyone involved with 'The L Word' who contributed to its legacy."