The American series Queer As Folk aired from 2000 to 2005 on Showtime. It was based on a British TV series of the same name. The episodes followed a group of five gay friends living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Disclaimer
Every Showtime episode of the show was preceded by this 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."
Cultural Impact
The show's producers have said they were initially attracted to the idea of making Queer as Folk because it was thought to be impossible to adapt for American audiences. However, there were never serious organized protests of the show.
Cast members typically declined to discuss their actual sexuality, for fear of taking focus off of the show and their characters, though some have discussed their orientation publicly since the series finale in 2005.
The debut episode featured the first explicit simulated sex scene between two men in the history of American television.