In a scene from ‘Cucumber,’ cast members (left to right): Peter Caulfield (Francisco), Vincent Franklin (main character Henry Best) and Cyril Nri (Lance Sullivan, Henry’s partner). Photo Credit: Courtesy Logo TV.

The creator of the U.K.’s original “Queer as Folk,” which spawned a five-season U.S. hit for Showtime, is back in the gay TV game again. Premiering on Logo on April 13, writer Russell T Davies’ “Cucumber” and “Banana” are getting rave reviews for their unique and interlinked storylines. The shows will debut on Logo at 10 p.m. on April 13, following “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

“Cucumber” and “Banana” are TV’s first two standalone series featuring parallel and interlinked stories and characters.

The hour-long “Cucumber” follows the lives of Henry Best and his boyfriend of nine years, Lance Sullivan. The half-hour “Banana” follows the individual lives of a diverse cast of younger characters orbiting Henry’s world. The latter is presented as an anthology of separate, linked tales of modern love — “the romantic, the obsessed, the hopeful, the lonely, the lost and the lucky,” according to a press release. Both TV series are set in Manchester, England.

In a release, Davies, also known for his work on “Doctor Who,” said: ”It’s an honour and delight to team up with Logo for these brand new dramas. It’s 16 years since I created ‘Queer As Folk,’ which means I’ve had 16 years to build up new characters, new stories, and new insights into our lives. Across both series, we explore gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender stories, as well as love beyond labels — this is 50 shades of gay, and beyond!”

The cast of ‘Banana’ (right to left): Hannah John-Kamen (Violet), Georgia Henshaw (Sian Moore), Mike Coombes (Meatballs), Letitia Wright (Scottie), Fisayo Akinade (Dean Monroe). Photo Credit: Courtesy Logo TV.
The cast of ‘Banana’ (right to left): Hannah John-Kamen (Violet), Georgia Henshaw (Sian Moore), Mike Coombes (Meatballs), Letitia Wright (Scottie), Fisayo Akinade (Dean Monroe).
Photo Credit: Courtesy Logo TV.

The two series were originally produced by Channel 4 and are being co-produced in the U.S. by Logo TV and BBC Worldwide North America.

According to a release, the two series star: Vincent Franklin, known for his work in the BBC’s “The Thick of It” and “Twenty Twelve” as well as films including “The Bourne Identity” and “The Illusionist,” joins Julie Hesmondhalgh (“Coronation Street”), Freddie Fox (“Pride,” “The Three Musketeers”), Cyril Nri (“The Bill”) and James Murray (“Defiance”) in the cast, which also features up and coming talent including Fisayo Akinade in his first major TV role, Kamen (“Killjoys”), Andrew Hayden-Smith (“Doctor Who”), Luke Newberry (“In the Hannah John-Flesh”), Letitia Wright (“Top Boy”), Georgia Henshaw (“Waterloo Road”) and comedian Bethany Black in her television debut. : :

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Matt Comer

Matt Comer previously served as editor from October 2007 through August 2015 and as a staff writer afterward in 2016.