Showcase has begun streaming weekly episodes of two fan favourites online. The first three seasons of Queer as Folk began on Monday, and season five of The L Word (pictured) will appear online the day after each episode is broadcast on air (www.showcase.ca/queer).

In its fifth season, The L Word will continue to examine the romantic, professional and social exploits of a group of Los Angeles women – some straight, some gay. Series regular Marlee Matlin will return, and Cybill Shepherd will guest star.

February premieres on Showcase include Damages, a 13×60 legal thriller set in a top NYC law firm and starring Glenn Close, Ted Danson and Tate Donovan. The series will take the 10 pm ET/PT time slot beginning Feb. 18.

Beginning the same night, in the 11 pm ET/PT slot, is Tittybangbang. The Canadian debut of a zany BBC sketch comedy includes seasons two and three (14×30).

Season two of Saxondale will have its Canadian premiere on Feb. 26 at 11:30 pm ET/PT. Steve Coogan plays a guy who’s ‘been through the rock and roll mill and lived to tell the tale’ in the 6×30 series.

Over on Showcase Diva, beginning Jan. 17 at 9:30 pm, there’s The Bad Girls Club. Fulfilling the net’s ‘guilty pleasures’ mandate, the reality series about women trying to get along in an L.A. mansion is described by Marni Shulman Tucker, the net’s VP of content, as ‘fascinating to watch as these women attempt to redeem themselves and make an effort to get along with other strong women.’

The 20×30 series was the highest rated prime-time series ever among women 18-49 when it ran in the US on the Oxygen channel last year.