Showcase and its digital offshoots Diva and Action are prepping to air their May offerings. On Showcase itself, Queer as Folk, the barrier-breaking gay-themed soap, is returning for its fifth and final season May 23. The show will run Mondays at 10 p.m. Highlights will include guest appearances by Cyndi Lauper and Rosie O’Donnell. The audience, oddly enough, is ‘open-minded, urban women 18-49,’ says Zach Feldberg, communications and marketing co-ordinator dramatic networks at Showcase owner Alliance Atlantis, although there is also much anecdotal evidence that gay men have embraced the show.

The action on Action includes the Get Out of Jail Festival running the week of May 22 at 9 p.m. Fare includes such gems as Cool Hand Luke on Thursday May 26. Target aud is men 18-34. Meanwhile, sassy sister station Diva is serving up the Love on the Run Festival the weekend of May 28-29 with chick flicks like Witness with hunky Harrison Ford on Sunday at 11 p.m. The net hopes women 25-34 will tune in.