Red Shoe Diaries was an erotic / drama series that aired on the American cable television network Showtime from 1992 to 1999 and distributed by Playboy Entertainment overseas. Most episodes were directed by either Zalman King, Rafael Eisenman or both. The episodes always open with a quick montage of a newspaper personals section ad under 'Red Shoes' seeking women to mail in their personal diaries with stories of love, passion and/or betrayal.' The presenter / host Jake Winters (David Duchovny) is then shown walking on desolate train tracks with his dog Stella. He begins reading a letter from his post office box out loud that begins with Dear red shoes …. Storylines usually have a thin plot revolving around some intrigue and the sexual awakening of a girl or woman who often also narrates. Well photographed, artful, sensuous love scenes with nudity as well as sultry, moody music are characteristic of most episodes. There is no story arc or characters connecting the different stories other than Jake Winters introducing each episode. This series was considered by some to be softcore pornographic television when introduced and this may have added to its initial appeal. The Showtime series led to two spin-off movies:
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Red Shoe Diaries-film (1992)
Directed by Zalman King, starring: David Duchovny, Brigitte Bako and Billy Wirth. The film was released after the Showtime cable TV series started, but it is a prequel to them. The movie's plot is more substantial than that of the cable TV episodes; the storyline covers the developments that lead to Jake Winters running the 'Red Shoes' personal ad. The film starts with a funeral for his fiancee; later, as he is packing her things, he reads her diary and discovers that she was unfaithful to him. She committed suicide after beginning an affair with a construction worker who gave her a gift of sexy red shoes. In the television episodes, "Jake" attempts to glean insights into issues of sex, love and fidelity by buying the stories of women who respond to a personal ad asking if they have betrayed a lover or have been betrayed. Some of the episode story arcs, however, do not involve either types. The Red Shoe Diaries episodes are still running on the Canadian Television station "SHOWCASE" Late Friday nights during their "Friday's without Borders" programming. From time to time, can be viewed on on Showtime and are also available for sale on DVD.
Full List of Episodes
Season 1
- Safe Sex
- Double Dare
- You Have the Right to Remain Silent
- Talk to Me Baby
Season 2
- Auto Erotica
- Just Like That
- Accidents Happen aka The Fling
- Another Woman's Lipstick
- The Bounty Hunter
- Night of Abandon
- Weekend Pass
- Double or Nothing
- Naked in the Moonlight
- Midnight Bells
- How I Met My Husband
- Hotline
- Jake's Story
Season 3
- Runway
- Borders of Salt
- Burning Up
- Liar's Tale
- In the Blink of an Eye
- The Psychiatrist
- Four on the Floor
- The Game
- Some Things Never Change
- Like Father Like Son
- Gina
- Girl on a Bike
- You Make Me Want to Wear Dresses
Season 4
- The Cake
- Written Word
- The Last Motel
- Alphabet Girl
- Tears
- The Art of Loneliness
- Luscious Lola
- Love at First Sight
- Billy Bar
- Hard Labor
- Caged Bird
- Mercy
- The Ex
- Juarez
- Jump
- Slow Train
Season 5
- Divorce, Divorce
- The Forbidden Zone
- Emily's Dance
- Carried Away
- Kidnap
- Jealousy
- The Boxer
- Farmer's Daughter
- Strip Poker
- Dime a Dance
- Cowboy, Cowboy
- Details
- Banished
Season 6
- As She Wishes
- Swimming Naked
- Weightless
- The Teacher
- Temple of Flesh
- The Picnic
- Laundrymat


