The L Word

The L Word is one of the most original shows I've ever seen. It's the only real lesbian show ever made. It's breaks down stereotypes, and shows you that not all lesbians are butch. It deals with real issues that lesbians have, but at the same time maintains its humor (some of the one liners are hilarious). It's not trying to be perfect or overly explicit (although the sex scenes are nowhere near self-conscious). The women on the show are all gorgeous and very talented. The acting is the most solid part of the show. Some of the characters show so much emotion with so little dialogue (like my personal favorite, Marina, played by Karina Lomabrd). The show has no limitations. Pretty much every boundary was crossed by the end of the first episode, and that's a good thing. This is by far my favorite show, and if you haven't seen it you really should. Gay or straight, you'll love it.

My only complaint is that Karina isn't coming back for season 2. Hopefully she'll be back for future seasons.

I have watched this show since the first episode and thought okay the writing is a little sophomoric and the story lines are forced and clichéd but lets see how it evolves let it hit its stride. The second season arrived and unfortunately, the show got worse with every episode. The story lines were boring there were no plot twists that I could not see coming from a mile away. The only chemistry that exists on the show and really the only thing worth watching is Alice and Dana's over the top and fun filled relationship, besides that I was bored to tears and not interested in any of the characters. One of the worst scenes ever was the "gabfest" with Gloria Steinem, it was so forced and boring they were trying capture the girl talk of "sex and the city" and it just didn't happen, it did not even come close. I mean god bless on-demand, I can fast forward through the drudgery of whining jenny and the continuous Shane worshiping. The simple truth is if you take away the the lesbian sex shock value and the show is nothing. it is one of the most over rated shows on TV, Just a bunch of shallow uninteresting characters in stupid,inconceivable and unbelievable story lines.

This emotionally daring show centers not only on gay issues but a bit more to a relationship than sex… All the characters are complex but instantly likable…The nudity is not exhibited in a gratuitous manner, it is shown as part of the thoughts and feelings of the characters…

The main characters are:

Bette and Tina, a life partners who have been together for seven years… They have the best relationship of anybody gay or straight… They are about to do an incredibly major thing…

Into this mix comes Shane, a girl with short black hair who doesn't get involved with anybody; Alice, the bisexual writer who has one conviction that we're all connected through love, through loneliness, through one tiny, lamentable lapse in judgment; Dana who refuses to accept that whether you're gay, or you're straight, or you're bisexual, you just go with the flow; Jenny who has her world turned upside down when she met, at a party, the most stunning woman she had ever seen; Marina the owner of the little café who doesn't think she has done something wrong; and Kit, the lady with the flashing eyes, who has always wanted to have a place where musicians could come and jam and get much love...

As Bette, Jennifer Beals is a very well-rounded individual... She keeps replaying it over and over again in her head, just trying to figure out the exact moment when she could have stopped herself...

As Tina, Laurel Holloman gets the feeling from Bette that she's so proud to be with her, and she makes her feel really safe and loved…

As Shane, Katherine Moennig is amazing… She is an unattainable beauty who practices sex with no emotional entanglements...

As Alice, Leisha Hailey is constantly complaining about feeling sluggish… She ends up with the most complicated interpretation of sexual identity she's ever encountered…

Mia Kirshner gives the picture of togetherness and sanity to Jenny… She's beautiful and that compensates for a multitude of sins… While she is truly in love with Tim her increasing fascination with Marina permits her life to be wrecked with supposition…

Karina Lombard is definitely beautiful, sophisticated and hot as Marina… The really thing about her character is when she focuses on Jenny we truly feel that Jenny is the only human being that exists for her…

Erin Daniels knows that she is gay but is indecisive to reveal it…

Lolita Davidovitch is not exactly an innocent bystander… She tries to make others jealous in order to find the others desirable…

Rosanna Arquette never felt more alive than she has in the last 20 years of her life… But would she leave her husband, her child, her houses, her trips to Paris, her black-tie galas to run to some rank little love nest with a nice assistant hairdresser who barely has her foot in the door?

Much could be said about every character… Each actress takes on controversial subject while still injecting true different feelings

I was excited to learn of the new Lesbian drama to come out last January as a new Showtime original series. Already being a big fan of QAF I was interested in seeing a show focused primarily on gay women instead of gay men. I believe Showtime made a good choice bringing "The L Word" to its viewers because it now balances out for both gay and lesbian individuals. Although I watched QAF I always felt I had not a lot to relate to. Mel and Lindsey are two great characters but the show does not focus a lot on them. "The L Word' fills that void. Each character brings new life to the show and the actresses and actors who play them are all very talented and intriguing. With each episode you find yourself more and more captivated and developed into the characters and their lives. It is sometimes frustrating having to wait a whole week just to find out what will happen next. This is without a doubt my Favorite show and I am so happy to finally have something to watch and be able to identify with to some degree. My life is really nothing like what is presented in the show, but it is fiction. It is not meant to be like real life. That would be too boring. The show touches base with many serious issues facing gays and lesbians today in our country and at the same time makes you laugh. These women are HOT and SEXY and Alice(Leisha Haley) brings just the right amount of humor to the show. All of the actresses bring such an energy across the screen. They work well together and you can tell they all have fun making each scene. This applies more to Leisha Haley, Kate Moening and Erin Daniels (Alice, Shane and Dana) Every scene which involves the three of them is sure to have you laughing. Bette and Tina (Jennifer Beals)(Laurel Hollowman)do a great job bring their characters to life and it is their characters, I feel, which make the show interesting. Through the season you see their relationship grow and change. Every week I had to watch and see what was going on with them. Jenny and Marina (Mia Kirshner)(Karina Lombard)display the thrill and and fear of two women coming together. I enjoyed watching these two because it reminded me of my own coming out story, watching Jenny go through all of the emotions. Through the first season you see Jenny grow and develop more than any other character. This is a great show and I believe many people can relate.

I find it interesting that someone who only watched one episode could make such a broad statement of an entire season of episodes. I've watched the whole thing. It's more than worth watching a bunch of straight women (with the exclusion of, I believe, one or two of the actors) believably pull off a lesbian role. It's unabashedly a lesbian show. Written by, as I understand, mostly lesbian writers for a mostly lesbian audience. The lesbian community has been under represented for far too long. While there are some short comings in the script, the acting is hardly bad. In fact, it's the shows subtleties that give it the life it has. These are situations and representations of people who could exist in real life. As the show progresses, it is almost certain to be inclusive to most if not all lesbian life styles. Give it more than one episode, and try to watch it from beginning to end. As a 20 something lesbian myself, I find it a relief to have such an involved show with an excellent cast. You don't have to be a major name in acting to have talent worth watching!! On an end note, I wouldn't mind seeing the writers get into the possibility of an second generation homosexual character... just a thought.