Official L Word Thread

[PennyW]

Originally Posted by Saxton

I doubt that Marina's character will be back. I read an article that said the actress wanted more money and the dispute was settled by writing her out of the series.

Have you seen this month's Advocate? It has Jennifer Beals on the cover It also has a small interview with Ilene Chalkin who says most definitely that the character of Marina will not be back. She wouldn't come out and say what happened, only that Karina Lombard had a different opinion on the direction the character should go.

I haven't watched last night's episode. Any improvement?

[ChrizJen]

OK, I have a few comments and observations...

The first is difficult to put into words, because it's more of a "feeling" type thing. But the best I can do is to say that when I watch, I get this uneasy, uncomfortable kind of restless feeling...
It's like nothing seems to be meshing this season. It's almost like there's no chemistry at all with any of the cast anymore! (with a few exceptions...which is probably why I love the Jenny/Moira thing so much. -Their relationship seems really GENUINE!)
There just seems to be a time bomb just ticking along waiting to explode! Like last night, that whole dinner thing was just wierd! It was awkward and uncomfortable. I coudn't put my finger on it last night...all I knew was that even beyond the tesion between Alice and Dana, the tension between Bette and Tina, and then Dana's unease about her breast situation (as if all of that wouldn't make for an uncomfortable enough situation) there STILL seemed to be more to it than those things...

And then this morning I figured out what it is that is really bothering me. It's the characters' treatment of Moira. It really disturbs me. I understand that we have a whole big group of ultra-femme, self-absorbed lesbians, but come on! They all act like they've never seen a butch before! They all looked at her like she was an alien! Are they really all so self-righteous and stuck in their own little worlds that they can't accept that Jenny might be interested in someone who's not "like them"??! Aside from Shane for the most part, they all acted like morons around Moira! And Moira's little stab with the lobster comment...could that have possibly gone over all of their heads? Nah....They are a relatively intelligent group of characters, right?...

But anyway, the little snide comments like Carmen saying "that's Jenny's GIRLfriend?!?!?!" (when they were going up the driveway to meet her) were really really bothering me. It's not enough that she has to deal with straight women in bathrooms who laugh and tell her she's in the wrong restroom, but she has to deal with people her own "community" (where she should feel safe to be herself) ridiculing her and ostricizing her!

I don't know. I guess I know that this stuff happens, that there really are still people in "the community" that look down on those who aren't like them, but we're all the same deep down right? I guess maybe it just rubbed me the wrong way...

but hey, you gotta have drama in the story line, right? There has to be conflict, otherwise it wouldn't be the L Word!!! So I guess I'll just lighten up!

So that's it! Happy Monday...
-Christal

[ntengwall]

Elavationist-
I LOVED you post "to" each of the characters--my setiments exactly! Except the part about Attachment Parenting We practice AP with our 3 boys and I can't imagine doing it any other way. Actually, with the first, we were not as "into" it (I couldn't ever see sleeping with our kids), but then my Griffin came along and he had NO intentions of every sleeping in a separate room behind bars! LOL We tried the whole cry-it-out method and it was truly painful for me and him.
Anyway...we were not as "strict" as Tina and Bette---yes, we did put them down, but we did do most of the other parts (co-sleeping, extended breastfeeding, sling-wearing etc...) and I have to say that we have 3 very secure and independent boys. People actually comment when we are out in public how nice our boys are to me and eachother and they wonder how we "made" them that way! LOL Funny thing is that all my friends who comment on their behavior and how kind they are also think I am crazy for co-sleeping, breastfeeding etc.. They see no connection between how I parent and how they act. Oh well, at the end of the day, I am the one with the well-adjusted, happy kids
Just try to keep an open mind--I always thought "those" AP people were weird before I had kids too

[Elevationist]

Originally Posted by ntengwall

Elavationist-
I LOVED you post "to" each of the characters--my setiments exactly! Except the part about Attachment Parenting We practice AP with our 3 boys and I can't imagine doing it any other way. Actually, with the first, we were not as "into" it (I couldn't ever see sleeping with our kids), but then my Griffin came along and he had NO intentions of every sleeping in a separate room behind bars! LOL We tried the whole cry-it-out method and it was truly painful for me and him.
Anyway...we were not as "strict" as Tina and Bette---yes, we did put them down, but we did do most of the other parts (co-sleeping, extended breastfeeding, sling-wearing etc...) and I have to say that we have 3 very secure and independent boys. People actually comment when we are out in public how nice our boys are to me and eachother and they wonder how we "made" them that way! LOL Funny thing is that all my friends who comment on their behavior and how kind they are also think I am crazy for co-sleeping, breastfeeding etc.. They see no connection between how I parent and how they act. Oh well, at the end of the day, I am the one with the well-adjusted, happy kids
Just try to keep an open mind--I always thought "those" AP people were weird before I had kids too

Oh, no offense intended! Actually after reading your comment a few others I've seen here and on oher forums, I can't help but wonder if the writers aren't (once again) at fault here. It seems to me that B/T apparently are extremeists when it comes to Attatchment Parenting (as I'm slowly learning more about it), so I'm left only to assume that (A) the writers really do want us to think Bette and Tina have lost their freakin' minds, or (B) the writers themselves really don't have a good grasp on what Attachment Parenting is really about, and thus are over-playing and portraying it a bit wrong.

Glad you weren't mad at my comments, though. I tend to be quite opinionated and vocal, but I hate the thought of hurting anybody's feelings. Your boys are beautiful, though! Looks like you're doing a wonderful job with them... So happy and healthy.

[T&KHayes]

Ok first off, We LOVE LOVE LOVE The L Word! Have watched since it began, and are big pushers! We are always like "Heyyy wanna come over and watch The L Word tonight????" We have gotten lots of our straight friends addicted too! lol But, as the show progresses it almost feels like it is turning into more of a dramatic comedy, heavy emphasis on the word comedy. I mean just like everyone else has been describing...the story lines even if they are a serious topic are so whacked out of normal proportions that it's hard to not laugh. I am not sure where I stand on the whole Moira thing. They haven't shown me enough of who she is yet to truly have an opinion of her character, however I was also appalled at the way the girls treated her. I mean lets face it I think we all have at some point in time dealt with people who either judge us by how we dress, act, talk, believe, love, live to know that it is not how we like to be treated. I think the show has an awesome opportunity here to turn this whole story line with Moira into something really good and I am hoping they grasp that. I know some lesbians who are judgemental of others who are either too butch, or not butch enough and I cry BS everytime I hear a comment. So here's hoping they turn it around.

OHHHHHHH Shane & Carmen....THE REAL reason we watch!!! How hot was Shane in her wifebeater and little boy short undies??? All I can say is there are better things to gobble up than just !

[Elevationist]

This weeks commentary....


GENERAL: I am SO SO SO disappointed in our ladies. ALL OF THEM. We all know why. The way they treated Moira was totally unacceptable. It made me ill. Shane, of course, made the most effort to be nice, but even that didn't even earn a passing grade. Just damn. I could sit here and write many paragraphs and call them all many many many names, but that wouldn't do anything but get me all worked up about this topic again. I just personally found their behavior completely deplorable. The end.

MOIRA: I feel so bad for her.

JENNY: Way to go with not making things awkward at dinner when Alice brought up you cutting and illness. I thought you handled that with a lot of class.

ALICE: Glad to see Alice is maybe getting a little less crazy. She actually looked pretty at Jenny's homecoming dinner. It's about time. Hope she doesn't lose her job, though. Yowch.

RANDOM: The nun scene at the beginning CRACKED ME UP. I couldn't stop laughing. But that's just my sense of humor for you, I guess.

DANA: Told you guys they were gonna drag this cancer diagnosis on forever.

LARA: You kinda bore me.

BETTE/TINA: Well, it seemed Tina had her priorities straight this episode. While I still have no love for Helena, I'm glad Tina took the job offer. She said it perfectly true... SOMEBODY needs to make a living in the house. Which reminds me... Bette annoys the crap out of me. Again, I could rant on her for the next 20 minutes, but I won't. Her little stunt at Jenny's dinner about made me blow a gasket, though.

KIT/ANGUS: Umm, okay. Weird, but whatever. Although he cleans up pretty nicely... I thought he looked like scuzzball on the first 2 episodes.

SHANE: Cut your hair. And then take Moira under your wing. She's obviously in culture shock, amongst being treated like an ALIEN by her psuedo-girlfriend's posse. Help her out.

CARMEN: You're kinda snooty. But you're still hot, so I still love you baby. Muah!

BILLY BOYD: You're Alan Cummings, so you're delightful as always. Please stay.

WRITERS: What is you people's problem? I swear to the Mouse, you guys better make this season deliver! I've waited too long!

[mickeysaver]

Originally Posted by Elevationist

Shane/Carmen: ...And speaking of! OMG. How hot was she doing her little dance for Shane in her lingerie? I about fell out of my chair, yes I did. Carmen, you are wonderfully gorgeous as always.

OMG, I have used the replay feature on my Tivo more than a few times over that little dance. She is a major hottie! Maggie

[mickeysaver]

Originally Posted by abminer

hey folks,
sorry but I just read this whole thread and I couldn't resist giving some insider info. I have met the actress who plays Moira a few times (her gf is close to a good pal of mine...). She used to be even cuter than she is now-she had blonde highlights and a goatee a few years ago. Anyway, I know her character will be around for at least a while since she was hired specifically so they'd have a character who transitioned from f to m over the course of the season. Sorry I don't have more dirt.

Thanks for the scoop, but why is it always assumed that a stone butch, or any butch wants to be a man? I just don't get that. I know a few female to male transexuals and only one of the bunch was a stone butch to start with. I know many other butches that are just as happy to be a woman as I am. Maggie....who is ok with being female except for that one bad week a month. lol

[Viki]

Ladies (and lads) is it just me, or was last night's episode just plain boring?

[Saxton]

Originally Posted by Viki

Ladies (and lads) is it just me, or was last night's episode just plain boring?

Viki - I just finished watching it (gotta love OnDemand!) and I kept waiting for something to happen. I will give Bette kudos for taking the high road with the senator but the whole Bette/Tina relationship is going nowhere very slowly. The scenes at the intro have me puzzled - I'm sure they will all tie together but do we have to wait until the end of the season to find out how they connect to the present? All I can say is ... more Carmen!

[mickeysaver]

Originally Posted by Viki

Ladies (and lads) is it just me, or was last night's episode just plain boring?

I was sitting on the edge of my seat when Bette almost kissed the Senator, but was so freakin' disappointed that Bette didn't just say "screw her" and then go for it after talking with Tina. The way that Tina is treating her shows that the love is gone as well as the respect. The whole Tina questioning her status as a lesbian, well, let's just say that there is a reason that I never trusted my heart to a bi chic more than once. I just don't get the whole bi thing.....(flame retardant undies on).....but that's another point of view for another thread.

The best moment of the whole night was when Alice's producer freaked out over Alice's sudden on air focus on the president's johnson. The "You are Dead to Me" sign and the head bang into the glass in the booth was the second best moment of the season. lol

I am very displeased that we are going to be subjected to that wacko that Shane dated last season that had all the money, the lesbian daughter, and the angry husband. If the writers screw up the Carmen Shane relationship, I swear this may be the end of our Showtime subscription. We only subscribe for The L Word as it is.

I am dreading the Dana cancer story line. I am dreading more of the season's teased story lines than I am looking forward to. This is not a way to get to season 4 folks.

To be completely honest, while I like the show, I preferred QAF. I guess that it might seem to be a little weird that a lesbian would choose a show about gay males over a show filled with lesbians, but the stories, for the most part were better and the characters were more fun. I guess it's a bit like my gripe over Disney 2D animation's demise. It wasn't the 2D art form that was letting the company down at the box office, for the most part, it was the lack of story and/or character development.

Maggie

[mickeem]

Viki,
I have to agree, Sunday's epidsode made me yawn. And it was only 45 minutes long... Good thing. I just kep saying, I dont want to watch this anymore....
They have to get over the Bette-Tina thing... We spent the entire season last year watching them waltz around each other, It looks like they are going to do that again...
I like Shane and Carmen, but at this point, they dont have a story line, they are always happy, I think the writers plan on shaking that up(looking at next week's preview).

And what was with all the weird lighting? I understand dramatic effects, and artsy directors, but what was with all the washed out scenes?? (Carmen in the kitchen cleaning the stove).

Oh well... I'm hooked now, so unless it gets so bad i need to turn it off, I'm gonna keep watching, and hoping the writers are going somewhere with this season...

At least Alice was funny in the episode.. Not soooo crazy..

Here's to next week.... (Holding up my Tim Horton's coffee-)(You Northerners will know what that is..)
(its too early for a martini....)
_____________________
Traci

[Viki]

Originally Posted by mickeem

(Holding up my Tim Horton's coffee-)(You Northerners will know what that is..)
(its too early for a martini....)
_____________________
Traci

Ya think?

[PennyW]

Just have to say that the tease of a Jennifer Beals/Dana Delaney hook-up made this old gal pretty happy Any China Beach fans out there?

We also only subscribe to Showtime for the L Word. All those movie channels, and never anything good on! Hopefully, the season will pick up some steam (more Carmen please) as the next few weeks go on.

[Saxton]

Traci - Tim was playing for the Sabres when he died. I wonder if most people even know who he was ... most probably just assume he's some mythical doughnut maker!

Viki - we know ... any time is martini time!