What Happened to The L Word?
I started watching The L Word when friends recommended it. I loved the soapyness, the drama, the comedy, even when it edged on cheesiness. I loved the actors--all are superb, and I have a hetero crush on Kate Moennig as lady-killer Shane--and the story lines were provocative, slightly fantastical, but almost always true to LA lesbian life. (I have enough sapphic sisters in my life to know.)
Then this season...sigh. What happened?
Season 3 starts with a complete role reversal of the couple that anchors the series, Bette and Tina. Bette is alpha female, caustic, hard-charging, ocassionally insensitive, but has a big, warm heart and good intentions. Her partner Tina, pushed away by Bette's coldness and infidelity, eventually returns and they have a baby (thanks to a sperm donor and Tina's womb).
This season? Bette is going on meditation retreats and Tina is a cold, hard bitch having an affair with a man.
How many people have an extreme personality change in a year?
Shane, the loverboy of the group, is attempting (yawn) monogamy with the naggy Carmen; the Cutest Couple Ever, Alice (the comic of the group) and Dana (the dork of the group), are broken up; oh, and Dana dies.
Dana dies of cancer. From start to finish the whole shebang took about 3 months in "real" time, if I'm following the episodes correctly. Despite being a pro tennis player with the best medical care, they didn't know the cancer spread until after her mastectomy.
Excuse me?
The excellent recaps on afterellen.com reflect the vehement and hands-thrown-in-the-air attitude of the message boards on Televisionwithoutpity.com, and rightly so. What happened to the sudsy, decadently filmed, well acted mishmash of love, lust, and comedy? It's soooo depressing. And killing Dana? What???
In the super serious PSA after the Death to Dana episode, the VO claims this "Groundbreaking" episode of television brought to light one of the most serious cancers known to woman--the most serious, in fact. First of all, you don't need to kill a favorite character to make a point. Second of all--might it be a wee bit more inspiring to show Dana SURVIVE?
Instead, creator Ilene Chaiken smirks piously at the camera and says that these things just happen in life, that's all...and the story line kind of wrote itself...or something like that.
The chat room's response? FUIC!
Bleh.
Then this season...sigh. What happened?
Season 3 starts with a complete role reversal of the couple that anchors the series, Bette and Tina. Bette is alpha female, caustic, hard-charging, ocassionally insensitive, but has a big, warm heart and good intentions. Her partner Tina, pushed away by Bette's coldness and infidelity, eventually returns and they have a baby (thanks to a sperm donor and Tina's womb).
This season? Bette is going on meditation retreats and Tina is a cold, hard bitch having an affair with a man.
How many people have an extreme personality change in a year?
Shane, the loverboy of the group, is attempting (yawn) monogamy with the naggy Carmen; the Cutest Couple Ever, Alice (the comic of the group) and Dana (the dork of the group), are broken up; oh, and Dana dies.
Dana dies of cancer. From start to finish the whole shebang took about 3 months in "real" time, if I'm following the episodes correctly. Despite being a pro tennis player with the best medical care, they didn't know the cancer spread until after her mastectomy.
Excuse me?
The excellent recaps on afterellen.com reflect the vehement and hands-thrown-in-the-air attitude of the message boards on Televisionwithoutpity.com, and rightly so. What happened to the sudsy, decadently filmed, well acted mishmash of love, lust, and comedy? It's soooo depressing. And killing Dana? What???
In the super serious PSA after the Death to Dana episode, the VO claims this "Groundbreaking" episode of television brought to light one of the most serious cancers known to woman--the most serious, in fact. First of all, you don't need to kill a favorite character to make a point. Second of all--might it be a wee bit more inspiring to show Dana SURVIVE?
Instead, creator Ilene Chaiken smirks piously at the camera and says that these things just happen in life, that's all...and the story line kind of wrote itself...or something like that.
The chat room's response? FUIC!
Bleh.
posted by Bunny @ 5:13 PM
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