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16 Mar 2007

TV or not TV: the L Word is the question

The US hit lesbian drama series, The L Word, is the most watched TV series by lesbians around the world from New York to Beijing to Kuala Lumpur. Dinah Gardner investigates the cause of this global lesbian phenomenon.

The L Word - the loopy lesbian TV show which has driven us mad with desire or despair for three seasons is well into its fourth incarnation in the States. Chinese-subtitled episodes are already floating around the web for Asia-based fans to download. This time around there are some treats in store and more hot dykes than you can shake a dildo at. We have lesbians as soldiers, vets, uber-lotharios, and mature mothers on top of the regular cast - literally.

Top (from left): Rachel Shelley as Helena Peabody, Katherine Moennig as Shane McCutcheon and out lesbian actress Leisha Hailey as Alice Pieszecki; above (top to bottom): Mia Kirshner as Jenny Schecter and Moennig (right); Kirshner and Sarah Shahi as Carmen (right) and Jennifer Beals as Bette Porter in the L Word.
Its success is unprecedented. It's hard to believe that a show that dwells almost exclusively on lesbians - nary a hot gay stud in sight to boost ratings - has become so popular. The show's cable network, Showtime, said they had "seen a ratings explosion in season three, the likes of which we would never have predicted. Clearly something has caught fire."

And it's not only in the States.

Norwegian dyke Miss E, who is researching lesbian culture in China says: "I think it's quite amazing how the L Word has become this global lesbian phenomenon.

"Dykes everywhere talk about who they like the most, who they want to be like, which of the characters they'd want to sleep with etc," she adds.

"They have L Word watching parties in New York, my friends in Oslo come together and watch it on TV, bars in New York show it, the [lesbian] salon in Beijing show the episodes... There's even this world convention!"

The show has been variously blasted for its haphazard writing, dubious plot-lines, inconsistent characters, and unlikely-looking dykes. So how come we're all going lala for the L Word?

First off is getting off.

The show has a surfeit of some of the hottest women on television - thanks to Jennifer Beals (Bette) and Rachel Shelley (Helena). Top that with some of the steamiest and realistic lesbian sex scenes ever recorded. Hands up who didn't wear down their rewind button replaying Shane's poolside strap-on sex?

Miss E also likes the ladies.

"The concentration of hot women on the show helps boost the quality rating," she says.

"I only watch The L Word for Jennifer Beals' sex scenes," offers one viewer cited by a US-based gay web portal.

Not everyone agrees. When the L Word first surfaced, its cast of fantasy dykes and glamour pusses was ridiculed for being unrepresentative of real gay women. The L Word world was this utopia of lipstick lesbians with the odd token butch thrown in for good measure.

"Too beautiful?" asks The Stud. "Only lesbians would come up with that complaint."

But it's in spite of that, that the show is so seductive.

"Who wants to watch dykes in Birkenstocks and plaid, hanging out in potlucks drinking tea?" argues Jockie, a Canadian-Chinese dyke, who starred as an extra in the show in season 3.

"It's a question of whether you want it to be hot or if you want it to reflect reality," she adds.

But it's not just the naked exposure that's good for us lesbians. It's having any exposure at all. Now we have a hit show where a whole palette of dykes - hot or not - juggle with issues that run the gamut from female-to-male sex change to lesbian parenting. It uses foxy chicks to smuggle lesbians and their lives into the mainstream.

"The L Word is the Trojan horse of lesbian TV rolled up with a bunch of chi chi dykes that we love to hate," laughs Jockie.

It's my bet that Greek mythology never dreamed it would be tied up in 21st century dyke politics. Although they did give us the isle of Lesbos.

And while the L Word actresses shimmy about the screen putting the lip gloss into lesbianism, it's their dyke-specific problems which makes the show so compelling to some viewers.

"The show touches on issues of our concern, such as having children, workplace romance, inter-racial dating, etc," says Ellen, a 20-something Hong Kong-American lesbian. "That sums up what I think a good lesbian show should be."

Despite the sloppy writing and the clumsy characterizations -Helena miraculously redeemed herself from conniving seductress to a tender-hearted pansy in the space of a season - the show gets its claws into stickier stuff than the tried-and-died dilemma of coming out to your parents. Take transmen's testosterone-induced sexual urges for gay men, for example. Although the show's writers didn't dig too deep into that one, Max's dildo rear entry into overt queeny fag, Billie Blaikie, went pretty far in.

Says Miss E: "For once [there's a show that] explicitly deals with themes and issues that lesbians face."

"[The] L Word is mixing entertainment and politics quite well too, such as introducing topics of sex change with Max, gay in the army with this new hot woman in series four, homophobia at work, and Tina's hetero-conversion," she adds.

For Jockie, the show just about muddles through.

"A good lesbian TV show should be hot, have good dialogue/plotlines and it has to have some activism element - a social conscience," she says. "The L Word satisfies these three requirements at various times but not all the time."

Sometimes the issues are closer to home.

"You see yourself reflected in it, in the issues raised," says the Stud. "When I first started watching it I was going through a grisly break-up. I felt an affinity with the characters."

And perhaps, in the end, that's all that we want. To see glam versions of ourselves in an impossible lesbian world, and to know that it's going to be alright in the end.

Failing that there's always the sex.

Reader's Comments

1. 2007-03-16 23:08  
i love L word. and yes. they are oh so glamorous! xD
2. 2007-03-17 01:25  
bette is a hot babe!!!
Comment #3 was deleted by its author
4. 2007-03-17 04:34  
as a gay guy.. i have to say tht 'the L word' is amazing...

i've the dvd box sets for the first three seasons, and i actually found myself with less sleep due to watching the episodes back to back. and dare i say, it's actually miles more entertaining than 'queer as folk'. if anything, it's defintely trendier than the camp and ultimately sterotypical QAF.

props to the maker of 'the L word'

ed
Comment #5 was deleted by its author
6. 2007-03-17 08:45  
This show was AWESOME. But seem like lack of CAST convention in ASIA.

Here the web: http://www.thelwordonline.com/main.html
7. 2007-03-17 09:52  
bette is definately my kinda lady.. ooo that security need.. plus that kinda corporate look and arrogance. that is what you call a women with power.
8. 2007-03-17 10:26  
jennifer beals definitely!
9. 2007-03-17 12:03  
oh my god!! i very love to watch this movie, is nice movie.... i LOVE shane,I LOVE carmen .... and i also LOVE PLU!!!! hope can wait season 4.....
10. 2007-03-17 12:12  
I love this show man!!
I borrowed the first 3 season fr my fren and I promised my gf that we will watch it together... guess wat... i'm oreadi at season 3 and my gf haven even statred! hahaha...
nah... my darlin gf is not angry...
Currently....I'm chasing season 4 on youtube!!
Great show!
11. 2007-03-17 13:28  
can anyone tell me where do i get the dvd of the L word in singapore??
12. 2007-03-17 15:10  
shoot me, but let's tell it like it is.

unrealistic, unrelate-able. my season 3 DVDs remain unopened. (Message me, if you really want it.a real waste of 40ringgit).


Certainly, it is a contemporary lesbian drama, but the very poor quality of script-writing lets down their cast.

Yes, the babes are hot. Yes, they are stylish (as i also aspire to be like them). Yes, the makeout scenes are great.

You want to be one of them.... But this is ...Asia.
13. 2007-03-17 15:44  
SHANE & CARMEN ROCKS!!!
love them both!!
14. 2007-03-17 16:26  
i totally heart all of them... haf all seasons dvds.. if onli spore haf such big les community... Alice & shane juz rocks my world
15. 2007-03-17 17:04  
First of all I agree what everyone said

Right the show is awesome most Lesbians would love watching (I love the script, the actress's accent) not to mention the hot women + sex = high ratings.

I think the L word showed some intelligence when they speak and it certainly is a big turn on for watching

After all, it is just an entertaining program no hard feelings?

I feel there is a 50% of reality an 50% fantasy.
Say how many could afford the luxury lifestyle right?

Still i say its worth the watch for entertainment purpose (;
16. 2007-03-17 17:17  
My tastes might swing towards men(I'm straight) but that doesn't stop me from thinking that the woman in a suit looks pretty hot. :p
17. 2007-03-17 18:28  
i love this movie.. i am waiting for season4.....
shane&carmen so cool.. i hope they can marry
18. 2007-03-17 20:34  
is it L Word or L World?
19. 2007-03-17 22:45  
GLTB shows does not need advertisments to tell you "Go watch this series, it's really good!" Without us being around, there won't be any of these creations!
China's lesbian going crazy buying & selling these on the local websites. I can't even get my hands on all the seasons!
So good to be lesbian!
20. 2007-03-18 01:52  
Kudos to the great producers, babelicious cast and good script writing. Like reality, the show does not have to be perfect nor custom to everyone's whimp and fancy. For those who have some winching to do, speak to 'Oprah', she might be interested coz we're not. And for those like myself who has awesome taste to appreciate a slice of good fashion and hot chicks, cheers to you and keep the L-word seasons coming!!!
21. 2007-03-18 02:48  
Lword is loveeeeeeeee
22. 2007-03-18 05:56  
Cant wait for seasons4 out man!! The best lesbian show to watch!! Must WATCH!!!
23. 2007-03-18 12:36  
You girls have to watch season 4, it is awesome and way too cool. Talking about it, I'm only left with a couple more episodes till it ends...LIFE DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AGAIN (heard they're producing season 5, so no worries).

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