The L Word follows a tight-knit friend group of lesbian women living in Los Angeles (L.A.). Created in 2004 by Michele Abbott, Ilene Chaiken, and Kathy Greenberg, the drama/romance is full of teeth-pulling plotlines and curveballs. If you are looking for a comedy, this isn’t the place because what The L Word has in lesbians, it lacks in humour. The first time I watched it, the lack of humour wasn’t an issue for me, but after rewatching it recently, I feel like it could use some comedic relief.
The themes in the show are gritty and tough, and without comedic relief, they can feel very heavy at times. Themes of love, lust, professional struggles, and friendship are prevalent throughout the show as we witness the aftermath of coming out, career scandals, backstabbing, and cheating. My first impression of this was great; I loved the drama and the realistic display of female friendship in the show. I realized, however, I was more fascinated by the theatrics and less by the cinema. It’s so evident this show is filmed in the 2000s, and I love it. It’s a simpler time, where people meet people by approaching them in public (who would’ve thought!).
The L Word has a large cast, but there are seven main characters who keep the show running. My all-time favourite is Bette Porter, who is played by Jennifer Beals and is an intelligent, driven lesbian. Porter is dating Tina Kennard, played by Laurel Holloman, who is a patient, sympathetic character. Porter and Kennard dated for seven years until Porter cheated on Kennard with a carpenter named Candace. This is in part due to Porter and Kennard’s relationship hitting a rough patch as they struggle with the aftermath of Kennard’s miscarriage.
Porter and Kennard’s relationship is fizzling out as they struggle with Kennard’s miscarriage. With this in mind, you’re probably thinking, Sona, why is she your favourite character? And I know the cheating isn’t painting her in the best light. But Porter is driven, caring, and struggles with control issues, which I find very relatable. She’s always dressed to impress, and she never lets anyone get in the way of what she wants.
Now that you’ve been introduced to my favourite, we can discuss my least favourite, who is the infamous Jenny Schecter. Schecter is introduced to the show with a long-term boyfriend; she moves to L.A. to work on her novel and be with him. Soon, she realizes her attraction to women when she spies on her neighbours and sees two girls hooking up in the pool. The neighbours happen to be Porter and Kennard, who are quite infamous for gallivanting naked with their friends in their pool. Schecter gets introduced to the group and falls head over heels for Marina Ferrer, the owner of the iconic lesbian hangout, the Planet. They end up making out at a party, and Schechter can’t get her out of her head. So, eventually, her relationship with her boyfriend falls apart when he finds Ferrer between her legs in her writing studio.
Ferrer is another one of my favourite characters because of her charm and confidence, which we find out in a later season is a facade after her alleged suicide attempt. But her role is important because of her ties to the Planet, the neighbourhood cafe where all the queers hang out. When she eventually leaves the show, it’s transformed into a hub for music performances and club nights by Porter’s recovering alcoholic sister, Kit. Kit plays a somewhat important role, as she takes over the lease and transforms it into an awesome venue. At the beginning of the show, she is straight, but by the end and after a few relapses, she joins the dark side.
This article wouldn’t be complete without talking about the token ‘butch’, Shane McCutcheon, who is infamous for cheating, lying, and sleeping with older women. McCutcheon is a heartbreaker who lacks ambition until she becomes a successful business owner and hairstylist. Her outlook on life is cynical, and she often acts emotionless to protect herself. McCutcheon has one of the most interesting character arcs as she becomes a caretaker for her younger brother and cleans up her act. I absolutely love her and wish I could be her simultaneously.
After watching The L Word an unhealthy number of times, I wish I had thought about it more critically at first. It’s really a one-of-a-kind show, and I was enthralled by the drama and interconnectivity of the queer world. Alice Peszecki, a radio show host and writer, creates a web of all the queer women in L.A. She draws parallels between everyone’s sexual endeavours and ends up making a website that becomes extremely popular. One thing about Peszecki is that she really commits to the bit. Her all-consuming crush/obsession with Dana Fairbanks was one of my favourite parts of the show.
Overall, if you haven’t watched The L Word, you should get started. But don’t be surprised when you don’t laugh because it is not funny. It’s gut-wrenching, dramatic, and outright candid. Despite their attractiveness, the cast will not be doing stand-up comedy anytime soon.