Hello, Boobs Tubers, and welcome to the week The L Word: Generation Q trailer finally dropped and was annotated in obsessive detail by our very own TV Team. Also, speaking of Bette Porter: a new episode of To L and Back. What else? Well, Carmen raved about the nerdy black girls we deserve finally showing up on Dear White People. Meg Jones Wall marveled at how well Bachelor in Paradise is handling the sexually fluid queer relationship. Kayla loved and also had a few questions about season three of GLOW. Nel recapped Pose‘s emotional season finale. And the TV Team shared all their gay feelings about Jane the Virgin, which is now all on Netflix.
Notes and Reminders from the TV Team:
+ This isn’t necessarily gay, but if you love watching actresses at the peak of their craft – I couldn’t recommend the last two weeks of Queen Sugar any higher. These last two episodes have been a masterclass from everyone. In particular, Bianca Lawson is giving one of the finest performances I’ve seen all year. Seriously, it’s phenomenal. And Nova is finally coming back around! — Carmen
+ Queer barbarian Yasha has been MIA on Critical Role lately (thanks for nothing Blindspot) but Beau continues to be a perfect lesbian disaster, and recently bisexual actress Mica Burton (daughter of beloved storyteller LaVar Burton) played a queer druid for a guest stint and I’m not totally caught up but SHE’S SO CUTE AND I LOVE HER and I just needed you to know it. — Valerie Anne
This Way Up Season One
Written by Drew
This Way Up, a new series on Hulu written by and starring Aisling Bea, joins what is quickly becoming my new favorite genre: six-episode British shows written by their female leads. Yes, television is a beautiful landscape with lots of different types of work, but if you put me on a desert island with only The Bisexual, Fleabag, Crashing, Catastrophe, Chewing Gum, and now This Way Up, I’d be like cool a desert island with a TV I love my life.
Before you get too excited, Aine, the protagonist of This Way Up is not gay. In fact, none of the main characters are. The only out queer character is Aine’s sister’s business partner, Charlotte. But, if you’re patient, I promise the show ends with a queer surprise! And if you read gayness into everyone like I do you’ll totally see it coming and the whole season will feel pretty gay.
It’s also very easy to be patient, because the show is just really good. The premise may not seem primed for comedy, as it begins with Aine returning from a mental health facility after a suicide attempt, but Bea has a talent for finding the moments of joy and absurdity within the difficulty of life. Aine is almost too good for the world as she cracks jokes and goes out of her way helping strangers and acquaintances… while letting down her sister, her friends, and herself.
The supporting cast is filled with talent such as Sharon Horgan, Kadiff Kirwan, Indira Varma, Chris Geere, and Aasif Mandvi. Good is such a simple word, but this show is just good, and I mean that in a deeper sense than quality. Its heart is so pure and its characters are always trying so hard. There isn’t even an antagonist. Just a lot of messy people trying their best to take care of themselves and be kind to one another. Sometimes they fail, sometimes they succeed, and it’s always a pleasure to watch.
Killjoys 505: A Bout, A Girl
Written by Valerie Anne
Let me tell you what, covering a show that airs on Friday nights for Boob Tube, a column that goes up Friday day, is extremely frustrating when an episode is amazing and you have to wait A FULL WEEK to shout about it. Episode 505 was my favorite episode of the season so far. It opens with Delle Seyah WITH A BOW AND ARROW. AND A SLEEVELESS LEATHER OUTFIT. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any gayer, Jaq starts asking about his other mother and Kendry says it hurts too much to talk about her. (And tries to explain to Jaq how she’s related to him by saying, and I quote, “Sometimes when a woman loves another woman very much, she keeps the human hybrid baby an evil man put inside her and promises to protect that boy forever.”
And after that we spend most of our time in the prison, so I thought the only futher gayness I was going to be able to report was how I had an entire gay panic attack when Dutch got herself entered into a prison fight and KICKED SO MUCH ASS. And of course you KNOW Dutch is strong and you KNOW Dutch is hot but it’s never been showcased quite as explicitly and lovingly and not in a kick-and-go kind of way and WHEW was it perfection.
But then! As the episode comes to a close and Archer!Kendry gives Jaq a beautiful speech about how much she loves him and gets him to the magic cube safely…a wild Aneela appears.
It’s weird to say “a sight for sore eyes” since TECHNICALLY her face has been everywhere BUT I STILL MISSED HER.
The pure, unadulterated joy and shock on Kendry’s face here is so new it’s almost alarming but wow does it make my heart do flips.
Delle Seyah falls to her knees in a literal sense, and I do the same in a metaphorical sense, relieved to the all hells that my Green Queens are back together again.
Why Women Kill 102: “I’d Like to Kill Ya, But I Just Washed my Hair”
Written by Natalie
Eli: So what can I do to help?
Taylor and Jade: Absolutely nothing.
So, first things first: if you’re intrigued by the prospect of stepping into the simultaneous lives of a 1960s Pasadena housewife, a 1980s socialite and a modern-day polyamorous bisexual lawyer, CBS All Access has made the first episode of Why Women Kill available for free. Or if you just want to relive Kirby Howell-Baptiste telling her contractor that her dick is bigger than his over and over again, you can do that now too.
But onto this week: Taylor, Eli and Jade are enjoying some takeout and wine when Eli asks about how the pair met. Taylor explains she was shopping for bras — lingerie that he assumes was for his benefit but wasn’t — when her zipper got stuck and she asked Jade for help. One thing led to another and they hooked up, for the first time, in the dressing room. Eli savors the story until he discovers that their relationship is months old, not weeks, as Taylor had said. At first, he seems upset, hastily excusing himself to get pie, but when he slides his white, pasty bare ass into the Jacuzzi with them later, it’s clear what Eli’s motives are. Thankfully, Taylor’s more than willing to call him on his bullshit.
“You thought if you left Jade and I alone to get comfortable, we’d get a little loose, a little frisky, and then you could just slide right in and the three of us would fuck the night away,” she says. Eli admits that she’s right and begs her for a threesome. Taylor’s reluctant, at first, but when Jade says she’s game, they follow her up to the bedroom.
I groan audibly as it starts, I know how this is gonna go. Eli, with his self-satisfied smirk, knows how this is gonna go. But, as it turns out, both Eli and I are wrong…sure, he gets to have his fantasy fulfilled, but it feels like a formality…like it was a chore that Taylor and Jade needed to do in order to do what they really wanted to do: have sex with each other. Eli tries to help but the women push him out of bed and take care of themselves. When he returns to the room later — tired of waiting for them to come downstairs for pie à la mode — Eli spots his wife gently caressing her lover and he realizes the mess that he’s made.
Later, Taylor finds Eli sulking and asks what’s wrong. He responds by asking if she’s in love with Jade and when Taylor doesn’t answer right away, he takes her silence as a yes. She obfuscates by appealing to his insecurity about his career and assures him that, while Jade’s more than a hook-up, he’s the only love in her life. Eli accepts her defense and rushes off to the kitchen to get the pie, leaving a guilty looking Taylor staring out the window of her Pasadena home.
BN90210 103: “The Photo Shoot”
Written by Carmen
This is literally how I look at my phone when I’m trying to figure out what Tik Tok is. Welcome to Club Olds.
Well, let me tell you one thing: Gabrielle Carteris’ husband did NOT take her big coming out the way any of us had hoped, that’s for sure. And yes, for sure, finding out your wife of at least 20 years is queer would surprise most cis straight middle aged men, but c’mon! His outrage ranges from the biphobic (“You’re into women? I’m not a woman!” – way to make assumptions there, my guy) to the incredulous. Honestly, if Gabrielle divorced him at this point, I’d be fine with it. But she says he is her best friend and I do want whatever is best for, so I hope they work it out. I guess.
MEANWHILE there’s a couple of fun cameos this week! The cast’s group therapist was also the mom of one of the characters (please don’t ask me who) in the original series. Also, last week we met a producer who used to be in the cast, but I didn’t pay attention. Now I’m fully invested because it turns out this person is here and queer and proud of it! Her name is Christine Elise and she’s hot. If you’re the kind of gay who is into P!nk or that one Dixie Chick, you are going to find your needs very satisfied here. Anyone wants to tell me who hot producer Christine Elise played in the original series, I would super appreciate it.
Hot producer Christine Elise is very interested in Gabrielle’s (ahem, excuse me, Andrea’s) coming out arc in the reboot. She tells Gabrielle to cut the shit – she knows a IRL gay when she sees one. And then this is super cute! Gabrielle pulls out a notebook to interview Christine about what it’s like to be gay for “research” for her “character”! Christine recommends putting down the notebook and hitting the club – or at least getting on some apps! – because some experiences can only happen for yourself.
The episode ends with Christine visiting Gabrielle on set. Gabrielle hasn’t had much luck on the apps yet, but Christine boosts her confidence. Lots of babes are going to want to date her, and sure enough Christine is one of those babes. Let’s do this.
(Also, drumroll please! SHANNEN DOHERTY IS OFFICIAL BACK! I know this – wherever Shannen is, diva drama surely follows, and I for one cannot wait!)
Grand Hotel 110: “Suite Little Lies”
Written by Carmen
❤️❤️❤️
It’s been a while since we caught up with Yoli, and here’s what she has been up to: Her father is some kind of Bernie Madoff who made a lot of money conning rich people in pyramid schemes. For most of Yoli’s life, he’s been on the run from the Feds. Now he’s back and Yoli (along with Carolina) have been hiding him in the hotel. It’s over the top and messy, but whatever, we all knew what we signed up for when we started this show.
Yoli wants Marisa to meet her felon dad, but her girlfriend is very resistant to the entire ordeal. When Yoli ponders leaving the country with her dad for while so he can find safety, Marisa fully freaks out. She can’t handle this. She didn’t fall in love with Yoli to become some part of a criminal enterprise!
It turns out that the reason Marisa is weary of Yoli’s rich people legal troubles is because she’s undocumented. Her family left Colombia when she was four. Yoli might be “playing” lawbreaker to help her dad, but she has the resources to be safe. Marisa most certainly does not. She begs Yoli not to spread her secret; she’s never told anyone before who wasn’t her family.
Yoli looks her in her eyes and gently strokes the side of her face, “I guess that makes me your family now.”
Keeping it real, I can’t imagine that Grand Hotel is getting renewed by ABC (but wow do I hope I’m wrong). That said, it’s soapy and deliciously good. If you live at an intersection where you loved Desperate Housewives or Mistresses AND Jane the Virgin, I PROMISE you will find a delightfully mindless way to spend a few late summer hours. Give yourself this treat before its too late.
“ Or if you just want to relive Kirby Howell-Baptiste telling her contractor that her dick is bigger than his over and over again, you can do that now too.”. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANT THANK YOU VERY MUCH
I can and I did do that! Just now!
Killjoys final season is a gift so far. Loved Delle Seyah giving Oliver Queen a run for his money this episode.
I was caught up in the fact she was running around the woods in heels?!
“Batwoman” has a new trailer that’s much better than their previous ones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CynXlFIdrTY
Thank you for sharing this
Obviously this is none of my business, but here’s my meta conspiracy theory: Real Life Gabrielle Carteris is using this storyline in the same way that Fake Gabrielle Carteris is using Andrea’s storyline. Essentially: Real Life Gabrielle is realizing she’s queer (which again, I know is none of my business, but a little specugaytion never hurt) and suggested a storyline in which Fake Gabrielle realizes she’s queer and explores it via Andrea coming out as queer. It’s complicated and irrational and I’m not convinced it’s wrong.
Christine Elise played crazy Emily Valentine on the original Beverly Hills 90210. She dated Brandon (and Jason Priestley in real life) but became super stalkery and doused the homecoming float with gasoline but was stopped before she could torch it. She came back in later seasons much saner.
Oooooh that’s fascinating!!
Glad to see others watched ‘This Way Up’!
I am not getting good vibes from Jade, I fear that she is gonna turned into a evil bisexual stereotype and turn out to be the one who kills Eli, because she wants to be with Taylor – which is still better than my worst fear coming true: they are gonna do a Purge on us.
Yeah, while I love the show in general, I’ve got a wary feeling on the Jade storyline, too. Which is too bad, as I love both Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Alexandra Daddario – why can’t they have a happy ending? :(
My gut tells me that either Jade or Taylor is going to die but I can’t/won’t accept it.