We finally made it! It’s the end of the month!

First, this week we said goodbye to the first season of The L Word: Generation Q and whew we did so with a flourish! There were FIVE POSTS about the show this week alone! Here’s what you missed:

• • Riese wrote the final recap; Drew and Annalyssa hosted the final podcast
  • The TV Team ran down our favorite ‘ships and sex scenes (Spoiler: We all love #Sinley except for one person… wanna guess who that is?)
  • The Speakeasy had a conversation you won’t find anywhere else on the internet right now: Nine Queer Writers of Color on “Generation Q” and The L Word’s Legacy of Whiteness
  • Then the TV Team got back together to dissect all of the best and worst storylines from Season One and what we hope changes before Season Two gets underway

In other parts of the TV World, we hosted a roundtable about how dang much we love She-Ra. Heather called Fortune Feimster’s new Netflix comedy special “Sweet and Salty” a love letter to lesbian tomboys. Kayla watched the new season of the Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina and deemed it a muddled, but still magical, mess. Then Winn returned for a very special episode of Supergirl. Kayla wondered is she’s the only one who remembers that Cheryl and Toni exist on Riverdale. Alice learned some good lesbian boundaries on Good Trouble. Edie Falco is brilliant as LA’s lesbian police chief in Tommy. And last but not least, Drew wrote a beautifully personal farewell to the first season of Work in Progress. 

Notes from the TV Team: 

+ I must admit, I’ve been disappointed with Deputy thus far, particularly Bex Taylor-Kaus’ limited role in it. Their appearance in last night’s episode (“10-8 Black & Blue”) was frustratingly brief, but Bishop returns home to find that Genevieve’s found old pictures of a more feminine presenting Brianna Bishop in boxes from DC. Genevieve leaves a flirty note — “who is this cutie?” — but Bishop’s reaction to it hints at a forthcoming storyline about Bishop’s gender presentation. — Natalie

+ Cupid (or something like him) was on Legacies this week but Josie is trapped in a prison world so her and Hope couldn’t explore their feelings for each other via magical means and I am SAD ABOUT IT. — Valerie Anne

All American 210: “Protect Ya Neck”

Written by Natalie

The title of this episode left me a little paranoid. Without Preach’s protection, Coop is as vulnerable to Tyrone as she’s ever been so I watched the episode on high alert, anticipating the moment trouble would darken Coop’s door. And it does, eventually, both in the way that I expect and in one that I don’t.

Despite the looming threat against her, Coop just wants to embrace some sense of normalcy. She invites Patience to accompany her to Olivia’s cotillion — it’s a “free gay prom,” Coop says, which is not how I’d describe the cotillions I’ve been to — so that they can have some fun. Patience is reluctant at first but ultimately agrees. But Coop’s excitement is muted by the arrival of Patience’s old friend, Luna, who’s in town for the cotillion. Coop is immediately jealous about their rapport and dismayed that Patience never told her friend about their relationship. Later, the couple meets in the park to talk about Luna but the chasm between them only grows deeper. Turns out, Luna and Patience are exes and the omission feeds into Coop’s paranoia about what’s going on between them.

The couple put aside their issues and attend the “free gay prom” together, with Coop’s mom happily snapping pictures of them together. Coop’s annoyed by her mom’s attentiveness but Patience reminds her how remarkable it is, “You do appreciate what’s going on here, don’t you? Your mom, the woman who threw you out of her house, is now playing paparazzi with her gay daughter and her gay daughter’s girlfriend.”

But Luna persists in interrupting the date night and Coop grows angrier. Coop insta-stalks Luna and realizes that she’s Patience’s first love — the one that inspired her to come out — and it sparks a confrontation between the couple. They’ve lost trust in each other and Patience tearfully admits that they need some time apart.

Patience: Like, you freaked out because J.P. was more interested in me as an artist than he was in you and now you’re freaking out because I’m still friends with my ex-girlfriend?
Coop: I’m freaking out because I love you.
Patience: I know, but I don’t want to be loved like this.

The heartbreak is painful to watch but when Coop realizes that she’s been jealous and paranoid, I’m optimistic that it’ll be temporary. But just when I think Coop will escape “Protect Ya Neck” relatively unscathed, her best friend — who’s spent the episode trying to protect her — is shot as he escorts Olivia to her car.

Arrow 810: “Fadeout”

Written by Valerie Anne

Missed you, bb.

This week was Arrow‘s final episode, and we said goodbye to the show where Sara Lance got her start. Much to my delight, she wasn’t the only one at Oliver’s funeral; Nyssa al Ghul made her triumphant return, as well. Nyssa told her sister about how her marriage to Oliver was a sham, and introduces Sara as her “beloved” for old time’s sake. I do hope Nyssa goes on to date Laurel2 (or anyone, really) and find her own happily ever after, but I can’t blame her for holding a torch for her Ta-er al-Sahfer. I’ll admit I haven’t really been watching much of Arrow since Felicity left, but I will be watching the Green Arrow and the Canaries spinoff if it happens, and I will forever be grateful for the show for giving us characters like Felicity and Laurel(s) and Thea and Dinah and Mia. And, of course, our fearless Captain Sara Lance.

Nancy Drew 112: “The Lady of Larkspur Lane”

Written by Valerie Anne

:Catra voice: Hey, Amaya.

Nancy Drew is really throwing me for all kinds of gay loops. First it gives me the very cute pairing of Bess and Lisbeth. Then it accidentally taunts me with cute Nancy/Bess interactions. (That’s not the show’s fault, they’re not doing anything but having these girls develop a friendship, I just love them both and can’t help myself.) But now they introduced Bess to Amaya, a woman Bess’ new aunt is trying to get to “mentor” Bess, a woman who calls Bess a snack and is hilarious, smart, and bold.

She assumes Bess knows nothing of her world and makes her sit in silence while she has a business meeting, but Amaya’s boldness makes Bess more brazen. She speaks up for herself and proves Amaya’s snap judgements wrong. And I love Lisbeth but, to borrow language from Season Two of Sex Education, she doesn’t make Bess sparkle. Not the way Amaya did. I think she might be more up to Bess’ speed, but Lisbeth was so sweet and supportive I feel bad rooting against her. So I don’t know what will happen or even what I want to happen, I just know that I love that Bess’ queerness is just a known and accepted thing at this point and we can focus on things like love triangles. Plus all the ghosts and murder.

The Bold Type 402: “#Scarlet”

Written by Carmen

“…. yes, they use all 10 fingers. And that’s how lesbians have sex!”

Last week on The Bold Type Kat saved Jacqueline’s job! But not before the suits in the board room decided to follow IRL media trends and move Scarlet magazine to an all digital platform (see also: Teen Vogue and Glamour). Is this going to do anything help stop the fantasies I play in my head that Autostraddle’s feminist can do spirit could be Scarlet magazine if only capitalism were fake and we had $$$ to spend on New York City high rise offices and a limitless fashion closet? No, it will not!

OK so Scarlet is becoming #Scarlet. To launch their first digital issue, Jaqueline would like to celebrate the magazine’s past. That means Kat has to interview celebrities whom got their start at the magazine, like Bella Diaz. Except interviewing Bella is the last thing Kat wants to do! You see, many years ago when Bella was a just-starting-out singer, and Kat hadn’t yet realized her own queerness, Bella came out to her at a photo shoot. And Kat listened to Bella’s then-manager and buried the story. So yeah, she has a lot of leftover shame over that whole deal.

When Kat meets up with Bella in our current timeline, she apologizes for not being more supportive. Bella downplays it, and says coming out isn’t important to her anymore, which of course sets Kat’s mind in motion. It turns out that back then Bella was in love with her pianist, but they’ve since broken up (the pianist didn’t want to stay with Bella in the closet). Bella doesn’t feel ready to publicly come forward – and risk her career! – without her.

At the digital launch party, Kat tells Bella about how scary it was her to navigate her queerness without Adena, but how ultimately she found more truth and bravery in herself because she did. Once again I really have to applaud The Bold Type, so many YA-focused television shows only focus on the romance of queer love stories, and TBT has found a way to make Kat’s queerness ever-present and tied to the adult woman she’s becoming, regardless of whom she’s sleeping with.

Anyway, Bella tells Kat that she’s still not ready to come out, but I’d love for Kat to have a queer woman of color friend that she’s not sleeping with, so I hope Bella ultimately stays around. I may get my wish. Later that night Bella privately shares “Brave” with Kat, the first song she wrote about falling in love with a woman. (Fun Fact: Bella Diaz is played by Latin Grammy nominee Sofia Reyes, who has released “Brave” exclusively on her YouTube channel and you should give it a listen!)

Black Lightning 311: “The Book of Markovia: Chapter Two: Lynn’s Addiction”

Written by Carmen

Anissa and Grace, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G

When we said goodbye to Black Lightning for the winter break, I wished for two things: 1. That I would learn better patience with the show and 2. That the production behind the series would learn to treat the show’s sole queer relationship with some respect.

Well, I must have been a good girl over the holidays, because Santa left some presents underneath my TV tree! Not only is Grace Choi back on the series (and flirting marvelously with Anissa – damn Nafessa Williams and Chantal Thuy’s chemistry remains off the charts), but she’s coming back to Freeland! After having an emotionally mature conversation actually on screen with her girlfriend, nonetheless! When Anissa visits Grace at the metahuman camp in South Freeland, Grace explains that she’s realized the cause of her shapeshifting is feeling insecure in her surroundings. She’s lived her entire life being abandoned, and once she started falling deep for Anissa, she worried that something might happen that would ruin the one good thing she had in her life. That caused everything inside her body – powers included – to tumble into free fall.

But even when Anissa sent Grace away to protect her, she never let go. She always comes back, and the few times she can’t, she makes sure Grace is safe with her dad. Despite all the metaphorical storms and literal Markovian/ASA drama surrounding them, Grace now realizes that Anissa is her rock and nothing will move her. She convinces Anissa that it’s safe for her to (finally!!!!! And hopefully, for good!!!) come back home. It’s 2020 and I am choosing optimism. Let this next step be the first of many. I’m so ready to root for Thunder Grace, if only Black Lightning will let me.

As excited as I am for the return of Grace Choi – and I am! – she is not the reason that my fellow TV Team member Natalie ran to text me mid-episode earlier this week. Oh no. That honor is reserved for the baddest damn bitch in the room. You see, last week Black Lightning ended on a glimmer… a hope… a cliffhanger that I almost didn’t allow myself to believe could be true. But here we are friends. HERE WE ARE:

IDK care what y’all say, this definitely counts as Gay Content^TM

LADY FUCKING EVE IS BACK FROM THE DEAD!!! After three years, I could’ve just cried at the purr of her voice. So far Lala (our most common Black Lightning undead) thinks he has Eve under his thumb. But if there’s one thing that we all know, it’s that you can’t keep a good bitch down. I’m sure Eve has something tucked away as she plots her return to the top of Freeland’s underworld. And I can’t wait to see it.

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