It is such a weird time of year for TV to be slowing down and going on hiatus and taking a break. Maybe it’s throwing you as much as it’s throwing us? Either way, we hope you’re all staying as safe as you can out there. We’re thinking of you all the time.
This week, Riese and Carly dove into episode 403 of The L Word on To L and Back. Kayla reviewed season three of Killing Eve. Valerie Anne and Heather chatted about Motherland: Fort Salem. Kayla recapped Riverdale‘s Hedwig tribute episode. And Heather got excited about the promised romance between Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy on DC Universe’s animated series. Last week we didn’t have a Boobs on Your Tube because we didn’t have enough content, but! We did have some good standalone posts. Heather got you caught up on Batwoman. Drew reviewed High Maintenance. And Riese served up your spring TV preview!
Notes from the TV Team:
+ The last two weeks of Top Chef have been a bit of a rollercoaster for our queer cheftestants. On the up side, Melissa King is absolutely killing it, winning two elimination challenges in a row and producing the most successful product (a kimchee vinaigrette) in this week’s episode. Unfortunately, Lisa Fernandes was eliminated last week for unevenly cooked Brussels sprouts but she’s fighting her way back into the competition on Last Chance Kitchen, where she’s the reigning champ. — Natalie
+ Like most cop procedurals, my affection for Edie Falco’s Tommy is complicated. Abigail “Tommy” Thomas is an ideal chief of police… and it feels both disconnected from reality and also unbefitting of someone of Falco’s stature. But what is interesting to me are Tommy’s complicated relationships with her daughter and her new lady friend, Kiley…. and, based on next week’s previews, things are about to get a lot more complicated. — Natalie
+ The second season of Four More Shots Please! debuts on Amazon Prime today. It’s a little like a modern day version of Sex and the City but it’s set in India and is a bit queer… or a lot queer, if the trailer is any indication. — Natalie
+ Generally speaking, I am not a fan of Maya Bishop — I’m still nursing a grudge over her stealing her best friend’s job — but dammit, they are really trying to endear her to me this season on Station 19. First Carina, then her compelling backstory, now this:
Okay, okay, Shondaland…you win again.— Natalie
+ Our favorite teenage power couple on One Day at a Time had a great Halloween. They dressed up as Greta Thunberg (Elena) and a melting ice cap (Syd), get it? To protest climate change! And then when Schneider complained about never winning the couples costume contest at his country club, Elena hit back with the pitch perfect zinger: “You’re a right, straight, cisgender, white dude! you won at life!” Amén, mija. — Carmen
+ Tia said 🗣 SEX WORKERS RIGHTS!!! on Boomerang. — Carmen
+ FYI Vagrant Queen and its cute queer mechanic, Amae, are moving to a Thursday night time slot, so the next episode will be on the 23rd at 11pm EST! Didn’t want you to miss it. — Valerie Anne
+ In the Dark is back but I did not have time to watch it because I didn’t realize it was back until this morning and also I have lost all sense of what days are but I promise I’ll report back on what questionable choices that show is making soon! — Valerie Anne
Twenties 108: “Living the Dream”
Written by Carmen
The Graduate remake that we deserve.
If there’s one thing that Twenties’ has been promising us over the course of its first season, it’s a hot — if not also at least, somewhat problematic — hook up between Hattie and her boss Ida. And yes, the power dynamics of Hattie (who is essentially one step up from a paid Intern) hooking up with head executive producer of the television show she works at is… not great to say the least. But also, Ida B. is a Mommi dream in the flesh, I mean she’d even make Bette Porter ask for a second glass of wine, so excuse me but I want this. I want it very much.
I’m getting a little ahead of myself. Twenties Season One finale opens with a shot-for-shot remake of The Graduate’s most famous scene, with Hattie playing the Dustin Hoffman to Ida B.’s Anne Bancroft — of course you assume this is Hattie’s dream, but PLOT TWIST! It’s Ida who has been getting a little sweaty under the sheets at night for her protégé!
That unfortunately goes south when Hattie helps Nia score an audition on the show, only for Nia to unknowingly perform a monologue from Ida’s secret personal writings. Betrayed, Ida fires Hattie, but on her way out, Hattie leaves a completed first draft of her semi-autobiographical screenplay. A bit of an “I’m sorry for exposing your secrets” and also a “thank you for teaching me.”
Later, Hattie goes by her favorite coffee house to apologize to Idina, who she had been rude to in the weeks prior (really, just a lot of bad looks for Hattie in a row). Hattie begins by explaining that she thought of Idina, who’s also a stud, as more of a friend than love interest. Idina goes off in a monologue I wish I had the space to transcribe for you! It’s one of the most beautiful declarations and explanations of the assumptions we make about gender roles in queer women’s relationships that I’ve seen… perhaps ever, but most certainly in a long time. Yes, Idina might be masculine, but she also won’t put herself into a box of who that means she’s allowed to love; she’s attracted to Hattie and won’t be forced into Hattie’s narrow definition of “butch/femme” dynamics. To watch two black lesbians get real about real shit and societal expectations and taboos about queer love is a breath of fresh air!
THESE are the kinds of conversations that can happen when we center stories on and about black queer women. I would like a thousand more just like it, pretty please and thank you.
OK after Marie’s birthday party goes awry (long story, doesn’t matter), Hattie heads home only to find Ida B. on her doorstep. It’s not just a surprise to see her, but also that her hair is pulled back and her cheeks streaked with tears, Hattie’s script in her hands. Ida’s power mask is off and she sweeps Hattie up into a hot, problematic, but still hot final kiss for the season.
And then Mrs. Robinson gets the girl.
Siren 303: Survivor
Written by Valerie Anne
In “Survivor”, Rin finds out she is having a baby via a hybrid and she’s feeling sympathy contractions. She also, more relevant to our interests, spends part of the episode training to fight on land and learning to read from Maddie. Maddie also teaches her how to use Siri, so you can probably attribute some of the stranger “how readers found Autostraddle” searches to her next week.
“girl human girl mermaid lady kisses”
It was pretty cute but I wish they did more relationshippy stuff while Ben was away.
This week, Ben and Maddie did their best to set aside their differences while they helped Rin’s surrogate have the baby. Ben ended up meeting the new guy Maddie has been courting, and tensions were still high
Nancy Drew 117 & 118: “The Girl in the Locket” and “The Clue in the Captain’s Painting”
Written by Valerie Anne
Lisbeth is back! And Bess is… VERY excited about it.
They’re so cute but Bess deserves better I’M SORRY. I’m not used to not automatically shipping the canon queer couple so I feel weird!!!
Bess was going to invite Lisbeth to a fancy party she was throwing for her great aunt, but she worried last-minute that her new Marvin family wouldn’t approve of her girlfriend. Her new cousin assured her that it wasn’t the fact that Lisbeth is a woman that anyone has an issue with; it’s that Lisbeth is a cop. One that has it out for some of the more elite members of Horseshoe Bay. The finale showed Lisbeth bumping up against the Drew Crew as Bess finds herself walking the line between her girlfriend and the Marvins, both asking her to play double agent with the other. It seems like Bess might soon have to make some choices, but also she might find that this family she wanted so desperately might not be the family she needs. She might realize that the family she deserves was with her at The Claw all along.
And unrelated to the gay goings-on, Kennedy absolutely slayed the emotional roller coaster Nancy has been in these last few episodes, and the show itself keeps knocking it out of the park with the plot twists and the balance of spooky fun and deep, emotional character work. I loved this show more and more each week and I can’t wait to see what Season Two brings.
Motherland: Fort Salem 105: “Bellweather Season”
Written by Valerie Anne
This week, the trio of reluctant sisters heads to Abigail’s family’s estate for an elaborate wedding celebration, and the Spree threatens Scylla into getting herself invited too. Of course, Abigail doesn’t want anyone extra added to the invite list, because she thinks relationships are a distraction at this point of their careers. When Raelle breaks the news to Scylla, Scylla suggests they run away together and I start to wonder if maybe she’s not as all-in on this balloon cult as she originally seemed.
I know the joke is to bring a U-Haul on a second date, but when’s the best point to tell your girlfriend’ you’re in a murder cult?
The wedding ends up being a disaster; Tally finds out her new boytoy is engaged to another woman, Scylla crashes the party and Tally sees her talking to a Spree balloon that tries to get her to get Raelle away from the wedding, and then a whole buttload of Spree balloons attack. Chaos ensues, and Abigail has to team up with her mother to fight some baddies off. (It’s actually extremely badass to watch. At one point Mama Bellweather can’t use her magic but she’s not powerless; she whips those sumbitches right down.) Abigail’s cousin, whose wedding it was, got her throat slit but good. When the dust settles, Scylla is missing and our girls are looking a little worse for wear. I’m really enjoying this show so far, and I hope you are too; in just five episodes there has already been enough queer content that in this episode there was a whole MONTAGE of Scylla/Raelle moments. Gotta love it.
I was going “fuck yeah Maya” and first pumping in front of the TV
Thank you for covering Tommy. I like that show
What about Utopia Falls for all the little queers out there!
Do we know anything about a renewal yet? As far as I can see, only one episode remains and so far, they haven’t resolved anything.
But it’s pretty exciting anyways, I love the characters and I like how the characters are growing and evolving so far. Plus the world they live in is so interesting!
Thanks for your coverage!
aaaand whoooops, totally forgot – I’m talking about Motherland: Fort Salem!