Meanwhile at the Palace of Porter, Mom’s having hot flashes (“Death is coming” – Bette Porter) while hashing out the issue with Shane and Alice, who don’t think Bette should drop out of the race. They say she’s not like those male predators, although Bette’s unconvinced.
“That’s shame,” says Shane. YOU TELL EM SHANE. Shane’s come back just in time to be part of the very essential Lesbian Need of a reliable Lesbian Advice Panel: All Grown Up Edition.
It’s Pinot Grigio, Alice. I promise.
Mmm, pretty sure it’s urine!
Alice says it’s ’cause she’s gay and Bette Porter jumps right in there like a tiger, “I think the problem is Felicity’s gay and that makes her husband feel like less of a man.” THERE’S OUR BETTE PORTER. I don’t think it’s morally okay for Bette to fuck a married woman, but also — that’s Felicity’s job to negotiate with the betrayed partner, not Bette’s. Just like Jenny’s cheating was her own to sort out with Tim, not Marina’s. We also don’t know anything about Felicity’s marriage or what Bette knew about it, and that crowd and the media certainly didn’t either. Maybe she wants out but can’t because her husband is [something terrible]? Bette’s comfort with this is disarming to the degree that it makes me wonder/hope there’s more to the story.
Alice wants Bette to be on her show!
Shane: “You can tell them who you are.”
Bette: “I don’t know who I am right now.”
Shane: “You’re Bette fucking Porter.”
Exactly! It’s like she’s got no idea how much fan fic has been written about her, how many blazers with enormous collars have been flexed in her honor, how many men have been yelled at on highways because of her and — oh never mind. Angie’s home and she is UNHAPPY!
I still remember when you took me to Mexico without my sippy cup!
For example, she feels it’s humiliating to be Bette’s daughter because Bette “fucked somebody.” Younger Bette was much more reactive and flinching than Mama B, I’ll tell you what. Like Angelica just yelled at her about fucking somebody and this is what comes next:
Bette: ARE YOU HIGH?
Angie: We vaped!
Bette: What does that mean, you vaped? What? Pot? [Bette starts going through Angie’s bag]
Angie: But I don’t have it! Jordi does.
Bette: Angie you cannot smoke pot.
Angie: It’s not illegal!
Bette: Yes it is! You are 16 years old!
Angie: I wanna live with Mama T.
BOOOO.
Bette: You want me to call her and tell her what you did today?
Angie: Fine, I’ll just tell her that you fucked somebody!
Bette: I’m pretty sure she already heard.
DAMN!!!!
TOSS ME A JUNOIR MINT RIGHT NOW
Bette grounds her and says also, she’s deeply sorry and that it pains her to know that she hurt Angie.
Sophie comes home from her long ass shitty day to find that Dani’s about to start a forest fire in their living room with a candle situation that approaches “vampire lair” or “Boyz II Men I’ll Make Love To You” territory. You know what that means!!! IT’S PROPOSAL TIME!!
Before long you’ll forget you ever smelled any smell besides the smell of these 450 French Vanilla candles
My favorite part of proposals on television is that they are always preceded by a list of small quirks the proposer appreciates about her partner but they generally lack any telling specificity. In this case we learn that Dani loves how Sophie dances with her eyes closed and yells at the TV. So she has that in common with your grandpa.
I think I found the puzzle piece that was missing from Frida Kahlo’s chin!
Sophie says yes, I tear up because I can’t help it. “I can’t believe you’re gonna be my wife!” Sophie exclaims, thus jinxing their relationship forever.
Unfortunately, the ring doesn’t fit, but Sophie’s not stressed ’cause rings are just a symbol of patriarchy! But listen — Dani still wants her to have one, okay? I too was once proposed to with a ring that turned out not to fit. JUST LIKE THE RELATIONSHIP. However, there were no candles at the proposal because we were outside.
Anyhow! Then Micah and Finley tumble down the stairs where they’ve been spying from and are like DID YOU DO IT and they’re so excited because friendship is magic! Also, Micah would like to be the best man.
So what do you think? Núñez-Suarez or Suarez-Núñez?
The L Word: Generation Q is really laying out a juxtaposition of what it’s like to be a young queer person — first dates, marriage proposals, new jobs and new promotions, the beginnings of things — and what it’s like to be an older one, even while sharing neighborhoods and workplaces. This is perhaps what it does best, and so authentically.
The original characters are dealing with parenting, divorce, separation, workplace affairs with lifelong consequences, sorting out how best to make an impact with the important jobs they have instead of just trying to get a job. A lot of their stories start at the end of things, really — Nat’s divorce with Gigi before she started dating Alice and everybody had to move or make space for something new, Bette’s divorce from Tina and the child that remains from it. Shane selling her empire and moving far away from her wife.
There’s a Gen Q trailer where Kate Moennig says — most likely out of context — “this community is no different than any other community.” I know why she said it but I don’t think it’s true. Furthermore, ur differences are what give shows like this one (and shows like Vida, Tales of the City, Work-in-Progress, Pose and The Bisexual) such opportunities to tell new stories, especially intergenerational ones. I’m closer in age now to Shane and Alice than I am to Sophie and Dani, who must be in their mid-to-late twenties (Dani has a post-graduate degree, Micah is a professor), which means same-sex marriage was legalized before they were old enough to be considering marriage at all. I like that Shane and Bette are ostensibly single, heading into potentially a second go-around. I’m pretty close to their age and unlike many heterosexuals of this age group, at least half my queer friends between the ages of 35-45 are single or divorced. And it can feel both fated and random who remains in your regular world and who slips away.
We then cut to The Aloce Show, where Alice is SO GLAD TO BE BACK FROM HIATUS! Her third-cousin Heather (Fortune Feimster), a profoundly gay name, is her hype girl. She lives in a shared studio in the valley and would like to live in Alice’s spare bedroom. C’mon, Alice, just throw Heather in there with Lenore! Is it supposed to be funny that Alice’s show underpays their staff to the degree that they cannot afford to have their own bedrooms? Because it’s…. not???
Listen I would LOVE to make you a dirty martini but all I’ve got back here are some tea kettles filled with poisonous gas
Everybody’s turned up in the audience for this occasion — Shane’s sitting with Nat, Dani’s sitting somewhere that seems only vaguely part of this set, and Alice’s special guest this evening is Bette Porter for Mayor! She also establishes that she’s never been easy on Bette and it’s true, we all remember the “you’re a cheater!” campfire.
Alice: “Do your voters know that you stole a billboard in the mid-aughts?”
Bette: “Borrowed. We borrowed it.”
Alice: “Oh, WE? Are we gonna keep that on the DL? Because I didn’t get that memo.”
Well, I guess if I had to pick just one, I’d say my favorite breed of dog is probably a labradoodle?
So, Bette’s on the show today because she will not! Be! Shamed! Into! Silence! Bette says she’s not okay with causing another person pain, but she also isn’t going to apologize for having a relationship with a consenting adult, which’s another message she’s not comfortable delivering. You know I feel like an apology would’ve been … appreciated.
Alice: “So you’re not sorry?”
Bette: “I think I answered the question. It’s not that simple.”
Bette says the most frustrating part of this whole idea is that it’s distracting. A wanton distraction, one might argue! BUT YOU KNOW WHAT’S EVEN MORE DISTRACTING BUT IN A GOOD WAY:
store dot autostraddle dot com
Anyhow back to this cryptic conversation topic that I’m 99.9% certain will eventually lead to a reveal that Kit is dead!
Alice: “I know that you have a very real reason, a very personal reason, why you’re running. Why won’t you talk about it?”
Bette: “Um, because despite this week’s events, I’ve chosen to keep my private life private.”
Alice: “But those people out there, they wanna know who you are, not just what you stand for.”
Those people out there should just go read/see Lez Girls! Anyhow, what better way to do that than by delivering a list of vague, already-known demographic facts about herself? She is:
1. a woman
2. gay
3. biracial
4. a mother to an extraordinary daughter
5. an ex wife
6. a friend
7. a really loyal friend
8. a daughter
9. a sister
10. you.
[a bitch, a lover
a child, a mother
a sinner, a saint,
and she does not feel ashamed.]
she’s also:
11. a part of you!
12. that part of you that wants to do better
13. that part of you that loves the city and wants to see all of its communities thrive
15. that part of you that makes mistakes
Also, she knows that she has disappointed people that she loves and she doesn’t want to make that mistake again and she hopes her indiscretions don’t distract from this:
Bette: “I know I’m not the perfect messenger, but I do have the perfect message.”
Her conclusion is strong and full of potential — but to be honest I did expect a bit more from a Bette Porter speech! Perhaps Dani did too:
Night-time montage! Micah and Finley are playing “catch the frisbee in the swimming pool,” a classic evening game for giggling queers who, unlike me, have access to a pool.
I’m wearing swim trunks, you don’t need to do the full frontal frisbee block this time!
Nat and Alice were naked and perhaps engaged in an activity of a sexual nature but then the little tot bounded in desiring a story be read to him. They should teach him to learn how to read for himself! You know the saying: teach a man to fish and he’ll never interrupt lesbian sex any day of his life!
Well there goes my kidney
Bette’s crawling into bed with Angie. Attachment parenting lives on!
Okay fine you can watch with me but do not ask me to explain the whole Sara Harvey situation, I barely understand it myself
Shane’s sitting by the pool in her palace, staring at her rings.
You bet these little fuckers are still in fighting shape
Speaking of rings, Sophie’s got hers on even though it was too big and Dani’s not sleeping. This is a throwback to when she told Bette she couldn’t sleep at night.
I wonder if Dad could hook me up with some free ambien samples though….
It’s the next morning. Dani is awake and on a mission! Her colleague’s son’s death has shattered her illusion that her job was to protect the company who afforded her the life that she has and the people who work there, and:
Dani: “You asked me the other day how I sleep at night. But the truth is, I don’t. I am damn good at my job, but I wanna work for someone I believe in, and I came here today because I believe in you.”
I need to find the suit that you wore to the premiere party in Los Angeles.
It was, like my very presence on this earth, simply a gift from G-d.
Bette’s not sure that she trusts her and Dani’s like ok fair but if you wanna win, you need me! And then, Peaches’ “Boys Wanna Be Her” begins thumping in the background [ETA: This was the song playing in the screener, but it seems the song was changed prior to air.], throwing us right back to a moment way before all this when Shane had to be an underwear model to pay for the injury her half-brother Shay suffered from a skateboarding accident while she was playing a pick-up basketball against a self-described “player” named Papi who Alice met through OurChart. AHEM.
In summary:
Lesbian Sexy Moments: 3, 3 all season
Squabbles: 3, 3 all season
Quote of the Week: I’m gonna give it to Alice, for “I can’t believe you still wanna fuck my Mom”
Also a hot tip: WATCH WORK IN PROGRESS! It airs after “Generation Q” on Showtime and it is one of the most original, hilarious and oddly comforting queer-centric television shows I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness.
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I started this autostraddle account to talk about my feelings after breaking up with my ex who had distinctly Alice hair. I am now dating a Bette. So for them to name the woman Bette slept with after my autostraddle name was weird af but I am very thrilled!!
The recap is everything, and the format is perfection. Thanks for doing this.
LOVE THIS
I loved it???? I loved it.
I just got back from watching a screening of the episode. We had some technical difficulties with synching the audio to the picture in the first scene so I completely missed the bit about period oral sex.
I really hope that Sophie had a menstrual cup in. Well, she had to have right because Dani didn’t have blood all over her face?
I was wondering why I didn’t see the scene with everyone at the window! I really liked that bit in the trailer. I thought it was cute. I’m not surprised that they changed “Time’s up bitch” to “jackass” because Finley said that she “fudged” a girl. She prefers fake cuss words over real ones.
I wonder if that bartender that she fudged was Tess.
I loved seeing Alice’s quirky personality again. The show seems more serious than the original was (or maybe I forgot about the drama lol) but overall it was really good!
I LOVED reading your recap and commentary. It gave me a happy hit of nostalgia.
i agree i think it is a little more serious — finley is super funny but alice is more subdued than she was in her youth
I like this format for the recaps :)
(Also does anyone want to go in on a Showtime subscription together? Please message me)
Saw this on a dif article, if anyone hasn’t had Showtime before (I’ve already used my free trial)
use code AUTOSTRADDLE at showtime.com/try30 for a 30 day free trial of SHOWTIME®!
FYI there are 8 episodes so if you can only afford one month then this is a great option.
Hello again! Please, don’t change the format of the recaps, they’re perfect as they are.
I was just at a screening and they changed the last song!!!!
Quick question- why do you type it as The Aloce Show not The Alice Show?
Also, I wish the show would remind viewers that Alice is bisexual not a lesbian.
As a gay who did not come out until long after the original L Word stopped airing can I just say how exciting it is to get to live through recaps from Riese in real time!!!! Look around look around at how luck we are to be alive right now
Same!!
I concur! This recap was so great
Living for your recaps and I’m feeling like a Finlay with my enthusiasm. I’m enjoying the format, love it as it is. Thanks again Riese OG of recappers.
Ps- Completely unrelated but I am so excited about my early xmas gift to myself, The Dykes hat, Hell YEAH !
THIS WAS SO GREAT I LOVED THE FORMAT 10/10
A few random and unorganized thoughts in no particular order:
The period sex scene was awesome.
I love Dani in a suit.
I will riot if Dani and Sophie’s storyline is marred by any cheating nonsense, can we get a storyline about a relationship without cheating please?
Either Jenny or Kit died because of drugs.
I loved what I saw of Micah and Sophie, but it felt just a bit too little, we are in the first episode though, so that’s okay..
I found Finley’s character a bit too goofy, might just be because we havent seen enough of her.
What is Americans problems with putting together Ikea(/-like) furniture? It comes with clear instructions!
I wanna see more of Angie and Jordi.
Thank god I wasn’t the only way that thought those Lips look nothing like an “I”.
I am feeling kinda ambivalent about Shane and Alice’s storylines as of yet.
I am not liking Bette so far and since it has been a few years since I really watched the orignal L Word, I dont remember If I felt the same way then.
I do remember always not liking the constant cheating and somewhow connected have always kept with me that “being a Shane” means being a reckless player whose pursuit of pleasure doesn’t really care about the emotional fallout.
I didn’t like Bette’s take on why the (?Ex-)Husband confronted her. It kinda undermined the idea that idea that participating in cheating is wrong even if you are not the one in a relationship. He is allowed to feel bad about his marriage ending and his wife cheating on him and publicly shaming the person partially responsible may not be the best way to handle it, but it isn’t problematic either.
Not to mention the whole power imbalance thing was swept under the table awfully quickly. Yes, Bette brings it up herself, but the denial from Alice comes a bit to quick for my liking. Her behaviour was seemingly not that bad from what we were told so far, but to even deny it’s implications may protect us from men, but it also leaves us open for women to become the same predators society already enables men to be.
It shouldn’t get so bad that we have to read about a female Harvey Weinstein or Matt Lauer before we act. But maybe I read too much into or becoming paranoid, I don’t know.
Overall I really loved the first episode, even If I could have done without pretty much everything relating to the OGs.
(Not to mention the whole power imbalance thing was swept under the table awfully quickly. Yes, Bette brings it up herself, but the denial from Alice comes a bit to quick for my liking. Her behaviour was seemingly not that bad from what we were told so far, but to even deny it’s implications may protect us from men, but it also leaves us open for women to become the same predators society already enables men to be.
It shouldn’t get so bad that we have to read about a female Harvey Weinstein or Matt Lauer before we act. But maybe I read too much into or becoming paranoid, I don’t know.)
It certainly gives one plenty to pause about. Since even if Bette isn’t like those male predators, she has been occasionally pushy at least when comes to relationship and does seem somewhat aware of it. While can see why women in general and gay women in particular can easy see these feeling as just that sort of internalizing societies shame as Shane puts it, the possibility for abuse of power still exists and should be ignored complexity.
Still I’m inclined to agree with Riese that it’s hard to judge now when we don’t now what’s really been going on with Felicity’s marriage. If she felt taken advantage of then I think it should be HER place to willingly come forward without her husband putting her name out in public scandal. If it was fully consensual then as Riese said they need to work that out on there, just like with Jenny and Time.
Really enjoyed the first episode BTW. Don’t if I’ll be watching regularly, but it’s cool to see the reflection of a decades transition.
Loved the recap, Riese. Totally on board with this long form recap, but if you do shake up the format at all, please don’t let it be at the expense of the captions!
I also fear for the fate of Kit Porter, and can only hope it’s a misdirect. Overall though, a solid first episode, considering the baseline need for exposition. All of the callbacks were cute, if a little cheesy.
oh i would never get rid of the captions b/c i feel like those are (if i do say so myself) the funniest part at this point!
Riese…the captions are indeed the funniest.
Agreed ! I reread the whole recap but just the captions second time ’round.
They make up a fantastic show on their own !
I love the recap, and I loved the episode. I was so giddy watching it this morning that I had to pause the show every 2 minutes to talk about their amazing clothing, possibilities of what happened to Kit, talking about how no one on TV maybe has ever shown two women having sex and then actually exclaiming, “I love you so much!” after an orgasm with the amazing shot of bloody fingers, and anything and everything else that went through my head, much to my girlfriend’s chagrin, who wished we could just keep watching quietly and take it all in!
We both really enjoyed it and were so happy to see so much much-needed diversity. The sex scenes were super hot. I’m super intrigued about the rest of the storyline, and can’t wait ’til next week. I’m constantly reminded of how gay I really am when I watch the L-Word. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
However, I was a bit miffed to hear how Alice introduced her show, “Welcome back ladies and gentlemen and everyone in-between” with a little wink to the audience as if she’s with the cool kids and knows about gender now. I know they were trying to give a nod to non-binary folx, agender, and gender non-conforming peeps, but the words, ‘in-between’ just feels really wrong; as if there are just two genders and that there is some sort of spectrum in between male and female. Saying something like, “and everyone else!” or something along the likes of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, “Amen. Awomen, Aalltherestofus!” would have made it feel much more in sync with the times and show that they actually have grown in their mindset around gender.
I liked it! I was way too young to watch it when it first came out. I’m mostly excited that I get to watch this live this time around, without “downloading” it, putting viruses on the family computer in the process, and looking behind me hoping no one catches me watching anything gay. Me and my gf had the same giddy reaction to being able to watch something so queer, comfortably, in our living room.
Oops I didn’t mean for that to be a reply.
Riese your recaps are pure gold! Please don’t change them.
Your recaps are the content I’m looking for while I figure out a way to watch the episodes online without killing my computer.
If anyone has a nice link to hook a little Colombian queer with, she’ll be thankful forever.
Send you a message with details how to watch it. Anyone else looking for a link, just send me a message and I’ll get back to you.
Disclaimer: I don’t really illegal streaming, but international audiences also shouldn’t have to deny themselves the sparse queer content out there just because US companies and entities can’t get their shit together or care enough to make it available outside of the US or NA.
Thanks for offering an L-Word link, Pootah! Will you please send me one? Many thanks!!!
Oops, I meant to thank Ava Sommer. Thank you!
Thank you so much Ava!
You are a lifesaver!
have messaged you too
Your message for some reason didn’t yet arrive on my end, I send you the link nonetheless.
PS.: If anyone else send me a message and hasn’t heard back yet, the message isn’t getting through for some reason, just write a comment here and I’ll send you a message with the link. Should more than one person report not getting my message I’ll consider just posting the link here as long as the TV teams don’t say anything against it.
@avasommer I could use a link!
which three parts of florida tho
Loved the recap and the format! Thank you for doing this. :-) I watched the episode and really enjoyed it. I haven’t done a lot of reading on the reboot — do we know why Bette apparently has primary custody? Or what Tina’s story is? I can’t remember where the original show left off, but I would have anticipated shared custody at least but that didn’t really seem to be the case. 🤷
Crap, this wasn’t supposed to be a reply ugg
miami, orlando and key biscayne (yes i realize key biscayne is right next to miami but listen it sounded better than “two parts”)
I’m sure the Key Biscaynians (Key Biscuits?) appreciate being their own town and not lumped in with Miami.
Let me add to chorus that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this recap. I don’t really remember reading L Word recaps back in the day, so I was delighted with each scroll and screen cap caption. Can’t wait to read more!
This is so fun, thanks Riese. I’ve been looking forward to your recaps since I heard about the reboot!
Am I the only one who thinks it’s weird that there was no mention of trans stuff in the first episode? We have 3 trans actors on screen and no mention of trans identity/culture/etc at all. I’m not sure if all the characters are trans, but still–we heard the words “lesbian” and “gay” a lot, why not trans? I’m sure this will change, but I was wondering about this decision, like if they might be overcorrecting for how bad the show portrayed trans characters last time.
I counted two, but who is the third beside Leo & Sophie? I think it’s a little refreshing to see it’s not about them being trans. I am sure it will come up with both since Leo is probably going to get with his neighbor & Sophie is a teen.
Brian Michael Smith plays Bette’s campaign manager!
I think I saw it mentioned in a quote from an article with the showrunner that some of the trans actors would be playing cis characters?
To me at least, it felt like with Micah the show was presenting us with a person first (unclear if Brian or Sophie’s characters are trans). I think sexuality is a lot more widely accepted, while gender identity and expression is a lot more of a hot button topic.
Introducing Micah’s story in this way, it felt like they wanted us to connect with Micah the full character, rather than Micah whose only defining character attribute is their transness.
The intention feels right, one episode in. It will absolutely be interesting to see how their portrayal of trans identity and issues play out over the season.
I hope they dive more into this, in a way that is human rather than preachy, or that plays into damaging tropes.
I am literally watching this show just to read your recaps.
Loved the recap and the format! Thank you for doing this. 🙂 I watched the episode and really enjoyed it. I haven’t done a lot of reading on the reboot — do we know why Bette apparently has primary custody? Or what Tina’s story is? I can’t remember where the original show left off, but I would have anticipated shared custody at least but that didn’t really seem to be the case. 🤷
So excited about the autostraddle tshirt turned pillow!! Best part of the Aloce show by far. I also wasn’t around/queer during the first run of the L Word so I’m delighted to be here for the Gen Q recaps. Love the format! Love the captions.
But the real question is where can I buy that Bette Porter(Channeling Obama) for mayor poster for my living room?????
My theory was Jenny OD’d in Bette’s pool – not to start applying logic and consistency to The L Word, but Kit is famous. If she had died from an overdose, everyone would know already. But then I remembered that Jenny was sort of famous at the end there too? No idea, excited for this journey!
they reveal how jenny died in episode 2 or 3, i can’t remember which one (i’ve already seen both.) so it’s not her!
also she died in 2009 which was before the opioids crisis really began? so i’m pretty sure it’s kit who died of the OD.
this seems like where they’re going (after one episode) and i don’t love it
Ah! I should really know that outsmarting the L Word is impossible … welp, RIP Kit.
I hate that. It seems so strange still because Kit’s substance of choice seemed to be alcohol, not opiates (yes I realize there are some similarities with the opioid receptors). Kit seemed like she was doing just fine except the minor relapse courtesy of Angus’ infidelity.
If anyone was doing opiates on the reg it was Shane.
Stray observation: doesn’t look like Bettina took the “don’t call each other Mama B and Mama T” advice to heart….
Seriously, how did those names end up sticking?
Yeah, I didn’t get the feeling it was Jenny & it was Kit as others have said. I too don’t like how they are doing it. It’s like Dana all over again in some ways. Boooo
yeah i’m like… how is bette still standing??? losing two friends, both her parents, and her sister??
That’s Hollywood, because IRL, oof !
Bette’s going to sleep with Dani, isn’t she?
Also, who do we think walks through the door and shocks the OGs in the promo for next week: carmen or jenny? (Its probs Shane’s wife)
Please God no!
I mean we already learned this episode Bette seemingly didn’t learn anything when it comes to cheating in the last 10 years, but at least have Dani’s relationship trouble be free of cheating if there has to be trouble!
Well, Bette wouldn’t exactly be the one who’s cheating on anybody nor was she with Felicity apparently. It always frustrates me that people tend to blame the person who’s single (especially heterosexual women) for breaking the other’s relationship instead of an actual cheater. It was not Bette who vowed to that guy. I’m not saying it’s fully ethically appropriate, but I also quite enjoyed the answer she gave to Alice (and that comes from a person who’s been cheated on).
Of course the one cheating is responsible for breaking their relationship, but the person they sleep with enables the cheater.
And I don’t think the line between taking charge and being proud of your sexuality and not knowingly hurting someone is that fine. Yes, Felicity may have been confused when it came to her sexuality and her acting on those feelings is understandable, but we can say that and at the same time admit that the way she and Bette handled that situation was wrong. It’s harder to end your marriage and come out as gay and it’s easier to cheat, but that doesn’t means it’s right.
If she doesn’t, I will eat my hat*
*cookie shaped like a Santa hat
Got any more of those to share ? There might be a few of us…
My guess is Shane’s wife! (and i honestly don’t know for sure, that clip is not from an episode I’ve seen.) She was cast AND her description said she was “coming back to LA” so she’s coming around eventually AND Jenny is definitely dead AND Carmen is definitely not coming back (which ou can read more about in the interview with Marja I’m gonna publish later this week!)
Yeah that’s the most logical scenario. Or as logical as it can get when we’re talking about Shane having a wife 😆
I can’t wait to read that interview!
(Also, I love the recaps in this format)
I just finished watching the episode about an hour ago via Crave (Canada, eh?). Was a pretty good start, but was hard not to try and compare it to the original series. Will take time getting used to the new cast/kids? Was great to see Bette, Alice and Shane again. I almost lost my mind a couple times when Shane drove up in a Jeep! and Shane is boxing now! I texted my best friend two things during that couple of minutes… “FML, Shane drives a Jeep in the new series (insert groany face?, heart eyes, and eyes crossed out emojis)” and “Shit, she also boxes, I’m gonna die (insert the xD equivalent in emoji form)”.
Shane has been my favourite character on The L Word from the start (as in when a friend of mine in high school (circa 2003ish?) let me borrow her Season One – Three? DVDs. I watched the last seasons on television through Showcase), and was one of the surest ways I realized I had a thing for women. She has stayed one of the most gorgeous human beings I’ve ever laid my eyes on, and I’m so glad she’s still beautiful. I remember the very first time I saw her on television, was a random episode of the series (before I was watching) and at first glance, I thought she was male. Don’t ask me why, but I was curious from then on.
I’m sorry if this is getting a bit wordy (I tend to be like that sometimes), so I’ll finish with good episode, can’t wait to see how it goes, can’t wait to see more Shane! and also…great recap! ♥
Haha same, had to watch this before work this morning, O Canada
i’m sure alice alluding to some personal skeletons bette has on national television won’t in any way result in anything terrible happening!!!! also it was very sad when a bottle of pills pushed jenny into the pool :(
i for one would like to know what became of sounder 2.
in my professional opinion i think you should keep this recap format riese!!!! i LIKE that it’s old-school recapping i MISS this photo-heavy format
I just want to take a moment to say I’m so happy we get to do this again. There’s no one else I’d rather do this with
<3 <3 <3
Riese I cannot even watch this show without subscribing to some tv channel that I don’t want to support to begin with, but your recaps remain great. I
I am an older 47 year lesbian who mainly loved The L Word first time around, mainly for the stories and representation, but also for your recaps. You could recap The Bible and make it sound complex, satirical, poignant and funny. Please remain true to who your voice is, I love your voice and your funny observations, even in a terrible L Word original episode, you managed to tell the truth about where it failed or succeeded, please continue to be a sharp and enthusiastic critic.
I am also very interested in where the writers take the characters of Alice, Shane and Bette. I do intend to watch this show and make up my own mind about it, and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t have reservations about the writers’ abilities to entertain/inform/tell a compelling and truthful story. But in the same breath, I am thrilled that this show has returned with the original actresses and some new actresses/actors and new writers, who have a great love for the characters and good storytelling. I am cheering, I want to like this show, but even if it isn’t up there with Lauren Morelli or Natasha Lyonne storytelling ability, I am still keen to watch it because Lesbians taking up space on TV and representation.
Riese I am very interested also in your perspective on this show as an older lesbian who is less Fresh off the boat in terms of being a baby dyke, and is more of an older been around the blocks a few times lesbian, like myself. I hope that you are not offended by my description, any life experiences that have comprised you and made you more human and compassionate and knowledgable and mature can only be a constructive thing, it is just that fucked up parts of our culture give preference to immaturity, competitiveness rather than contribution and participation. Anyway, please keep true to your voice and your truths Riese, you are a wonderful storyteller.
no I am not offended at all and know exactly what you mean! it’s a very interesting experience to have recapped the first and now the reboot while around the same age as shane and alice and jenny (RIP)
and thank you for all the kind words in general!!
To be fair to the original, Sarah Shahi was an Iranian (the country that was formerly persia) actress playing a Latina.
she was, yes! what i was saying is that there were not any latinx actors playing latinx characters or persian actors playing persian characters.
Of all the possible reactions I thought I might have to this hour of television, getting emotional and teary-eyed at not one but two scenes (the awkward proposal that was so much more realistic than typical TV proposal scenes, and the overdose storyline that was hard to watch for personal reasons) was not one of them. The writing seems much better this time around and I will continue to be cautiously optimistic.
I’m so antsy about how they’re going to include (or not) non-binary people! I liked that the new neighbor’s ex used they/them pronouns because it was such a small and subtle but simple way to include they/them pronouns in the very first episode. BUT I hope that’s not all we get!! I’m nervous about doing ham-handed intergenerational nonsense with pronouns or nonbinary identities. TBD I guess, everything else I really enjoyed.
Also am I totally naive to say it seems like they’re trying to avoid cross-generational relationships like Bette/Dani?? It feels like the set up is that the older folks will mentor the younger folks and good boundaries but I know the old L Word would DEFINITELY have gone there. SOS I’m already invested in Dani/Sophie! Heartbreak’s a comin
I also feel like they are trying to avoid cross-generational relationships like Bette/Dani? Maybe I’m naive too….
I really like this format too
I’m here for the junior mints
I got really excited when I heard someone speaking Persian(Farsi is the dialect Persian is the language) & subsequent googling that a Persian is playing Persian. They at least learned from one mistake. Also, I felt like this line, “deep roots in the Persian and Latinx communities” was alluding to Carmen for some reason.
Things I didn’t like: to mention of Jenny, which I wonder would ever be talked about or alluded to. Same with her movie. Also, where is Kit? I really wanted to see Pam Grier. I really hope they bring her back & not just talked to over the phone.
Jenny’s death is addressed in the next episode or the one after that, i forget which one but yeah, it’s coming!
Kit’s not returning to the show and nobody talked to her on the phone
I noticed that & had hopes she would, but as you said & it seems like it was alluded to in the episode she may be gone. Fuck!
I am loving the new season. It feels very updated and socially aware. It’s a bit glossy but that’s to be expected with new shows. The people are beautiful and the romance is fun. I’m enjoying all the various plotlines. I am curious about what direction some of the secrets will go. I really enjoy these long-form recaps. I first watched the original show when I was 18, and it was way after the show first aired. My lesbian friend shared her crave password with me so I was lucky to watch it the night it aired.
i would just like to note with gratitude that i asked a question of everybody in the introduction and like almost every single comment has answered that question which means everybody actually read the intro which means this is the best day of my life
Hello, I would like to clarify that I also read the intro and want homework credits for it, but probably like everyone else thought the format was sufficiently perfect to not warrant further comment
THAT BEING SAID
if you ever wanted to slip in a pic of Marisa from the real l word episode 203 saying this is crazy, I can guarantee that will go down a storm in at least one household globally
between Marriage Story and this reboot, i’m feeling like a closeted 13 yr old child of divorce again!
oops I just spoiled what riese wrote above but… I’m fine with like… whatever, as far as recaps go (and intros are my favorite part of recaps anyway lmao)
I love the blow-by-blow format, please keep it! I also… loved this episode? It felt like the right combination of throwbacks, new character development, and ridiculousness.
Also 10/10 use of “So put that on your clipboard!” in this review.
This format is great, give us lots of reading material! I was literally guffawing while reading this. One suggestion: it would be rad to keep track of the OG series callbacks somehow (i.e. vaginal rejuvenation in ’04, Shane wanting to fuck Lenore, stealing the billboard)
I think it’s interesting how they’ve set up each of the new female characters as a successor/mentee of one of the OG characters (Bette-Dani, Alice-Sophie, Shane-Finley) but at the same time they’re not carbon copies by any means. But with those parallels, I was like omg New!Bette and New!Alice are a couple??? Wild.
tracking the callbacks is a good idea!! i love it
I love this tracking the callbacks idea
lol I cried when I saw Bette whatever it’s cool I’m fine
i LOVE this recap format!!!!!!
I’m so excited about this show! I can’t afford a showtime subscription at the moment, so if you have a link to share @avasommer or someone, please let me know :)
But even if I can’t watch it now, I love reading your recaps Reise! Please continue with the blow-by-blow format with funny captions & screenshots. It’s good to see that The L Word is updating things, becoming more inclusive & keeping up with the times. But I also like that you’re critical and you make note of where they could improve with language/diversity/incluvisity/etc.
I wasn’t really interested in the show back when it came out, but I was in high school (so a little young & prudish) and I also didn’t know that I was bi. I didn’t even know that bisexuality was a thing back then haha. When I came out in my early twenties, I tried watching it but didn’t really like the show. I don’t really watch a lot of dramas…But I did skim through certain parts because it is *such* a big part of gay woman culture. I’m really enjoying listening to the To L and Back podcasts too because they’re much better than the show itself and I’m still hearing about the references!
The format is great! I particularly like the captions! I laughed out loud with Angie’s reference to when Bette ran away with her and with the one with Mangus’ song. I loved the episode but I hate that I have to believe Tibette got divorced. Why aren’t Alice and Shane still friends with Tina though? I had already prepared myself emotionally for Tina being dead, so now I have to adjust the story in my head.
When Bette was talking to Tina I pictured Laurel Holloman’s terrible phone acting and thought of y’all. Great recap, the screencaps really tie it together as always and I hope Ilene invites you birdwatching.
Aren’t the sleepless nepotist and Sophie the overpromiser a bit young to get married? What’s the rush? Get a puppy and move into your own apartment first!
I get that they had to make an excuse for Pam Grier not coming back, but I will be really bummed if they killed her off with opioids; it echoes the way they randomly sacrificed Dana because they wanted to tell a story about breast cancer.
I’m somehow very behind on To L and Back and so tonight listened to the Season 2 mail bag episode, and Riese mentions how she’s going to recap Generation Q, and she really hopes people comment on the recaps. So here I am.
Also I refused to get out bed and get ready for work today until I had finished reading this recap, and I’m so so glad to be on this journey in real time reading the recaps after I actually watch the show in real TV time.
Also also the captions on all these screenshots speak to my sense of humor in a very deep, personal, wonderful way.
That’s all.
THANK YOU FOR DOING AS I WISHED
They had a Latinx character played by a Persian actor though, surely that’s something (else)
Riese, thank you for this glorious recap.
Really love this old school recap format. It just feels right to have the recaps in this fashion.
L I V I N G for the captions, honestly the best part of the recap (the rest is very good too). Also love the sex scene and top off round ups.
So happy to be able to watch, then keep the episode living on through your recaps and To L and Back – what a gift.
I laughed out loud at the ‘Aloce’ show every time – thanks Reise :) Also, Alice’s jumpsuits are amazing. Just really loving the I’m only going to wear a version of pajamas things she’s got going on this time around.
living in in europe we cant offically stream the show,so we have to do some tricks ,use vpn etc…Im too much of a chicken to do it,sadly(its not being shown on tv here yet) so an left wing PUB in a squatted house did show the pilot yesterday here in berlin. it was an delight to watch it with a couple of exited lesbians who giggle at the sex scenes ,or squirm and turn red like me ;-)and “woo…hoo” and clap, WHEN ALICE, Shane or bette appears the first time on screen and later together, also clapping& woohoo at every bette speach which no one fucking delivers better than our “girl”. and she is is still so ..uber-hot…..that was fun there but isnt probably a regular place to show all episodes as many of you guys in queer places over there in the US have the opportunity without the feeling of “breaking the law”. very good sound-boxes there, the bass of that hip hop song angie listens to in the car was solid,angie `s very sweet and well casted btw …whats the name of the song ? maybe in lATE SPRING/early summer l word will be ON SKY tv over here but that monhly fee is too pricey for me and also probally dubbed with german over the engliash and i refuse to listen to anything other than the orginal language,so many wordplays gets lost in the sychronsation in another language…a delight and sometimes it feels a bit forced with the namedropping of current queer namesor current stuff to show that “we’re hip and aware thats its 2019” but overall i enjoyed it and already have a crush on sarah ( miss toboni) who i predict to become the new shane of her generation, (yes there can only be one , but she sure will break some hearts ) will hope for a bigger friendcircle,beside the 4 new ones we met, and some women with more full figured or even “fat” being cast,these body types are still criminally underepresented .. . aidy bryant,danielle brooks(who played an lesbian in “girls”,jemina kirke goes down on her )would come to mind , Some cool indie bANDS OR QUEER ARTISTS playing a showcase there….
sorry of course her name is finley not sarah.. also,im glad i understand 80% of it , if youre not a native speaker sometimescause of mumbling or fast pace of the speech of the actorsyou miss out on things so i sadly didnt catch why bette was so upset, and only learned through the recap that it was opiates that dani`s company was selling. looking forward to an hopeful dvd release in the future with english or german subtitles to catch 100%,
NO MENTION OF THE ALOCE BILLBOARD WHERE THE LIPS ARE RIGHT OVER HER PEEPER? Sorry to bring up peepers.
I’m thinking the show will get better and better (I hope?). Right now it feels a bit trying-too-hard and exposition-y, but I can forgive a pilot for that. LOVE your recaps as always Riese, can’t wait to follow them.
Looking forward to seeing more of Jacqueline Toboni who I LOVED in EASY.
Also cute: extremely last minute, we hosted 8 queers at our apartment to watch <3
”breakfast of champions”
I think I’m more comforted/thrilled by the return of the Junior Mints meme than anything else in this whole reboot situation. xoxoxo
p.s. the format is perfect, please keep it, thank you for your service
i hope one day to have all my recaps sponsored by junior mints, you know??? junior mints for everybody
I want this for you! They must have some queers working for them…
Hey Riese- this recap was a thing of beauty and I will be listening to the podcast as well. FYI- there are a couple of typos you should fix.
we had to turn off our spell-checker cuz we thought it was slowing down wordpress but now we have figured out THE REAL CULPRIT so yeah i’ve been through a few rounds of hand-fixing typos but if there’s any that you think i missed, feel free to point me in that direction
oh and thank you!
LOVE this format and soooo missed Riese’s recaps, so glad to see them back.
Immediately thought they were referring to Kit re: the opioid situation, but really hope we’re all wrong.
same as many i think that bette is so passionate about the opiod situation as there is no mention of kit in the pilot that kit might be have died of using opiodes, but also hoping we are wrong.as i mentioned in an comment earlier, what i want to see; next to full figured, fat women,ONE THING I FORGOT: I MISS REAL BUTCHES ON L WORD. I understand the limitations of an network , but whats the problem? why not add add some butches in the mix. the further they show is finley/shane in the androgynous sprectrum…..please marja, please add some butches in the mix!to refuse to do it you refuse to show such an important and big part of the queer community.
I really wish there were differently sized women too.
Adored this recap. Also, am I the only one that found no chemistry between Alice and Nat? I love Stephanie Allyne, but I just am not buying this relationship. I sense Alice is kind of over it already. Interested to see how it unfolds!
I felt much the same way, though I know pilot episodes are notoriously difficult to use as a gauge for how things will ultimately play out, and I think that sometimes applies to chemistry. We’ll see!
Oh man.
As a gen Q myself i feel like my interactions with the L word were purely watching and reading recaps like YEARS after it all first aired. To read them in real time makes me feel like I’m 12 and waiting for effing dykes to load on my family computer again! Excitement mixed with fear!
also the format’s great
Yes please do continue your style of recaps, and especially the captions. Love your sense of humor!
~a fan from day one
i love this format! please keep doing it exactly like this!
Does anyone have a sippy cup!?! Hahahahaha easily one my favourite scenes of the entire series. Loved the recap, can’t wait to read the next one! I SUPPOSE I’ll listen to the podcast recap seen as though you’re gonna be in some of them! Sending love from the UK, Alex xx