Welcome to the seventh recap of the third season of The L Word Generation Q, brought to you by the same network that brought you the original L Word, a show about girls in tight dresses who drag with mustaches.
Specifically this is a recap of Episode 307, “Little Boxes.”
When I was a senior in high school, my best friend Krista directed a play I wrote called “Familyland” — the story of a ’50s Levittown family coming gradually unglued following the arrival of an unexpected dinner guest — for that year’s One Act Festival. I still remember Krista playing me “Little Boxes” on her CD player, and me agreeing with her that indeed it was the perfect intro music for our show. It was also perfect for the next time it appeared in my life, which was when it served as the intro music for the Showtime comedy Weeds.
Anyhow! As you will see in this Episode 307 recap of The L Word: Generation Q, this television event was not about the one-act play I wrote in high school, nor was it about a suburban Mom selling marijuana in the wake of her husband’s death. Nor was it about little boxes. What, then pray tell, was it about? Well, the only way to find out is to either watch it, read this recap, or both!
A quick note of order before we proceed: I’m continuing to count Sexy Moments but I won’t be doing little segments for each one like I used to because honestly there is not that much to say about sex scenes that are under 30 seconds long! But if we get any long ones later in the season, I will give them an orderly paragraph of my time.
We open on a gorgeous, sunny day in Los Angeles, California, where Finley has recently fallen victim to some very incongruous writing choices that have left her very dumped. Thanks to Carmax, however, she’s got a vehicle to sit in while attempting to piece together a coping strategy that doesn’t involve drinking.
Fuck I should’ve grabbed the leftover beef lo mein I still had in the fridge
Finley’s trusty sponsor Tess ignores her call but Shane picks up — but upon learning Shane’s en route to Vegas with Tess for Tess’s Mom’s funeral, Finley decides to seek help elsewhere.
Mom?
Sure, honey, whatever you need.
Words cannot express how deeply I love this for both of them. Also I think my life would’ve turned out a lot better if I’d been able to just go live in Rosie O’Donnell’s house after a breakup instead of what I usually did instead. What did I do instead? I acted like Sophie’s gonna act all episode long! So without any further ado…
It’s Extra Long Morning Time at SoMiMar’s and there’s a lot happening: Micah’s running a solo Jamba Juice for his buddies, Sophie got her nipples pierced and is soothing the burn with packs of frozen peas, and Dani’s buzzing around, stoked for that evening’s Fletcher release party.
I told her I liked nipple play but I did not mean that I wanted her to bite my nipples so hard they bled for hours, you know?
Dani asks Sophie if it’d be weird for Dre to attend this episode’s Big Event (the Fletcher release party) and Sophie says it’s actually completely and totally chill absolutely 100% will not have any impact on her whatsoever at all.
Well, I add one cup frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup raw pepitas, 1 pitted date, 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, a cup of water, one ounce of beetle’s blood, the feather of a falcon and three tablespoons of Bette Porter’s tears
When pressed about her feelings regarding last week’s sudden breakup, Sophie declares herself “a little numb,” just like her boobs! Dani sneaks a peek at Sophie’s new nips and the exes-to-friends energy here with both of them and Micah is invigorating.
We then cut to the Aloce Show Emporium, where Alice has invited Tom for a comfortable conversation about their possibly destined romance, which he begins by running right into a glass door. Honestly Tom is such a delight, you know?
We learn quickly thereafter that Tom’s rejected marriage proposal to Alice took place on the top of the Eiffel Tower. Here are some ideas that seem less romantic but are not: getting down on one knee outside a gas station in the rain, hiding an engagement ring in a baked potato, standing on a car in city traffic demanding all nearby drivers to “honk in the name of love,” interrupting your active crying over your close friend’s death by saying “would you marry me” to your girlfriend who is gardening for some reason, performing a mash-up of “Hand in My Pocket” and “Feel the Earth Move” before asking your girlfriend to “mash up for life” with you. All of those ideas are better than this idea!
That said if anyone reading this proposed or was proposed to atop the Eiffel Tower I bet it was super cute!
What if instead I’d proposed to you on the top of the Eiffel Tower replica they have at Kings Island in Ohio?
I would’ve sooner said yes if you’d gotten down on one knee in the bathroom line at Barnes & Noble
Alice has got something she’s eager to chat with Tom about, but Tom cuts her right off with his assumption of what she wants to talk about — she’s obviously thinking about her next book and cannot do it without him!
Womp womp wompity womp off we go to California University, where Angie is looking delightfully dykey while discussing her upcoming romantic weekend with her professor who is also her boyfriend. Apparently he’ll be doing a reading out of town and Angie’s his special guest and Bella’s so excited for Angie to lose her V-Card and is insisting that Angie pack ten thousand condoms for this occasion.
You know this kinda seems like when NASA sent a woman to space for six days and gave her 100 tampons
Angie feels super-ready to have sex with this man despite not having felt super-ready to have sex with Jordi when they dated for two years. Also she made this man a chapbook that he does not deserve. Also Bella asks “are you in love” and if Bette Porter could hear one word of this she would be at the Toronto Pearson International Airport in fifteen minutes.
We then return to Carrie’s Home for Wayward Finleys, where Finley’s just burnt a lasagna and, in the grand tradition of a person recently dumped for confusing reasons, is certain this means she’s an overall failure at life with zero skills.
OOFF this is the last time I try to make Shrinky Dinks without watching a YouTube instructional video first
Carrie, however, has no time for such self-defeatism! She embraces Finley and insists Finley sub in at her bowling match that evening. I love this for them!
Listen, I burned three batches of Fimo beads in 1997 and it didn’t stop me from continuing to pursue arts and crafts
Okaayyyy fine I’ll try Shrinky Dinks again
This is incredibly realistic lesbian recreational league sports representation here with the desperate needing of a sub and the degrading of one’s own abilities when pitching said sub.
Back at The Aloce Show Offices, Tom’s still pitching book ideas, including the very promising concept of a tongue-in-cheek self-help book… or perhaps a cookbook? She could learn to cook and then make a book of recipes, easy peasy! Here, I made a mock-up for Alice’s self-help book:
Order your advance copy now, advance purchases are very important for authors
But then! Before Alice can effectively redirect the conversation, they both hear a noise coming from the wall and Alice is incredibly relieved that Tom hears what she hears: ghost cat!
What I THINK, Tom, is I think that Ellen DeGeneres sent a little ghost to spit in my face!!!
Alice: Oh my god, thank you! I’ve been telling Sophie there’s a cat in here and everyone’s like oh you’re going crazy and then a PA was like oh it’s a ghost and then we spent half a day looking for an eco-friendly ghost removal service.
Tom: How’d that go?
Alice: It was like Ghostbusters but they showed up in an old Prius. It was a scam. A ghost scam.
Although I’m still not rooting for Alice and Tom as endgame, they have such fantastic comedic chemistry I wish he was still on the show!
Back at SoMiMar’s, Maribel is sick of looking at sperm donors online and I agree and think she should instead be looking at designer sneakers she can’t afford online, like I do. Sophie saunters into the room like an impulsive queen, announcing her intention to get her hair done, which nope has nothing to do with seeing Dre tonight not at all!
Oh, I’m not the girl I was or used to be … bitch I might be better
Micah’s been begging Maribel to join him for the Fletcher Album Release Party and she’s been resisting his insistence… but now? Now she has no choice but to attend ’cause Sophie’s overall vibe is heading in an undoubtedly chaotic direction and well, you know how it is with sisters… Sisterhood is powerful.
It’s Fletcher Field Day time! Dre’s here and Dani’s stoked to see them ’cause there’s some people she wants Dre to meet for professional reasons, for example Fletcher and also Sophie Suarez, a producer for The Aloce Show who Dre once had several fingers inside.
Personally I think it’s completely fine to fuck on the first date, yes/no?
But it’s also clear, as Dani fingers a smudge on Dre’s shirt and they attempt to speak to each other professionally, that there is something buzzing between them and that something is “sexual tension.”
We then get on our scooters and scoot on over to the Hollywood Bowl(ing Alley), where rec league night is thriving and reminding us all that masc lesbians look great in bowling shirts.
Why can’t I throw it like this I’ve been practicing my hook shot
When it’s Finley’s turn at the mound she hands Carrie her phone with its drafted text message to Sophie —
Carrie: [reading] Hi Soph hope you’re well [stops reading] No it’s not good, I’m deleting it.
Finley: What do you mean? You didn’t even get to the part where I apologized!
Carrie: It’s too soon Finley!
Everybody needs a butch lesbian Mom to erase their text messages for them, you know? And if not, they could just read this book:
Alternately you could read this article
Anyhow, Finley’s thrilled to discover she’s pretty good at bowling and shocked to discover that Carrie’s yet to ask Misty on a date.
Carrie: I’m sorry, you haven’t asked the plumber out yet?
Finley: She has a name, it’s Misty!
SUPERSTAR!
Carrie’s happy with just being friends: she likes bowling, hanging out a little bit every week. It’s good enough for her. Unfortunately, it isn’t good enough for Finley, who tonight is playing the role of “precocious child in a rom-com who fears his father will never find love again.”
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Thank you, Riese! Your recaps make the show a lot more enjoyable. I’m glad Bette Porter made an appearance here. I hate this Angie storyline so much that it makes me accept the other things I wouldn’t like if I had space in my heart to hate them too. I would buy all of Alice’s book and I volunteer as an intern for the Alice/Helena campaign.
But Alice and Tasha would also make me happy.
The second Alice said Tasha’s name I screamed. Bring Rose Rollins back please!
Yes I’m so here for Tasha or Helena! I am also a little hopeful bc there aren’t any pics of Alice on the showtime press site for episode 308, which means she’s either not in the episode at all (which feels possible since Shane wasn’t in this one?) or whatever she’s doing in the ep involves major spoilers. But… that could also mean like the return of Nat or something??? Or nat and Gigi maybe the one is the two
– I absolutely adore Finley and Carrie. Their dynamic is awesome. I want to see more of them and I would happily watch if this series was about them alone (and gladly Misty). And I loved that Carrie is adopting Finley and that her being angry at Finley did not mean that Finley was not welcome to her house any more
– Wow, I am shipping Carrie and Misty so, so much. They are both awesome and hot, and I want them to be regulars on the show and their relationship to be more central. Butch on butch love <3! Also: the line “She has a name!” was good when Finley said “the plumber,” because Candace also has a name and is pretty much always referred to as The Carpenter
– I really liked that Tom moved on from Alice and I hope he is happy with the person who is pregnant. I am fond of Tom, he is funny and sympathetic and their friendship comedic dynamic is great
– Alice did much more than just kissing Lara after Dana’s death. They had an affair for three weeks before Lara moved away. By the way, it wasn’t just you and Kayla who didn’t hate it, it was also me, so three people in total :-)
– “We don’t like Tasha” – who is “we” here? And THAT is how Alice and Tasha broke up off-screen? After all their actual problems we witnessed in in season six, it was Tasha ghosting Alice for becoming more famous?! Oh please. This doesn’t fit to Tasha’s personality at all. In addition to them living together (so true Riese). But I guess it had to fit to the whole new “I’m famous now and what about regular people”-storyline, also after Taylor…
– If the show can reference Mr. Piddles, why not Jenny…?
– I couldn’t help but feel schadenfreude when Sophie tried to kiss Dre and Dre was like “Actually I like someone else.” Loved Sophie’s face in that moment. The world does not revolve around her and she cannot push people back and think they will welcome her with open arms the moment she changes her mind. I want her to be single for a while, just to be with herself and work on her shit instead of jumping right into the next relationship where she will be codependent once again (though I did not see evidence of that with Finley). This doesn’t go away if she just has a different partner, this is something she brings to the table and I want her to address this for herself, as well as her drinking behavior. I like Sophie and I am rooting for her, but I don’t like some (recently lots) of her behavior and I want her to take more responsibility for herself instead of jumping into something new and hope that this time, things will work out because it’s new and exciting and someone is paying attention to her
– Micah trying to convince Mirabel into going to the party: dude, you can also go by yourself!
– Micah and Michael – in their first encounter, I was shipping them so hard. But I like Micah’s and Maribel’s communication in this and the previous episode
– I am excited for some Finley family stuff (her mom) next week. Yes, character depth through family background (hopefully)!
– Sophie’s green dress and falling into the pool cannot have been good for her newly pierced nipples!
– I so don’t care about Fletcher in this episode and also generally. A song about stalking and wanting to hit the woman her ex is with while also objectifying her? That’s some toxic bullshit and not less problematic coming from a person within the LGBTQ spectrum. Moreover, I wish the show would take the time they spend on guest appearances for main character’s personality and deeper storylines
I know a lot of people feel the song is problematic anyway and that’s totally valid! However, it seems like your issues with it might be due to not understanding some of the slang she uses- she “stalks” her ex’a new girlfriend by looking at their public Instagram posts together and wants to “hit her” as in wants to hit her up and flirt with her.
Just wanted to comment as someone who likes the sound of the song but also finds it problematic/hates the line about hitting. I totally get what you’re saying, liz, that those lines can mean hit her up (or hit on her or hit that ie have sex) and stalk her on social media. But imo the multiple meanings are part of the point of the song. Sure she probably means she wants to hit Becky up, but if the line is “makes me want to hit her” it’s very reasonable to interpret that as a violent desire. Also frankly I don’t think “hit her” is terribly common slang for hit her up…I’m not saying the artist would actually want to hit the person irl, but I think that meaning is very much there. If the artist didn’t want that ambiguity, they could have easily said “makes me want to hit her up” instead. And tbh I would have preferred that. Just my two cents!
I am aware of the two interpretations in regards to hitting. One is that she wants to hit her, which sounds to me like punching her in the face; this is my association with “want to hit her.” And the other is, sure, hitting on her, which is – also in regards to the rest of this song – in line with sexist men who don’t display any boundaries and who believe it is fine to make any woman a sex object. Both options are super toxic to me. And as SK pointed out, multiple meanings are part of that song and Fletcher could have chosen to avoid ambiguity here with using another word in that line.
Riese!!! You destroy me. These are so great.
I like that Finley is fighting for her sobriety and reaching out to those that have experience…in life…Rosie is sooo fab as Carrie and I like her stability to talk, directly, truthfully TO Finley. AND…remain mature enough to keep their budding friendship.
Carrie is very aware of how people view her quirkiness and OCDness. But at least she’s honest. She isn’t trying to be someone other than herself.
I feel most sorry for Angie. Seems like she didn’t have the benefit of seeing her Moms as “lovers” submitted to that ship. Her little “ho-bitch” roomy has a whole mega-size bx of condoms but was freaking out about pulling a condom OUT of her own vagina?
Ang & the Prof used a condom but who knows? God I hope she doesn’t end up preg at this point in her life. The Prof wants his future, does Angie value hers?
From the second this whole stupid storyline with That Guy, I was fearing pregnant Angie would be the reason Tina & Bette come back to LA. Ugh, no, I hope I’m wrong.
Really love the whole Carrie/Finley relationship, and it’s so nice to see Carrie being pursued. I just love this for all of them, too, and as others have said, the LWord has a history of messing up nice things, so who knows?
I miss Tasha. Tasha called Alice out on her shit. They just worked well together. I hope Rose returns.
I would also just love to see what Tasha is up to and where she is at now, what, nearly 15 years later?
I feel like Rose Rollins as Tasha brought to the OG some of the grounding energy that characters on Gen Q like Carrie, Misty, Finley offer.
yeah i agree about tasha’s grounding energy, a strong contrast to the upper-middle-class power lesbians around her. i’d love to see what she’s up to and i just really truly hope it is not “being a cop”
so pleased to have another member of the shipping alice and lara club
I know Angie is 18 but the entire set of scenes with her and the teacher felt super icky. Funny how he didn’t have a problem with things until after he got her into bed. 🤢 I am glad Angie didn’t just let the student comment go, saw a little Bette pop out in that moment.
I hope that relationship is actually over.
Loving the Carrie storyline! I admit I wasn’t her biggest fan last year (reminded me too much of an ex) but she has grown on me this season.
I finally have something in common with Alice! We are both resigned to our fates of being cat ladies! Lol It would be awesome if Tasha showed up again or Helena for that matter.
I liked this week’s episode more than the others this season. Not sure that’s saying much but it was a pleasant surprise.
I feel like Angie was pushing the ship w/the Proff. She too young to understand that all “attraction” isn’t worth the pursuit. TIMING is the biggest ingredient in realizing one’s PURPOSE. God I hope she isn’t impregnated.
Carrie is the most mature, humorous one of all of them!. She understands Finely’s miss-steps but respects her for reaching out. I like that Carrie has a fab pad worthy of her career achievements.
Riese! Your recaps give me LIFE! And shout-out to Gretchen for the amazing book cover graphics. :)
The “Michael” “No, MicAH…oh, YOUR name is Michael” had me lolsobbing because I have had similar exchanges (my name is pretty common but people get it wrong a lot for some reason?). Leo Sheng is so freaking cute.
Also freaking cute: Misty. Cannot look away when she’s onscreen. I want her and Carrie and Finley to live happily ever after.
Tom is a delight, and so is Alice with her new kitten.
All of these good parts plus Fletcher distracted me from Angie and Hendrix/Fitz, which is a big ole ICK that had me wanting to throw my laptop across the room.
Anyway, can’t wait for the next To L and Back!
I think that the Finley, Carrie and Misty’s story line is the best thing that could happen this season, so far… not getting my hopes up too high because it is of course still the L word. But Jacqueline, Rosie and Heidi are killing it! Their chemistry is amazing.
Also I love to look for details like the bowling team name and as a non-American I had to look it up, but this is a gem:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Can%27t_Believe_It%27s_Not_Butter!
oh wow i didn’t know I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter is just an american thing!!! but it makes sense because it’s terrible
Haha, yes it is. I’ve never had it, but if it is anything like the salted margarine (yuk!!) I had in the US I count us very lucky ;). Imagine that you made a product and the marketing department is only able to make it sellable by naming it exactly as what it is supposed to be.. :s
The domestic Carrie scenes this episode reminded me of Carrie’s extremely charming introduction on the show when she broke Bette’s mailbox and then regaled us with anecdotes about Groupons and jet skiing with her newfound cousins in Florida. Just very endearing stuff, and this time with the added bonus of moving Finley’s plot along in a way that makes sense. After last season’s messy alcohol use disorder plot, I would love to see more of this fun and maternal version of Carrie! Not sure why we needed to have her overhear something hurtful yet again, seeing her overhear Bette and Tina’s reconnection last season was rough enough, but that’s my only complaint.
With the preview for next week’s episode showing Finley’s mom dropping in, I’m hoping the show will forego homophobic parent angst and instead lean into this new Carrie/Finley dynamic to give us a nice, relevant-to-many-lesbians chosen family storyline or something similar. We get bits and pieces of this concept with Angie and Uncle Shane, but not a lot.
Tasha!!! And Carrie and misty!!! And Finely family drama. I’m loving these potential developments
I thought Micah and Michael were going to hook up. Same with Bella and Angie
Please consider this comment my job application for the role of intern on the Alice/Helena campaign. Halice? Aelena? Pieszbody?
PIESZBODY
Also what this show needs is more Roberta Colindrez
I don’t even watch this show and I know that to be true. More Roberta Colindrez in everything!
Hard agree yes
This should would be elevated by ANY Roberta Colindrez, no?
Yayyyyy a good episode! And I loved the book covers
This is the most unsexy show on television! As Drew pointed out, this is a gay hook up show and frankly we were all fine with that being the only thing holding it all together. Absent of that I’m gonna need a plot or character arc or something to cling to.
Also, if you’re Finley and all your alleged “friends” are joking it up in the house you technically live in and not one is reaching out, worried about how you’re feeling or where you’re going, or defending you while you’re not around, these people are not your friends!!! They suck. And you should ditch them all.
Same for Shane and Tess. So Tess screens the call and chooses not to answer her sponsee? Then Shane, presumably sitting next to her, accepts the call, hears an obviously upset Finley and doesn’t go hey, listen, let me have you talk to Tess real quick?! You’re on a 5 hour drive through the desert, you have time for this!! Insane.
Meanwhile, while I was initially taken aback by brunette Finley, my god she’s hot this season. They’ve done a good job of growing her look up a bit.
Totally agree about everything re: Finley! Sure, it makes sense from what we’ve seen on screen that everyone basically takes Sophie’s “side” over Finley’s but the narrative is in a way doing the same thing. Wouldn’t the person initiating the breakup usually have to move out, or at least offer to? The show is so genuine in the “Sophie is finally choosing herself, as she should” idea that we’re not supposed to doubt this post breakup behavior I guess. It also would have been easy for Sophie or Micah to have a quick line about feeling bad that Finley isn’t there when the gang is all having fun together…I want to like Sophie so badly as a character but I wish we saw a bit more complexity in her response to the breakup and some empathy for Finley, who is objectively in a very difficult position even if we as viewers agree the breakup was “justified”.
I’m similarly baffled by the Tess-Finley relationship. I thought it was very compelling in season 1 and we got a glimpse of that again when Finley stayed to comfort Tess after the breakup with Shane but the show repeatedly has Teas sort of let Finley down as a “sponsor”. Love the Finley-Carrie scenes but wish any of the other characters (besides Shane somewhat in this episode) showed some her some love as well!
I too want to love Sophie, and often do, but her not giving a second thought to Finley, who she was not only in a long term relationship with but was best friends with seemed just unbelievably cold to me. She tried harder with Dani last season! I understand break ups are tough and obviously they can’t live together, but like, this person you did just say you love even if you can the with is an alcoholic, maybe like check and make sure she’s alive? I don’t know
Yes! Good point, Em Drob. Sophie was SO worried about Dani who is literally fine, who had a network of people, money, lake houses to run to etc. Then treats Finley, her long time friend, like a bad ex?
It seems the writers value the episode’s storyline more than the established nature of the characters. They make edits to the characters core values and traits based on what serves whatever little narrative they are dead set on telling that week. This week it’s apparently “Sophie is finding herself, yay!” So poor Finley, as always, is just a casualty of the storyline.
Moreover! The drunken behavior exhibited by Sophie (falling in the pool, needing to be carried to a cab where she’s likely to yak, everyone pointing out she is a mess) was honestly SO much more egregious than like 90% of Finley’s “drunk” behavior. Yet it’s all a big funny haha thing for Sophie, while Finley is absolutely villainized. Baffling inconsistencies.
100% agree to all this.
Although I read the show’s perspective a bit different in this episode: the musical seemed to want us to be in in Sophie’s corner, but this episode seemed to be paralleling the markedly different ways that Sophie and Finley are coping (while also showing that they both have support/community around them, which I liked).
I still don’t know what the show “wants” us to think about these characters and their dynamic but it struck me that in some ways Sophie’s “it’s finally all about me” declaration masks the fact that it was … sort of… always about her?
In season 1 she was impatient with Dani’s inability to process in that way that she (Sophie) wanted/needed. When she was feeling like she wasn’t Dani’s focus of attention, she immediately turned to the person who WAS focused on her: Finley. At the end of season 1 Finley was the one who kept pulling back/pushing off an escalation of their romantic tension (from the “Closer” dancing scene to “What are you doing buddy” to the green room sex scene where Sophie really forced the issue).
Which makes the ongoing casting of Finley as in the wrong and immature all the more perplexing. She routinely seems to be one of the most empathic and engaged characters on this show? Is she hapless, yes. But beyond that?
And her handling of Finley’s alcoholism was tepid/nonexistent at best, and in this season, there’s this attitude of resigned exhaustion that Finley is “too much” to deal with. Which I get in the world in terms of loving someone with addiction/in recovery, but which it feels like this show has just TOLD us but has barely shown us (except in these insanely escalated scenarios that come out of the blue).
I still really want to like Sophie and do root for her, but am increasingly confused about her characterization. Clearly I care about these fictional characters way too much, but I adore Rosanny and JT and just want the writers to do right by their acting commitments.
Of course she was worried about Dani and tried harder with her: she didn’t want to break up with her and despite what the show continues to show, she isn’t supposed to be a sociopath.
Also, let’s not act like she hasn’t been acting in a very off-putting way with Dani since their breakup either, both in things she’s done and said behind her back and even in her face. But no one was offended when Dani was abandoned by all her friends and they all took the side of the ones that were undisputably in the wrong.
By comparison, this is a normal break-up and normal behavior from all the characters, honestly.
Yeah that was a thing I kept noticing throughout the episode – while Finley is definitely an alcoholic (Riese laid out all the signs in one of her recaps!) the show doesn’t seem to be able to delineate between what makes her drinking problematic, while for others it’s just funny. I guess it’s the issue you have when you want to tell sobriety storylines, but have also made a bad / drinking parties the centerpiece of all group scenes.
And to mn’s point, I remember everyone being very offended by that last season, it felt like all the fanbase could talk about, Dani’s friends abandoning her. I didn’t think it was totally accurate, as she had Bette, Gigi, Micah, and Sophie who she said she never wanted to see again, AND even Finley on occasion (though I agreed that was inappropriate of her) all going out of their way to help her all season, but I definitely remember everyone calling it out.
Honestly this was my favorite episode of the season!
It felt like all of the storylines moved forward in meaningful ways, and they took their time more to let things unfold and the developments happened with more specificity and levity (with some sapphic case, as is fitting for this show).
I would watch a spin-off just about Finley, Carrie, and Misty, and maybe Tom and Alice (as a buddy dynamic rather than romantic). I loved all this stuff so much. Tom moving on was so fitting, and I was pleasantly surprised that Tasha was mentioned (she was who came to mind with the Dana-oracle “they knew me in a way” comment).
As much as I hold onto the vestiges of season one Sinley ship, in an interview JT did before the season premiered she mentioned wanting Finley to find friends and a partner who really care about her and support her, and I feel like I might be OK with that not looking like Dani/Sophie/Micah etc. (although I’m curious to see where 308 next week unfolds).
For a moment this episode I dared to hope we might see Sophie grapple with her own habits around alcohol, as all of us have been screaming about throughout Finley’s sobriety journey? It did bum me out a bit how everyone was so eye-rolling but supportive of Sophie and it felt like in the latter half of last season everyone punished Finley for “bad behavior” while drinking (how many times has the hallway incident been referenced??) Do others think the show is going to explore this in the remaining 3 episodes (how? already?), or was this a fluke?
I love the friendship that has grown between Dani and Sophie, and the exes-to-friends dynamic they both share with Micah, but the way that Finley was excised so swiftly felt a bit raw. JT’s face after Carrie tells Finley to meet her at the car––so good. You realize how conditional her relationships must have been.
Angie’s storyline continues to bum me out and it feels like there was so little (no) pay-off, narratively? Even in their breakup conversation they tiptoe around the problematic power dynamics etc, so what was the point here?
Riese, you remain the sun! burning so bright with these recaps! and the L Word universe orbits your brilliance! planetary belonging and all.
Totally agree with everything here!
Also, do you have the link to the JT article you reference? Would love to read and don’t think I have!
Hi Em, I had to dig as it was actually from fall 2021, but here are the pertinent quotes:
“I’d say Finley is the lead character in her own storyline. Previously, Sophie was the lead character in Finley and Sophie’s story,” she shares…. “With Sophie, she’s just broke off her marriage and is immediately jumping into something else, so I think she needs to figure out what she wants and what she needs from a partner.” … So the question becomes: “Do they go their separate ways and risk losing each other forever, or do they stick together and work through it even though it’s not right right now?” … “I would like her to start building positive healthy relationships outside of a romantic relationship. She can have a romantic relationship, that’s great, but I think she needs more support, without fucking those people up,” Toboni explains.
https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-l-word-generation-q-star-discusses-sophie-finley-relationship-season-3-hopes.html/
Thank you!! I agree with both you and Jac, though I’m a diehard Sinley shipper and hope they reunite, this episode crystallized to me that what I want most of all for Finley is a support system of any kind, whether romantic or not
yes i remain fascinated with sophie’s drinking behavior being categorized as a-ok in comparison to finley’s — it very well could be a-ok, but the way they’ve come down on finley (and as you say, the pissing in the hallway incident becoming everybody’s obsession) does raise questions about sophie… like although it was implied finley drank at inopportune moments, we honestly never saw her drunk at work, miss work bc of drinking or even a hangover, or even day-drink alone until her final pre-rehab episode! all the flashback clips in the car, to the best of my recollection, aside from that one day-drinking alone scene, were at events where everybody was overindulging, and she wasn’t the only one drinking out of that flask.
finley just partied hard, and binge drank and blacked out her emotional distress and…. so did sophie. i honestly really connect with sophie in that way, including what it’s like to be someone who’s not necessarily an “alcoholic” but definitely has an alcohol use disorder, and having to take a good long look at myself when my drinking buddies got sober and joined AA. so far though it does not seem like this show has any interest in sophie taking a look at herself or really parsing out what it was that made finley need 15 months of rehab + sober living compared to other characters on this program!
I sometimes wonder if I’m/we’re expecting too much from a TV show that is pitched in the particular fantasy-reality realm of TLW, because I too am not suggesting that Sophie is an alcoholic, but I do think her relationship to alcohol in relation to her work, her social life, her friendships, etc. might benefit from some reflection. At the very least in the context of your partner/friend spending over a year in intense sobriety! (which also is surprising to me; my family member was in and out of in-patient, out-patient, and sober living settings, sometimes for 7 days, sometimes a month, but you never really knew how long as you were at the mercy of insurance… I imagine the answer to this is “Alice,” but given some of the (light) inquiry into class that Gen Q led off with in s1 with Finley, Shane’s past on the OG, and between Sophie’s family/Dani, wouldn’t it be interesting to have that be a part of this?
I honestly sometimes wonder if we ponder the complexity of these narratives more than the writer’s room? On the other hand I understand that it’s hard to balance this many characters with their own disparate histories and storylines, and give them depth and specificity.
But it also feels like, then just don’t pick these plots. Don’t center the opioid crisis. Don’t delve into alcoholism/sobriety. Any time this show tries to “comment” it becomes frustratingly one dimensional, I think — and often betrays the characters it has established in the process.
Tess as Finley’s sponsor remains baffling to me, but I am grateful that Finley can hang out with Carrie and experience someone keeping her around because they see something good and special in her, even when she’s in need or being annoying. I like to think that Sophie really sees something there too, but if the writers won’t articulate it and if Sophie instead lists ways that Finley has become her albatross, then I’m glad Carrie can be among the people in town who don’t treat Finley like a Christmas puppy surprise that keeps cutely peeing on expensive rugs.
I would love for any or all of the folks that Finley loves to be capable of loving her and allowing her to grow at her own pace and holding her reasonably accountable all at the same time, but if they can’t or won’t, I’m so glad she at least has Carrie. Their connection has been the best part of the eps its appeared in for me.
so disappointed with this show. i feel like it’s all just pandering.
To whom?
The only part that felt pandering to me was the Fletcher piece, which sort of felt like product placement?
Especially when compared to the more low-key/organic inclusion of, say, Sleater-Kinney in the OG and that devastating scene where Shane gets the call about Dana.
I also felt like Fletcher’s guest appearance/song was somewhat product placement
This episode was so good! It was coherent almost the whole time, I was proud of them.
Riese, I always love your recaps but this one really got me, especially the way you talk about the Carrie/Finley dynamic. They made me emotional many times and reading about them again made me tear up some more. Such joy I have not felt watching this show since the karaoke ep!!
can we talk about how fletcher only had like four lines but is a better actor than most of the (new) cast members
I disagree, I thought Fletcher was doing a terrible job at acting. Not sure who you mean with “new” cast members – Dre? Misty? Carrie? Some people count Sophie, Finley, Dani and Micah as new despite this being their third year – I guess “new” in comparison to the OG characters. So obviously I don’t know who you refer to, I don’t mean to project and people’s tastes/opinions are different. Just here to say that unlike some other folks on the internet, I think the actors who portray Finley, Sophie, Dani, Micah, Carrie and Misty are outstanding in their acting skills and I just wish the storylines they are given were better.
100% all this. I mostly felt bad for Leo this episode, having to go “Fletcher!” “There’s Fletcher!” “I want to meet Fletcher!” like he was in an ad.
same! the carrie/finley dynamic warmed my heart in a way that felt so real and not artificial or manipulative, just genuine. it doesn’t hurt that rosie and JT are such great actors and really shine together
angie is finally free from The Man, amen!
It’s getting to the point where I literally only watch so I can enjoy these recaps, and this might be the funniest one yet. Thank you for your service fr!! 🫡
I’ve started approaching each episode as its own isolated thing, one that should not be expected to follow any narrative continuity or character development from previous episodes, let alone the original series. I also simply don’t accept any of this as canon lol? Angie losing her virginity to a grown-ass man who only finds a conscience after the fact? Fake news! “We don’t like Tasha.” Must’ve been the wind!
Looking at it that way this was another v fun episode. Finley continues to be the standout of the GQs this season, and her scenes with Carrie and Misty were fantastic. The “I can’t do basic shit!” after burning the lasagna was so DEEPLY relatable. Also golden retriever mascs are extremely not my type but she really gets hotter and hotter every week?? Idk if it’s the new hair or the emotional maturity or what.
Sophie is way more destructive when she’s drunk than Finley ever was, but again each episode is a pocket universe and in this one there’s no sobriety plot. 💃
Tom is my favorite of Alice’s partners in either series, so I’m happy he’s happy, even if they didn’t necessarily work together. And Piddles 2 was cute but did we not pull this exact same emotional string when Shane got the dog after Quiara left her in season 1? If we can’t figure out what to do with these two can we please just let them be queer-platonic partners running an animal rescue?
Dani/Dre and Micah/Maribel were hot but this season has still been SO tame and I will speak up about it every week!! GQ keeps trying to be prestige television as if its heritage isn’t soft-core porn. Also it has not escaped my attention that the only times we DO get to see an ass it’s usually a man’s? Like Micah’s is great, you’ll get no complaints from me there, but it’s still such a bizarre choice for this particular show.
Anyway I guess I just need to be grateful we didn’t have to see Angie’s hookup with the teacher lol 🥴 (not because I don’t ever want to see m/f pairings on TLW, good bi rep is desperately needed, I just don’t want to see THIS man).
Love this way of looking at it. This entire episode had me asking “what in the personality transplant!?” every time sophie was on screen. But thinking back, many of the episodes after season 1 had me asking the same thing.
lol this is how i started looking at glee eventually when i was recapping that show!! –> “I’ve started approaching each episode as its own isolated thing, one that should not be expected to follow any narrative continuity or character development from previous episodes, let alone the original series.”
I was like, “this is just a variety show with some fun musical numbers and little skits in between!”
and as always A PLEASURE TO BE OF SERVICE
Helena needs to come back and sweep Alice away and that’s the only thing that will save this season. that or Rosie opens a club and Greta and Shaw walk in and make out whilst wearing their nifty 40s style dresses. I just wish they were better at ‘show don’t tell’ in the whole chemistry/love department. and why don’t some past relationships matter w these writers? Tasha? Shane’s actual ex-wife? whatever, Helena/Alice, 2023, I will volunteer at the headquarters!
I would love to see Helena back on the show. I’d also like to see Shane hook up with Carmen again. She was very loving and patient with Shane.
I decided the other day I was going to watch the award from the very beginning, and there’s just nothing better than Bette and Tina.
Boring episode!
These recaps are really superlative. Those book covers ! Chef’s kiss
I actually loved Lara and Alice… I didn’t realize I was in the minority!
– If they do a pregnant Angie line I’m going to scream. What were the writer’s thinking?
– Would love if they brought Tasha back!!
– Where was Shane this episode!!??
As someone who also plays in a queer sports league in LA, this was the most accurate representation. Britney SPARES as the other team?! Too real. Loved it. More plot lines like this please.
yes the punny team names! so accurate chef’s kiss to all!!!
I’m still missing Bette and Tina. I would love to see how their new found love for each other is evolving in Toronto. The other stories are ok. I am enjoining Finley and Carrie. I think they are funny together. We’ll see if Sophie and Dani at some point hook up. Whatever happened to Gigi??
I’m here to say that
a) Having just returned from spending the holidays at my parents’ house in Landen, Ohio (home of the one and only Kings Island), I really enjoyed the shout-out to the only Eiffel Tower that I knew excited until I was approximately 10-years-old and
b) I liked this episode so much that I didn’t even roll my eyes at it once! This is a first for season 3
I really don’t understand how you’re shipping Alice and Tasha. My memories are blurry but i’m pretty sure they were not compatible. They even did a list together to figure out that they should break up and then they got a crush on the same girl, right ?
Carrie warmed my heart soooo much. I wanted to be Finley for a sec and get in on that hug. Love the parental/queer family vibes. LOVED the butch on butch love!!!! More Carrie & Misty.
The mock ups of Alice’s books, omg! I laughed so hard at each one. Please submit to Tom immediately!
Except for the Angie parts, which I hated deeply, I loved this episode, I thought it was so fun and had the silliness and chaos that the best of the original had, including attending a lesbian music event at the Planet! I was really glad to see Finley and Carrie, and have Finley mess up and get called out on it but not immediately cut off for it. It seems like grounds for actual character development to happen. I really dig Dani and Sophie as friends now too, I had forgotten what great chemistry they had in fun scenes. And I honestly found the cat storyline more emotionally resonant than the appearance of actual Dana in the previous episode.
Tasha “thinking is cheating” Williams ghosting Alice for finding success in her video recorded podcast after giving up her whole career just to kiss Alice in public is kinda wild, but I hope it opens the door to a Tasha appearance. At some point I have to consciously uncouple from my desire for continuity, and I think Tasha rolling in on a motorcycle with retrograde amnesia only to see Alice and immediately experience a cascade of emotion for the woman she’d tragically forgotten about after a big segway accident 5 years ago would help me.
In a completely unshocking turn of events, I continue to love the normies that grace us with their presence for 1-2 eps at a time. I love both Tom and Carrie, and it’s really really great to have the two of them around without either of them being personally victimized by a cheating (or just hugely miscommunicating the terms of a relationship) storyline.
I love their chemistry with Finley and Alice, and I’m not sure what was up with Misty but i choose not to care if it means Carrie’s happy. I like Tom and Alice being funny together, and I hope their friendship endures even when we probably never see Tom again. Very funny to me how much I buy that Alice and Tom would keep in touch even if he moved across the world with his family, but know in my heart that Alice has not texted Bette and/or Tina in the 1-4 months since they left for Canada.
In actual shocking new, the abrupt and weird Sinley breakup has inspired me to hold more compassion for Finley, who is annoying but kind-hearted and probably very confused after her every attempt to be more conscientious has been rebuffed by people who like to enable her exactly until the second she needs them for something, at which point they clam up or bail.
I love Carrie keeping an eye on Finley. I love that it doesn’t cross her mind, even when she’s annoyed, to bail. I hate how novel it feels for someone to get mad at Finley, but to articulate it in the moment, and to give her the chance to apologize fully with a very appropriate boundary intact.
Best wishes to Micah, Maribel, and young Angie. I don’t like their storylines and they all feel weirdly anachronistic, and I cannot understand why this is how they had to spend their brief chances at screentime in a Bette and Tina-free stretch. The Angie stuff esp is a real head scratcher, like why did she have to experience that stuff? Hate that for her, hope it paves the way to date Bella or at least someone in her own cohort.
Hendrix Fitz’s shirt was very very ugly and I’m shocked and saddened to know Angie offered to iron it and then took it off of him and also saw him put it back on again.
Love Dani, love Dre, love Dani and Dre. Dani Nuñez continues to hold it down as the resident dater on this queer hookup show and I am grateful that someone’s having fun out here.
I only came here to crowd source the harness that Micah was wearing. For reasons. Please can someone help.
Also fantastic recap as always.
Literally I came here to do the same thing. Do we know yet???
re: ghosting your girlfriend of several years who you also line with, has anyone else ever read this ask a manager post about the guy who moved all his stuff out and ghosted his girlfriend while she was away visiting family?? https://www.askamanager.org/2017/08/i-ghosted-my-ex-and-shes-about-to-be-my-new-boss.html
so unrelated to anything actually happening on this show i’m just haunted by this story