My Weekend Crush

Few shows make me bitch and whine and moan (both the good and bad ways) as much as “The L Word.” Yet still I watch. Few shows punish me with such whiplash-inducing personality changes and bordering-on-incoherent storylines as much as “The L Word.” Yet still I watch. Few shows have the audacity to take their plots to places their loyal viewers never (the death of Dana), ever (creepy Mark and his even creepier cameras), ever (my ears, my ears, make Betty stop!) wanted or deserved to see. Yet still I watch.

I watch because, well, it’s not like I have a lot of other hour-long weekly lesbians dramas clogging up my DVR. Though, really, I watch because seeing our lives reflected on screen is important. Granted, these lives are much more glorified and glamorous than most of our everyday existences. But still here are women loving other women for all to see. Here are women talking about their attraction to other women for all to see. Here are women fucking other women for all to see. It’s kind of fantastic, especially the fucking part.

My problems with “The L Word” have always been about its scope. For me, it is more than enough to see a well-written, smartly-acted series about lesbians and their lives. But for Mama Chaiken, the show has too often turned into a vehicle for Ilene’s Grand Commentary on Grand Issues (or IGCGI for short – oh look, a palindrome). Still the scenes we remember the most, the ones that make us smile even years later are those simple interactions between friends. The pure joy of the gals singing “Closer to Fine” on their Dinah Shore trip. The hilarity of the epic lesbian conference call. The flat-out awesome of the mission to ascertain the disposition of one Ms. Lara Perkins.

These moments want nothing more than to show women, lesbian women, being lesbian women together. And, in the end, that’s why I watch. That is why I have always watched and will be watching Sunday. Happy weekend, all.

p.s. For more on the highs, lows and WTFIlenes of the first five season, check out Riese's and my thoughts in Time Out New York.

p.p.s. I’ll be back with full posts after my vacation on Jan. 26. Until then, please enjoy the Saturday Pre-Ls and daily Vacation Vixens. And you can always listen to me tweet @dorothysnarker.