Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Post Traumatic L Syndrome

Kittens, there is only one more. One. More. Uno, totally not dos. Yep, just one more ride on the crazy lesbo train that is “The L Word.” While it's hard to think of a world without the possibility of another smoking Tibette sex scene or another adorkable Alice moment or another charming Helana Britishism or another very Shane today ensemble or another “Baby girl!” Kit-clamation, it also feels like it's time. Or more like, it's been time for quite a while now. This season with all its inherent frustrations and illogical conclusions has shown us that good characters with talented actresses can only take you so far. A show lives and dies by its writing. And at this point the writing is floating belly up with Jenny in the pool.

But, fear not. There will be life after The L. In fact, that's a whole other L word. This doesn't have to mean we've seen the last of Jennifer, Laurel, Leisha, Kate, Mia, Pam and Rachel. Just ask all the escapees alumni who have gone on to full and vibrant lives away from the madness that Mama Chaiken wrought. Freedom looks good on them, no?

Sarah Shahi
Post-L: From one L word to another, the star of “Life” has traded her headphone in for a handgun.
Verdict: Nothing is hotter than Carmen, but Carmen with cop arms? I'm sorry, I think I blacked out for a second.

Lauren Lee Smith
Post-L: From soup chef to “CSI,” she has gone from cooking to squinting.
Verdict: For the hat alone, Lara Perkins' disposition and intent will always leave me wanting more.

Janina Gavankar
Post-L: From player to intern, with sadly (well, or gladly, depending on your tolerance for whiny doctors) only a split-second of screentime on “Grey's Anatomy.”
Verdict: At least she didn't have to wear any silly hats on Grey's. Though I'm most excited about her upcoming stint on “Dollhouse.”

Erin Daniels
Post-L: From tennis star to a cop, a lawyer and a swinger (“CSI: NY,” “Saving Grace” and “Swingtown,” respectively.
Verdict: A+ for variety, at the very least. Though, yet another reason it's time for TLW to take its bow. Mama C made this kind of goodness stop three seasons too early.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess I'm the only one who wasn't into dana!
but I missed the soup chef alot when she was gone,
and carmen... what can you say except MUY CALIENTE!

and I will sure miss alice, tasha and helena.

I'm really thrilled to see when we will see them again and where...

;) babs

Anonymous said...

I am sad to see what Mama Chaiken has done to TLW. What she did right was her casting of the characters. With an exception or two, her casting was brilliant. Every Sunday night for 6 years, it was my guilty pleasure, many times just a pleasure. I fear nothing will take its place. The networks along w/the cable stations seem to want to stay away from this topic only inserting lesbians into marginal or incidental roles.

Has a straight woman ever taken to her lesbian role with more gusto and fearlessness than Ms. Beals?
God, I will miss her intelligence, heart and arms, shoulders and back!!! I thank the deities that she is a bit OCD in training for Olympic triathlons. ;-)

And no one says"fuck" better than Beals as Bette.

Then, an icon as a welder/dancer. Now, an icon as a lesbian art curator.

jennifer from pittsburgh said...

Good to see that work on TLW isn't a career kiss of death.

Anonymous said...

As much as I wanted season snark before it happened, at this time, I'm seeing it as a 'be careful what you wish for' situation.

Rather than going out on a high (brownies optional), the show's a more depressing morass than it's been, with the exception of season 3. But season 3 had more consistency of storylines, which means season snark is so bad it has me saying nice things about season 3.

This is bumming me out...and not because the show's going away. Where's the brownies?

Anonymous said...

I have to agree it's time.

It's such a shame to see, feel and taste what could have been. To stand by silently, helplessly crying as the L WORLD crumbles so miserably, misshapen, misused, mistreated, so damaged. A light in the dark night that should have made us all proud, but; instead screams to be put out of it's and our misery.

IC should be flogged, but; it's to late it's over. painful sigh....

buildingbeginswithme said...

Kleenex? anyone else?

Anonymous said...

I will miss the characters and the actresses so much. The plot lines and craziness not so much.

TheWeyrd1 said...

mmmmm...Sarah Shahi...mmmmm I love her on "Life" and as much as it grosses me out, I get why her character is involved with the boss (totally about the low self-esteem that comes with addiction). Erin Daniels on Saving Grace...awesome... and Swingtown...CRISPAY!

Anonymous said...

My favourite Janina Gavankar post-L appearance was definitely Stargate: Atlantis where she carried a big gun and had one of the greatest lines ever, brilliantly delivered:

"Well, Pegasus had more of what I was looking for."
"What's that?"
"Bad guys that need killing."

R said...

It's going to be harder than I want to admit. One might think the characters' brain transplants and overall crappy, devolving plotlines would make it easier to say goodbye, but no, it doesn't. I hope IC leaves us a shred of good feeling after next Sunday's finale.

Anonymous said...

I wish the episode "last couple standing" was the last episode, because I actually thought it was good. I'm afraid they'll screw up the last episode.

Norma Desmond said...

I'm already going through the steps of grieving on this one, though I get the feeling I'm stalled on anger. Anger at Mama C, though, than for the show going away. Anger that they had to drag it out for one more season, especially one that's turned out to be such a shit show. Regardless, there are certainly aspects I'll miss, one of which will be the anticipation of Sundays, waiting to see who underwent a personality switch up this week.

Through the good and bad (mostly bad), this show's been around long enough to leave its mark and a hole once it's over. After all, 6 yrs is a long time. But, in the end, I totally agree with you. It's definitely time.

Anonymous said...

Snarker,
right on again.

I will miss these characters so much, but it's painful to watch this season. Like someone else said, the crap-factor reminds me of Season 3.
I wonder what the inside story is for the really lousy writing. I recall season 1 being so creative.

ooh wellll.....

Anonymous said...

What Vikki said, exactly.

Anonymous said...

o..sleepy,
the letters look like..
marching antes..

i think the chef and diana
was good couple, like them.
somehow ds, i missed you
yesterday. but i couldn't be
online cus some works i had to.

i have no idea now,
so sleepy. see you later,
good sleep okay~ ^^
thank you for the post.
cop carmen seems nice, too.

Anonymous said...

god. I love this blog. I will actually be happy to not have to read about the damn L Word every other post.

Anonymous said...

ah, but I love what ms snarker has to say about the damn lword every other post!

Anonymous said...

Love Erin so much.

Anonymous said...

i will miss Jennifer Beals for a lot of reasons..
she deserves a great career on big screen too...
respects Mrs Beals for all your beauty (in and out)

and see you asap...

born to be an icon..

Anonymous said...

you forgot about Janina's guest star role on NCIS. it was classic. women's prison, tattoos, yum!

buildingbeginswithme said...

the only thing that would make me happy for the end is if they took turns holding Jenny down...that might satisfy me as an end