Pre-L: Let's Do It Again

Here we go, lesbians (and bisexuals and trans folks a d gender queers and nonbinary people and curious straight ladies and all the rest of the gay alphabet). It’s baaaaaaaack! In this era of the reboot and revival, it only makes sense for “The L Word” to return. But, of course, it remains to be seen how “essential” queer women find the show now 10 years after it left the air. I can remember it being played in gay clubs and lesbian bars. (Remember lesbians bars? Sigh.) But now, with so much more TV to watch and many more LGBTQ characters incorporated into other shows, the hunger for lesbian representation – while in no way sated – is somewhat less ravenous. But the built-in affection we feel for the core characters, at least for me, is no less insatiable. So I’m tickled to see these women on my television again, like hugging and old friend you’ve lost touch with for a decade but used to spend every waking moment with when you were younger.

Now, the only question – beside, of course, whether you like it – is whether my Pre-L writing muscles are still in any kind of shape. We shall see on both. So without further adoing, the return of Pre-Ls. As always, spoilers. And NSFW because this is a show about women who do it – finally.

1. I told it started with a wham, bam, Tampon ma’am.


2. Are underarm merkins a thing? Someone call Stacy “Vagina Wig” Merkin to check.


3. Bette’s house did a glow-up.


4. I’d say the same of Bette, but we all know Bette has always glowed.


5. And Angie, well, she just did a grow-up.


6. What does “Bette on Porter” mean? Is Porter a new hot carpenter?


7. Look, I can’t believe I’m Mrs. Mom-ing either, but here we are.


8. Shane…


… gotta Shane.


9. No, I don’t know why I’m a hairstylist and I still have the same haircut 10 years later either. Just hug me.


10. So, does anyone miss Jenny? No? No. Got it.


11. Straight Bette Porter mention, everybody drink!


12. When Gay Bette Porter…


…blows up your whole damn world.


13. Does Elizabeth Warren have these kinds of problems?


14. Helena? Max? Tasha? I have no idea who you’re talking about.


15. When the show left the air 10 years ago, LGBTQ people couldn’t legally get married. Change happens when we make it happen.


16. But we can still get legally fired for being LGBTQ in 28 states. So, yeah, change can be slow as fuck too.


17. I sure hope that coffee doesn’t taste like poopy shit.


18. Recasting Alice with Harry Caray was a bold artistic choice.


19. That face. That face is worth waiting 10 years for.


p.s. The Pre-Ls will continue as long as the screeners continue. So fingers crossed.