“ | First, last and forever. | ” |
–Tina about Bette, «Looking Back» |
The relationship between Bette Porter and Tina Kennard began when they met and started dating seven years before «Pilot». At the start of The L Word, they are in a committed relationship and are trying to start a family.
Over the course of the series, they break up and get back together several times, while also co-parenting their daughter Angelica Porter-Kennard. They eventually get married after The L Word, but are divorced by the start of Generation Q.
Summary[]
The L Word[]
Generation Q[]
Quotes[]
- Tina: «I think we should do some sort of combo thing, you know? Instead of the whole hyphenated thing.»
- Bette: «What, like, ‘Portard’?»
- Tina: «Bette…’Hey, Poor Tard, how’s your two moms, you big gaymo?’ Or whatever it’s gonna be in 2015.»
- Bette: «Okay, fine. What about ‘Kenter’, then?»
- Tina: «That has a nice sound to it, doesn’t it?»
- — in «Lawfully«
- Bette: «Dad, we’re a couple. We are starting a family.»
- Melvin: «If that makes you happy.»
- Bette: «Well, doesn’t it make you happy? I mean, you’re going to have another grandchild.»
- Melvin: «That is biologically impossible. Unless there’s been a medical breakthrough that I don’t know anything about, the possibility that this child will be my grandchild does not exist. Therefore, I am happy if that’s what you want in your friendship with Miss Kennard. But, I cannot realistically be asked to participate in this fiction of your creation.»
- — in «Lawfully«
- Tina: «Bette and I have gone through so much to get here. We’ve talked about how our child could truly reflect who we are, when we’re so limited by biology. That’s why we decided to use an African-American donor. So when we look at our child, and you look at your grandchild, we’ll all be looking into a familial face.»
- Melvin: «A black man is the father of this child?»
- Bette: «The donor, dad. He’s an African-American artist.»
- Melvin: «An African-American. And because of that I’m supposed to feel closer to this child? Because all of us blacks are somehow connected? We can traced back to some tribe in Africa, where we were beating drums? That is absurd. You are an Ivy-League-educated woman. How is this logical?»
- — in «Lawfully«
- Alice: «Hey, you guys, where are Bette and Tina? Boring.»
- Dana: «Yeah, so boring.»
- Shane: «I don’t know. You know, when you think about it, what’s more boring, right? (to Alice) You make endless lists, (to Dana) and you bawl your head off, and then puke over the side of the boat, or you get to go home and go to sleep with the same person you’ve been in love with for seven years.»
- — in «L’Ennui«
- Kit: «No, I mean, how do you keep it all together? I mean, you got it all down. Career, love. Look at you, now you’re going to have a family! What? Is something wrong with Tina? Is everything okay? What, what?»
- Bette: «No, no, everything’s fine. Tina’s fine, everything’s great.»
- Kit: «You sure?»
- Bette: «Yeah, I just— I, you know, I have some things on my mind, but it’s nothing.»
- Kit: «I know what it is. You’re having the daddy blues. You are worrying about all the responsibilities coming down on you, the financial responsibilities, the ‘I can’t take anymore risk’ responsibilities. Because now there are two other lives that are totally dependent on you keeping everything together. It’s a monster. It’s big.»
- Bette: «Yeah, it is. I’m sure— I’m sure that’s all it is.»
- Kit: «Sure it is. Because you and Tina are solid. You’ve got a marriage like God chose you two to find each other, and that’s a love you never want to let go.»
- — in «L’Ennui«
- Jenny: «Tina, I didn’t know that Bette was your first girlfriend.»
- Tina: «Yeah. First, last and forever.»
- — in «Looking Back«
- Tina (to Bette): «That party was so crazy. God, it just made me want to go home and curl up in bed with you.»
- — in «Looking Back«
- Alice: «Did you fall in love?»
- Bette: «No. I love Tina. Tina is the only person that I’m in love with.»
- Alice: «But you’re still sitting on Candace’s face.»
- Bette: «Actually, I’m not. I told you, I ended it as soon as I could.»
- Alice: «As soon as you could? What are you, like, a sex addict now?»
- Bette: «No, I’m not a sex addict. Jesus, Alice. You know, I think calling sex an addiction is just an excuse for bad behavior, and I know that I behaved badly, but I’m prepared to take responsibility for it.»
- Alice: «No, you behaved really badly.»
- Bette: «I know that it sounds like an excuse, but you know what? The fact is, she disappeared on me. She was depressed and she was completely wrapped up in herself, and I tried to talk to her about it, but she completely shut me out.»
- Alice: «For how long?»
- Bette: «Two or three months.»
- Alice: «Out of seven years? I think you could have waited.»
- Bette: «She abandoned me as much as I abandoned her. We both did it.»
- Alice: «Yeah, but only one of you was having an orgasm.»
- Bette: «Fuck you, Alice.»
- — in «Life, Loss, Leaving«
- Tina: «It was Bette’s house. She bought it before we met, but she put me on the title after I moved in.»
- Joyce: «Did you contribute to the mortgage payments?»
- Tina: «I offered, but Bette never wanted me to. I made pretty good money as a Development Executive, but not as much as Bette, and she insisted on paying the mortgage.»
- Joyce: «And you always did what Bette wanted?»
- Tina: «No.»
- Joyce: «Did you pay for anything?»
- Tina: «I paid for utilities, and I paid for the food. Although most of the utilities are in Bette’s name.»
- Joyce: «Well, of course they are. That’s the way she wanted it. Why should the little wife have to put her name on anything?»
- Tina: «That’s absolutely not the case. I just never bothered to change it. Look, I don’t even know why I’m here. I’m not going after Bette’s money.»
- Joyce: «If we wind up in court—«
- Tina: «Wind up in court? Whoa! I don’t want to be here.»
- — in «Lap Dance«
- Joyce: «Do you want me to tell you why you need a lawyer?»
- Tina: «Okay.»
- Joyce: «Because in the eyes of the world, especially the world as embodied by the courts, you are shit. You gave up your autonomy in a relationship that the law doesn’t recognize. And your ex controls everything.»
- Tina: «She always said what’s hers is mine. Doesn’t matter whose name it was in. If I needed money in my checking account, I just took it from savings. I was authorized on the account. I never had to ask her for anything.»
- — in «Lap Dance«
- Joyce: «Let’s review the facts. Did you give up your career at her urging?»
- Tina: «Yes.»
- Joyce: «Did you make a home for her, did you cook, decorate, entertain, fill the house with liveliness and warmth?»
- Tina: «Yes.»
- Joyce: «Okay. Did you offer your womb to give birth to her child?»
- Tina: «Bette doesn’t know about this. I mean, nobody knows about this.»
- Joyce: «You’re kidding.»
- Tina: «I just started showing. I had a miscarriage about five months ago. Bette didn’t handle it so well. I didn’t want her to have to go through it again.»
- Joyce: «So you went and got inseminated on your own, and you’re protecting her until you’re sure it’s going to stick?»
- Tina: «Yeah.»
- Joyce: «And then she cheated on you. She spread her legs for another woman.»
- Tina: «Could you please not say that?»
- Joyce: «It’s true! Deal with it. Doesn’t it make you angry?»
- Tina: «Fuck, yes.»
- Joyce: «So what do you want? Take responsibility for yourself. Get what you rightfully deserve, and don’t let Bette decide that for you. Look, Tina, I am not a marriage wrecker. If you want to get back together with Bette…do you?»
- Tina: «I don’t know.»
- Joyce: «Well, either way, you have to come at this from a position of strength. Whether or not you and Bette eventually reconcile— especially if you decide to get back together and rebuild trust in your relationship, first, you need to have your autonomy. Can you see why?»
- Tina: «Yes, I can see why. I want my autonomy.»
- — in «Lap Dance«
- Bert: «This wasn’t a marriage.»
- Joyce: «It wasn’t? Well, let’s see, we’ve got a house, cars, vacations, love, commitment, a promise to be true? A baby that was lost. A trust that was broken. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a marriage to me. Does that sound like a marriage to you?»
- Bette: «It was. It’s a marriage that I don’t want to have end.»
- Joyce: «Yeah, well, it’s a little late for that. So let’s get back to the business at hand, the equitable division of funds.»
- Bert: «I think we’ve got it—«
- Bette: «How many times do I have to say I’m sorry?»
- Joyce: «Here we go.»
- Bette: «I am. Please don’t do this to us. This is not who we are. Tina, we can fix this. Okay? We can fix this. Tina, do you still love me? Do you? Do you still love me? Don’t do this. Don’t destroy us.»
- Joyce: «If I could just interject for a second here, um…it wasn’t Tina who destroyed this relationship. That was you, and it’s a good thing to remember, as you’re dealing with the consequences.»
- Bette: «I am dealing with the consequences.»
- Joyce: «Well, good for you, but this moment isn’t about you. This is about Tina and what she wants. Tina, is this what you want?»
- Tina: «I—I think things need to be different.»
- Joyce: «Did you hear that?»
- Bette: «They will be. They will be different.»
- Joyce: «So why don’t you get off the floor and let her do what she wants for once, instead of you running the whole show? Come on. Why don’t we reschedule this at a time when everyone is feeling a little less dramatic? Well, talk about a command performance. Meryl Streep couldn’t have done it any better.»
- — in «Loneliest Number«
- Bette (to Tina): «I fucked up. I did not fuck off. I did not leave. I am still here.»
- — in «Lagrimas de Oro«
- Tina: «How could you do that? How could you make all those decisions without me?»
- Bette: «What do you mean? I didn’t make this decision without you. We both decided, Tina.»
- Tina: «No, we decided nothing of the sort. Angelica should go to Beverly Montessori. There is no way we are going to pay $18,000 for preschool.»
- Bette: «We will pay whatever it takes to get her the best education available.»
- Tina: «Beverly Montessori is a wonderful school, and it happens to be very close to my house.»
- Bette: «That is not a factor.»
- Tina: «So you’re gonna make Angelica take a two-and-a-half-hour car ride every single day so she can go to preschool with Diane Keaton’s kids?»
- Bette: «No! I will make sure that she goes to the best school, period. The best school! Period!»
- Tina: «You know what? Fuck it! I don’t even know why I bother. You clearly decided all of this without me. And you know what, for the record, I am not going to let your overachieving, psycho dysfunction stress out our kid before she’s three years old! It’s just fucking preschool, for god’s sake. Crayons and playdough.»
- Bette: «No, it is not just crayons! It is a fucking Ivy League education. So naive! Jesus!»
- — in «Luck Be a Lady«
- Bette: «I’m sitting here with Jenny’s little fucking tome, wondering why you didn’t give me a heads-up.»
- Tina: «Well, you know what? It didn’t even occur to me to talk about it. I don’t know, you’re the one that said it was, you said it was fluff, remember? You said it was frivolous entertainment.»
- Bette: «Well, I hadn’t read the whole book.»
- Tina: «Look, look, it’s not you. It’s a character. All it is, is a character. It’s not you. You’re personalizing it way too much. …No, no, look, no, you’re not narcissistic. If anything, you’re just a little bit of a control freak. But you know what? It’s endearing. It’s endearing. Everybody— you know what? I have to go. I’m having lunch with my director.»
- Bette: «Oh, you mean Kate Arden? You’re having lunch with Kate Arden? Enjoy yourself.»
- — in «Literary License to Kill«
- Tina: «Look, it’s okay to cry. You can cry with me.»
- Bette: «What do I do wrong, T? What do I do wrong?»
- Tina: «You don’t do anything wrong.»
- Bette: «No, really, I mean it. Why is it so fucking hard to be in a relationship with me? Look, just tell me. Tell me everything that I did to make you run from me. I’m begging you. Please.»
- Tina: «You’re a control freak. You are!»
- Bette: «So? That’s fucking ridiculous. Everybody’s a control freak sometimes. That’s what you have to do to get things done.»
- Tina: «Yeah, but you think your things are more important than everyone else’s, and that’s really, really hard in a relationship. When your work, your needs, your ideas are always right, always on a higher plane. You’re more enlightened, you’re more informed, you’re more intuitive—«
- Bette: «It must have been hideous. I’m sorry.»
- — in «Literary License to Kill«
- Bette: «What else are you afraid of, Tina?»
- Tina: «I’m afraid of, um… what everyone will think of us, how they’ll judge us, how hurt Jodi will be.»
- Bette: «She already knows there’s something wrong.»
- Tina: «Did you tell her about us?»
- Bette: «God, no. I’ve been such a fucking coward.»
- — in «Liquid Heat«
- Marci: «I mean, this is my body, and my baby, and my decision, and you’re the family that I want my baby to go to.»
- Tina: «Are you sure?»
- Marci: «Yeah.»
- Tina: «Have you met the other two couples?»
- Marci: «Yeah, I met them. I mean, they’re fine. I just…I don’t like them as much as I like you guys. They’re just not as interesting and this baby, he’s gonna have an interesting life.»
- Bette: «He?»
- Marci: «Yeah. It’s a boy. Which is another reason why I want you to be his parents. ‘Cause this world needs boys who are gonna do things different. And I really want my baby to have a chance at that. At making this world, you know, just a little better.»
- — in «Leaving Los Angeles«
- Bette: «You know, for as long as I can remember, I’ve been able to identify what I want and I’ve been willing to pursue it. Do you really think I should apologize for that?»
- Tina: «I’m not asking you to apologize. But I definitely put your career first, your feelings first—«
- Bette: «I never asked you to do that.»
- Tina: «You didn’t have to. Everything was on your timeline, on your terms.»
- Bette: «I don’t think that’s fair.»
- Tina: «Of course you don’t. Because you’re never wrong.»
- Bette: «Look around. I am wrong all the fucking time.»
- — in «Loose Ends«
Gallery[]
The L Word[]
TLW s1 promo
TLW s1 promo
Generation Q[]
Gifs[]
Generation Q[]
References[]
The on-again, off-again partners finally decide to choose each other.
Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Season 3 of The L Word: Generation Q.The L Word’s initial conceit was to explore queer relationships through an ensemble drama, an endeavor the show did significantly well both over its original six-season run and currently in the final Season 3 of its reboot. The original series followed the relationships and friendships of a small, tightly-knit group of gay women living in L.A. The present-day iteration, The L Word: Generation Q, began in 2019, with “Q” referencing a new, younger group of queer characters introduced to the show. Several characters from the first series have popped up over its three seasons, including long-time couple Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals) and Tina Kennard (Laurel Holloman) and their friends Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey) and Shane McCutcheon (Kate Moennig).
Our very first introduction to the narrative — The L Word’s pilot episode — happens in the master bathroom of Tina and Bette’s Los Angeles home. Tina excitedly, softly, calls out to Bette that she is ovulating, and Bette pulls Tina in for a kiss, murmuring, “Let’s make a baby.” Tina and Bette’s journey of couplehood — breakups, parenthood, coparenting, comings-together-and-aparts — takes off from here and continues, right up through the close of The L Word: Generation Q’s second episode, “Los Angeles Traffic.” At the conclusion of this episode, Bette runs after Tina, in Los Angeles traffic, no irony intended: Bette is making the effort to get to Tina, which is as perfect of a move as Bette could make at that moment of their relationship. Tina accepts her outreach of love, and they fly back to Toronto, where Tina lives, presumably for the rest of ever.
Tina and Bette’s Relationship Has Seen Many Ups and Downs Over the Years
Tina and Bette’s couplehood is easily a litmus test, not only of the possibilities of healing and growing in relationships, and co-parenting — and are a visible example of queer women in these learnings and roles — but Tina and Bette’s narrative arc also grounds the direction of the series, both as regards its geographical transitioning and influence on the emotional organization of the friendship group.
A lot happens, of course, over a 20-year-plus relationship, to bring these two characters to choosing each other again, and finally. First, through such a long period of time, living together and separately, they come to know each other intimately. Their strengths and weaknesses, goals and dreams, and angsts and progresses that come through living, become full-blown known to the other during the course of their beginning monogamous couplehood. They live through the journey of becoming parents, Bette cheating on Tina, their separation, and both of them being in and exploring relationships with other people.
Regarding the latter piece, we are seeing Bette, in present-day, tell Tina that Tina is the love of her life. This admission from Bette harkens back to a moment in the original series where Bette has a girlfriend, whom she cheats on with Tina. Tina is talking to Shane and Alice after everyone finds out about the affair, and tells her close friends that it’s always been Bette for her. One could certainly say if you go out into the world and be with other people, and at the end — of a 20-year plus spread — you realize the one you love is the one you have loved the most, and from the beginning, this instinct has a strong chance of being well-founded and grounded.
Bette and Tina Successfully Co-Parent Through the Years
Another bond that reveals a positive intimacy is Bette and Tina’s relationship as co-parents. That is to say, co-parenting as a divorced couple is not always going to be easy, or even amicable. Yet, Tina and Bette’s experience show an example of a couple who co-parent through, at first being together when their child is born, to separating and sharing custody, to coming together as a couple again by the time their daughter, Angelica (played by Jordan Hull as a teenager and by Olivia Windbiel as a baby and toddler) goes to college.
In the early episodes of the show’s reboot, Bette and Tina share close, conversational moments as they eat with their friends at a café, remembering their experience as parents to a then-infant. We see here two elements further confirming why their partnership is strong: they share an expansive commonality, which is a love for being a parent specifically to Angie, but more than that, Tina and Bette hold each other in high regard as parents, and as partners in that parenting journey.
Bette Finally Proves Herself With a Declaration of Love
Fast-forward to the last minutes of “Los Angeles Traffic:» Tina, historically, has been the one in the relationship who, one could argue, sacrificed or compromised more to support Bette in her career than Bette supported Tina in her goals. When Bette wants Tina to stay in LA, and tells her so, at the end of this episode, an emotional red flag comes up for Tina: not again. Though a different situation this time, Bette would need to be really clear to show Tina that she does not expect Tina to give up her career in entertainment or her home and life in Toronto. And so, when Bette runs to Tina and tells her, yes, her work and her friends and the city of LA are all significant to her, but it is Tina who is the most significant to her, this is it. The declaration. The commitment.
We’ll have to wait and see if, or when, Tina and Bette reappear later on as The L Word‘s reboot of this narrative journey of LGBTQ individuals, spanning over 20 years, comes to its close. Bette and Tina may not always be an example of what to do or not to do in a romantic relationship, but in the end, they are an example of what known and chosen love looks like.
I haven’t watched any of Gen Q yet (please don’t comment any spoilers!), but I am aware that Tina returns eventually. But just based off of the OG series, here’s my “unpopular opinion” take on the TiBette relationship.
I first realized how toxic the TiBette relationship really is when I was rewatching the OG show recently and thought “Bette and Tina remind me of my parents.” My parents are a) straight, b) Christian, and c) lower middle class suburbans who have lived in the same place their whole lives. So how are they similar to one of the most iconic lesbian power couples of all time? Answer: same unhealthy personality disorders.
Bette and Tina display a textbook narcissist/codependent relationship. With Bette being the narcissist— selfish, power hungry, wants to control everyone around her and obsessed with maintaining her image, cheats and thinks she shouldn’t be held accountable for it, basically just acting out of selfishness constantly and never taking responsibility for it. She’s super manipulative and lacks empathy. She love bombs Tina every time she starts to slip away, then tears her down and repeats the cycle after she comes back.
Tina is the codependent— the person that enables the narcissists behavior by not setting boundaries, being too dependent on Bette (financially and emotionally), probably very insecure, and way too forgiving. Tina was probably easy prey for narcissist Bette, since Tina had never had a relationship with a woman before her. I personally think that way too much of Tina’s identity is wrapped up in her relationship with Bette because of that. Lots of people say that Tina is boring, and I don’t think she’s boring, but I do think she lacks a true sense of self. And that’s why she allows Bette to constantly take advantage of her. Like I said, insecurity plus no boundaries equals easy prey for a narcissist.
Just curious to hear people’s thoughts on this because as much as TiBette is talked about, I’ve never heard anyone specifically discuss this unhealthy dynamic of their relationship. Maybe it’s more obvious to me because I grew up around the same kind of relationship. And also just want to mention that even though both characters have their flaws, I do love them deeply because this show means so much to me and many other WLW!
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This list of The L Word characters is sorted by last name (where possible), and includes both major and minor characters from the American drama The L Word.
A[edit]
- Felicity Adams: Lesbian, portrayed by Latarsha Rose. Generation Q
- Ex-wife of Tyler Adams.
- Had an affair with Bette Porter while she was married to Tyler and while she was Bette’s employee between the events of The L Word and Generation Q.
- Tyler Adams: Straight man, portrayed by Jeffrey Muller. Generation Q.
- Ex-husband of Felicity Adams, who had an affair with Bette Porter while she was Bette’s employee.
- Coleman Alt: Portrayed by Brendan Penny. Season 3.
- Slept with Frank in 1985.
- Slept with Bette Porter in 1985.
- Marcus Allenwood: Portrayed by Mark Gibson. Season 1.
- Tina Kennard’s sperm donor, and the biological father of Angelica Porter-Kennard.
- Has a relationship with Lei Ling.
- Andrew: Portrayed by Darrin Klimek. Season 1.
- Went on a blind date with Dana Fairbanks, before finding out she was a lesbian.
- Had a short-term relationship with Alice Pieszecki during season 1.
- April: «Former» lesbian; character only alluded to during Season 3.
- Dated Alice’s first boyfriend; mentioned during episode «Labia Majora».
- Had a rebound-affair with Alice Pieszecki; mentioned during episode «Labia Majora».
- Kate Arden: Lesbian film director first chosen to direct the film version of Jenny’s book Lez Girls. Portrayed by Annabella Sciorra. Season 4.
- Ivan Aycock: Genderqueer, potentially a trans man, portrayed by Kelly Lynch. Seasons 1 and 2.
- Has a five-year open relationship with Iris, an exotic dancer. Season 2.
- Courted Kit Porter during Seasons 1 and 2.
B[edit]
- Nick Barashov: Straight, portrayed by Julian Sands; minor character with appearance in episode 1.05: «Lies, Lies, Lies».
- College professor who had an affair with Jenny Schecter during her college years.
- Allen Barnes: Portrayed by Sara Botsford; minor character with appearance during season 2.
- Barnes is an artist who is friends with Helena Peabody.
- Taught at Yale and Bette Porter took the course in college; Bette wrote a thesis about her work.
- Sonny Benson: Straight, portrayed by Roger Cross; minor character with appearance during season 6.
- Stage name of Sunset Boulevard, professional female drag performer/dj who falls in love with Kit Porter.
- Billie Blaikie: Bisexual man; portrayed by Alan Cumming; minor character with appearance during season 3.
- Has an affair with Max Sweeney during season 3.
- Was hired and then fired as the manager of The Planet in season 3
- Charlotte Birch: Portrayed by Sandra Bernhard; minor character with appearance during season 2.
- Teaches writing in college which Jenny attends.
- Friend of Burr Connor.
- Annette Bishop: Straight, portrayed by Sarah Strange; minor character with appearance during season 1.
- Best friend of Jenny Schecter.
- Pretended to be dating Jenny Schecter in episode 1.08: «Listen Up».
- Veronica Bloom: Straight, portrayed by Camryn Manheim; Volatile Hollywood producer who hires Shane McCutcheon in season 2.
- Sunset Boulevard: Straight, portrayed by Roger Cross; minor character with appearance during season 6.
- Stage name of Sonny Benson.
- Falls in love with Kit Porter.
- Benjamin Bradshaw: Straight, portrayed by Charles S. Dutton; minor character with appearance during season 2.
- Married man who had an affair with Kit Porter during season 2.
- Josh Brecker: Straight, portrayed by Paul Popowich; minor character with appearance during season 3.
- Attempted to have an affair with Tina Kennard in episode 3.07: «Lone Star».
- Brooke: Character only alluded to during the «Pilot» episode.
- Slept with Heather.
- Slept with Nina.
- Brooke: Straight, portrayed by Chelsea Hobbs; minor character with appearance during season 4.
- Dated Max Sweeney without knowing Max was a trans man.
- Faye Buckley: Leader of an extreme right-wing activist group bent on shutting down Bette’s art gallery, portrayed by Helen Shaver in season one. Faye’s daughter (Cora Buckley) became a pornographic actress after running away from home to escape her abusive father. Faye paid off a district court judge to expunge the record (child services report, missing persons report).
C[edit]
- Melanie Caplan: Lesbian, minor character alluded to during season 1 and appearance in season 2.
- Former girlfriend of Dana Fairbanks; mentioned during the «Pilot» episode.
- Slept with Heather; mentioned during the «Pilot» episode.
- Jean-Paul Chamois: Portrayed by Robert Gauvin; minor character with appearance during the «Pilot» episode.
- Was contacted by Bette Porter and Tina Kennard as a possible sperm donor for Tina’s insemination.
- Chandra, portrayed by Holly Dignard
- Adele Channing: Portrayed by Malaya Drew; Bisexual; introduced in season 5
- Jenny Schecter’s personal assistant/saboteur/stalker/doppelgänger
- Kissed Niki Stevens while impersonating Jenny
- Blackmails Tina’s studio into letting her take over directing Jenny’s movie
- Dates the actress portraying «Karina», A.K.A. Begonia, in Lez Girls
- Jamie Chen: Lesbian, portrayed by Meiling Melançon; minor character appearing in season 6 episodes 3 through 9.
- Is a social worker at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Community Center
- Becomes best friends with/a third wheel to Alice Pieszecki and Tasha Williams
- Admits she has fallen in love with Tasha Williams in the series finale, season 6, episode 8
- Lover Cindy: Lesbian; portrayed by Alicia Leigh Willis, generally referred to as «my lover Cindy» or «her lover Cindy»
- Has long-term, open relationship with Dawn Denbo.
- Had a three-way with Dawn and Shane
- Had a tryst with Shane without Dawn’s permission or knowledge
- Revealed that her name is actually Cindi Tucker.
- Claybourne: Lesbian, portrayed by Jill Christensen; minor character with appearance in episode 2.02: «Lap Dance».
- Married to Robin in 2002. She cheated on her during her wedding celebration.
- A connection to Lara Perkins is shown on the final chart that appears in the third season finale.
- Katherine Claymore: Lesbian, minor character only alluded to during season 1.
- Was the first girlfriend of Alice Pieszecki after college; mentioned in episode 1.03: «Let’s Do it».
- Clive: Gay, portrayed by Matthew Currie Holmes; minor character with appearance during season 1.
- Friend of Shane McCutcheon.
- Slept with Harry Samchuk.
- Roberta Collie: Portrayed by Cynthia Stevenson; minor character with appearance during season 3.
- Roberta was the adoption-case social worker assigned to evaluate the petition placed by Bette Porter and Tina Kennard.
- Burr Connor: Portrayed by Tony Goldwyn; minor character with appearance in 2.08: «Loyal» and 2.09: «Late, Later, Latent».
- Was deeply closeted movie star.
- Friend of Charlotte Birch.
- Hired Jenny Schecter to get to ghost write his memoir; fired her, re-hired her, confessed his sexuality to her, then fired her again, feeling that she had greater things to write for herself.
D[edit]
- Slim Daddy: Straight, portrayed by Snoop Dogg; minor character with appearance during episodes 1.10: «Luck, Next Time» and 1.11: «Liberally».
- Recorded a song with Kit Porter.
- Gillian Davis: Portrayed by Kelly McGillis; minor character with appearances during episodes 5.7: «Lesbians Gone Wild» and 5.8: «Lay Down the Law».
- Was a Colonel in the Army National Guard and a JAG officer.
- Was the lead Army investigator in Tasha Williams’ homosexual conduct investigation.
- While not explicitly stated, showed strong signs of being a closeted lesbian or bisexual woman herself.
- Called Alice Pieszecki to testify during Tasha’s separation board but backed off from her attempts to prove Tasha was a lesbian after Alice made a comment about the possibility of an unwilling person being outed.
- Dax: Lesbian, portrayed by Luvia Petersen; minor character with very brief appearance in Season 1.
- Friend of Ivan who works with him in the mechanic shop.
- Appeared as the dancing cowboy in the Kings of the Night at The Planet.
- Carmen de la Pica Morales: Lesbian, portrayed by Sarah Shahi; main character during seasons 2 and 3.
- Daughter of Mercedes Morales.
- Niece of Begonia Morales.
- Her first lesbian experience was with Lucía Torres when she was 16.
- Had some one-night stands with Shane McCutcheon before starting a relationship with Jenny Schecter.
- Had a relationship with Jenny Schecter that started and ended in season 2.
- Admitted to have slept with someone named «Robin» during episode 3.10: «Losing the Light», while dating Shane.
- Was engaged to Shane McCutcheon until Shane left her at the altar in episode 3.12: «Left Hand of the Goddess».
- Dawn Denbo: Lesbian, portrayed by Elizabeth Keener; minor character appearing in season 5.
- Miami-based club promoter and owner of Shebar.
- Long term open relationship with Lover Cindy
- Had three-way with Shane McCutcheon and Lover Cindy
- Business rivalry with Kit Porter. Later bought out Ivan Aycock’s 51 per cent of The Planet and became majority owner.
- Vowed vengeance on Shane for seducing «my lover Cindy», and by extension all of Shane’s friends
- Gabby Deveaux: Lesbian, portrayed by Guinevere Turner; also known as ‘Lesbian X’; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 and 2, and allusions in seasons 1 through 4.
- Dated Alice Pieszecki during part of season 1 and before of show line story begins.
- Simultaneously dated Nadia while she was dating Alice during season 1.
- Dated Lara Perkins during part of season 2.
- Also involved with Eva «Papi» Torres at the start of season 6.
- Dusty, portrayed by Lucia Rijker, Helena’s cellmate (season five) and as Dana’s trainer (season two)
E[edit]
- Eric: Straight, portrayed by Kyle Cassie; minor character with appearance during episode 1.12: «Looking Back».
- Was Tina Kennard’s boyfriend in 1998, before she started a relationship with Bette Porter.
F[edit]
- Dr. Farber, portrayed by Kate Clinton, a lesbian sex therapist to Bette and Tina.
- Dana Fairbanks: Lesbian, portrayed by Erin Daniels; main character from seasons 1 through 3.
- First lesbian experience was with tennis-mentor «Ralph», when she was sixteen; mentioned during the Pilot episode, episode 1.12: «Looking Back», and episode 3.11: «Last Dance».
- Daughter of Sharon and Irwin Fairbanks.
- Sister to Howie Fairbanks.
- Has a false heterosexual relationship with her doubles partner Harrison Scott; mentioned during the «Pilot» episode and during episode 3.11: «Last Dance».
- Dated Melanie Caplan; mentioned during the «Pilot» episode.
- Attempted to date Jenny Schecter in season 1, before deciding to remain friends.
- Dated Lara Perkins during seasons 1 and 3.
- Goes to a date with Andrew telling him she is a lesbian.
- Committed to Tonya during season 1, but later broke up with her in episode 2.06: «Lágrimas de Oro», after cheating on her with Alice for a while.
- Dated Alice Pieszecki during season 2, taking advantage of Alice’s feelings while not returning them. According to the storyline, she broke up with Alice six months before episode 3.01, «Labia Majora», in order to be with Lara again.
- Died of heart failure in episode 3.10: «Losing the Light», after having discovered in episode 3.05: «Lifeline» that she had invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common form of breast cancer.
- Howie Fairbanks: Gay, portrayed by Andrew Francis; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 through 3.
- Son of Sharon and Irwin Fairbanks.
- Younger brother of Dana Fairbanks.
- Comes out as gay to Dana and Alice during episode 2.11: «Loud and Proud».
- Irwin Fairbanks: Portrayed by Michael Hogan; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 through 3.
- Married to Sharon Fairbanks.
- Father of Dana and Howie Fairbanks.
- Sharon Fairbanks: Portrayed by Susan Hogan; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 through 3.
- Had a lesbian experience when she was 17.
- Married to Irwin Fairbanks.
- Mother of Dana and Howie Fairbanks.
- Gene Feinberg: Straight, portrayed by Tygh Runyan; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 and 2.
- Dated Jenny Schecter until episode 2.01: «Life, Loss, Leaving».
- Manfredi Ferrer: Portrayed by Derek de Lint; minor character with appearance in episode 2.02: «Lap Dance».
- Married to Marina Ferrer.
- Marina Ferrer: Lesbian, portrayed by Karina Lombard; main character during season 1.
- Italian countess married to Manfredi Ferrer hiding her sexual orientation.
- Has an open relationship with Francesca Wolff for five years.
- Has an affair with Jenny Schecter while she was engaged to Tim Haspel.
- Dated Robin Allenwood during season 1.
- Dated Claude during season 4.
- This character seems to be an allusion to Kate Millett’s Sita (Millett’s lover of Italian noble origin, one of whose middle names was «Marina»,[1] committed suicide in 1978)
- Lucía Flores: Bisexual. Character only alluded to during season 2.
- Was Pablo Fuentes’ girlfriend before she cheated on him with Carmen de la Pica Morales.
- She was Carmen’s first lesbian experience when she was 16.
- Dan Foxworthy: Straight, portrayed by Daryl Shuttleworth; minor character with appearance during seasons 1, 2, 5 and 6.
- Therapist of Tina Kennard, Bette Porter, Alice Pieszecki and Tasha Williams.
G[edit]
- Valerie Goins: Lesbian, portrayed by Camille Sullivan; minor character with appearance in episode 2.07: «Luminous».
- Was committed to Leigh Ostin.
- Shelly Greenlee: Portrayed by Linda Ko; minor character with appearance in episodes 2.12: «L’Chaim» and 2.13: «Loud & Proud».
- Was hired by Bette to care for her dying father.
- Gregg: Straight, portrayed by Robin Nielsen; minor character with appearance in episode 1.12: «Looking Back».
- Was Alice’s college boyfriend.
- Barbara Grisham: Closeted lesbian, portrayed by Dana Delany; minor character with appearance in episode 3.04: «Light My Fire».
- Senator of the state of Massachusetts.
- Unsuccessfully attempted to seduce Bette Porter during episode 3.04: «Light My Fire».
H[edit]
- Becky Haspel: Straight, portrayed by Georgia Craig; minor character with appearance during episode 3.10: «Losing the Light».
- Wife of Tim Haspel.
- Timothy «Tim» Haspel: Straight, portrayed by Eric Mabius; main character during season 1 and minor character with appearances during seasons 2, 3 and 6.
- Married and divorced Jenny Schecter during season 1.
- Dated Trish Peverell, who was a student that he was coaching, during season 1.
- Married Becky during season 3.
- Sean Heaney: Straight, portrayed by Bruno Verdoni; minor character with appearance during the «Pilot» episode.
- Was Tina Kennard’s first unsuccessful sperm donor.
- Slept with Alice Pieszecki.
- Heather: Character only alluded to during the «Pilot» episode.
- Slept with Brooke.
- Slept with Mandy.
- Slept with Melanie Caplan.
- Arianna Huffington: Portrayed by Arianna Huffington herself; minor character with appearance during episode 2.01: «Life, Loss, Leaving».
- Employer of both Shane McCutcheon and Carmen de la Pica Morales when they meet.
I[edit]
- Iris. Portrayed by Mikela J. Mikael; minor character with appearance in episode 2.09: «Late, Later, Latent».
- Has an open relationship with Ivan Aycock for five years.
J[edit]
- Randy Jackson: Straight, portrayed by Kwesi Ameyaw; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 and 3.
- Friend of Tim Haspel.
- Husband of Carolyn Varajian.
- Cherie Jaffe or Cherie Peroni: Bisexual, portrayed by Rosanna Arquette; minor character with appearances in seasons 1, 3, and 4, but alluded to in seasons 1 through 3.
- Mother of Clea Jaffe; mentioned in episode 1.11: «Liberally».
- Married to Steve Jaffe, later divorced him.
- Had an affair with Shane McCutcheon during season 1 and later also slept with her in seasons 3 and 4.
- Clea Jaffe: Lesbian, portrayed by Samantha McLeod; minor character with appearance only in season 1.
- Daughter of Cherie Jaffe and Steve Jaffe.
- Infatuated with Shane McCutcheon during season 1.
- Steve Jaffe: Straight, portrayed by James Purcell; minor character with appearance only in season 1.
- Married and then divorced Cherie Jaffe.
- Father of Clea Jaffe.
- James: His sexual orientation is unknown, but in the last episode of the second season he appears holding a man in the funeral of Bette’s father, portrayed by Preston Cook; minor character with appearances during seasons 1 through 6.
- Assistant of Bette Porter.
- Candace Jewell: Lesbian, portrayed by Ion Overman; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 and 2.
- Had a relationship with Yolanda Watkins; mentioned in season 1.
- Had an affair with Bette Porter and started all the friction between Bette and Tina during episodes 1.12: «Looking Back» through 2.01: «Life, Loss, Leaving».
- Lisa Johnson: Straight, portrayed by Crystal Balint; minor character with flashback appearances during episode 4.07: «Lesson Number One» and 4.11: «Literary License to Kill»
- Appears in flashbacks of Tasha Williams’ tour of duty in Iraq.
K[edit]
- Nadia Karella: Lesbian, portrayed by Jessica Capshaw; minor character with appearance in episodes 4.02 «Livin’ la Vida Loca», 4.03 «Lassoed» and 4.04 «Layup».
- Slept with Bette Porter.
- Bryan Karikawa: Portrayed by Peter Shinkoda; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 and 2.
- Subaru representative who works with Dana’s advertising campaign.
- Hunter Kirby: Straight, minor character; portrayed by Chris William Martin.
- Fellow writing student to Jenny in season 2.
- Tina Kennard: Bisexual, portrayed by Laurel Holloman. Main character.
- Mother of Angelica Porter-Kennard.
- Dated Eric previous to season 1; mentioned in episode 1.12: «Looking Back».
- Had an eight-year relationship with Bette Porter with a separation during season 2, a breakup in season 3, and a reunion in season 5.
- Courted by Joyce Wischnia during season 2.
- Dated Helena Peabody during episodes 2.05: «Labyrinth» through 2.13: «Lacuna».
- Attempted to have an affair with film producer Josh Brecker during episode 3.07: «Lone Star».
- Had a relationship with Henry Young, through episodes 3.09: «Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way» to episode 4.11: «Literary License to Kill».
- Courted by Kate Arden during season 4.
- Revealed to have had an incestuous relationship with her sister from ages 11 to 15 in the post-season 6 «Interrogation tapes» (canonicity debated)
- Married Bette between the events of The L Word and Generation Q, but cheated on her with Carrie, which led to their final separation and divorce.
- Became engaged to Carrie during the events of Generation Q.
- Leonard Kroll: Straight man, portrayed by Bruce Davison; minor character with three appearances
- Husband/ex-husband of Phyllis Kroll
- Father of Molly Kroll
- Molly Kroll: straight-turned-bisexual-turned-lesbian, portrayed by Clementine Ford
- Daughter of Phyllis and Leonard Kroll.
- «Girl crush» on Shane McCutcheon, and later slept with her
- Phyllis Kroll: Lesbian, portrayed by Cybill Shepherd.
- Wife/ex-wife of Leonard Kroll
- Mother of Molly
- Had her first lesbian infatuation/relationship with Alice.
- On again, off again relationship with her first divorce attorney, Joyce Wischnia.
- Aaron Kornbluth: Straight, portrayed by Brian Markinson, introduced in season 4
- Executive for Shaolin Productions
- Worked with Tina and Jenny during the making of Lez Girls
- Partnered with William and Adele at the end of Season 5
L[edit]
- Lacey: Lesbian, portrayed by Tammy Lynn Michaels; minor character appearing during Season 1.
- Slept with Shane McCutcheon.
- Jodi Lerner: Lesbian, portrayed by Marlee Matlin; main character during seasons 4 and 5 who is credited on Season 6.
- Sculptor; professor and student adviser at the California University School of Arts where Bette is dean. She had a serious long-term relationship with Bette Porter until Bette cheated on her to go back to Tina Kennard.
- Lei Ling: Straight, portrayed by Taayla Markell; minor character with appearance in episode 1.07: «Losing It».
- Girlfriend of Marcus Allenwood.
- Becomes upset after discovering Marcus donated sperm to Tina and threatens legal action to gain custody of the child.
- Stops harassing Tina after Marcus convinces her to leave Tina alone.
- Lisa: Lesbian-identified man portrayed by Devon Gummersall; minor character appearing season 1.
- Dated Alice Pieszecki from episode 1.07: «Losing It» to 1.10: «Luck, Next Time».
- Julia Lourd: Lesbian, portrayed by Ann-Marie MacDonald; minor character with appearing season 3.
- Project partner of Bette Porter for the Art of Dissent exhibit.
M[edit]
- Winnie Mann: Lesbian, portrayed by Melissa Leo; minor character with appearance during season 2.
- Former partner of Helena Peabody; mentioned in episode 2.06: «Lágrimas de Oro».
- Birth-mother of Wilson Mann Peabody.
- Adoptive mother of Jun Ying Mann Peabody.
- Clea Mason: Lesbian, portrayed by Melanie Lynskey; minor character with appearances in season 5.
- Attempts to start a relationship with Alice Pieszecki in episode 5.12: «Loyal and True».
- Tom Mater: Gay, portrayed by Jon Wolfe Nelson; minor character appearing in seasons 4, 5 and 6.
- Interpreter for Jodi Lerner.
- Has a relationship with Max Sweeney in season 6.
- Impregnates Max Sweeney, and later abandons him in season 6.
- Carla McCutcheon: Straight, minor character with appearance during episode 3.12: «Left Hand of the Goddess».
- Mother of Shay McCutcheon.
- Wife of Gabriel McCutcheon.
- Gabriel McCutcheon: Straight, portrayed by Eric Roberts; minor character with appearance during episode 3.12: «Left Hand of the Goddess».
- Father of Shane and Shay McCutcheon.
- Married to Carla McCutcheon.
- While visiting Canada during episode 3.12: «Left Hand of the Goddess», he had an affair and ran away with a girl named Patty, leaving his wife and son behind.
- Shane McCutcheon: Lesbian, portrayed by Katherine Moennig; main character.
- Daughter of Gabriel McCutcheon.
- Older half-sister of Shay McCutcheon.
- Slept with Mandy. Mentioned in the «Pilot» episode.
- Slept with Lisa.
- Slept with Lacey.
- Had an affair with Cherie Jaffe, and slept with her again in season 3.
- Roommate of Jenny Schecter since season 2.
- Had a relationship with Carmen de la Pica Morales that ended in episode 3.12: «Left Hand of the Goddess», when she left Carmen at the altar.
- Has slept with around 950 to 1200 people, mostly one-night stands of which names are unknown. Number is later given as 963 according to Alice’s OurChart.com server, mentioned in episode 4.01: «Legend in the Making».
- Had a relationship with Paige.
- Object of Molly Kroll’s «straight girl crush», and later slept with her, and later had a short-lived relationship in season 5.
- In a relationship with Jenny Schecter in season 6.
- Shay McCutcheon: Portrayed by Aidan Jarrar. Minor character with appearance during episode 3.12: «Left Hand of the Goddess», and throughout the beginning of the 4th season
- Son of Gabriel and Carla McCutcheon, and half-brother of Shane McCutcheon
- Moves in with Shane after his mother abandoned him in response to his father’s affair.
- Is taken away by his father after he returns from his affair in «Lacy Lilting Lyrics».
- Stacey Merkin: Lesbian, portrayed by Heather Matarazzo. A reporter interviewing Jenny Schecter posing as an ally she later reveals her true colors when she writes a jealousy-driven bad review of Jenny’s book.
- Claude Mondrian: Lesbian, portrayed by Élodie Bouchez. A French-Canadian freelance writer.
- Had an affair with Jenny in season 3.
- Had a relationship with Marina in season 4.
- Begoña : Portrayed by Patricia Velásquez; minor character with appearances during season 5.
- Plays the part of Karina in Lez Girls.
- Mercedes Morales: Straight, portrayed by Irene López; minor character with appearances during season 3.
- Mother of Carmen de la Pica Morales. Mentioned in episode 3.01: «Labia Majora».
- Dylan Moreland: Straight-turned-lesbian, portrayed by Alexandra Hedison; minor character with appearances in seasons 3, 4, and 6′.
- Has a boyfriend named Danny.
- Seduces Helena Peabody and later files sexual harassment charges against her as a means of extortion. In the process, she becomes a lesbian and develops real feelings for Helena. She later returns the money she extorted and has a relationship with Helena, who has forgiven her, in season 6.
N[edit]
- Nadia: Lesbian, portrayed by Natasha Jean; minor character with appearance in episode 1.04: «Longing».
- Dated Gabby Deveaux.
- Nina: Character only alluded to during the «Pilot» episode.
- Slept with Alice Pieszecki; mentioned during the «Pilot» episode.
- Slept with Brooke; mentioned during the «Pilot» episode.
- Nadia: Portrayed by Jessica Capshaw during the beginning of season 4. She was a teacher’s assistant and worked with Bette.
- Had an affair with Bette.
O[edit]
- Leigh Ostin: Lesbian, portrayed by Cobie Smulders; minor character with appearance during season 2.
- Had a relationship with Valerie Goins; mentioned in episode 2.07: «Luminous»
- Dated Helena Peabody during episodes 2.11: «Loud and Proud» to 2.13: «Lacuna».
P[edit]
- Papi: Lesbian, portrayed by Janina Gavankar; major character; first mentioned in episode 3.09: «Lead Follow or Get Out of the Way» when Carmen credits her with the reason she did not make it to her prom, her first appearance, however was on episode 4.02: «Livin’ la Vida Loca».
- As of season 4 and according to Alice’s chart, Papi has slept with the most people in the series; mentioned in episode 4.01: «Legend in the Making».
- Slept with Alice Pieszecki on episode 4.02: «Livin’ la Vida Loca».
- Slept with Helena Peabody on episode 4.02: «Livin’ la Vida Loca».
- Has a one-night stand with Ruby.
- Has an affair with Saskia on episode 4.06: «Luck Be a Lady».
- Slept with Tasha Williams during her college years; mentioned on episode 4.06: «Luck be a Lady».
- Has an affair with Kit Porter during season 4.
- Had an affair with Carmen de la Pica Morales during their college years agreeing with Alice’s OurChart.com shown at season 4 finale.
- Slept with Gabby Deveaux on episode 6.01
- Her real name is Eva Torres
- Angus Partridge: Bisexual, portrayed by Dallas Roberts; major character; first appearance in episode 3.01: «Labia Majora».
- Angelica Kennard’s «manny» (male nanny).
- Boyfriend of Kit Porter.
- Had an affair with Hazel in season 4.
- Helena Peabody: Lesbian, portrayed by Rachel Shelley; major character in season 2, main character since season 3; first appearance in season 2 episode 2.04 Lynch Pin.
- Director of the Peabody Foundation.
- Daughter of Peggy Peabody.
- Mother of Wilson and Yun Jing.
- Had a relationship with Winnie Mann, the biological mother of Wilson previously of season 2.
- Has an affair with Tina Kennard during season 2.
- Has an affair with Leigh Ostin during season 2.
- Has an affair with Isabella during season 2.
- Has an affair with Dylan Moreland who financially exploits her during season 3.
- Accused of sexual harassment by Dylan Moreland.
- Is cut off financially by her wealthy mother and becomes poor, homeless and goes to stay with Alice.
- Slept with Papi in season 4, episode 4.02 Livin’ La Vida Loca.
- Has an affair with gambler Catherine Rothberg during season 4 and makes money for her.
- Was arrested in season 5 for stealing Catherine’s money.
- Has an affair with Dusty while in jail after a fierce nightmare.
- She gets back the Peabody fortune in the season 5 finale.
- She buys the SheBar (thanks to «Lover Cindi») to help Kit Porter, and they rename the club as «The Hit Club»
- Resumes her relationship with Dylan Moreland in season 6, after «testing» her in order to estimate whether Dylan is after her money and wants to exploit her again or actually cares for her.
- In her interrogation tape with Sgt. Duffy, she reveals she didn’t hide Catherine Rothberg’s money. She used it to piss her off, because Catherine was a big republican, so she donated it to lesbian centers, fertility clinics, etc.
- Returned to England between the events of The L Word and Generation Q».
- Peggy Peabody: Bisexual, portrayed by Holland Taylor; minor character with appearances in seasons 1 through 6.
- Major supporter of the CAC and Bette Porter in Season 1.
- Mother of Helena Peabody, gave the reins of her Foundation to her daughter in Season 2.
- Had an affair with Marilyn in 1973. Restarted a relationship with her in episode 3.12: «Left Hand of the Goddess».
- Lara Perkins: Lesbian, portrayed by Lauren Lee Smith; minor character with appearances during seasons 1 through 3.
- Dated Dana Fairbanks during season 1, and later during season 3.
- Dated Gabby Deveaux during season 2.
- Starts a relationship with Alice Pieszecki during episode 3.11: «Last Dance», which ended before episode 4.01: «Legend in the Making».
- A connection to Claybourne is shown on the final chart that appears in the third season finale.
- Isabella Pernao: Portrayed by Carmen Aguirre; minor character with appearance during season 1.
- Was the performer of the art piece Jesus Is in Me, presented by Bette Porter during the Provocations exhibit.
- Trish Peverell: Straight, portrayed by Nicole McKay; minor character with appearance during season 1.
- Dated Tim Haspel during season 1.
- Franklin Phillips: Straight, portrayed by Michael Tomlinson; minor character with appearance during seasons 1 and 2.
- Board member of the CAC. Supervisor of Bette Porter.
- Alice Pieszecki: Bisexual, portrayed by Leisha Hailey; main character.
- Daughter of Lenore Pieszecki.
- Dated Bette Porter in 1996.
- Mentions to have been involved with Sean Heaney (Tina’s unsuccessful sperm donor) during the Pilot episode.
- Mentions to have slept with Nina while speaking to Dana during the Pilot episode.
- Was girlfriend of Katherine Claymore after graduating from college (mentioned in episode 1.03: «Let’s Do It»).
- During college she had a boyfriend named Gregg, with whom she had a band named «Butter». Mentioned in episode 1.12: «Looking Back».
- Dumped Gregg for Tayo, a lesbian bass-player. Mentioned in episode 1.12: «Looking Back».
- Restarts and ends an on-and-off steady hot-and-cold relationship with Gabby Deveaux during season 1.
- Dates «Lisa», the ‘lesbian-identified man’, during part of Season 1.
- Dates Andrew, right after dumping «Lisa».
- Has a stable relationship with Dana Fairbanks, during most of season 2.
- Had a rebound affair with April, who was the former girlfriend of her first boyfriend. Mentioned in episode 3.01: «Labia Majora».
- Dates vampirologist Uta Refson during episodes 3.05: «Lifeline» through 3.07: «Latecomer»
- Goes on a date with Xandra which was interrupted by Dana Fairbanks unhealthy state.
- Starts a relationship with Lara Perkins in episode 3.11: «Last Dance» which ended before episode 4.01: «Legend in the Making».
- Sleeps with Papi on episode 4.02: «Livin’ la Vida Loca».
- Has a relationship with Phyllis Kroll that lasts from episode 4.04: «Lay Up» to 4.06: «Luck Be a Lady».
- Has a relationship with Tasha Williams that starts in episode 4.06: «Luck Be a Lady».
- Lenore Pieszecki: Portrayed by Anne Archer; minor character with appearance during season 1.
- Mother of Alice Pieszecki.
- Attempts to seduce Shane McCutcheon during episode 1.05: «Lies, Lies, Lies».
- Angelica Porter-Kennard: Bisexual or lesbian, portrayed by Olivia Windbiel and Jordan Hull; main character appearing since season 2 and in Generation Q
- Daughter of Tina Kennard and Bette Porter.
- Her biological father is Marcus Allenwood.
- Started relationship with Jordi in «Labels»
- Bette Porter: Lesbian, portrayed by Jennifer Beals; the main character.
- Daughter of Melvin Porter.
- Half-sister of Kit Porter.
- Aunt of David Waters.
- Mother of Angelica Porter-Kennard.
- Slept with Coleman Alt in 1984.
- Kissed Kelly Freemont/Wentworth, her straight college roommate—mentioned during episode 6.02: «Least Likely». Her sister Kit later mentions that she almost killed herself over Kelly (episode 6.04: «Leaving Los Angeles»).
- Dated Alice Pieszecki in 1996.
- Had an affair with Candace Jewell starting in episode 1.13: «Locked Up» and ending in episode 2.01: «Life, Loss, Leaving».
- Had an eight-year relationship with Tina Kennard, with a separation at the end of season 1, due to her cheating with Candace, a reconciliation by the end of season 2, and a break-up during episode 3.09: «Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way».
- Had a one-night stand with an unidentified woman while in New York, during episode 2.04: «Lynch Pin».
- Had sex with a grad student of the university where she was the art department dean, named Nadia Karella, in episode 4.03: «Lassoed».
- Had a relationship with Jodi Lerner during seasons 4 and 5.
- Had an affair with the love of her life, Tina Kennard, in season 5 while she was dating Jodi Lerner, starting on episode 5.04: «Let’s Get This Party Started». They later got back together.
- Phyllis Kroll said Bette «was, is and will always be the woman of her dreams» during episode 6.03: «LMFAO»
- Resists Kelly’s attempt to seduce her during episode 6.06: «Lactose Intolerant».
- Kate ‘Kit’ Porter: Straight, portrayed by Pam Grier; main character.
- Daughter of Melvin Porter.
- Half-sister of Bette Porter.
- Mother of David Waters.
- Intended to start a relationship with Ivan Aycock during season 2.
- Had an affair with Benjamin Bradschaw during season 2.
- Has a relationship with Angus during season 3 and 4.
- Has an unsuccessful affair with Papi during season 4.
- Business rivalry with Dawn Denbo.
- Relationship with professional female impersonator and straight male named Sunset Boulevard in season 6.
- Melvin Porter: Straight, portrayed by Ossie Davis, minor character with appearances in seasons one and two.
- Bette and Kit Porter’s father; and David Waters and Angelica Porter-Kennard’s grandfather.
- Openly disapproved of Bette’s lesbian relationship with Tina, to include refusing to acknowledge Tina’s unborn child as his grandchild or calling Tina by her first name.
- Diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer during the episode «Loud and Proud» and decides to refuse medical treatment.
- Dies in the episode «L’Chaim» with Bette and Kit by his side.
Q–R[edit]
- «Ralph»: Portrayed by Tara Wilson; minor character with appearance alluded to during season 1 and 3.
- «Ralph» is a famous tennis player, whose real identity is kept secret by Dana because of her celebrity status. Mentioned during the «Pilot» episode.
- «Ralph» was Dana’s first lesbian experience when she was 17. It is first mentioned during the «Pilot» episode. «Ralph» appears during a flashback of Dana’s coming out story in episode 1.12: «Looking Back».
- Uta Refson: Bisexual, portrayed by Erica Cerra; minor character with appearance during season 3.
- Dated Alice Pieszecki during episodes 3.05: «Lifeline» through 3.07: «Lone Star».
- Melissa Rivers: Bisexual, portrayed by herself; minor character with appearance during season 2.
- Starts a relationship with Tonya in episode 2.06: «Lágrimas de oro».
- Robin: Lesbian, portrayed by Anne Ramsay. Dated Jenny from episode 1.12: «Looking Back» to 2.03: «Loneliest Number». Also dated Marina Ferrer briefly.
- Catherine Rothberg: Lesbian, portrayed by Sandrine Holt; minor character appearing in season 4.
- Is a professional gambler.
- Enslaves Helena Peabody under the guise of a relationship in season 4, as a means of getting money back that Helena owes her.
- Convinces Helena Peabody to bet $100,000 on a horse race, which she ends up losing and, consequently, is unable to fund Alice Pieszecki’s «Our Chart» website.
S[edit]
- Harry Samchuk: Gay, portrayed by Colin Cunningham; minor character with appearance in episodes 1.06: «Lawfully» and 1.07: «Losing It».
- Pays Clive to sleep with him.
- Attempts to seduce Shane McCutcheon, until Shane tells him she is a woman. (Episode 1.07: «Losing It»).
- Jenny Schecter: Lesbian, portrayed by Mia Kirshner; main character.
- Daughter of Sandy Ziskin. (First name revealed in Episode 1.07: «Losing It», and last name revealed in 3.01: «Labia Majora»).
- Stepdaughter of Warren Ziskin.
- Engaged and married to Tim Haspel during season 1. By the beginning of season 2, they already were divorced.
- Best friend of Shane McCutcheon
- Writes a story for «The New Yorker», which later becomes a book and ultimately a Hollywood movie starring Niki Stevens, entitled «Lez Girls», based on the lives of herself, Tina Kennard, Bette Porter, Marina Ferrer, Shane McCutcheon, Alice Pieszecki, Tim Haspel, Kit Porter, Dana Fairbanks and Helena Peabody, in the book, named respectively: Jesse, Nina, Bev, Karina, Shaun, Alyse, Jim, Kat, Donna and Helen.
- Seduced by Marina Ferrer and had an affair with her during season 1, Jenny’s first relationship with another woman.
- Had an affair with Nick Barashov during her college years. Mentioned in episode 1.05: «Lies, Lies, Lies».
- Attempted to date Dana Fairbanks during episode 1.11: «Liberally».
- Dated Robin from episode 1.12: «Looking Back» to 2.03: «Loneliest Number».
- Dated Gene Feinberg from episode 1.13: «Locked Up» to 2.01: «Life, Loss, Leaving».
- Had a relationship with Carmen de la Pica Morales during season 2.
- Had a relationship with Max Sweeney during season 3.
- Started an affair with Claude during episode 3.12: «Left Hand of the Goddess».
- Had a relationship with Niki Stevens during season 5.
- Had a relationship with Shane McCutcheon during season 6.
- Died by suicide in the series finale; manner of death confirmed in The L Word: Generation Q
- Harrison Scott: Closeted gay, portrayed by Landy Cannon; minor character with appearance in seasons 1 and 3.
- Doubles partner and make-believe boyfriend of Dana Fairbanks before she came out as lesbian.
- Paige Sobel: Bisexual, portrayed by Kristanna Loken. Has a relationship with Shane McCutcheon during season 4.
- Mother of Jared Sobel, school friend of Shay McCutcheon
- Niki Stevens: Lesbian, portrayed by Kate French; recurring character appearing in seasons 5 and 6.
- Famous movie star reportedly based on Lindsay Lohan.[2]
- Is closeted in her public life.
- Had a relationship with Jenny Schecter in season 5.
- Hooked up with Shane McCutcheon after her relationship with Jenny Schecter ended in season 5 and pursues a relationship with her in season 6.
- Dated a boi named Jimmi. Mentioned in episode 5.05 «Lookin’ at You, Kid»
- Had an affair with Paris Hilton. Mentioned in episode 6.02 «Least Likely»
- Max Sweeney: Bisexual trans man portrayed by Daniel Sea. Joined the main cast during season 3. First appeared in episode 3.01: «Labia Majora».
- Has a relationship with Jenny Schecter during season 3.
- Has an affair with Billie Blaikie during season 3.
- Dated Brooke during the beginning of season 4.
- Has an affair with Grace during season 4 that bridges into friendship during season 5.
- Dates Tom, the interpreter for Jodi Lerner, during season 5.
- Is impregnated and abandoned by Tom in season 6.
T[edit]
- Tayo: Lesbian, portrayed by Marta Jaciubek; minor character with appearance only in season 1, episode 1.12: «Looking Back».
- Had an affair with Alice Pieszecki during her college years. Mentioned in episode 1.12: «Looking Back». Tayo is Alice’s first lesbian experience.
- Tonya: Lesbian, portrayed by Meredith McGeachie; minor character with appearance in seasons 1 through 3.
- Was engaged to Dana Fairbanks until episode 2.06: «Lágrimas de oro».
- Had a relationship with Melissa Rivers that started in episode 2.06: «Lágrimas de oro», but ended somewhere before episode 3.10: «Losing the Light».
U–V[edit]
- Carolyn Varajian: Straight, portrayed by Jennifer Copping; minor character with appearance during season 1.
- Married to Randy Jackson.
- Conrad Voynow: Straight, portrayed by Ari Cohen; minor character with appearance during season 1.
- Conrad was Dana’s manager during season 1, before she came out as a lesbian during the Subaru campaign.
W[edit]
- David Waters: Straight, portrayed by Colin Lawrence; minor character.
- Son of Kit Porter.
- Nephew of Bette Porter.
- Grandchild of Melvin Porter.
- Does not accept Bette and Tina’s decision to raise their daughter Angelica together in a lesbian relationship and refuses to vouch for them in front of their adoption social worker.
- Yolanda Watkins: Lesbian, portrayed by Kimberly Hawthorne; minor character with appearance in season 1.
- Dated Candace Jewell.
- Mark Wayland: Straight, portrayed by Eric Lively; major character in season 2.
- Documentary film maker; roomed with Shane McCutcheon and Jenny Schecter.
- Betrayed Jenny Schecter and Shane McCutcheon by setting up hidden cameras throughout the house.
- Kelly Wentworth: Bisexual, portrayed by Elizabeth Berkley; minor character appearing in season 6.
- College roommate of Bette Porter
- Opens an art gallery in Los Angeles with Bette Porter in season 6.
- Unsuccessfully tries to seduce Bette Porter in season 6.
- Tasha Williams: Lesbian, portrayed by Rose Rollins; major character with appearances in seasons 4 through 6.
- Best friend of Papi.
- In a relationship with Alice Pieszecki in seasons 4, 5 and 6.
- Was a Captain in the Army National Guard and a Military Police officer.
- Did a tour in Iraq, where she witnessed some of her subordinates getting killed.
- Suffers from Posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of her wartime service.
- Was discharged from the Army under «Don’t ask, don’t tell» by confessing her love for Alice Pieszecki during her separation board on the episode «Lay Down the Law».
- Continued to date Alice after her discharge, but had relationship problems stemming from various issues to include Alice making more money than her and the introduction of Jaime Chen.
- Decides to become a civilian police officer and was attending the police academy as of season 6.
- Joyce Wischnia: Lesbian, portrayed by Jane Lynch; minor character with appearances in seasons 2 through 6.
- Slept with almost all of her clients.
- Joyce was Tina Kennard’s lawyer during the separation case she filed to Bette Porter, during season 2.
- Courted Tina Kennard during season 2.
- Became Bette Porter’s attorney for the sole custody petition she filed against Tina Kennard during season 3. Later served as a mediator to settle shared custody during season 4.
- Had a relationship with Phyllis Kroll during seasons 4, 5 and 6, after having recused herself as Phyllis’s divorce attorney because of their romantic interest.
- Dr. Wilson: Portrayed by Judith Maxie; minor character with appearance in seasons 1 through 3.
- Dr. Wilson is Tina Kennard’s gynecologist.
- Dr. Wilson was also the doctor of Dana Fairbanks when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
- Francesca Wolff: Lesbian, portrayed by Lolita Davidovich; minor character with appearance in season 1.
- Partner of Marina Ferrer; mentioned during season 1.
- Had an affair with a prima ballerina in Portugal; mentioned during season 1.
X[edit]
- Xandra: Lesbian, goes on a date with Alice in episode 3.10: «Losing the Light» before Dana gets sick.
Y[edit]
- Henry Young: Straight, portrayed by Steven Eckholdt; minor character with appearances in seasons 3 and 4.
- Father of Mikey Young.
- Had a relationship with Tina Kennard that began in episode 3.09: «Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way», unaware that Tina was using him to get sole custody of Angelica. He ended the relationship and had her move out of his home in season 4 when he realized the truth.
- Mikey Young: Minor character with appearance in season 3.
- Son of Henry Young.
Z[edit]
- Sandy Ziskin or Sandy Schecter: Straight, portrayed by Margot Kidder; minor character alluded to during seasons 1 and 2, with appearance in episode 3.01: «Labia Majora».
- Mother of Jenny Schecter. Her name is revealed in season 1.
- Warren Ziskin: Straight, portrayed by Stephen Aberle; minor character with appearance during episode 3.01: «Labia Majora».
- Married to Sandy Ziskin.
- Stepfather of Jenny Schecter.
References[edit]
- ^ Millett, Kate (2000). Sita. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press. p. 321.
- ^ Bendix, Trish (October 8, 2012). «Morning Brew — Mon. Oct. 8: «The L Word» character based on Lindsay Lohan, Sophie B. Hawkins plays Janis Joplin». AfterEllen.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
Further reading[edit]
- Kera Bolonik, The L Word: Welcome to Our Planet. New York: Fireside. 2006.
The L Word: Generation Q is an American drama television series produced by Showtime that premiered on December 8, 2019.[1] It is a sequel series to The L Word, which aired on Showtime from 2004 to 2009. Similar to its predecessor, the series follows the lives of an LGBTQ group of friends who live in Los Angeles, California.
The L Word: Generation Q | |
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Genre | Drama |
Created by |
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Developed by | Marja-Lewis Ryan |
Starring |
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Music by | Heather McIntosh & Allyson Newman |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 28 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Cinematography |
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Editors |
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Running time | 53–61 minutes |
Production companies |
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Release | |
Original network | Showtime |
Original release | December 8, 2019 – January 22, 2023 |
A first-look screening of the series took place on December 9, 2019, hosted by House of Pride, to coincide with the US release.[2] In January 2020, Showtime renewed the series for a second season which premiered on August 8, 2021.[3][4] In February 2022, the series was renewed for a third season which premiered on November 20, 2022.[5][6] In March 2023, the series was canceled after three seasons.[7] In April 2023, it was announced that the series was removed from Showtime platforms.[8]
SynopsisEdit
The show centers on a group of diverse LGBTQ+ characters experiencing love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks, personal growth and success in Los Angeles. Generation Q is set over ten years after The L Word, in the new setting of Silver Lake, Los Angeles. Several actors from the original series returned to reprise their roles alongside a new ensemble of diverse characters.[9]
Cast and charactersEdit
MainEdit
- Jennifer Beals as Bette Porter-Kennard, the managing director at Isaac Zakarian’s art gallery. In between the events of The L Word and Generation Q, she married and divorced her partner, Tina Kennard. She sabotaged Tina’s engagement to Carrie Walsh in season 2 and remarried her in season 3 after Tina forgave her. Beals reprises her role from The L Word.[10]
- Kate Moennig as Shane McCutcheon, an androgynous and highly sexual lesbian former hairdresser, now the owner of «Dana’s», a gay bar named after her deceased friend, Dana Fairbanks. Moennig reprises her role from The L Word.[10]
- Leisha Hailey as Alice Pieszecki, a talk show host and author. Hailey reprises her role from The L Word.[10]
- Arienne Mandi as Dani Nùñez, Bette’s former PR manager, Sophie’s ex-fiancée and CEO of «Núñez Incorporated» following her father’s arrest. She is Iranian on her deceased mother’s side.
- Sepideh Moafi as Gigi Ghorbani, the ex-wife of Nat Bailey and co-mother of their children, and currently Dani’s girlfriend. Her real name is Golnar, and «Gigi» is a nickname.
- Leo Sheng as Micah Lee, an adjunct professor and therapist working for Nat Bailey who is a trans man, and Maribel Suarez’s boyfriend
- Jacqueline Toboni as Sarah Finley, an executive assistant from a religious family. She goes by «Finley», previously worked for Alice Pieszecki and had an affair with Sophie which led to the end of Sophie and Dani’s relationship.
- Rosanny Zayas as Sophie Suarez, a TV producer for Alice’s show and Dani’s ex-fiancée, having had an affair with Finley not long before their wedding. She and Finley later enter a relationship, which becomes strained due to Finley’s alcoholism.
- Jordan Hull as Angelica «Angie» Porter-Kennard (season 2–present;[11] recurring season 1), Bette’s daughter with her ex-wife, Tina Kennard, and half-sister of Kayla Allenwood
- Jamie Clayton as Tess Van De Berg (season 3;[12] recurring seasons 1–2), the bartender/manager of Dana’s, a recovering alcoholic and girlfriend of Shane
RecurringEdit
- Freddy Miyares as José (seasons 1–2), the new property manager of Dani, Sophie and Micah’s home, Micah’s ex-boyfriend and husband of Scott
- Carlos Leal as Rodolfo Nùñez, Dani’s father
- Brian Michael Smith as Pierce Williams (season 1), Bette’s campaign manager who is a trans man
- Stephanie Allynne as Natalie «Nat» Bailey, Gigi’s ex-wife and Alice’s partner until she realizes she is polyamorous, which leads Alice to end their relationship
- Jillian Mercado as Maribel Suarez, Sophie’s sister and an immigration attorney, and Micah’s girlfriend
- Olivia Thirlby as Rebecca (season 1), a bisexual Congregationalist minister (MCC) who briefly dates Finley
- Latarsha Rose as Felicity Adams, an ex-employee and ex-lover of Bette’s
- Sophie Giannamore as Jordi Sanbolino, Angelica’s girlfriend
- Lex Scott Davis as Quiara Thompson, a popular singer and Shane’s manipulative ex-wife
- Donald Faison as Tom Maultsby (season 2),[11] an editor who becomes interested in Alice’s book and later begins a relationship with her
- Rosie O’Donnell as Carrie (seasons 2–present),[11] the girlfriend of Misty. She was previously engaged to Tina Kennard, but called the engagement off after being repeatedly mistreated by Tina’s ex-wife Bette Porter and Tina failed to stand up for her.
- Simon Longnight as Hendrix (season 3), a creative writing instructor at Angie’s college and her new love interest after Jordi breaks up with her
- Carmen LoBue as Dre (season 3), Dani’s love interest who had a history with Sophie
Special guestsEdit
- Laurel Holloman as Tina Kennard, Angelica’s biological mother and Bette’s wife. The two divorced between shows and Tina became engaged to Carrie Walsh, an engagement which Bette sabotaged out of jealousy in season 2. Tina forgave Bette and remarried her in season 3. Holloman reprises her role from The L Word.
- Roxane Gay as herself
- Megan Rapinoe as herself
- Margaret Cho as herself (season 3)[12]
- Fletcher as herself (season 3)[13][14]
Guest starringEdit
- Fortune Feimster as Heather
- Jeffrey Muller as Tyler Adams, the ex-husband of Felicity Adams who harbors a grudge against Bette Porter ever since Felicity slept with her
- Mercedes Mason as Lena, Tess’ ex-girlfriend
- Rex Linn as Jeff Milner, the Mayor of Los Angeles who won against Bette through fraudulent campaigning
- Griffin Dunne as Isaac Zakarian (season 2),[11] the owner of an art gallery who hires Bette despite her dislike for his views
- Brook’Lynn Sanders as Kayla Allenwood (season 2), Angie’s half-sister from Marcus Allenwood
- Vanessa Estelle Williams as Pippa Pascal (seasons 2-3), a talented artist whose career Bette seeks to revive. She later began a relationship with Bette until Bette cheated on her with Tina and remarried Tina. In the season 3 finale, a relationship between Pippa and Sophie is hinted at.
- Anne Archer as Lenore Pieszecki (season 2), Alice’s mother. Archer reprises her role from The L Word.
- Rosanna Arquette as Cherie Jaffe (season 2), Shane’s ex-lover and Tess’s brief new girlfriend but who still pursues Shane. Arquette reprises her role from The L Word.
- Mark Berry as Marcus Allenwood (season 2), an artist and the sperm donor of Angelica Porter-Kennard. Berry replaces Mark Gibson, who portrayed Marcus in The L Word.
- Joanna Cassidy as Patty (season 3),[12] Tess’ mother who is suffering from multiple sclerosis and dementia
- Kehlani as Ivy (season 3),[15] a makeup artist who is part of Alice’s glam squad
- Joey Lauren Adams as Taylor (season 3),[12] a barista who becomes Alice’s love interest
- Daniel Sea as Max Sweeney (season 3), Jenny’s ex-partner, now a trans parent of four. Sea reprises their role from The L Word.
- Erin Daniels as Dana Fairbanks (season 3), Alice’s ex-girlfriend who died of breast cancer and who appears as a figment of Alice’s imagination. Daniels reprises her role from The L Word.
EpisodesEdit
Series overviewEdit
Season 1 (2019–20)Edit
Season 2 (2021)Edit
Season 3 (2022–23)Edit
ProductionEdit
DevelopmentEdit
A sequel to The L Word was confirmed to be in development by Showtime on July 11, 2017.[36] Marja-Lewis Ryan was confirmed as showrunner and executive producer on November 20, 2017; original L Word series creator and showrunner Ilene Chaiken will serve as executive producer, with Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig, and Leisha Hailey also serving as executive producers.[36][37] The L Word:Generation Q will consist of eight episodes.[38]
In anticipation of the show, several LGBTQIA outlets have created special programming, such as Autostraddle’s podcast To L & Back: An L Word Podcast;[39][40] two episodes of RuPaul’s podcast, RuPaul: What’s the Tee? (one of which is a conversation with L Word producer and cast member Kate Moennig);[41] an episode of Margaret Cho’s podcast, The Margaret Cho, featuring comedian Fortune Feimster who will appear in The L Word as a guest star;[42][43] and Cameron Esposito’s podcast, Queery, in which she interviews original L Word creator Ilene Chaiken[44]
.[45]
On January 13, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season.[3] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, filming for the second season was delayed for several months and was originally expected to premiere in late 2020. Production for the second season finally began in December 2020.[46][47] On February 4, 2022, Showtime renewed the series for a 10-episode third season which is expected to premiere later this year.[5] Production for the third season began on June 9, 2022.[48] On March 23, 2023, Showtime canceled the series after three seasons. However, a reboot of the original series set in New York is in development with Chaiken attached to it.[7] On April 4, 2023, it was reported that the series was removed from Showtime platforms following the cancellation.[8]
CastingEdit
Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig, and Leisha Hailey reprised their roles from the original series.[49] Bette and Tina’s daughter Angelica, depicted as an infant in the original series, was portrayed as a teenager by Jordan Hull.[50] Sarah Shahi stated that she would reprise her role as Carmen de la Pica Morales, though Showtime did not officially confirm her involvement, and Shahi ultimately did not appear in the series.[51] Pam Grier stated that she would not reprise her role as Kit Porter due to shooting conflicts with the ABC series Bless This Mess.[52] Kit was subsequently written out of the series as having died of a drug overdose.
Ryan stated that she wished to introduce new characters to the series in order to have it «live on in a different space.»[38] Arienne Mandi, Leo Sheng, Jacqueline Toboni, and Rosanny Zayas were confirmed as series regulars on June 24, 2019,[53] and Sepideh Moafi was confirmed as a series regular on August 2, 2019.[1] Brian Michael Smith and Stephanie Allynne were confirmed for recurring guests on June 27, 2019.[54] Olivia Thirlby, Fortune Feimster, Lex Scott Davis, and Sophie Giannamore were confirmed for guest roles on July 23, 2019,[55] while Freddy Miyares, Jamie Clayton, and Carlos Leal were confirmed for recurring roles on July 31, 2019.[56] On December 2, 2019, Jillian Mercado was cast in a recurring role.[57] Laurel Holloman returning as Tina Kennard was teased during the series’ promotion but not confirmed until the sixth episode aired; her appearance was revealed before the episode’s opening credits.
On December 9, 2020, for the second season, Jordan Hull was promoted to a series regular while Rosie O’Donnell, Donald Faison, and Griffin Dunne were cast to guest star as Carrie, Tom Maultsby and Isaac Zakarian, respectively.[11] Anne Archer and Rosanna Arquette also returned from the original series to reprise their roles as Lenore Pieszecki and Cherie Jaffe, respectively.[58][59] On July 27, 2022, Kehlani announced that they are set to guest star for the third season.[15] On August 8, 2022, Margaret Cho, Joey Lauren Adams, and Joanna Cassidy were cast to guest star while Clayton was promoted to a series regular for the third season.[12] On September 21, 2022, Fletcher announced that she is set to guest star for the third season.[13]
BroadcastEdit
The L Word: Generation Q premiered on December 8, 2019, on Showtime.[1] The UK television premiere was on Sky Atlantic on February 4, 2020[60] The first episode of the second season debuted on August 6, 2021, on streaming and on-demand for Showtime subscribers, ahead of its Showtime premiere on August 8, 2021. Each episode of the second season was released to stream on demand every Friday, ahead of its weekly Showtime on-air premiere.[4]
The third season premiered on November 20, 2022, with a new episode available to stream on demand every Friday for Showtime subscribers, ahead of its weekly Showtime on-air premiere.[6]
ReceptionEdit
Critical responseEdit
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 81% based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The website’s critical consensus reads, «Though at times Generation Q doesn’t quite stand on its own, it has style and charm to spare and announces a new phrase for The L Word that will please new and old fans alike.[61] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 60 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating «mixed or average reviews».[62]
The second season, however, was met with a more polarized response, particularly for its narrative, heavy reliance on throwbacks to the original series, and its negative stereotypes regarding bisexual relationships, butch women and transgender people. The Los Angeles Times put particular emphasis on Carrie, the series’ first clear butch character who was portrayed as an overweight, self-loathing, insecure woman easily intimidated by Bette and all femmes in general, and Finley, who was depicted as overly carefree to the point of being drunk and potentially dangerous. Bree Tomas voiced her defense for the butch community, particularly Rosie O’Donnell, who after being cast as Carrie was subjected to online abuse, fat shaming and negative comparisons to Jennifer Beals on social media by fans of the series, which was widely condemned by critics.[63] According to Showbiz Cheat Sheet, following the airing of the second season finale, which saw the end of both Bette and Pippa’s relationship and Tina and Carrie’s engagement due to Bette’s actions and behavior, and ended with a cliffhanger that teased a third reunion between Bette and Tina, fans expressed their displeasure with Bette and Tina’s storyline, labelling it as too repetitive and «out of line», and took to Twitter with the hashtag «IleneSavetheLWord». Ilene Chaiken, the creator and showrunner of the original series who herself had come under heavy criticism for reinforcing negative lesbian stereotypes, responded by praising Ryan’s work and defending her decision to give Ryan full creative control.[64]
Following the airing of the second episode of season 3, Ryan gave an interview regarding Bette and Tina’s relationship. Though she had previously stated during the first season that she wanted to take storylines in different directions, Ryan recanted her statement in the interview and said that her intention had always been to build up towards a wedding between Bette and Tina, revealing that following the first season and the revelation of Tina’s engagement to Carrie and Bette’s dinner date with Maya, she was harassed with direct messages on social media demanding that she reunite Bette and Tina. The interview was met with both praise and backlash from fans, with some accusing Ryan of choosing predictable and unrealistic fan service over creativity. The return of past characters such as Max Sweeney and Dana Fairbanks, however, was met with praise.[65]
RatingsEdit
Season 1Edit
Season 2Edit
Season 3Edit
AccoladesEdit
The L Word: Generation Q was nominated for the Outstanding Drama Series category for the 33rd GLAAD Media Awards in 2022.[73]
NotesEdit
- ^ Each episode of the second season was released to stream on demand every Friday, ahead of its weekly Showtime on-air premiere.[4]
- ^ Each episode of the third season was released to stream on demand every Friday, ahead of its weekly Showtime on-air premiere.[6]
- ^ a b c d e f g Live+7 ratings were unavailable, so Live+3 ratings have been used instead.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b c Petski, Denise (August 2, 2019). «‘The L Word: Generation Q’ Gets Premiere Date On Showtime – TCA». Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- ^ Mustarde, Danielle (December 10, 2019). «EVENTS: Welcome to the House Of Pride — Did someone say UK Premiere of The L Word: Generation Q? (They did, and it was the lovely lot behind soon-to-be queer space, HoP)». DIVA MAGAZINE. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
- ^ a b White, Peter (January 13, 2020). «‘The L Word: Generation Q’: Showtime Renews Sequel Series For Second Season – TCA». Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
- ^ a b c Petski, Denise (June 1, 2021). «‘The L Word: Generation Q’ Season 2 Premiere To Stream Ahead Of On-Air Debut On Showtime; Teaser Unveiled». Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 1, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
- ^ a b Petski, Denise (February 4, 2022). «‘The L Word: Generation Q’ Renewed For Season 3 By Showtime». Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
- ^ a b c Iannucci, Rebecca (August 8, 2022). «The L Word: Generation Q Promotes [Spoiler] to Series Regular, Adds 4 Including Margaret Cho». TVLine. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (March 23, 2023). «‘The L Word’: Generation Q’ Canceled After 3 Seasons, New York-Set Reboot Of Original With Ilene Chaiken In Works At Showtime». Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (April 4, 2023). «‘The L Word: Generation Q’ Removed From Showtime Platforms Following Cancellation». Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
- ^ «The L Word: Generation Q: Seasons, Episodes, Cast, Characters — Official Series Site | SHOWTIME». SHO.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
- ^ a b c Ketcher, Eliza (September 23, 2019). «Here’s a closer look at what the L Word reboot looks like». Dazed. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Del Rosario, Alexandra (December 9, 2020). «‘The L Word: Generation Q’: Jordan Hull Upped To Series Regular, Rosie O’Donnell, Donald Faison & Griffin Dunne To Guest Star In Season 2″. Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Cordero, Rosy (August 8, 2022). «‘The L Word: Generation Q’ Season 3: Margaret Cho, Joey Lauren Adams & Joanna Cassidy To Guest Star; Jamie Clayton Upped to Series Regular». Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
- ^ a b Fletcher [@findingfletcher] (September 21, 2022). «it’s official. #TheLWord needed more drama for Season 3…so they invited me to be on it. we did it fam» (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Rude, Mey (November 18, 2022). «Fletcher Talks Joining the Sapphic Chaos of The L Word: Generation Q». Out. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- ^ a b Kehlani [@kehlani] (July 27, 2022). «from bingeing @sho_thelword to guest starring on #TheLWord . See you for Season 3!». Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022 – via Instagram.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (December 10, 2019). «Updated: ShowBuzzDaily’s Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.8.2019». Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (December 17, 2019). «Updated: ShowBuzzDaily’s Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.15.2019». Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (December 24, 2019). «Updated: ShowBuzzDaily’s Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.22.2019». Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (December 31, 2019). «Updated: ShowBuzzDaily’s Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 12.29.2019». Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (January 7, 2020). «Updated: ShowBuzzDaily’s Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.5.2020». Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (January 14, 2020). «Updated: ShowBuzzDaily’s Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.12.2020». Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (January 22, 2020). «Updated: ShowBuzzDaily’s Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.19.2020». Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on January 23, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
- ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (January 28, 2020). «Updated: ShowBuzzDaily’s Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.26.2020». Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
- ^ a b «The L Word: Generation Q: Season Two Ratings». TV Series Finale. August 8, 2021. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ a b c Berman, Marc (August 16, 2021). «Sunday Ratings: Modest Season-Ending Numbers for ‘Love Island’ on CBS». Programming Insider. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
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External linksEdit
- Official website
- The L Word: Generation Q at IMDb