random musings

Okay, before you think I'm going to write something dirty here, let me clarify that "Lap Dance" is the title of The L Word's second episode. So get your mind outta the gutter! :)

First let me say what I loved about the episode. The continuing tension between Alice and Dana is reaching epic proportions. I mean, they crack me up! Dana walks into the bathroom where Alice is trying to get a grip to her growing attraction to Dana, and the dialogue goes something like this:

ALICE: What are you doing? You can't be in here! Get out of here!
DANA: I have to go to the bathroom, Al!
ALICE: What? You can't wait?! Are you three?

Cracks me up everytime I watch it! Of course, Dana has to walk past Alice to get to the stall, and the sexual tension between them is so palpable you can feel it! Dana reaches up, caresses Alice's cheek...! Needless to say, as their lips get close, Terrible Tonya walks in and breaks things up. Good grief, I can't stand that character! The enduring storyline between Alice and Dana is great, though. I just hope, if they become involved, that the writers don't have them wrecking their friendship over it.

Although I do love TLW, there were parts of this episode that really bugged the hell out of me. For starters, is Shane truly that crude to think she can explain her "I don't do relationships" mantra to Carmen, then say, "We could still f**k" to her and Carmen would agree? Sad thing is, she did and Carmen responded with the witty rejoiner: "You want to f**k me?" then they proceeded to get it on. God, that made my head hurt! For a character who has been portrayed as being straight up and not a game player, Carmen sure has been a player thus far.

Next up, Tina's new lawyer. What is up with portraying stereotypes? The pushy lawyer smoking a pipe, sitting like a man, legs spread, tossing balls at a uterus wall hanging? Funny, most of my lawyer friends are non-pipe-smoking and don't have a uterus hanging on their office walls.

Best stereotype they've done so far: A garage full of butch mechanics! While that's not impossible, please, tell me the last time you went to a garage and all the mechanics were lesbians?! Hey, everyone said they wanted to see more butches on the show, so let's make sure every heterosexual who watches the show thinks that all lesbians look and act like men. And let's portray every butch as a diesel dyke, too. I mean, come on....gotta reinforce those stereotypes, right?

As for Kit and Ivan (Pam Grier and Kelly Lynch), I'm confused. Ivan's continued anger at Kit, without an explanation, bugs me. I still don't understand what s/he was so mad about when Kit walked in on her in a state of undress. I mean, if you didn't want to risk someone walking in on you, don't give 'em a damn key, okay? Ivan coming in as Kit's silent partner to The Planet was cool, though. I like the character of Ivan, just hope the writer's don't write her with such a stick up her butt that she loses her appeal. Kelly Lynch has done an outstanding job portraying Ivan as a transgendered character. Kudos to her!

Bette and Tina's continuing saga is distressing. Tina's stepped out to see a lawyer (see above) and wants her "autonomy." But when she closes her eyes, all she sees and hears is Bette. You just want them to be able to put it all behind them, but that wouldn't make good television, we know. I actually feel sorry for Bette at this point. She screwed up and she knows it. Unfortunately, all her friends seem to have abandoned her except for the outcast Jenny and Shane. Here Shane seems to shine as she stands beside Bette, yet doesn't abandon Tina. That's a true friend—one who can be there and not pick sides.

Jenny's trying to get into the class of an acclaimed instructor, played beautifully by Sandra Bernhard. If they don't quit showing all these black-and-white flashbacks of Jenny's childhood as she writes, I think I'll start throwing popcorn at the screen! God, give the woman something else to do besides write. She can't write, folks! Give her a storyline, please!

Here's the best skewer of a character I've ever seen. We all know Marina supposedly tried to off herself in the season premiere. Kit's trying to buy the planet and is scheduled to meet Marina's "Daddy" to complete the deal. The "Daddy" Count Ferrer shows up, a flaming queen no less, looking down his nose at all Americans. Bette and Kit inquire as to how his daughter is, and he indignantly tells them Marina is not his daughter, Marina is his wife of 12 years!!! Oh my God—Marina's married! To a flaming queen no less! Good grief! Oh, and explain to me exactly how he is the one they need to buy out, when last season it was Francesca the one who needed to be bought out for The Planet. Someone doing continuity on the show needs a refresher course in maintaining the storyline. Get with it people.....the fans pay attention!

I have to say, I am quite disappointed in the way they handled Marina's departure. Given the problems they supposedly had with Karina Lombard, I don't know if it was just "let's screw her character" or what. But the writers/producers took one of the most incredible characters, who also happened to be one of the most popular, and portrayed her as a cheating, conniving, bisexual woman married to a man (the Count) for 12 years, who has a sugar mamma on the side (Francesca), and who is so emotionally unstable she tries to off herself over a little twit of a girl (Jenny). Sheesh!

All said, I still love TLW and plan to tune in next week to see what happens.

Until then, have a good one!