The L Word, Part 3
Since the series’ inception, a tremendous appeal of The L Word revolves around the friendships that the characters portray on the small screen. In the first season, Shane (Kate Moennig), Alice (Leisha Hailey), and Dana (Erin Daniels) exhibited a kinship and intimacy that we treasure within our own lesbian groups. We see the female Casanova, the perky, quick-witted journalist, and the closeted sports star share their thoughts, feelings, dramas, and dreams with one another (okay, Shane doesn’t share much). They meddle, they bicker, the comfort one another. Despite their core personality differences, their mutual love and affection is obvious — possibly because the actors were bonding in real life as well (but that’s besides the point).
We can relate to this closeness, this solidarity. And, I dare say, that many of us have fallen in the love with a friend (cf. Alice and Dana). Our bonds with one another can form quickly and manifest strongly. Weeks, months, years later, we’re in love with our best friend — forever altering group dynamics. Sometimes, this relationship explodes, causing the group to splinter and resulting in a uniquely lesbian tragedy — the simultaneous loss of one’s best friend and lover. And, yes, there is often recovery as relationships re-form with different but somehow stronger attachments.
What hooked me on The L Word (besides the initial fascination with a show devoted to lesbians) was the playfulness and camaraderie exhibited by Shane, Alice, and Dana. I believe that the program’s brain-trust has attempted unsuccessfully to re-cast and replace the chemistry that this initial core group of friends exhibited. This is (one reason) why some of us hold the first season in such high regard, and why some of us turned away from the show — or, at least, lost some affection — after the death of Dana (and departure of Ms. Daniels).
I do remain a loyal viewer and have eagerly anticipated winter Sunday evenings ever since the series began airing. For all its faults and attempts to appeal to a wider audience, The L Word remains ours, and the characters and friendships displayed have provided us with entertainment, frustration, and, every so often, cause for reflection into our own lives.
