L Word, Season 5 - LAME

I just finished watching Season 5 of the L Word. All I can say is that the show has turned to complete crap. I will be the first to admit that I was addicted to L Word for the first 3 seasons it was a good, entertaining female soap-opera drama but there seems to be no redemption in my mind for this season past.

This series has completely sold out in producing stereotypical images of lesbian life and behaviour in a negative light. I no longer feel able to identify with any of these characters. For example, the character of Shane has always struggled with commitment and monogamy phobia. At first I was able to empathize with her inability to get close to people mentally, but at this point I have no care for her ridiculous behaviour. It is impossible to do what Shane does. It seems that every woman, gay or straight seem to want to fuck her. Really she is not that hot this season anyways. Girl needs to eat some food--magga benz! Some of her sexual scenarios were more far fetched than believing Madonna is a virgin and there is never any attention payed to her taking responsibility for how she makes the women she treats like trash feel. Shane's ex flings all just magically disappear into never-never-lesbian land.

Bette and Tina. Oh Bette and Tina. I believe this "relationship" is a very negative image of female self-esteem. Bette sleeps with Tina while she is still in a relationship with Jodi, the cool artist. Can we say lame? Do we quickly forget how Bette cheated on Tina when they were partners with the carpenter? Do we forget that they have partnered a child together and this is the image of an "in and out of my life" policy that they are showing their young daughter? We finally see a queer television show tackle the issue of gay parenting and this is what they give us. Eeeps. This is not how I hope to perceive a healthy relationship that involves a child, whether heterosexual or queer. The show portrays Tina like a rug you can walk all over and they never fully give her the opportunity to grow as a character without this constant affirmation to need Bette in her life. Again, this is a great image to show women as obedient, trained idiots.

Alice. Oh I still heart Alice but the storyline with Tasha seems to be loosing me now, though in the beginning of the season it did interest me. Or wait, maybe that was the hot sex scene with the ice cream...uh hum. Tasha continues to be an "angry black lesbian" from the military and Alice, the white girl that makes it all come undone for her when her hidden sexuality is revealed in public, IN AMERICA! Ethnic-queer-shame! Please people, it really is not always this dramatic. Not all us ethnic lesbians become bitter, wear combat boots and shoot at things. Race seems to be manipulated as a reason that far exceeds the simplicity of human connection here, even sex. It is used to highlight the belief in narrow-mindedness of the difference of a black lesbian identity over a white one. Plus the lingering temptation of Alice cheating at the end of the season once again illustrating that we, lesbians, are unable to be truthful to our partners before being responsible enough to tell the truth before becoming cheaters.

Jenny. She is still crazy and I can almost say I like her more now then before. She seems to be the only character that struggles with something that I may mildly care about, a mental struggle. The story with the nerdy Adele, who transforms from Ugly Betty to Devil Wears Prada is so unoriginal. Jenny can be a little hard to watch at times because she can be such a power hungry bitch, but at least we are able to see that she is trying to grow and understand once she comes back down from her high horse. This plot line ironically seems to be something of a hoax from a bad Hollywood film. Cut!

It is a shame that the writers and creator of the series has gotten to a point where they feel they can not explore anything beyond the circle of lesbian sex. This show is no longer about friendships or even connections, it is only about sex, sex, sex and not even hot sex. If I wanted to watch erotica, I would. This show is geared more towards heterosexual male fantasies now then a visibility for lesbian women.
As The L Word is the one of the only depictions of lesbianism in popular media, I think that it is a shame and embarrassing that this is a depiction of how we live our lives. I know this show is not encompassing of all lesbian identities, that is impossible, but I wish it would use a little more reality check approach than sex crazed zombies approach. These characters no longer have any substance in connecting to their viewers because they no longer are appealing to watch grow. Stagnant and boring, L Word, Season 5.

Angry lesbian TG, signing off.

P.S. What the hell happened to Papi? All the latinas disappear!