The L Word (I) (2004–2009) User Reviews (139)

'There's only one thing that cuts across all our realities It's love. The bridge between all our differences '

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 8/10 · 26 July 2007]

This emotionally daring show centers not only on gay issues but a bit more to a relationship than sex… All the characters are complex but instantly likable…The nudity is not exhibited in a gratuitous manner, it is shown as part of the thoughts and feelings of the characters…

The main characters are:

Bette and Tina, a life partners who have been together for seven years… They have the best relationship of anybody gay or straight… They are about to do an incredibly major thing…

Into this mix comes Shane, a girl with short black hair who doesn't get involved with anybody; Alice, the bisexual writer who has one conviction that we're all connected through love, through loneliness, through one tiny, lamentable lapse in judgment; Dana who refuses to accept that whether you're gay, or you're straight, or you're bisexual, you just go with the flow; Jenny who has her world turned upside down when she met, at a party, the most stunning woman she had ever seen; Marina the owner of the little café who doesn't think she has done something wrong; and Kit, the lady with the flashing eyes, who has always wanted to have a place where musicians could come and jam and get much love...

As Bette, Jennifer Beals is a very well-rounded individual... She keeps replaying it over and over again in her head, just trying to figure out the exact moment when she could have stopped herself...

As Tina, Laurel Holloman gets the feeling from Bette that she's so proud to be with her, and she makes her feel really safe and loved…

As Shane, Katherine Moennig is amazing… She is an unattainable beauty who practices sex with no emotional entanglements...

As Alice, Leisha Hailey is constantly complaining about feeling sluggish… She ends up with the most complicated interpretation of sexual identity she's ever encountered…

Mia Kirshner gives the picture of togetherness and sanity to Jenny… She's beautiful and that compensates for a multitude of sins… While she is truly in love with Tim her increasing fascination with Marina permits her life to be wrecked with supposition…

Karina Lombard is definitely beautiful, sophisticated and hot as Marina… The really thing about her character is when she focuses on Jenny we truly feel that Jenny is the only human being that exists for her…

Erin Daniels knows that she is gay but is indecisive to reveal it…

Lolita Davidovitch is not exactly an innocent bystander… She tries to make others jealous in order to find the others desirable…

Rosanna Arquette never felt more alive than she has in the last 20 years of her life… But would she leave her husband, her child, her houses, her trips to Paris, her black-tie galas to run to some rank little love nest with a nice assistant hairdresser who barely has her foot in the door?

Much could be said about every character… Each actress takes on controversial subject while still injecting true different feelings

Much better then I expected!

[Lady_Targaryen · 7/10 · 10 April 2010]

I never had much interest in watching ' L Word'; I always saw being announced on TV and never made a big effort to watch it.

It wasn't until a month ago, that some friends told me about how cool this series were, that I got a major interest in it and downloaded most of the seasons. And you know what? I wasn't disappointed at all! In fact, I am downloading the next season!

' L Word' shows more then just homosexual girls making out; it shows many issues that modern women need to pass through their lives, specially lesbian women, who most of the things become a little more complicated or bigger because of not following society's regular rules (Like Bette's and Tina's baby daughter, Angelica, that is Tina's biological daughter, so,legally, is only Tina's daughter).

The character I found most realistic in the show is Dana, being discrete and reserved about her life and also struggling to come out, specially because sometimes, the show makes us think that being a lesbian is something easy to be and that everybody will accept the situation or be understandable, and the reality is just not like that: we see many families that stop to talk to their daughters and sons, many unforgiven sisters or even brutality on the streets, when some homosexual couple walks in.

Ps: I dislike Jenny a lot. I don't agree with many of the things she does and most of her acts. In my opinion, she is annoying,unpleasant and weak in her morals and qualities.

"Let Them All See This!"

[lovejam · 9/10 · 19 January 2004]

I was in anticipation of this show, ever since I heard of it way back in 2002. Finally, it pops up on the dish and I wasn't disappointed. You've got to love the insight of what goes on with these women's lives. It's good to see Jennifer Beals and Pam Grier working again, and to discover some fresh new (to me) faces that'll no doubt be noticed. The show was neither pornographic nor too talky. If the worry that straight men will watch this for their own "pleasure", then the more viewers the better, I say: keeps the show on the air. All sorts of people should appreciate this show, but some won't dig this, as 'to each his/her own'. I hope to own this series on DVD in the near future, and I hope this get a world-wide release rather than restricted to Showtime (hint, hint).

Gay or Straight...you've gotta see this

[falconerouge · 6 August 2004]

The L Word is one of the most original shows I've ever seen. It's the only real lesbian show ever made. It's breaks down stereotypes, and shows you that not all lesbians are butch. It deals with real issues that lesbians have, but at the same time maintains its humor (some of the one liners are hilarious). It's not trying to be perfect or overly explicit (although the sex scenes are nowhere near self-conscious). The women on the show are all gorgeous and very talented. The acting is the most solid part of the show. Some of the characters show so much emotion with so little dialogue (like my personal favorite, Marina, played by Karina Lomabrd). The show has no limitations. Pretty much every boundary was crossed by the end of the first episode, and that's a good thing. This is by far my favorite show, and if you haven't seen it you really should. Gay or straight, you'll love it.

My only complaint is that Karina isn't coming back for season 2. Hopefully she'll be back for future seasons.

I love it

[kurt-2000 · 10/10 · 3 December 2019]

I think it's every bit as good as Mad Men. This series is a true delight. Intelligently written so viewers can learn about lesbians, and enjoy their funny and dramatic lives. They did a great job with this series. All the characters are interesting, and inspire viewers to go out and find a group of friends to share their lives together. No sense in giving it away with spoilers. Just watch the first season and you'll like it. It's easy to get attached to these friendly characters with community minded values. I've watched the entire series three times now, and I learn more every time I see it. It's now my favorite series of all time, simply because I feel better after watching it.

Another season should have happened

[ArchieIsCool · 10/10 · 22 May 2016]

Loved the whole series but season 6 was a bit of a let down, to end it with not knowing who killed Jenmy and how did Max get on with the birth of his baby,. It needed another season to make sense of season 6. It still had a lot to give like Bette & Tina would they stay in New York, would Alice and Tasha have gone on to have a child, would Shane ever settle down, new people could have been brought in its such a shame to end it. I mean Lucy Lawless who played the cop could be gay and hit it off with maybe Shane or Helena. But as a straight woman I thought the whole series was great and believable apart from some of season 6, it gives you an insight into lesbian life and relationships.

Longing Loving Lusting

[temes-adam · 10/10 · 25 June 2011]

Firstly somebody said that "The L Word" was a bad title. I don't understand. In my opinion this is one of the best titles ever. It's so original and unique that nobody can take the shine out of it in the near future. You never can find another title which is only made up of one word. L. Secondly it was the weirdest series I have ever seen.

After having watched the first episode, I was in just bad opinions and didn't intend to continue it. But as the time went by something moved in me which got me to watch the second episode. I didn't like it either but some reason why I continued it. And after the second season it was still on my blacklist, and I couldn't understand why I insisted to it as much. There was something in it which made me stick to the show. But from the third season it was my favorite. I had my best characters - Jenny, Alice, Dana - and felt that I couldn't stop watching, I had to meet them everyday.

The most interesting thing in this show is that they kicked over every rule of the story-lines, made characters appear, disappear without any explanation. They didn't insist to the opened episodes, they continued the next one with a brand-new story. It was like they were playing a game with us. For ex. Helena was the evil in the second season, but in the third one she was everybody's best friend. What? She was so cruel to the girls! And everybody likes her? Yes. With no explanation. And the show was filled with things like this.

The only thing which made me disappointed was the last episode. I felt the final season the best one: in the opening episode - Jenny is dead! My favorite Jenny. The story continues 3 months before, after the opening theme. We have to wait a lot. Every episode begins with the same monologue - every character says "I'm gonna kill you Jenny." Which makes us suspicious that who will kill Jenny. And in the final episode I prepared myself that Jenny is gonna die. And she died. But how? The creators give about 3 minutes to her death. We didn't have enough time to feel sorrow for her. Like nothing would have happened. The characters hadn't got enough time to mourn for her either, because they got off the police cars and begin to pose to the cameras in happiness, including the "dead" Jenny too. It would have been a good ending. But what about Jenny? What about Jenny? They ruined her perfect character. Maybe I can find it out after watching it for the second time. Because I will. I have already ordered the whole series. Cannot wait to hold them in my hands. that's it. A unique show. L.

an insurmountable show

[madehlyn · 10/10 · 20 June 2008]

No show I've ever seen even holds a candle to The L Word. I own all four seasons, I've watched all five, and I am now ready and waiting for the sixth.

The characters of this show are what make it so amazing. I even love the characters I hate, they're all just that good. The acting is just so beyond words.

And The L Word, more than anything, can make a straight woman feel that being straight is abnormal because they make being a lesbian so natural, something that it is. The combination of the raw, gritty reality if being human and the grace and poise of women achieves something that no other show has yet to achieve.

I don't even really know how to review this show because there's just too much to say. I will say, though, that the charm of this show is how apparent and deliberate the script is and how ballsy the story lines are. They aren't afraid to made the fans angry or upset because they know that they can redeem themselves, and make their decisions that were frowned upon in the beginning, the most memorable and heart-wrenching of the series.

This is a show for anyone and everyone over the age of 16. Just get past the very first episode.

The Best Lesbian Series Ever Made

[AngelHonesty · 7/10 · 15 October 2022]

Its really hard to find a good lesbian movie or series, and this one definitely hits the top of the list. The L word is about a group of lesbians and their life drama. The show picked the perfect cast of beautiful actors and many famous guest actors. The sex scenes are steamy and they definitely don't hold back in the series.

I loved the first season because it had the perfect balance of every kind of lesbian relationship and relationship issue. The story was interesting and the characters were amazing. I could not stop watching. Unfortunately as the series went on, it started to repeat itself. A new relationship, unfaithfulness, heart breaks, finding someone new. The reason this theme became exhausting was because it started to become the the story for every character. It seemed the only main focus of the series became sex, and the life and story of the characters didn't seem to matter. If they could have had at least one faithful steady relationship all the way through it would have been nice, gives a person some hope. But overall the series is definitely worth the watch.

Fantastic Viewing

[mitchum-3 · 10/10 · 22 April 2009]

I'm as heterosexual as men come. I initially started the watching the show as I was told there were several explicit 'tit n ass' scenes. However, once I started watching the show, I was hooked. My initial reasons faded into the background, and I forgot why I started watching the show. The show carries you through a roller-coaster of emotions - fun, caring, sensuality, passion; I almost wanted to be a part of this close-knit group. When talk (amongst my mates) arise about the show, I have no hesitation in giving it the 'thumbs up'. Great work ! A pity it had to end......perhaps you could kick-start another series with new beginnings in New York.

VERY GOOD SHOW

[trg-01144 · 7/10 · 9 August 2019]

The show is great. My biggest problem with it was who Jenny becomes as a character. By the end I absolutely hated her.

So good

[misty899 · 8/10 · 4 August 2019]

There are very few TV series I've watched multiple times. This is one of them. It's just so much fun and engrossing to watch. I love all these characters, even though Jenny becomes this rather broken, self-destructive you want to hate. Though she's played so well by Mia Kirschner, you can't help but feel for her at times. This is a drama with ridiculously funny moments. I'm truly sad when I finish it. I just love this circle of friends and drama. And, yes, this is about lesbians. As a straight woman, here's what I see and think. You actually stop thinking about their sexual orientation and just watch these fun characters in realistic relationships. And all the mistakes made. Gay, straight, or indifferent, very good portrayal of all relationships. Really love this show, give it a shot.

L as in lackluster loser

[skay_baltimore · 6/10 · 20 June 2010]

Where to begin? The L Word is an addictive series -- no doubt about that. I can't remember getting so hooked so fast on any other series. And contrary to some other posters, I found the music to be one of the strongest points of the show. And the women were truly beautiful; the show was clearly cutting edge -- at least at first. But all that notwithstanding, the show seemed to lose its way rather quickly, and despite tremendous potential, ended up failing -- miserably.

The true irony of "The L Word" is that the making of the "movie inside the show" (Lez Girls) was all about selling out -- and that's exactly what The L Word did; on many levels. To begin with, for a show that was supposedly about lesbians, The L Word showed such a skewed view of lesbians as a group it's not even funny. Once in a while they'd toss in some butch-looking woman, but for the most part it was as one-sided a treatment of lesbians as anything Hollywood has ever cranked out. Furthermore, the show portrayed just about every single character as a mindless floozy who'd drop her pants at the drop of a hat. Only Lindsey (the veterinarian who is the partner of the literary critic Stacy Merkin) and Tasha showed any restraint whatsoever, with a few crumbs of fidelity from Dylan & Bette thrown in almost as an afterthought towards the end of the series. And maybe it's a bit picky, but watching 6 seasons of The L Word with one sexual escapade after another and not ONE SINGLE 69 is just nonsensical. And the only mention of the difficulty some lesbians have performing cunnilingus was Shane's advice to novice Niki -- who was clearly having difficulty going down on Shane -- to "try breathing through your mouth".

The one thing the show did do well was create loath-able characters in abundance. Aside from Dana, who was quite likable, the list of annoying characters dominates the series. Bette is simply insufferable. Her endless selfishness and control-freak tendencies borders on the pathological. And speaking of pathological, Jenny is off the charts. Kudos to Mia Kershner for a great job in creating a totally insane Jenny that made watching the show almost impossible. Tina was bearable in an almost pathetic way, although she did appear to gain strength and credibility as the seasons rolled by.

Tasha had possibly the most credibility of any character, offset by Alice, who probably WOULD have been better suited for cartoon voice-overs. Kit's character seemed retrofitted/out of place. Moira/Max was peculiar to say the least. Cybil Sheppard's best days are clearly behind her. Ivan was a joke -- s/he's super hip and strong and wealthy and creative, yet s/he crumbles the instant Kit sees him/her naked? Please. Tim was barely believable, as was Mark with his hidden cameras/aftermath ordeal. Shane's character was all over the place. Carmen was easily forgettable. Etc. Etc. Etc. The best character, aside from Dana, was probably Jodi Lerner, portrayed dynamically by Marlee Matlin, followed by Marina Ferrer -- whose appearances were cut way too short, just as with Dana's.

Actually, now that I think about it, the most multi-dimensional character in the entire series was probably Peggy Peabody, masterfully portrayed by Holland Taylor. If only the same could be said about the rest of the cast. (Is a cameo appearance by Gloria Steinem supposed to bring authenticity to this show? Hardly.) And the way characters not only disappeared, but totally disintegrated, is laughable. Oscar, the guy who got Tina focused on helping others, completely vanishes into thin air with no explanation whatsoever. One minute he's leading the charge, the next, Tina is getting all the accolades, and Oscar is nowhere to be found. Were the writers all on crack or something? And what a total waste of the talents of Camryn Manheim, who's relegated to little more than an extended cameo appearance/4 episodes.

The "logic" of this show also defies any semblance of reality. Jenny, after being able to purchase a Porsche can't afford to get her own apartment/condo/house? This is just one example amongst many of the huge logic holes permeating this show. (Like Jenny agreeing to allow Mark to stay after he discloses the fact that he's been secretly videotaping them, on the condition that they can't be friends.) Again...were the writers on crack?

The L Word is yet another production that promises to be different, only to implode upon itself. What a shame. The ground that was broken with this series will never be able to be re-visited again -- at least not in any sort of "first to do it" kind of way. Maybe someone else might mop up the stillbirth that is The L Word and create something that actually lives -- because this show died long before it ever really got off the ground. I'm not sure what the intentions of the writers/producers of this show were, but the net result is that of portraying "lipstick lesbians" as little more than Junior High School-mentality gossips, losers, and sluts. It didn't matter how much talent or money any of them had -- collectively they were the most dysfunctional group of human beings to ever grace this planet. And I'm not sure why the powers-that-be ever decided that that would be a great thing to do for the better part of six years, but they did. So be forewarned...this L Word addiction has about as much ultimate chance of providing lasting satisfaction as heroin, coke, or crack. And one can only pray for the sanity of Angelica down the road. Is there ANYONE who watched this series who doesn't think she'll need years of therapy to undo all the damage inflicted upon her by her "Mama B" and "Mama T"? (If so, then you need therapy.) :D

Mediocre at best.

[sonya90028 · 3/10 · 23 September 2008]

In my humble opinion, the L Word leaves much to be desired. First of all, the lesbians here are all very sleek-looking, and always dressed to-the-nines. Where are all the plainly dressed, overweight, average-looking, or senior citizen lesbians in this series? I mean c'mon! I realize that there are plenty of feminine, lip-stick lesbian sisters out there. And, I say that they should fully exercise their right to dress and act however they wish. But, the L Word is SATURATED with mainly high-femme lesbians with long, dark hair, and stunning out-fits. I know that they have Shane in this show, but she seems to be just a token butch. And Max is the show's token transman.

If the L Word truly wants to be representative of the lesbian community, then they should include more lesbians that are on the butch side, working-class, punk, poor, struggling entertainers and artists, etc. I know that LA is the glam-chic capital of the US. But it's also a major metropolis, with a rich variety of lesbians-NOT just up-scale high-femmes.

Another thing that bothers me about this show, is that they use too much gratuitous profanity. I know that most people do use some profanity in real life, but most of these characters use too much gutter language to be believable. It's as if the producers want to show how 'cool' this show is, by having the characters constantly spewing four-letter words.

They also have too many cheap, tawdry sex-scenes on this show. Yes, plenty of cheap, tawdry sex probably happens in the lesbian community. It's a long-standing myth, that most lesbians don't value plain old raw sex. Many (if not most) can, and do. But sex is definitely over-emphasized in the show. It's thrown in your face, in a manner so blatant, that it's obviously done only for shock-value. It doesn't enhance the plot-lines, and seems tacky and contrived.

We need a show on the air about lesbians from all segments of the community. And the L Word just isn't presenting that. This show is so lacking in depth, realistic characters, and taste, that it's mediocre at best.

Normal Defined: "L" is a soulful, beautiful pure character drama

[liquidcelluloid-1 · 20 March 2005]

Network: Showtime; Genre: Drama; Content Rating: TV-MA (for nudity, simulated sex, graphic sexual dialog and profanity); Available: DVD; Classification: Modern Classic (star range: 1 - 5)

Seasons Reviewed: Complete Series (6 seasons)

Llene Chaiken's "The L Word" is an ensemble melodrama that plunges us into the world of a tight-nit group of lesbians including Bette (Jennifer Beals) and Tina (Laurel Holloman), a long-time couple trying to start a family, bi-sexual creator of "the chart" Alice (Leisha Hailey , inspired as the comic relief), grating, tortured newcomer Jenny (Mia Kirshner), sex-magnet and hair-stylist to the stars Shane (Katherine Moennig) and celebrity tennis player Dana Fairbanks (Erin Daniels). Once the show starts rolling, the characters sink their teeth into you and don't let go.

If HBO is the standard setter, Showtime has carved out a niche "answering" HBO. A niche series played so specifically to a sliver demographic it could only work on Showtime, "L" is a strong-fisted answer to "Sex and the City" - though different in every possible way. Stripping away the romanticized fairy tale of the relationship show, "Word" runs on pure, naked authenticity. While it lacks "Sex's" intellectual pontification, everything - everything - about "Word" feels real. A gay marriage coupled coupled with a gay divorce, the excitement of new love coupled with the misery of a cheating partner, and sex is sometimes a beautiful expression of companionship and sometimes a meaty, awkward, disgusting mess. "L" has a late night Showtime inclination to titillate, but often the sex scenes and plentiful gratuitous nudity are the dullest part. You don't need a man to ruin your life, these women make each other miserable all on their own. The dramatic outbursts are raw and, at their best, difficult to watch. The performances are precise and jump boldly and with full commitment through each flaming hoop and some sloppy writing.

In these PC times it is hard not to talk about a show like "L" without stepping into the middle of a political firestorm. In some ways the show brings this on, from a hyper-defensive title to some unnecessary posturing in its more manipulative story lines (a to-the-camera speech by Gloria Steinham is a low point). There is no mistaking that, "L" has an out-in-your-face feminist agenda to shake up and reshape the world's traditional norms with the questions posed by the simple existence of the characters. What defines a marriage? What defines sex? What is art? What defines a parent/grandparent? It is all fascinating stuff. A few years ago this all may have been mind-blowingly iconoclastic material, but now with homosexuality the new media sacred cow, "L" is given a free license to do whatever it wants.

The difference between this show and others is that it takes full advantage in exploring this fertile ground. It doesn't fall back on its identity, taking for granted an audience that is starved for intelligent entertainment, but explores and expands beyond the one-note characters of "Will & Grace" or simply identifiable caricatures of "Queer Eye". Instead it is a multi-layered tapestry playing like a little epic, spanning the lesbian experience. I won't say that "L" is going to "strike a civil rights blow" for "progressives", but I will say that its sliver demographic has never been so well spoken for and the show never stops going all out to entertain.

First and foremost a relationship series, "L"s characters open the door for some truly unique plot lines – such as Alice's relationship with a lesbian identified man, Dana's fiancé planning the first gay celebrity wedding out from under her and, the big season 1 question, Jenny's moral crisis over cheating on her male fiancé, Tim (Eric Mabius, given dignity few shows would allow), with another women. The weak link in the chain is Pam Grier as Bette's heterosexual sister Kit. The show about grinds to a halt when she appears to sing or whine about her alcoholism.

The production is beautiful all around. With a little imagination the show-runners have broken the restraints of the genre, as with the surreal sequences that evolve around Jenny's pretentious novels. The musical choice is always spot-on. The show is bathed in an atmospheric soundtrack (many remixes of the show's fun and boisterously embarrassing season 2 theme) and, minus that, the ambient noise of passing cars and motorcycles on the LA streets. "L" washes the audience in atmosphere.

The first season climaxes in a knock-down brawl between Bette and Tina the likes of which I've never seen. In "Liberally" Bette's battle with a fanatical Christian group is brought to a stirring climax. "Lonliest Number" takes the show into more surreal territory. The show's best moments are when it lightens up and just lets the characters have fun together. In "Let's Do It" the gang set up a sting to see if Dana's crush is on their team. "Looking Back" finds them on a trip to the Dina Shore Invitational and recounting "coming out stories". At the end of the day the show is elevated on the backs of the cast, their chemistry, and the honest crafting of these characters.

"L Word" could have coasted by on a lesbian theme, but it doesn't settle for doing anything easy and becomes so much more. After the 3rd season the quality goes downhill, stories are recycled, ending in a scattershot final season and one of the most ridiculous, mis-calculated messes of a series finale I've ever witnessed. Still, I'm the exact opposite of the demographic this narrow-cast series is going for and I can't get enough. The mark left by a great series is one that creates a world that you would want to live in, and "L" puts you right in its universe. "The L Word" is a soulful, addictive thing of beauty - often surreal, at times maddening - and a remarkable pure character drama.

* * * * / 5

Creative resurgence in fourth season

[tuckatangent · 10/10 · 18 February 2007]

I'm happy to report that so far this season of "The L Word" is its best yet, with the addition of cast members Marlee Matlin, Cybil Shepherd, and Kristanna Loken, to name a few. Matlin in particular has added a new spice to the show with her role as deaf artist Jodi Lerner. Her relationship with Bette is wonderful to see; finally Bette has a romantic partner who challenges her. It's great to see Bette free of the endless angst and anger that had become Tina and Bette. For the first time since season 2, I am eagerly looking forward to each "L Word" episode; I can't wait to see how Jodi and Bette play out. I must tip my hat to Ilene Chaiken, who has finally found a love interest for Bette that rivals Tina and Bette's Season 1 relationship in passion and love.

The L Word is Lovely

[atlasmb · 9/10 · 28 June 2013]

Showtime was not available to me, so I did not see The L Word during its original run. I have been viewing it four years after it aired, and it has been a real pleasure. I am rating this show "9" for the first two seasons only. If I graded the entirety of the show's run, I am afraid my score might discourage someone from viewing The L Word, which would be a shame, because the first two seasons are extraordinary.

Some have compared The L Word to Sex in the City. Although I enjoyed SITC, it had nowhere near the depth of TLW, which is a comedy and a tragedy, full of choices and--like real life--is not about simple answers. The characters deal with real issues (loving, living, dying) in a realistic way.

As a straight male, I cannot judge whether TLW has its finger on the pulse of lesbian issues, but I can judge it as a piece of art, and I find it witty and disarmingly engaging. Also, I am not immune to the charms of the women who so honestly portrayed the primary characters.

The characters are multi-dimensional, but Alice is funny, Shane is vulnerable, Bette is an achiever, Tina is the earth mother and Kit is artistic. I do find Dana's wackiness to be a little over the top.

Jenny, played so bravely by Mia Kirshner, is the intense one, who in the course of the first two seasons goes through a multitude of incarnations. These women become a family and Jenny is the sister who gets left behind. Since she is also the main character of the show, I find it sad to find that the creators of the show eventually took her where they did. She is a reflection of the values of the show, which become too pessimistic, in my opinion. I have noted other reviewers who were also disappointed with some value choices made in later episodes.

But that does not negate the positive experience that is the first two seasons. The show celebrates human (not merely women's) rights, the arts in all forms, and the exploration of challenging issues. It even chronicles the lesbian experience of its time, integrating real venues and events into the narrative, e.g. a Gay Pride event and a lesbian cruise. It includes an array of enjoyable guest artists, like Ossie Davis. I did cringe when TLW dabbled in politics and became a roundtable for Gloria Steinem and other feminist figureheads. That seemed a false note, but overall the approach was balanced. I loved the background music used.

Lesbianism is presented as a spectrum of orientations, which it is. We meet a self-identified lesbian who is a man. And a cross-dressing, non-op transgendered man. At least that is the best description I can give for those who feel a need to pigeonhole the character.

TLW defends lesbianism against some of the more common attacks. To a bigoted theist who wonders how one might answer to god: "I am your creation, and I am proud." Beautiful writing. At the same time, TLW reveals all the warts of lesbianism: "Most of us have more shame than pride." It rings so true.

This show makes you care for the characters, to care for them. We travel the dark path of Jenny's internal torments, hoping that she will find redemption. When she explains to the roommate Mark what he must do to understand being a woman, we finally see just how damaged she is. Unfortunately, the story becomes erratic. There are jumps in the narrative that are frustrating. The dialogue becomes less natural, till it is difficult to believe a character would say that. In the trivia notes, it says that Kristana Loken asked to be written off the show because of the interactions with the crew. I suspect such problems eventually changed the show. But that does not change the fact that the first two seasons, at least, are great TV.

love it

[heathermichelle44 · 10/10 · 3 August 2010]

im addicted my and my girlfriend bought all the seasons and are watching it for the second time. my favorite charitor is shane for sure i think shes abosutly beautiful, has major sex appeal. and alice shes funny as hell. this show is mainly about a group of friends that are lesbian, bi, or gay. its a lot more then just about lesbians though its about life and love heart break friends and relationships of all kinds. if your curious about lesbians watch it, as a lesbian id say it coveres it really well it shows major issues we face agaisnt all the people agaisnt gays. it shows these girls as people not just lesbains. it shows so much more then you would think by just reading the back. its something you have to start at the beginning.

"The L Word" in one word - Awesome!

[dee.reid · 10/10 · 13 January 2006]

What does the "L" stand for, again?

Now here is a show that could very easily have shared the same title and subject matter and been a cold, heartless exercise in exploiting the touchy area of female homosexuality. It could have easily piled on girl-on-girl sex in an effort to cater to the fantasies of under-sexed (or over-sexed) adolescent males. Though there is plenty of eye candy, to the callous heterosexual male point-of-view, "The L Word" goes deep into its own world and doesn't look back once.

Created by Ilene Chaiken, who I believe is a lesbian in real life, "The L Word" has quickly become something of a modern cult-classic on late-night Showtime fare, and is something that has filled in the void left by the unwanted departure of "Dead Like Me." It's been nearly 22 hours since I saw it last, and I kindly remember two women trying to reconcile their relationship following the birth of a child, and a visit from a bigoted social worker. As a straight black male in his early 20s, I won't pretend that some of what I see on "The L Word" isn't pleasing to my eyes, but I have matured beyond my lust for girl-on-girl interaction and I've found myself drawn into a universe that has diminished many of the stereotypes I've allowed to cloud my overall picture of lesbianism.

I've been made aware to the existence of the many prejudices that gay women have to face as well, being that I've been led to believe they had it easier than gay men. If anything from what I have gathered, they face just as many hardships (if not more) than men do. Also from what I have been able to gather about it, being a gay woman seems a lot more socially acceptable than being a gay man. (I just don't know.) But on the issue itself, who cares, really? They can't change who they are, just as we can't change who we are.

And the cast (what a cast!) of "The L Word" is filled with brave performers who know their stuff (some more than others, according to sources here and abroad) about female sexuality. Basically centering on the lives of a group of Los Angeles women (Jennifer Beals, Erin Daniels, Leisha Hailey, Laurel Holloman, Mia Kirshner, and Katherine Moennig), "The L Word" shows us the world they live in, their various romantic entanglements, and those who either support them or loathe them for who they are.

"The L Word" is brilliant entertainment not just for the ladies, the straight or homosexual and guys, but it's also for anyone with an open mind about such critical subject matter. With a lot of talk about homosexuality in the news and talk of immorality in the United States, where does it say that people deserve to be discriminated against for sexual orientation, and in an America where so much is wrong, what is truly right? In a society founded on the basis of love for one's fellow man or woman, we seem to have violated our own principles in the 20th and 21st centuries when we condemned those with lifestyles different than ours. But shows like "The L Word" and "Queer as Folk" opened doors for thoughtful debate on the issue and have succeeded in showing that the gay community is not a bunch of sexual deviants but real people, just like you and me.

Live life, love, and most importantly, live life and love.

Good series

[jessdelong-25072 · 7/10 · 15 February 2021]

As a lesbian viewer, some of the show is good, and some of it is extremely cringy. Some characters are great, others are terrible. Most of the relationships being shown are toxic and unhealthy, very few are decent and healthy. Tons of drama, so of course they have to have the toxic characters and relationships. This show can sometimes be funny, but I'm glad there's an LGBTQ show out there, even if most of it is very unrealistic. Honestly I wish the Jenny character never was in the show at all. Terrible!

I'm in love

[bac0314 · 10/10 · 24 August 2007]

I rented the first three seasons and I don't have show time. I just heard of the L word through a friend a few months ago. I haven't seen any of season 4. I'm obsessed with it. I love Tina and I want her and Bette to get back together. My friends and I have a B-Town L word mini clip with us staring in it at Peach's on my girlfriends Myspace. I argued with a friend on it that I was Dana and she wasn't because I played Volleyball my senior year (07) and she played Soccer five years ago. I have a little click of lesbian, bi or not labeled friend. Bryan is no longer gay, yeah right, Dom is my girlfriend, I met everyone through her. Before her I was in the closet to everyone but my siblings and closest friends. I had a crush on my English teacher in 10th grade and thats what helped me come out. ANY ways, the L WORD ROCKS!! I love all the actresses and actors and I feel like my click should be a hit lesbian show. We may not be as hot as the actresses on the L WORD but we have a lot of drama. Shout out to all my friends that like the same sex, Bryan, Dom, Christine, Jessica, Billa, Toni, Brittany, Leanna, Jesskya, Shortney, Katrina, Kelli, James, Derrick, Colby .. who else ... any ways gay people rock!

One of the best Female Situation Drama ever made

[ebiros2 · 7/10 · 19 October 2012]

After the hit of "Sex in the City", coming up with all sexual variation of that series is somewhat of an obvious development. The L Word is of course the female x female version of the Sex in the ...

American drama series has the highest quality in the world. It seems that they can take any topic, and turn them into glits, glamour, and humor of the highest quality. At the average cost of 7 million dollars an episode, this might not be so difficult as it out budgets most feature length movies from other countries. But still the churning machine that's Hollywood is an amazing pool of talents.

This series benefits from the deep pool of talents as well. The show is very entertaining.

The show has received much accolades already, and doesn't need another one, but if you've never seen this series, it's worth your time to check it out.

Will bring the real lesbian in us

[shriyacd · 10/10 · 22 May 2011]

If anyone wanna see the real lesbian life, this is were you see it. I am a ;lesbian and I have watched most of the lesbian movies and series and was not much impressed apart from Bloomington and room in Rome. But this one just blew my head off. As this got the real sensual story of how lesbians live and make out. My lesbian life started a kinda like the one Mia had in season 1 episode 1 and 2. As for lesbian I think they have depicted the life of most of lesbians in the whole world at least once in every episode. A must watch for all lesbians and lesbian fans.. There cant be any other rating other than 10/10...Really awesome one....

Entertaining « lesbians » drama.

[m-47826 · 6/10 · 26 January 2021]

I thought the show is at its best, when it don't force the issue on LA's gay community. Which made season 1 and 5, the best and most entertaining for me. This is where things don't get too stereotypical or « withdrawn ». It made the storyline more compelling and believable, even. Seasons 2 to 4, are a good mix of drama and comedy, and my personal view on L Word's golden years. Season 3 is the one I enjoyed less, and I thought Dana's death looked like a ploy to raise the ratings. I'm not like most viewers. I really liked season 6, and found the Jenny Schecter character, to be both intriguing and complex. And by far the least unbalanced woman of the series. The only problem is, she was the only one embracing her « crazy », so it didn't help making her sympathetic I guess. But she wasn't my favorite character either. Max, Helena, Tasha and even Carmen, were. Others like Shane, were pretty iconic, only not very likeable. So making them the true leads, kind of spoiled my fun sometimes. I can't stand Tina and Betty, by the way. The show also has a good set of interesting guests, and musical moments. So it's still up there with the best series of 2000s. I think you can see it as a « lesbian » Melrose Place. And it's not a criticism.

This review will contain spoilers.So spoiler

[rattenkonigin · 4/10 · 6 April 2017]

Spoilers!!

The first season dosen't start off that bad. Yeah that whole story we are linked because of sex becomes really old after two episodes ( unfortunately that idea is continued throughout several seasons and drives some major plot points) it is not such a great theory and i really do not understand the big deal about it , but it has some good stories such as one character been in the closet because of her career, another one been unfaithful and another one cheating on her fiancé.

Season 2-3 improved on the characters and had some really good and memorable story lines The only thing that annoyed me quite a bit was that stupid licking song which you noticed, the actors even felt uncomfortable with.

The problem in my opinion occurred with season 4. The new character introduced, did not leave an impression on me ( at least not positive)and i felt most of them were note likable. that stupid movie plot. The wasted new transgender character. This could have been the chance for the series to explore real transgender issues and it started off well, but the actress/ actor( i don't know how they identify) can't act and has no charisma. This could have been one of the most liked and unique characters.Also the story line that they gave the character. WTF. That is what i mean with tone, they want the audience to take LGBT issues seriously. Mentioning important issues such as " don't ask, don't tell" and then they give the other characters really unrealistic stories. If anyone argues, that this is a realistic storyline, find me one person that was female lesbian, then started her transition to become a man and got accidentally pregnant by their boyfriend. I did some research and could find no-one, maybe there are one or two people out there that experienced that exact same situation, but this is not at all relatable to the audience.

Then the character Shane, don't get me started on Shane. Seriously, everyone, everyone, literally everyone want to have sex with her, although she looks like a homeless junkie. Woman that get married want to have sex with her/ have sex with her and of course the mother and bridesmaids as well. Not only dose she have sex with them, no, no. She is apparently sooo amazing, that these women literally chase after her / fight for her on the day of the weeding

Now i know that some might argue that this is the unique humour of this show, but again, TONE because at the same moment, you have a soldier losing her job because she is gay. Those two things don't match

Finally the thing that annoyed me the most is the ending. Not because it is ambiguous but the reason for why it is ambiguous. The reason is that they wanted to have spin off and therefore purposely did not expose who killed jenny so people need to watch the new series. that itself would have been excusable, if they did not start season with showing jenny's dead!!

So you spend the whole season wanting to find out why she died and this is the ending you get And to really p you off, they have all the main characters walk on screen smiling. Like " ha ha we just wasted hours of your life". I mean you can have spin off and still have a good ending to your show!

All of that said, i think, that netflix should maybe do like reboot of the show but have more realistic story lines, have more relatable characters.. Maybe have it set in a different time period, deal more with the religious aspect .I think that something could be done with this concept .