The L Word has always been “the lesbian show” on TV, but this year, it seems to have transcended that little box. It’s out in the mainstream media winning awards, and all that good stuff. But I think the most exciting thing about this season, and why you should start watching it, is the addition of two new characters and some captivating and timely storylines.
This season, two highly respected actresses joined the cast of The L Word, and are creating quite a scene. Cybill Shepherd and Marlee Matlin—maybe you have heard of them? Shepherd plays Phyllis, a well-respected university dean, wife, and mother who unexpectedly comes out as a lesbian to her colleague, Bette. Phyllis falls in love with one of Bette’s friends, and clings to the new community as her old life begins to crumble around her. Last week, her husband ended up sitting in bed, having a drink with four lesbians, while they tried to explain to him what was going on with his wife. Have you ever seen that on TV before? Shepherd’s character and presence have brought a new feel to the show—one that is honest and difficult. Can you imagine coming out in your fifties?
Marlee Matlin has brought a unique dimension to the show—her character is deaf (of course), which is distinctive in itself. But her character also busts through traditional notions of monogamy. I don’t know if most of you know what the majority of the lesbian community is like, but monogamy is usually paramount. There are countless jokes about women jumping into monogamous relationships very quickly, most of them involving a U-Haul, but that’s another story.
Matlin’s character does not believe in monogamy, and the ensuing discussion of that topic is quite refreshing. Most people never talk about this kind of stuff, and Matlin’s presence in general is causing new dialogue. She has a gay guy who speaks for her, she smokes pot, she is a rebellious artist, and she has been ignored in academic meetings because of being deaf. What other TV shows are even broaching these topics? And, as a side note, I have never seen a hotter sex scene than the first one between Matlin and Beals’ character. It sounds kind of silly, but it feels really good to have such awesome actresses bring their skills to this show. It brings a certain level of legitimacy to our community that these gifted people are applying their talent to lesbian stories. And these actresses are pretty much all straight—there are only two actresses on the show who are actually gay (try to guess without looking it up!).
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