Fans of the LGBT+ classic The L Word definitely have a lot to look forward to. The show’s revival, Generation Q, will bring back some of the original characters as well as new faces. This gives the series a chance to be more with the times and provide an updated, less problematic version of the show. While The L Word is a rite of passage for many LGBT+ women in adulthood today, there are a lot of things about it that don’t hold up well.
The L Word is a show that many people have complex feelings about. As we look forward to the revival, we’ve put together a list of six things from the original show that have aged poorly and five that will remain timeless.
11 POORLY: NOT AS GOOD WITH RACE AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
When it comes to the show, there were definitely issues when it came to telling diverse stories; many of the characters were white women. While the series did do some good things including having an interracial couple and addressing Bette’s struggles in dealing with racism, it wasn’t always perfect at handling these issues. Some fans have pointed out the ways that the show failed Bette’s sister, Kit.
10 POORLY: THE ENTIRE BETTE/TINA BABY STORYLINE
In the first season of the show, one of the main storylines is about Bette and Tina wanting to have a baby. While there’s nothing wrong with this, the way the story goes is full of a lot of stereotypes. One of the most problematic things that happen is when they try to seduce a man and use him to get Tina pregnant, without his consent. This is definitely a form of assault and doesn’t hold up well at all.
9 TIMELESS: BEING A GROUNDBREAKING TELEVISION SHOW
The L Word premiered on Showtime in 2004 and ended in 2009. While the show only ended ten years ago, things have changed a great deal in the world as far as LGBT+ rights are concerned. There is a lot more representation on television now than there was back then. When The L Word was released, it was definitely one of the only shows on television that was focused almost entirely on LGBT+ women.
8 POORLY: THE BIPHOBIA
One of the main issues that fans and non-fans alike have pointed out is that the series is rather outdated when it comes to portraying sexuality. Overall, there is a lot of biphobia and judgment for any queer sexuality that isn’t lesbian. Alice, for example, identifies at times as bisexual. She often gets made fun of, with her friends telling her to “pick a side.” Hopefully the revival will have a more open, nuanced view of sexuality that reflects the world we live in today.
7 TIMELESS: DEPICTING SEXUALITY FOR WOMEN
While it’s true that The L Word isn’t perfect at depicting sexual acts and sexuality between women, it was better than most of its contemporaries. Many of the biggest fans of the show were queer women themselves, so having a series that shows women embracing their sexuality and sex lives could be empowering. While sometimes the sex scenes could be a bit out there, it was refreshing that the characters’ sexuality wasn’t always for a male gaze.
6 POORLY: LETTING MARK STAY ROOMMATES WITH JENNY AND SHANE AFTER HE FILMED THEM
One of the strangest storylines is when Jenny and Shane are living together and have a male roommate named Mark. It’s discovered that Mark has hidden cameras around the house and captures them naked and having sex. Instead of kicking him out and making sure this man gets arrested, Jenny decides to let him stay living with them. This was really weird and didn’t make a lot of sense.
5 TIMELESS: SHANE
If there is one character from the show that fans love, it’s Shane. Now, it’s not that she’s not a problematic character because she definitely was at times. But her overt sexuality and charm made many a woman swoon, both on and off the show. While her player antics might not be admirable, there’s no denying that she’s one character from the show that will live on in the world of pop culture.
4 POORLY: THE TRANSPHOBIA
One of the biggest and most valid critiques that people have made of the show is how it handled transgender issues. The treatment of Max was awful many times. He was called slurs and his storylines often leaned into trauma he dealt with because of being transgender. While for the time having that character might have seemed cutting edge, the way he was portrayed wasn’t great. This is definitely an area where the show needs to do much better in the revival.
3 TIMELESS: THAT THEME SONG
Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that the theme song from the show is iconic. This song and the accompanying images are delightfully bad. If you are a fan of the show, you likely still can’t get the lyrics out of your head. While it might seem pretty outdated now, it’s timeless in its own way. The revival will likely have a much more modern, less cheesy intro, but there’s something about the old one that will be missed.
2 POORLY: JENNY SCHECTER
If there’s one character from the show that is infamous for being the absolute worst, it’s Jenny Schecter. From the get-go, she makes some bad choices by cheating on her boyfriend with Marina instead of just breaking up with him first. One thing fans could never forgive her for however, was when she adopted the homeless dog and then had it put down, just to get back at a reviewer who didn’t like her book. The show clearly didn’t know how to handle a portrayal of mental illness, and instead made a truly disposable character.
1 TIMELESS: A GROUP OF QUEER WOMEN BEING FRIENDS
For all of its many flaws and the ways it was ridiculous, The L Word is timeless because it really was the first of its kind. It was groundbreaking in a way that helped make room for more LGBT+ representation in media. Seeing a group of queer women be friends and witnessing their ups and downs in life was definitely inspiring and important for many people.
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