The L Word: Season Two (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)Don't be fooled by the theme of this show: The L Word is so much more than some throw-away gay show. The themes are universal and should resonate with more than gay viewers.
S2 lived up to its promise from the producers. In comparison to S1 (which was quite good), S2 provided much better storytelling and Ilene Chaiken and her production staff have become much better film makers. This show is a very adult drama. One example, the Bette and Tina (Jennifer Beals and Laurel Holloman: fiery chemistry) saga remind one of Bergman's "Scene's From A Marriage" as this couple struggles with issues of sexual inertia, miscarriage, infedility, the loss of self to a seductively potent and sometimes dismissive partner, wanting sexual intimacy with your partner while your partner is seemingly disinterested.
The themes dramatized are universal: in addition to those already mentioned, these include the fear of disaffection of a loved parent (Bette's father, Melvin: performed by Ossie Davis who was nominated for an Emmy for his brilliant turn as Melvin), the loss of a loved parent (Melvin), the lost soul (Shane) who craves love but thinks being in love will destroy her, the best in class girl (Dana) whose parents love her and who is their "golden girl" in all but her private life, the woman who miscarried (Tina) and wanted nothing but to conceive of a child with her partner, the woman (Tina) whose partner desired another woman and who got back some of her sexual self-esteem and broken ego in the arms of another (Helena), the woman (Alice) who fell in love with her best friend, the scared and troubled woman (Jenny) who is trying to remember a traumatic childhood event and is spirilling toward a mushroom cloud of self-destruction, the down to earth and earthy woman (Carmen) who lives her life as she pleases while looking for someone to love and be loved in return.
All of these stories are told with honesty and passion. The storytelling is not the familiar fare one (especially Americans) are used to in their couch potato universe. You need to pay attention when viewing this series for it is not spoon fed to the viewer as are so many series.
Some viewers (the most vocal but who, imho, represent only a minority of viewers) have expressed disdain over the music of EZ-girl. I am not one of those viewers.
While I don't applaud everything this composer has produced for this show in S2, she is not without talent. In fact, Betty is a very fun band to see in person.
EZ-girl just needs a bit of managing. (Her website has served as the red cape to some viewers. She is an in-your-face person and does little to assuage the ridicule and hatred of some viewers. It seems the more vocal the minority is about their hatred the more she may be increasing the volume of her in-your-face fare. She is not that different from other artists in this vein like Emminem, etc.)
IMHO, a few scores of the background music she produced for S2 do not lend themself to the overall benefit of the production. However, (and this is where her talent comes to the fore) her background music was pristene for other scenes. Several come to mind: Tina alone and very pregnant in Dr. Wilson's office; Alice and Shane talking about Tina on their way to the Planet; Tina and Alice walking to Tina's Lawyer's spare guest house; Bette drunk; Bette with hangover; Tina and Helena making love in the pool; Melvin's sick and death scenes (truly haunting scoring, imho). There are more but those are just a few of the ones that come to mind.
Indeed it is a mixed bag. But, it is no where near as bad as some of her harshest critics passionately avow. As I said, her talent needs to be directed and the scores I mentioned in the last paragraph that showcase her talent and strength as a composer needs to be cultivated and encouraged by the producers. I am not unhappy that she will be coming back for S3. My only wish is that her talent is as focused (and directed by the producers) as it was in the scoring scenes I mentioned.
The few things that didn't work for me in S2 were a couple of the Shane and Carmen scenes and the Gloria Steinem scene in the finale (which was preachy and out of place: talking about feminism when they should have been telling stories about Melvin, Bette's father, which brought them together in the first place).
The few Ez-girl missteps, a couple of the Shane and Carmen love scenes and the Steinem scene in the finale are the reasons I am giving S2 a 4 but a solid one.
I already pre-ordered S2.
This show is groundbreaking. I have never seen on my TV some of the scenes shown on this show. For example, a very pregnant Tina making love. Some people have been turned off by this for various reasons and others have rejoiced in its depiction. I fall in the latter category.
I have been a subscriber to Vanity Fair for over 15 years. I remember the scandal that was caused when Demi Moore posed pregnant on the cover. That issue was mailed to me (and every other subscriber) in a brown paper cover so as not to offend. Imagine that. A pregnant woman not doing anything but being pregnant in full beautiful bloom on the cover of a major American magazine: but it was considered by some to be disgusting and pornography. It was nothing of the sort.
So, for those of us who have been pregnant whether or not we are gay, Moore's pregnant cover girl and Holloman's very real life pregnancy played out in Tina's character (who was not ashamed of her body or of her sexual needs and desires) was glorious and very much welcomed and celebrated in my household and among my partner and my circle of friends (straight and gay).
So, brava to Ilene Chaiken and the people behind this show. Overall, wonderful writing, directing, acting and production values.
Of course, every show on TV can be improved upon and TLW is no exception. If a show has nothing to shoot for then why continue on with the show. There are so many stories left to tell and I for one am looking forward to S3.
I recommend this show and the DVD without hesitation.


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Set in the chic world of Los Angeles, this humor-laced dramatic series explores the lives of a group of lesbians, their friends, family and neighbors. The series takes a smart, sexy and fun look at the hopes, dreams and lives of these people as they deal with things like career struggles, relationships and the pressures of tying to start a family.The second season of The L Word takes off with 13 hotter-than-ever, sexy episodes filled with sizzling new characters. A must-have DVD set for the legions of fans that have purchased Season 1.

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