It is no secret that I enjoyed the ShowTime Series, The L Word. Although some of the six season were not as outstanding as others, overall, it was a quality show that entertained. Some folks wanted more - for it to represent all lesbians, for it to uplift and educate, but ultimately, TV is about entertainment, and it was always entertaining. The show's main characters tended towards those with a very feminine look and an upper middle-class lifestyle. Even those without glamorous jobs still tended towards high end fun, fashion, and didn't seem to let work get in their way much. The best thing about the show though, was simply that it was about lesbians living life - they got into and out of relationships, dealt with having kids, having and losing jobs, dealing with friendship, diseases and death. It was nice to see people at least somewhat like me on the screen once a week. It was validating. People not in a minority group do not know what it is like to not see yourself portrayed on television. How many shows star Koreans, Hispanics or African Americans? The fact that your mind may have picked out one or two in each category highlights that those were probably unique rather than the norm. If you are not white, middle class, you may not see many models validating your life on TV.
I really enjoyed The L Word, even at it's most frustrating, when characters were doing stupid things, or the writing seemed weak. Often it was excellent - so forgiving some slips was not inconceivable. The entire six seasons are available in one collection and can be found on sale for under $150, possibly less.
No comments:
Post a Comment