Two years ago, word was leaked out into the media about the creation of a Queer as Folk type show focusing on lesbians. The show was much hyped long before its premiere in early 2004. Queer as Folk changed the look of cable television with the showing of blatant gay male sex. It didn't hold back, and it brought gay men and their relationships to the forefront. With the creation of Queer as Folk, seeing gays interact in a romantic manner became more and more acceptable. Soon it was being seen not just on our cable networks, but on our regular stations during the nightly prime time hours. Even with this opening of the world for gay men, the television world was still a bit closed off when it came to lesbians, and the hope was that with the creation of a show that showed lesbian women, their relationships and their lives that things would open up in that respect.
The L Word premiered in early 2004, and the response to it was staggering. By the time the second episode aired, the show was already renewed for its second season, and film dates were being set. The show followed the lives of a group of lesbians living in the city of Los Angeles. Unlike the dark grittiness of Queer as Folk, you had sunshine and palm trees. The show didn't have your stereotypical lesbian. There were different types. A lesbian for everybody, so to speak.
The show began with the moving of one Jenny Schecter, a writer, to Los Angeles to live with her boyfriend. After a chance seeing of a woman couple having sex in the neighbor's pool, Jenny is intrigued. This becomes even more pronounced once she meets Marina at a party at the neighbor's house. Her world is rocked, and the rest of the season follows her trials and tribulations of having feelings for two people. One a man she is supposed to marry, and the other a woman, which opens questions of her sexuality. Is she bisexual or is she straight?
While all this is occurring, we meet other characters. The neighbors, Bette and Tina, are the longterm lesbian couple trying to have a baby. Shane is the one of the group that sleeps with anything and everything because love is a bitch and sex is just that, sex. You also have a tennis pro, Dana, who also comes out as lesbian during the process of the season, only after losing a relationship because of her closeted status. We also have another writer, Alice, who is also bisexual and can't decide between one or the other. The cast also includes Bette's sister, Kit.
Article comments
1 - Anna
I'm happy that there is a show about lesbians on TV, although I wasn't much impressed with this one. Maybe it gets better after the first two episodes. Too much lesbian drama for me, but I guess that's what makes it interesting.
2 - Gina
Yes, it is good to see a show showing lesbians. I agree there is a lot of drama, but it does make things interesting. There is a certain amount of drama in any television show. It just varies depending on the genre of show and the characters involved.
3 - Steve S
With the creation of Queer as Folk, seeing gays interact in a romantic manner became more and more acceptable. Soon it was being seen not just on our cable networks, but on our regular stations during the nightly prime time hours.
I'm missing something. Which television shows on regular stations during prime time show gay men in a romantic manner?
4 - Gina
Will & Grace has shown the gay men on the show in couples, dating, and the like. No it is not to the extent where they show sex and heavy kissing. It is primetime, and it hasn't gone that far yet. Before Queer as Folk, there really wasn't many gay male characters in primetime.
5 - Sfc Ski
Amazing that 25 years ago, you had "Soap" with a main gay character, and that was considered shocking.
6 - Richard Porter
Actually, the fact that Jay Johnson made a career out of appearing on Soap with a dummy was pretty shocking for me.
7 - Gina
Soap was a bit before my time actually. I think I was only three of four when that show was on. I would agree that was probably shocking.
8 - Sfc Ski
Kids, no sense of history! j/k
9 - Gina
Hah! Even at my age I'm still a kid. Though the fact their was a character like that back then does say something.
10 - bptr
Has anyone noticed that lesbians usually have bigger nostrils?