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« The L Word
February 4, 2007: The (Other) L Word
I couldn't believe my ears the first time Phyllis said, "I love you" to Alice on voicemail, but then to Alice's (and my) horror, she had to go and say it again and again while desperately clutching Alice's arm. Yikes. I really didn't want Phyllis to become so desperate and clingy; I just wanted Phyllis and Alice to have lots of fun scenes together so that we could enjoy Leisha Hailey and Cybill Shepherd's brilliant comedic skills. [Sigh] Oh well, as cringe-inducing as Phyllis' affections are becoming, it is great drama, and it tells a lot about how lonely she's been for so many years. I just hope that Phyllis comes out of this relatively unscathed and that she and Alice can maintain a friendship.
I'm relieved that Helena was able to find a way to save her catering job, except do you think that her caviar purchase may have actually taken the money right back out of her pocket? The sad thing is, the whole time she was prepping the food in the apartment kitchen, and then in Phyllis' kitchen, she looked so calm and in her element. Not only that, but judging from Alice and Mr. Phyllis' taste tests, the food was delicious, too! I was convinced that Helena would be an amazing caterer. Well, all is not lost. After all, it is perfectly natural for some mistakes and disasters to happen the first time on the job, and she managed to come up with a solution under extreme stress, so maybe she'll still do really well with a catering business.
My favorite scene of the night (of course) was Jodi, Dean Porter and Jodi's interpreter (whom I love) "blowing off some steam" at the party. You know, Jodi is exactly what Bette needs, don't you think? They're polar opposites, and Bette seems immediately at ease with Jodi, which isn't something we see out of Bette very often. I like seeing her in this light, and I'm looking forward to more Jodi-Bette adventures. I do like it that Jodi also challenges Bette, because that is something that Bette really needs as an artist and as a person. She's sort of lost herself in the politics of art, and she used to be so passionate about the actual art itself.... I think that Jodi will help bring that passion for art back to Bette.
I'm also glad that the Nadia story line has faded a bit, because I wasn't too fond of Nadia.... Something about her seemed really fake, and at times it felt like their "romance" was thrown at us.
The scene between Jenny and Vet Girl was really tough to watch, because I recently had to put my dog to sleep, and it broke my heart (I'm still not over it, and I had to look away). I also couldn't believe Jenny could be so cold as to take in a dying dog and watch the dog's euthanization just to prey on Vet Girl. It made me feel so angry and dirty.... How can she look in the mirror most days? Then again, I do love Jenny, too, because she's so fun to watch and so fun to hate. Watching her "work" Vet Girl at dinner was a fascinating study in psychology. As a matter of fact, lately I'm starting to wonder if Jenny's a bit of a sociopath. I loooooved her fight with Alice, especially Alice's retort on the Monet comparison. Go, Alice!! It was also great to see Jenny get discovered at the club, and I hope that Vet Girl really lets her have it in some future episode.
Finally, what a relief that Max still has his job. In the beginning sequence, I was starting to worry that Max was about to do something to hurt himself.... The mirror and the heartbeat and the look on his face made me feel really concerned. But I'm glad he's OK, and I hope it stays that way.
Question of the night: If you saw Angus and weird-accent-pixie-nanny making out, would you tell Kit, or would you handle it like Bette and "stay out of it?" I was actually proud of Tina for caring enough to address the issue with Bette, and I'm glad that she still feels protective of her friends, even though she's been distant from the group in more ways than one these days. Do you know what I would do? I would talk to Angus. Yep. Make him shake in his little indie-rocker boots, and get him either to realize what he's about to lose, or just really get honest about where he stands right now with Kit, and I'd encourage him to talk her about it.
One other thing: Do you think that Shane and Papi will ever...? Since Shane obviously doesn't care about Papi and Papi feels a bit threatened by Shane, it'd be quite a conquest for Papi, wouldn't it?
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Feb 5, 2007 12:06 AM
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I couldn't imagine feeling as though I was born in the wrong body so that opening scene with Max just looking at himself in the mirror really spoke volumes without a word even being spoken.
Did anyone else notice that Jenny kept referring to the dog as "he/him" while the vet was saying "she/her", but, yet the vet totally buys that this was really Jenny's dog? Weird.
I didn't interpret the scene in the club as Jenny being found out (even though she came really close). It seems as if though they think they're talking about two different people.
I don't understand the whole "it's not my place thing". I don't care if it's my sister or just a friend, if I see their mate cheating on them I'm going to tell them, bottom line. In my opinion that's not a "shoot the messenger" situation. If someone wants to get angry at the messenger then that's their problem, but, if my mate was cheating on me and I found out that my sister or friend knew about it, I would wonder why they didn't tell me and would feel like maybe that person doesn't have my best interest at heart.
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Feb 5, 2007 10:26 AM
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I agree with blueree, I don't get the not my place thing either. If I catch the partner of my sister/friend/coworker getting busy with someone else, it's ABSOLUTELY my responsibility to tell. What my sister/friend/coworker does with the info is their business, they may not care or they may discuss it with their partners and everything will turn out to be a misunderstanding and that's fine. But I have a duty to inform, and I would expect that same duty in return of my sister/friend/coworker.
I think things are going to get really ugly with Phyllis. She's going to need to be sat down and reasoned with but I think she's officially in stalker mode now. She doesn't strike me as somebody who gives up easily.
Jeannine you called it! I couldn't see Helena being good at catering but she was. And she's already gotten a request for a future job. Way to go Helena.
Jennie's a nutbag who's going to get stabbed or something someday. Or she'll do the stabbing. Either way somebody's going to be bloody from a knife before long.
Papi and Shane are my favorite thing to watch right now. I love that Shane couldn't care less about "competing" with Papi but Papi is totally obsessed with Shane. That Papi is funny though. And do you think her friend who obviously just got of jail will be a new partner for Alice?
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Feb 5, 2007 10:44 AM
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I love that Jenny is so crazy and the scene with Alice was a RIOT!!!
I too was surprised that Bette wouldn't want Kit to know about Angus, so I'm wondering how long Tina will wait before telling Kit.
I'm new and have a question about Max.
-Did he hang out with the group a lot before his change or is he just Jenny's ex?
Because nobody from the group actually talks to him, and he's always alone.
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Feb 5, 2007 6:36 PM
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It would be wrong on so many levels for Shane and Papi to "get down on it." Though, I do miss Shane's sexual exploits - where have all the willing women gone? Shane had sex at least once in every ep in the first few seasons, didn't she? Was it just my imagination?
I think Jenny is a creep, a user, an abuser, a manipulator and generally just a sh*t. She is so self-righteous it makes me sick. I've never cared for her and her inexplicable behavior. I hope she gets what's coming to her. Now that would be good TV.
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Feb 5, 2007 6:56 PM
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i'm thinking i might be just as crazy as jenny, because i'm starting to really like her plotlines. it may be sociopathic, the way she's got her sights set on vet girl, but i'm not entirely convinced that the end result will be a bad thing. point: heather matarazzo's reporter was frankly duplicitous in her interview with jenny. no matter how you phrase it, this is not a nice person. and though i'm not saying that jenny would be an improvement for vet girl ("lez girls"? fiction? yeeeeah.), vet girl just doesn't deserve to be with the evil reporter either. and the evil reporter definitely doesn't deserve domestic happiness, particularly if she's neglecting her (hot, sweet) girlfriend.
re shane and papi, i kinda get the feeling that there's more behind papi's one-sided rivalry. like maybe, shane was papi's first... and then never called...? hmm. who knows, it's just a feeling. or maybe papi's just one of those naturally competitive people.
i'm loving the addition of kristanna loken as shane's possible new love interest, but is shane really ready for another attempt at monogamy? she may be maturing now that she's invested with surrogate motherhood, but methinks it's still too soon. i'm not convinced carmen was ever right for her, but even so, that was a disastorous failure. for now, shane seemed perfectly content to go home with that sweet young thing at the club.
on max, yeah, s/he used to be with jenny. did NOT immediately fit in with the group, either, mainly due to the fact that max was so anti-la, and self-consciously butch. but things have obviously improved, especially since max's t has been straightened out.
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Feb 5, 2007 7:06 PM
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Paula, we're on the same page. Shane definitely hooked up with someone on every eppy in the earlier seasons. I was just thinking about how much I kind of miss that Shane when she came thisclose to hooking up before Papi intervened.
I used to love Jenny (and kind of still do) but they way she's been acting this season-particularly last night, acting all damn what am I trying to say, high and mighty? with Alice-I would love to see her get what's coming too. She's taking it too far.
Nessarose, to add to what heron posted: It's funny because Max did meet the rest of the group through Jenny just like how Jenny met the group through Tim (well, and Marina). But, the group has never warmed up to Max they way they did with Jenny and I don't know if it's because of his gender identity issues or what. I wish I could go back and watch that season now, because I'm thinking that maybe Max didn't try that hard either.
KAD, I definitely think Tasha is going to be a love interest for Alice, and what better person to bring her out her shell?
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Feb 5, 2007 7:39 PM
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Another good episode. Glad that Bette and Tina are doing lunch together, even if they pretty much argued all the time!
I liked Helena's storyline. She was much more confident and in charge - until it all went wrong! She's had years of mixing with rich people at parties, so it was good to see her revelling in that and forgetting her food in the oven!
Jenny is a nutter! I was wondering if she was actually getting to like the vet girl, or actually felt remorse for the poor old doggie. Her begging Alice for a snog was hilarious!
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Feb 5, 2007 7:52 PM
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I don't think Tasha was in jail. I think maybe she was in the army. I swear I saw her in the credits wearing fatigues. And no not the bit when she's on the bike.
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Feb 6, 2007 9:08 PM
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I think JyotiKai is right on with this. I read somewhere that Tasha was in the military and she just came back from (presumably) Iraq. Given how stoic she is, that seems to be the case. Funny though how it's left unnamed.
On a totally unrelated note, am super glad Nadia was given the fast-fade treatment. SO not an interesting development. Hope it doesn't come back to bite Bette in the ass. Jodi and Bette on the other hand, now that's interesting...
Also, the opening sequence with Max was so provocative...I really appreciate how committed the writers are to incorporating trans issues, although as a character he is so clearly marginalized vis-a-vis the other main characters (in terms of not being part of the 'group'). I was pretty shocked his little GF didn't out him.
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Feb 6, 2007 9:22 PM
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Paula I agree with every word of your post. I miss Shane's exploits! And Jenny def. deserves whatever she gets. I hated her character from day one, but this season is the last straw for me. I find her intolerable now, thank the tv gods for Tivo. The scene with the vet and that poor dog was not necessary and way over the top.
I can't believe Angus fooled around with that nasty nanny when he has a woman like Kit doing everything in her power to cheer him up. It was so out of character with how they wrote Angus up until now, I was really disappointed. I can't believe Bette got so mad at Tina and told her not to say anything to Kit! What kind of sister is that, if I had a sister and she found out my BF was cheating, and then didn't tell me I'd be furious!
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Feb 7, 2007 3:12 PM
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