TV Review: The L Word Episode 3.02

Sunday, January 15, 2006

From Showtime: Billie Blaikie, a flamboyant party promoter sets up shop at The Planet; Alice refuses to let Helena throw out the life-size cut out of Dana; Jenny wants to be more than just friends with Moira; and Bette feels her life is out of her control.

My Rating: 2 out of 4

Last week, The L Word returned for its third season on Showtime, and I was a bit unhappy with some of the episodes events. Alice had gone off the deep end, Dana was with Lara, Shane was in a dress, Helena is nice, and Bette and Tina are having serious problems. We learned that season three takes place six months after season two, but we aren't really given much in the way of information for all the changes that occurred in those six months.

Tonight's episode titled Lost Weekend picks up where last week's left off. Jenny and Moira are on their way to Los Angeles in Moira's pick up truck. The two are quite friendly, but a label hasn't been defined on their friendship yet. They haven't called themselves girlfriends yet. They stop in each night in a different gay bar somehow finding the one gay bar in each town. One night Jenny and Moira drink a bit too much, and when Jenny turns her back Moira moves onto the dance floor with another woman. This causes Jenny to pull the jealous girlfriend act, even if the two aren't officially dating.

This leads to a confusing scene between the two back at their hotel room. Moira wants to know what Jenny wants from her, and Jenny wants to take control of things in bed, which Moira won't let her do. Nothing at all is resolved with the interaction. We still don't know if the two are dating. In another scene, we also see the two in a battle with some of the townspeople in one of the towns they stop to get gas in. Moira is thought to be a man because of her appearance, and this leads to some heckling. In order to stop it, Jenny threatens the man that has taken Moira with a taser gun. Once he lets her go, Jenny shoots him with it anyway just before they drive off. The two don't make it to Los Angeles by the end of the episode, but Jenny does call home to let her roommate know she is on her way.

Meanwhile back in Los Angeles, things are busy. Alice has joined a support group for her obsession with Dana, but I don't see it doing very much to help her. She still believes she will get Dana back, but that is looking like it will never happen. Alice and Helena are getting closer, and Helena is trying to help Alice with her problems with getting over Dana. She even hires Alice a lesbian maid. Once they arrive at Alice's apartment, Helena finds the shrine and life-size Dana cutout, and she tells Alice they have to go. She even finds a box of Dana and Alice's sex toys and in a mildly amusing scene; Alice takes these to The Planet and returns them to Dana. Some of the toys are a bit eyebrow raising. I knew the two were kinky, but a full on mask and gag ... yikes!

At The Planet, Kit is setting up for a casino night named Vulva Las Vegas with the help of party promoter Billy Blaikie played by guest star Alan Cumming. In my mind, he is a wonderful addition for the cast, and he will be around for at least half the season. He helps put together the event and emcee's it. The night goes off without one problem, other than the ones that occur after David arrives. He seems to be a bit homophobic, and it looks like the issues between mother and son have returned this week. Bette is looking to have David help her and Tina with the social worker, but with his attitude that won't happen. We see this the next day when Rebecca comes for her second visit, and David speaks up right in front of her about he cannot support Bette adopting Angelica because he believes a child should be raised by a man and a woman.

Meanwhile Shane and Carmen are attending Carmen's cousin coming of age party. Yes, Shane is once again in that God-awful dress, but not only that, but now we get to see her in a wig. This is not our Shane. She looks uncomfortable and out of place. For a minute, I thought it was Dana with brown hair. I just felt really bad for Shane in this episode. She is going totally out of her way and acting out of character for her just for Carmen. I know love makes you do strange things, but this might be a bit much.

This isn't the only party had in this episode. Bette and Tina decide to throw a six-month birthday party for Angelica, but they forgot it was also Alice's birthday the same day. Alice thinks they are throwing her a surprise party under the guise of a party for the baby. When she shows up at the house with Helena, she can quickly see it a kid's birthday party. Helena quickly goes to Bette and Tina, telling them it is Alice's birthday, and they add her name to the cake. The day is saved. Bette and Tina also find a male nanny for Angelica, which might help their cause with Rebecca.

The day isn't over though. That night while Tina is logged online, a man in a chat approaches her, and she proceeds to cyber with him. This scene disturbed me in so many ways. The main reason being that this behavior is totally out of character for Tina, and it just doesn't seem to fit with her at all. She is the one I'd see least likely to cyber in such a manner, even if it were between her and Bette.

I wasn't all that enthused with this episode. Some of the ways the writers are dealing with the characters just didn't mesh with me. They are foreshadowing later events in the season. One being with Dana and the lump Lara found last week. This week Lara is trying to get Dana to go see someone to have it checked, but this was the only interaction for them this episode. We barely saw a shocked reaction for when Alice dumped the box in front of them at The Planet. There were a few highlights during the episode though; one of them being the scene at the end between Shane and Carmen. These two are just hot together.

This just is not the same series I fell in love with season one and the beginning of season two. Things have changed here, and I hope things improve before they get any worse. For a preview of next week's episode, Lobsters, check here.