Product Details

• Actors: Jennifer Beals, Erin Daniels, Leisha Hailey, Laurel Holloman, Mia Kirshner
• Directors: Rose Troche, Lynne Stopkewich, Clément Virgo, Daniel Minahan, Tony Goldwyn
• Format: Box set, Collector's Edition, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 5
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Studio: Showtime Ent.
• DVD Release Date: November 9, 2004
• Run Time: 822 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (148 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002MPQRS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,946 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #39 in Movies & TV > DVD > Gay & Lesbian
• For more information about "The L Word: Season One" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Four years after Showtime made gay men the focus of its original series Queer as Folk, it was time for a little turnabout with The L Word (bad title, great show). Centering around a tight-knit group of lesbians in Los Angeles, this drama was far removed from its working-class male counterpart in both style and content. While the men of QAF enjoyed a fabulous if melodramatic life on the middle-class streets of Pittsburgh, the women of The L Word lived it up in sunny California, with gorgeous houses, glamorous careers, and sexy wardrobes. Ironically, though, The L Word adhered more to the everyday drama of ensemble shows like thirtysomething than the soap opera antics of QAF, and the results were surprisingly heartfelt and effective, appropriately stylish but never over the top. There was plenty of room for titillation, but creator Ilene Chaiken fashioned from the start a show centered on characters and not just sex, aiming for the heart rather than... well, other places.

The L Word focused primarily on committed couple Bette (Jennifer Beals) and Tina (Laurel Holloman), a former power-career duo who've decided to have a baby; however, artificial insemination and the changing dynamics of their relationship throw their previously happy existence off-kilter. Within their orbit are spunky journalist Alice (Leisha Hailey), sultry hairdresser Shane (Katherine Moenning), closeted pro tennis player Dana (Erin Daniels), and espresso bar owner Marina (Karina Lombard) who, in the show's most polarizing storyline, bedded the seemingly straight Jenny (Mia Kirschner) and shook up her heterosexual world. Jenny's am-I-straight-or-not? kvetching frustrated both her fiancé (Eric Mabius) and many viewers, who were alternately irritated and intrigued by her inability to decide one way or the other. But Jenny's weakness was part of The L Word's strength: in exploring many sides of many issues, both domestic and political, it never came up with an easy answer for any of them, making the show all that more fascinating--and compulsively watchable. --Mark Englehart

Product Description

L WORD:COMPLETE FIRST SEASON - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

171 of 183 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So... what is it about?, August 16, 2004

By 

JB "moi28" (Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The L Word: Season One (DVD)

Museum director Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals) and executive Tina Kennard (Laurel Holloman), a committed couple for 7 years, are planning to start a family.
Their next-door neighbor is swimming coach Tim (Eric Mabius), who is preparing for his girlfriend, Jenny ( Mia Kirshner),a talented young writer, to move in. Soon after mixing with Bette and Tina's circle of lesbian friends, Jenny learns that her Midwest background may not have prepared her for what she will soon learn about life, lust and love in Los Angeles.

Bette's sister, Kit (Pam Grier) is battling with her alcoholism and trying to keep her music career going. Dana (Erin Daniels) struggles with her identity as a closeted lesbian while advancing in the world of professional tennis.
Shane (Kate Moennig), an assistant hair stylist by day and resident player by night, always keeps the women satisfied. Writing for a local magazine, Alice (Leisha Hailey) makes sure she's in the know about everyone and everything. Their lives and loves are discussed and played out at the local coffee shop/club, The Planet, run by Marina (Karina Lombard).

The L word is most definitely one of my favorite shows. I can't wait to own it on DVD. The story is well written, the characters engaging. This first season also has excellent guest stars including Ossie Davis, Holland Taylor, Lolita Davidovich, Rosanna Arquette and many more. This series gets my highest recommendation.

As for the DVD itself:
The episode list:
1.1 Pilot
1.2 Let's do it
1.3 Longing
1.4 Lies, lies, lies
1.5 Lawfully
1.6 Losing it
1.7 L'ennui
1.8 Listen up
1.9 Luck, next time
1.10 Liberally
1.11 Looking back
1.12 Locked up
1.13 Limb from limb

Extra DVD features include:
- An Original Puppet Show Performed by the Cast
- Photo Gallery
- Audio commentary by Ilene Chaiken and Jennifer Beals on the pilot episode

85 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The L Word is great, but DVD box set is lacking, November 8, 2004

By 

S. Stinson "book lover" (Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The L Word: Season One (DVD)

At long last, the entire first season of the L word is out on DVD! And while fans of the show are undoubtedly thrilled, as a DVD buff, I was less than thrilled with the lack of extras on the set. Any fan of Star Trek or Xena knows box sets covering those TV classics are chock full of extras such as bloopers, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes interviews with the stars, commentaries, and more. Early reports said this box set would have some such content, but it evidently didn't make it into this season's offering.
While the box set does have an extra disc dedicated to special features, most of these features have either been seen on Showtime or available in print-form on the Web. For example, "the L Word Defined" is a special that Showtime aired several months ago while promoting TLW, and while it's always nice to watch reruns, once is normally enough. There are some behind-the-scenes featurettes about the fashion designers, and we get to see a little bit of what goes into dressing the character of Dana Fairbanks (Erin Daniels), and the process dressing each of the characters. We get cast bios, some selected fan mail, and a Season 2 preview (which is also currently running on Showtime).
The most original, and probably the funniest, piece on the set is a puppet show created by the cast. A spoof based on Marina and Jenny's first meeting, it will crack you up laughing. Evidently, these ladies have entirely too much time on their hands or have a damn good time hanging out together. Either way, it's pretty darn funny. Kudos to the creators!
Even though it's not as packed full of goodies as we'd like, it's still nice to have all the episodes of the L word on DVD without worrying about someone erasing the TIVO! Enjoy!

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loving these Lovely Ladies, January 23, 2005

By 

James Hiller (Beaverton, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The L Word: Season One (DVD)

Perhaps the L Word originally intended to cast a net to catch a small niche audience; women wanting to see their lives represented on television. The end result of the L Word, however, casts a large net by telling compelling, interesting stories of compelling, interesting women.

Set in in the great sin city, Los Angeles, the L Word tells the story of several women who are friends. Bette and Tina, the show's "power couple", start the series trying to concieve a child and suffer the problems of finding an adequate sperm donor. Tennis player Dana is just starting to come to terms with her orientation and the demands of a burgeoning successful career. Writer Alice, the group's bisexual, plays sweet while dealing with a kooky mother and a male "self-professed lesbian". Shane, who starts out as the show's loose cannon, grows into her character as the episodes progress to a complex woman actually dealing with strong feelings. And then there's Tim and Jenny, who test the bounds of their relationship when Jenny starts an affair with coffee shop owner, sultry Marina. Each of these women are self-realized and very real.

Kudos goes to the women who play these characters honestly, and realistically. You can see each of them grow into their performances as they get comfortable in their characters skins, especially with Jennifer Beals portrayal of Type-A Bette. Also, kudos to Mia Kirshner, who gives Jenny's struggle through the first season real heart and intrigue. She is everyone who has ever struggled with their sexual identity, and Mia nails the struggle on the head.

However, it's one Pam Grier, who plays Bette's straight sister Kit, who will run away with your heart as she wrestles with the demons of her alcoholic past. Pam is absolutely luminous in her role; somehow managing to play each scene with dignity and sorrow. If one should be turned off by the content of the show, one should watch it if only for Grier's beautiful performance.

And the content of the show is definitely not for everyone. Easily offensive to those people who prefer one closed-minded version of the world, the L Word may not be for them. However, for the rest of us who love a good story, and who love to see strong women characters dealiing with life's issues, the L Word should be on our must-see list.