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172 of 184 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So... what is it about?, August 16, 2004
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
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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
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!
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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loving these Lovely Ladies, January 23, 2005
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.
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