The L Word Fan Blog

DIVA magazine - June issue

2009-05-05T11:52:00.003-04:00

The magazine is on sale in the UK on May 14. More info log on to www.divamag.co.uk

Niki's Interrogation Tape

2009-03-30T09:36:00.000-04:00

You can have the Last Word

2009-03-25T18:15:00.002-04:00

Slip into pieces from the exclusive "L'ements of Style Collection designed by Laura Dahl for Showtime. You'll look gorgeous in these exclusive, limited, edition garments. Channel your favorite character and hold onto a piece of history. They're sure to make you weekly drama addition easier to kick. Original tags included.

check out the official press release here.

Bringing to life the style and flavor of the popular SHOWTIME original series, The L Word®, the network is partnering with a group of top designers to create a collection of limited edition apparel and accessories inspired by the hip and sexy look of the popular drama. The announcement was made by Len Fogge, Executive Vice President, Creative, Marketing, Research & Digital Media for Showtime Networks.

The collection, The “L”ements of Style, will be available from January 3 to February 28 and consists of:
Contemporary sportswear from Laura Dahl: Laura Dahl offers an exquisite selection of wearable couture, structured for those who appreciate the artistry of attitude with a fashion-forward focus. Cutting-edge American designs with a European sophistication, each distinctive Laura Dahl original is made with passion to carefully showcase the individual spirit which glamour girls just can’t resist.
The collection will be available at select retailers including Atrium (NYC), Fred Segal (LA), Brown Eyed Girl (San Francisco and Marin, CA,) Duets (Nashville), Ultimo (Chicago), Scout and Molly’s (Raleigh and Chapel Hill, NC), Mitzi & Romano (Atlanta), Lulu (Miami).

The “L”ements of Style collection will also be available at www.sho.com/site/lword where an unprecedented virtual fashion show allows visitors to “try on” every item of clothing and accessory in the collection. Viewers
can choose the shirt, jeans and accessory they want and watch the characters walk the runway modeling their selections.
“My inspiration for The “L”ements of Style comes from this amazing show that has had such a profound influence on the community,” said Laura Dahl. The L Word®” truly speaks to all women, with the many challenges they all face in life today. The strength and depth of the women on this show was the great inspiration behind each of the styles designed. Ilene Chaiken has truly developed rich characters that all share a passion for style, taste and class,” she concluded.
A minimum of 10% of sales from the collection will be donated to charity. In addition, select pieces will be sold as numbered limited editions with 100% of profits being donated to two of the leading organizations involved with the fight against breast cancer, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation.
Showtime will be promoting these products in a variety of ways, including a nationwide On Demand sweepstakes, a fan “Design-your-own T-shirt contest,” auctions at The L Word® events, as well as traditional television and newspaper promotion.

About Laura Dahl

Laura Dahl has taken wearable couture in a totally new direction featuring semi-precious stones, Swarovski crystals and other unexpected details. Each piece represents the union between two important fashion trends: One-of-a kind-design and luxurious indulgence. Her creations are wearable and transformable, giving each woman the tools to create her own personal style.

Please visit www.lauradahl.com for more info

Helena's Interrogation Tape

2009-03-23T09:20:00.000-04:00

Shane's Interrogation Tape

2009-03-16T10:30:00.001-04:00

The 10 Best Wives On TV

2009-03-11T01:07:00.000-04:00

Tina Kennard (Laurel Holloman, The L Word): This may be a teensy bit of a controversial choice, but Tina deserves a second look. Fine, she gets into some shady territories but she always does the right thing in the end. OK, her relationship with Bette Porter is somewhat codependent, but by the end of every season they wind up back where they belong: with each other.

http://www.yourtango.com/200913632/top-10-wives-tv

TLW Season 6 Final Episode and Intro and Followup with Jennifer, Laurel and Leisha

2009-03-10T07:13:00.002-04:00

Looking Back

2009-03-10T01:26:00.003-04:00

An interview with Ilene Chaiken 'L Word' creator dishes on the show after its final episode

2009-03-09T18:08:00.001-04:00

By AMY CAVANAUGH, Washington Blade | Mar 9, 12:20 PM "The L Word," a television show about the lives and loves of a group of lesbians in Los Angeles, ended its six-season run on Showtime last night. Ilene Chaiken, the creator, writer and executive producer of the show, chatted with the Blade this morning about how the show got started, the finale and what die-hard fans may be able to look forward to in the future.

Washington Blade: Where did you get the idea for the show?

Ilene Chaiken: It came from my wanting to tell some of my stories for a change, stories that came from my looking around at my life and my friends and people I knew. Our stories were unrepresented in popular culture and I think they're good stories that deserve to be told.

Washington Blade: How did you get Showtime to approve it at the beginning?

IC: They didn't approve it at the beginning. I had been working for Showtime on other projects, and had written a movie for Showtime that had some gay themes. It was about the work of Robert Mapplethorpe, the photographer… Showtime didn't shy away from our stories and our issues in the way that other mainstream broadcasters did.

I brought it to the executives at the vice president level … back in 2000 and they said that this just isn't going to happen here. A prime time, nighttime drama about the lives of lesbians — no, I just don't think we can sell that to the guy in the corner office. So I went away, and I wasn't surprised but was testing the waters.

I decided to leave it be, and a year later Showtime picked up an English television show called "Queer as Folk." They bought the format and remade it as an American show, and it was a success for them. So I went back and said, “You've got the boys, what about the girls?” They said, “Yes, you're right, we should do your show.”

Blade: How much, if any, backlash was there at the beginning?

IC: There wasn't political backlash and the right wing backlash we were used to seeing didn't happen. My theory was that this was premium cable and not on their radar, so they didn't notice. The backlash I got at the beginning was from lesbians, who said that it didn't represent their lives, and that the lesbians on “The L Word” were too pretty, too glamorous, too affluent, and that it wasn't telling the story of their lives.

My response was that this was a TV show, firstly, and … most television is glamorized … My secondary response was that we're just getting started telling the stories about people I know, and that the representation is not far off from reality. It's slightly elevated, but here in L.A. I know a group of women who are quite like the characters portrayed on the show. If the show is a success, if you enjoy it over the course of time, we'll get to represent a lot more women, and indeed that's the case. We've broadened the scope of representation over the six years on the air.

Blade: What were some of the issues and topics you wanted to address? Did you meet them all?

IC: There were not issues and topics that I wanted to address. I just wanted to tell good stories and tell the stories of our lives, make them entertaining and tell them with depth and detail. If there were issues we talked about on the show, they were the issues of our lives and the issues that touched our lives.

Blade: Season six seemed to be modeled on "Sunset Boulevard" and season five on "All About Eve." What was the reason for this?

IC: I've read that [it was modeled on “Sunset Boulevard”] and it never occurred to me. “Sunset Boulevard” is probably in my blood, and as an avid student of cinema history, I'm sure that it was in me.

But there are other stories I've told on “The L Word,” like “All About Eve,” which we did boldly and unashamedly. Love me or hate me, that's what we took on. But I never said let's do “Sunset Boulevard,” and it never occurred to me that Jenny is found in a swimming pool. It just happened, and I guess my point is that this story grew organically out of the character's stories that we had been telling these six years. It wasn't just another riff on an old, great Hollywood convention.

Blade: Why did you leave so many unresolved plotlines — Jenny's death, the situation with Max's baby, Helena and Dylan's relationship?

IC: Those are not unresolved plotlines. I was not interested in wrapping up the show neatly and tidily. I wanted to end with a sense that life goes on. It would have been much more false to have resolved everything, to conveniently have Max have his baby before the series ended. This is just a day in the life, and life goes on. Who knows if we'll revisit [these characters] in fiction or reinvent them on TV or in a movie, hopefully we will. I simply thought that the appropriate thing to do was to tell a story that had some satisfying conclusions and said many of the things we wanted to say, but not [where the stories were ended].

Blade: Do you have any regrets with various plotlines over the seasons?

IC: I don't believe in that. Sure there are things that we could have done better. Some stories were successful and some less successful, but you don't get any do-overs. I just stand by the stories we told, and the most important thing I can say is that we did our very best. We were always trying to do our best and tell good stories to be true to the characters and entertain the audience.

Blade: A spin-off series is in the works. Can you talk about that?

IC: Alice is the character from “The L Word” who takes us into the spin-off and her participation qualifies it as a spin-off. It's called “The Farm,” and the status is that we made a pilot for Showtime and delivered it to them. They are going through the process that networks go through in deciding what to air. We're waiting to hear if they'll put it up. Alice is the only series regular from “The L Word,” and I hope that if the series goes forward that some of the other “L Word” stars will make guest appearances.

Source: washblade.com

Tina's Interrogation Tape

2009-03-09T05:18:00.003-04:00

Fans bid to own a piece of The L Word

2009-03-08T01:39:00.002-05:00

ctvbc.ca

Hundreds of people converged in south Vancouver yesterday for a chance to take home a piece of TV history as the set and the costumes of lesbian drama The L Word were auctioned off.

Everything from boots to paintings to a car -- and even some fetish leather -- was on offer to fans of the groundbreaking series, which for the past seven years has been shot in Vancouver.

"Seven years of sexy lesbians? You can't go wrong," said Kate Duncan, who showed off some yellow pumps that were worn by one of the show's many female stars.

Run by Able Auctions, the sales began at the show's sets at 10 a.m. Among the first to go was a 1974 Chevrolet Impala -- featured in the show's second season -- for $4100.

Newspaper racks that helped transform Vancouver into the show's locale, San Francisco, went for as little as $10.

But by far the most bizarre item on auction was this prop baby, used for four seasons as the double for a baby raised by a lesian couple on the show, little Alicia.

Alicia was played from birth by Olivia Windbell, whose mom Coreen bought the dolls.

"There was no other show that was like it," said Windbell. "That will be a sad loss."

One woman, Susan Allen, came all the way from New Orleans for the auction. Allen could point out when and where each item was used in the series.

"That's Bette and Tina's bed -- the heart and soul of The L Word," she said, pointing to one of a few beds there. "Many things have happened on that bed."

Allen said she'll miss the show.

"I'm crushed. It could have gone on forever as far as I'm concerned," she said.

The final episode of the series will air on Tuesday.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Jon Woodward

source: http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca

CelebStyle Giveaway: Win The L Word Look

2009-03-07T18:29:00.002-05:00

With the series finale this Sunday, we're getting ready to say goodbye to the lovely ladies of The L Word. After six dynamic seasons, the characters have gone through so many ups and downs, but one thing has remained constant: their amazing clothes. Sexy, daring, and always fashionable. To celebrate the ladies' amazing wardrobes, we're giving away some of the actual clothes from The L Word!

From now until Sunday, March 15, you can enter to win one of four dresses worn by one of your favorite actresses from The L Word. There's a gorgeous Gucci number worn by Marlee Matlin, a strapless Dolce and Gabbana dress seen on Malaya Rivera Drew, a Tory Burch sequined dress that shimmered on Pam Grier, and a Paul Smith swing dress, which Leisha Hailey wore. To enter, all you have to do is log in to TeamSugar (if you're not a member, register now) and add a look of your own to any post on CelebStyle (see how after the jump). You'll be entered for every look you create, so there are plenty of chances to win! Be creative and check out the official rules here.

To learn how to add a look, read more.

Click into any story ("look") on CelebStyle.com.
Once there, under the picture, you'll find a series of tags and several ways to play: You can comment, send an email, become a fan of the look ("love this"), or add a look of your own. Click either "add a look" link to get started. [read more]

source: www.popsugar.com

The Last Word

2009-03-06T22:36:00.000-05:00

'The L Word' Holds Red Rarpet Farewell Party

2009-03-04T05:40:00.005-05:00

In a bid to give a proper goodbye to lesbian drama "The L Word" which has spanned for 6 seasons, Showtime held a farewell party at West Hollywood's Cafe La Boheme. The March 3 event was made in the package of a movie premiere, with the stars gracing the red carpet for photo sessions before going inside the venue.

Spotted in the crowd are the show's lead actresses such as Laurel Holloman, Katherine Moennig, Daniela Sea, Rose Rollins and Mia Kirshner as well as several supporting actors such as Marlee Matlin, Kate French, Janina Gavankar, John Wolfe Nelson, and Eric Roberts. Creator and show runner Ilene Chaiken is also present along with other guest stars.

Missing from the event are the other main cast, Jennifer Beals, Leisha Hailey, Pam Grier and Rachel Shelley.

The show will wrap it up on Sunday, March 8 with the episode "Last Word" which preview can be seen here. The character Alice will then continue her journey in a spin-off which production has been kicked off in December 2008.

source: www.aceshowbiz.com

Photo Gallery: 'The L Word' Farewell Event

The Jenny Schecter O-BITCH-uaries

2009-03-03T06:58:00.004-05:00

Join Jenny Schecter OBitchuaries Contest now at The L Word Wiki.

Start date - Monday, March 2,2009 @ 9.00am PDT (US)
Closing date - Sunday, March 7, 2009 @ 11.59:59pm PDT (US)

What should I do?
You have freedom of choice with the sweeps! Pick a theme and go for it! Just Do ONE (1) of the following! not 2 or 3 but just one. :)
1. Write a notice reporting the death of Jenny Schecter in 100 words or less; or
2. Write an announcement for the Jenny Schecter Memorial Service; or you can
3. Sum up Jenny's life in 100 words or less.

The Winner will Win...
There are a ton of prizes…including the actual clothes jenny dies in…morbid!
Lick here to enter the contest.

608 Stills

2009-03-02T17:17:00.004-05:00

season 6, episode 8: "Last Word"

2009-03-02T00:17:00.002-05:00

In the final episode of the series, what starts out as a celebration of friendship quickly ends in a web of betrayal and deceit; the girls find themselves being investigated about Jenny's untimely death by Sergeant Duffy

Finale Preview

Promo 1 - Proof
Kit watches the tape of Bette and Kelly.

Promo 2 - Fallen For
Jamie admits that she has fallen in love with Tasha.

That's All Folks!

Season 6 Desktop Wallpaper

2009-03-01T08:03:00.005-05:00

click here to view the rest of season 6 wallpaper or visit sho.com

607 Stills - High Quality

2009-03-01T07:52:00.003-05:00

credit: Dorothy Surrenders

607 Stills

2009-02-27T20:28:00.003-05:00

more coming soon...

606 stills Photos

2009-02-25T04:31:00.008-05:00

credit: Dorothy Surrenders for HQ Photos :)

season 6, episode 7: "Last Couple Standing"

2009-02-23T08:19:00.003-05:00

The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center dance marathon is on; someone is moving to the Big Apple; rumors fly fast around the dance floor that Alice and Tasha may be in couple trouble and the HIT!'s new MC makes a shocking revelation to Kit.

Season 6 Video Podcasts

2009-02-21T06:08:00.001-05:00

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Love

2009-02-16T09:30:00.008-05:00

Chicago native Jennifer Beals has amore and more on her mind as The L Word enters its final season.

Twenty-five years after her doe-eyed debut in Flashdance made her the pinup fantasy of men across America, 44-year-old Jennifer Beals is still making hearts skip a beat—only now it’s in the role of power lesbian Bette Porter in the sixth and final season of Showtime’s The L Word.

The Chicago native is the perfect choice to headline our Love Issue; she’s got the “L word” on the brain, as well as other “L words,” like life, lesbians, and her left-leaning political views.

And despite her whisper-soft voice, Beals has a lot to talk about: From campaigning for Barack Obama to growing up biracial in Chicago, from gay marriage to her dream of getting a part that brings her back to her hometown, we got her to deliver the straight scoop.

MICHIGAN AVENUE: Describe your career journey, starting with Flashdance—how were you discovered?
JENNIFER BEALS: It wasn’t like someone walked by and said, “I’m going to discover you.” I had an agent in Chicago, and when I was 14, I worked quite a bit with Victor Skrebneski, mostly doing catalog work. I saved my pennies and then went off to college, and I got Flashdance in my first week at Yale.

MA: In many ways that movie has defined your career. How do you feel looking back on it now?
JB: I look upon it fondly. It was the entrée into my professional and creative life.

MA: I was a kid when Flashdance came out, and I remember being struck by the fact that you were a dark-haired, dark-skinned heroine in a lead romantic role. I actually wondered if I was going to look like you when I grew up.
JB: It’s funny when you talk about not seeing yourself reflected back, because I spent my childhood not having anyone to identify with. There was no real person in the world that represented me, so I identified more with fictional characters, like Spock or Proteus.

MA: A lot of people don’t know that you grew up in Chicago—what was your childhood like?
JB: My father had a couple of businesses in Altgeld Gardens, where he was a community organizer. A grocery store is the one I remember the most. I was quite young. I just remember him coming home with all the coupons people gave him at the till, and it was my job to organize the coupons.
JB: I had the whole experience, from junior kindergarten through the 12th grade. I can still recite, “A school should be a model home, a complete community, an embryonic democracy.” That’s what Colonel Francis Parker said, and he was the driving force behind the school. Marie Stone was a teacher there who was incredibly influential for a lot of us, and really quite central to my experience at Parker. She taught American literature, but she also taught you about the world and your place in the world. Ideas like: If not you, then who? She said that it’s incumbent upon you to take part in the world and be a responsible member of the community and to help other people.

MA: You could have never predicted the impact you’d have on the gay community, playing a lesbian on The L Word. Were you nervous about taking on the role?
JB: I just thought it was a great part, and I didn’t even think about the love scenes. I was so committed to preparing for the whole work story, because so much of Bette’s life is work. What does it mean to run an art gallery? That was the focus—and then I realized, In two days I’m shooting a love scene and I don’t have a friggin’ clue what I’m doing. I’m going to be outed as such a hetero chump! And then I thought, I just have to relax.

MA: Does the title of the show stand for “Lesbian”? “Love”?
JB: Every episode is another “L” word—there’s a whole myriad. “Luminous” is a good one.

MA: How has playing a lesbian changed your views on homosexuality?
JB: Oh my god, it’s completely changed. There were issues I would have had no idea about. I had no idea that the LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] community is not included in hate-crime legislation. That makes hate codified within the culture. To say: All these people are covered but you’re not. What the fuck is that about? Pardon my French, but I was really upset. I became aware of the Matthew Shepard Act [to expand the 1969 US federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability], and hopefully that will pass soon.

MA: Your character is known as the “Big Cheater.” Has that been fun or difficult for you to play?
JB: When [executive producer] Ilene Chaiken first wrote it I was like, Really? Really, do we have to? I was so upset. But I thought, OK, all right, I’m not going to try to make it any less than truthful. But it was hard.

MA: Lesbianism seems to be more culturally accepted these days. Do you think The L Word is partially responsible?
JB: I think in some ways it has shifted, but with Proposition 8 passing it clearly hasn’t shifted enough. I was really disappointed but I also realized it’s a matter of education and exposure. For me it was a lesson in campaign organization—or disorganization, if you will. The opposition was fired up and organized. You can’t wait until you realize your opponent has $15 million in the bank; you have to frame your argument right away. All the numbers show the younger generation supports same-sex marriage, so it is inevitable. Someday people will look back and say, “I can’t believe there was a time all people couldn’t get married.”

MA: You were very involved in Barack Obama’s campaign—what drew you to him?
JB: I heard him speak in LA in November of 2007 and afterwards I got in my car and just started shaking. I’m such a hermit by nature; I’m not genetically encoded to speak. I realized I was going to have to change my DNA. This was something that was bigger than me and needed my attention. So last year I interviewed Tobias Wolff, the chair of the National LGBT Policy Committee for Obama’s campaign. We made a video about where Obama stood on policy issues, and posted it on Ourchart.com.

MA: Where were you on Election Day?
JB: I was in Vancouver, and when it was 16 to 3 [electoral votes] in favor of McCain, I called Tobias and said, “Direct me to a phone bank. Who should I call? What state is important right now?” He said Nevada, and I just got on the phone and started phone-banking to 77-year-old men in Nevada. Most of the calls were to assisted-care homes. I just couldn’t take it. I thought, There’s no way I’ll be sitting here when there’s somebody in Nevada who has to vote. So when I called, I asked them, “Do you need a ride? I’ll call and arrange the vehicle.”

MA: You’re such an inspiration! I hear you’ve also amped up your physical activity in the last couple of years.
JB: I’ve been trashing my skin the last two years, doing open-water swimming. Last weekend I did a swimming seminar—four hours each day of swimming technique, and I couldn’t have been happier. I did my first triathlon a year and a half ago—if somebody had told me that I’d do it three or four years ago, I would have told them they were nuts.

MA: You’ve been married since 1998 to a Canadian entrepreneur. You have one child together and he has children from a previous marriage. What are your feelings about blended families?
JB: You have to be respectful of your spouse, and their ex as well. It can be tricky when different belief systems collide. You have to take time to listen to someone else’s point of view. It’s too easy to start fighting. Listening is work.

MA: You’re quite revered in the gay community. There are websites, blogs, and a Wikipedia entry dedicated to your character. How does your husband feel about being married to a gay icon?
JB: We don’t talk about it—it’s just part of my work. I don’t say, “Hey honey, the gay icon is home!”

MA: I know you split your time mostly between LA and Vancouver these days. How do those cities compare to your hometown?
JB: You get so spoiled by Chicago… the architecture is so stunning. Then you go to Vancouver, which is a lovely city except for its architecture, and you stand there and think, Did nobody take time to plan the city? In Chicago, when you’re going by Buckingham Fountain and part of the White City area and downtown, it looks like all the architects had a conference and talked to one another to coordinate their work.

MA: Do you think you’ll be spending more time in Chicago now that The L Word has wrapped?
JB: I know that the universe is really good at surprising me, so we’ll see what the next gift at the doorstep is. I can offer my suggestions to God, but I’m sure God has a better plan. Who knows, if I get a series in Chicago, I could be in Chicago. I’m just suggesting, universe! I’m not demanding. It’s a thought.

http://www.michiganavemag.com/

BY SUSANNA NEGOVAN
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JASON BELL
STYLING BY BASIA ZAMORSKA
AT KATERYANINC.COM
HAIR BY JOSHUA BARRETT FOR ARTISTSBYTIMOTHYPRIANO.COM
MAKEUP BY ANTHEA KING FOR ARTISTSBYTIMOTHYPRIANO.COM

season 6, episode 6: "Lactose Intolerant"

2009-02-16T04:48:00.002-05:00

Jenny throws a baby shower for Max; Bette and Tina hit a roadblock in the adoption process; Bette goes solo to her gallery's opening night celebration leading Kelly to go in for the kill; Shane is feeling boxed in by Jenny; and Alice starts to feel like three is a crowd.

606 Preview

606 Promo - Happy For You Both

606 Promo - From Nevada

Clementine Ford - Diva Magazine (March 2009)

2009-02-13T22:01:00.003-05:00

credit: http://uhhuhherfan.com/ thank you :)

Good news for all the US and worldwide l word fans

2009-02-12T10:44:00.002-05:00

Showtime will be creating an hour-long retrospective show for the final season of The L Word, and they need your help! Please send us pictures that feature you, or any of you friends, with the cast members of The L Word. We know that the devoted fans of the L Word have kept this showing going for so long and we want to highlight your impact on the series. If your picture is selected your photo will be featured in a section of the retrospective show about the dedicated fans of The L Word. It will air on Showtime, Showtime 2, and on SHO.com.

Please include your photo, a brief description of the location and/or event of where the photo was taken and your contact information (full name and email address).

You can email your photos and contact information to : lwordfanphotos@gmail.com/

Leisha Hailey: Is Alice The Killer on 'The L Word'?

2009-02-12T10:32:00.003-05:00

By Christina Radish

Ever since The L Word entered homes across the country six years ago, the Showtime drama series has affected the lives of legions of fans. The groundbreaking series has become a pop culture phenomenon, as it brought the lesbian community into the mainstream consciousness, and elicited controversy, pride, empowerment and conversation.

Now in its final season, the direction and goal of the series has always been very cle arly defined to provide the lesbian community a voice and sense of place in society at large. Revolving around the lives of a tight-knit group of women living in Los Angeles, who are all trying to navigate and learn from where life and love takes them, the show’s last eight episodes also center around the ultimate demise of Jenny Schecter (Mia Kirshner) and her tangled web that could leave anyone responsible.

Actor/singer Leisha Hailey has spent the last six seasons playing Alice Pieszecki, a journalist and the show’s only self-proclaimed bisexual. The 37-year-old Hailey, who has filmed a spin-off pilot that will hopefully be picked up after The L Word is finished, recently spoke to MediaBlvd Magazine about how the tension in Alice’s relationship with Tasha (Rose Rollins) and frustration with Jenny could make her the killer.

MediaBlvd Magazine> What do you love about Alice?

Leisha Hailey> Oh gosh, so many things. I think she’s so outspoken and honest and, although she puts her foot in her mouth many times, it’s that thing that I wish I had where I’m just off the cuff constantly, and just witty and gregarious. I just love her. She’s just a big light, and I hope that I learned some things from her that I can take into my own life.

[read more]

Jennifer Beals & The Final Season of The L word

2009-02-10T05:18:00.004-05:00

by Jason Dean, photos by Robert Todd Williamson

Jennifer Beals is, by her own admission, fascinated by mythology. “What is it about vampires? There are so many metaphors,” she says, considering her own question. “It’s incredibly alluring, especially to young girls.” She has a point. Look no further than the “Twilight” books and movie and HBO’s new series True Blood, and one will notice that vampires are in vogue once again. “There’s that sensation of coming into your authenticity and being introduced to your own mythic power.” Beals is still talking vampires, but her words could easily apply to the phenomenon of the Showtime series The L Word, now in its sixth and final season. Since its debut in 2004, the show has been a beacon of empowerment for young women while dispelling myths about lesbianism and gender roles. The storylines have never ceased being provocative. In the current season, pre-op transsexual Moira/Max (Daniela Sea), finds out she’s pregnant as she prepares to undergo gender transition.It’s been 25 years since Beals lit up the screen in Flashdance, as she helped to popularize leg warmers, loose-neck sweatshirts, and to a lesser extent, barely legal steel-mill welders. She’s stayed busy over the years, populating her resumé with interesting roles in eclectic films (The Bride, Vampire’s Kiss, Devil in the Blue Dress, Runaway Jury, Twilight of the Golds), but her turn as Bette Porter on The L Word has solidified her standing with a new generation of fans.

It’s been 25 years since Beals lit up the screen in Flashdance, as she helped to popularize leg warmers, loose-neck sweatshirts, and to a lesser extent, barely legal steel-mill welders. She’s stayed busy over the years, populating her resumé with interesting roles in eclectic films (The Bride, Vampire’s Kiss, Devil in the Blue Dress, Runaway Jury, Twilight of the Golds), but her turn as Bette Porter on The L Word has solidified her standing with a new generation of fans.

After taking some time to decompress following her h photo shoot, Beals emerges from her dressing room to meet me. She looks stunning: Her smooth, flawless features seem impervious to the passage of time. Soft-spoken and verbally precise, she projects a cultured elegance befitting a museum curator. It’s a testament to how thoroughly Beals embodies her character, who has been portraying a dean of arts at a California university in the series. Picking up on the parallel, I ask her if she catches herself doing or saying things that are decidedly Bette Porter-esque. “Definitely,” she responds. “There are certain words that I don’t normally say. Intractable. Six years ago, I wouldn’t have used that word, but it’s found its way into my vocabulary.”

Beals says she did not consider her character’s sexual orientation in her initial research of the role. Instead, she delved into Bette’s professional identity, “because work is paramount to her.” The L Word’s fairly graphic portrayal of its characters’ relationships did not faze Beals. “I didn’t really think about it,” she insists. “I imagined it would be as graphic as a heterosexual show would be.” As for preparing for a gay love scene as opposed to a straight one, she says, “There’s no difference at all, other than just trying to figure which position technically works. For me, when I’ve done love scenes or intimate scenes - however you want to characterize them, because they’re not always about love and they’re not always intimate - it’s just about the story. I didn’t think about it until the time came that I had to do the love scene. Then I thought, ‘Let’s just hope I don’t
come off as a total chump.’”

At the outset of Season One, Bette Porter seems to posses the most even-keeled presence in the cast, even though it’s perpetually career-absorbed. She’s in a committed, seven-year relationship with girlfriend Tina Kennard (Laurel Holloman), a driven Hollywood professional with a high-profile job; she and Tina are preparing to start a family. But over the next few seasons, their well-manicured façade begins to crumble, culminating with Bette kidnapping her and Tina’s child in the midst of a bitter custody dispute. This season, after a few ups and downs, Bette’s life has stabilized: She and Tina are a couple again and are trying to adopt their second child.

Working on The L Word has been a gratifying, collaborative process, says Beals. Because the show uses different directors during the season, the actors bear some responsibility for maintaining character consistency. “Obviously, [series creator Ilene Chaiken] does that, but she’s taking care of lots and lots of different characters. You’re sort of the keeper of the flame—the heart and truth of the character,” she says.

One of the greatest triumphs of the show is the fluid interaction of its ensemble cast: a collection of vivid personalities, not drenched in stereotypes, that are authentic and believable. Whether it’s a delicate balance of female energy or just guilty-pleasure frenemy drama, the chemistry is still there. Five of the core actresses – Mia Kirschner, Katherine Moennig, Leisha Hailey, Holloman, and Beals – have been with the show from the beginning. Another central figure in the show, around which intrigue and occasional controversy revolves, is “The Chart”. Created by quirky journalist Alice (Hailey), The Chart is a massive “hook-up map” that diagrams relationships and connects people like a series of gigantic constellations. The idea is that there are traceable degrees of separation within the lesbian community among commonly shared sex partners. One of the main hubs on The Chart is the androgynous Shane (Moennig), whose reputation as a serial heartbreaker has only fueled her legendary status.

Then, of course, there’s Jenny (Kirschner). She comes to L.A. a naïve – if not completely innocent – heterosexual waif who discovers her inner lesbian early on. In the fifth season, her thinly-veiled memoir of her life with the rest of the series’ cast, Lez Girls, is developed into a movie. All the while she has fluctuated from being a sympathetic figure to being a cold, calculating manipulator. And so, no huge surprise, in the final season opener, Jenny has turned up dead. The answer to who offed her and why (there is a veritable tool shed of axes to grind) will be ostensibly revealed in the remaining episodes. Plans are already in place for a spin-off series, The Farm, which is centered on Alice and set in a prison. (Whether this is a plot giveaway or coy misdirection is anyone’s guess.)

Over the years, Beals has been taking various photos on the set of the show. She’s planning on putting a book together for the cast and crew to commemorate six seasons of memories. While attending an L Word convention recently, she got the idea that making such a book available to fans could be a good vehicle for raising money for various organizations. She’s since gotten other cast members to contribute text commentary for the book as well.

Beals has become much more informed on LGBT issues due to her association with The L Word. “I had no idea – no idea – that the gay and lesbian community wasn’t included in hate-crime law,” she says. (Legislation that added gays and lesbians to federal hate-crimes law finally passed in May 2007.) On a broader spectrum, Beals believes ensuring the rights of any minority has an overall positive effect on the majority. “Once one part of the collective sees themselves represented and is given permission to celebrate their own authenticity, then it helps the rest of the collective to see how everyone is connected,” she reasons. “It behooves all of us to have everyone experience their deepest, most beautiful, most profound and powerful self, because those people are more apt to give their gift to everyone else rather than shudder in fear.”

I ask Beals if her experience on the show has caused her to reevaluate what a modern “birds and bees” talk should entail. (She has a three-year-old daughter, so the subject is still a few years off.) “It’s more inclusive,” she says. “There used to be whole realms of people who weren’t talked about—whose very existence didn’t seem worthy subject matter for pop culture. Now that’s starting to change a little bit. And so those conversations we have at home with our children about love and about sexuality will then therefore change. The first question of sexuality comes from love—who loves whom—and you realize that is the unifying principle.”

Beals is clearly energized by the new direction the country is taking, and the positive impact the Obama administration can make on the world stage. “I think we hit the breaking point and the paradigm needed to shift or we all would have perished. I know that sounds so dramatic,” she acknowledges. “The biggest shift was for people to understand that they are all agents of change.”

Beals volunteered for the Obama campaign early on in the primaries. She went to Ohio and Pennsylvania twice, working phone banks and knocking on doors. “As much of a hermit as I am, I realized after the first time I heard Obama speak that I had to become involved. He was the only candidate I saw that could bring everybody back to their most powerful self.”

A Chicago native, Beals got pegged for the career-launching role of aspiring dancer Alex Owens in Flashdance while she was studying American literature at Yale. After allowing herself a moment to recall frat house floors coated with the sticky residue of keg beer, she says, “That girl – who I was – is very dear to me,” she says. “In some ways, I was older than I am now.” An admitted perfectionist, the actress rarely watches her own work. She’s seen Flashdance “maybe one-and-a-half times.” During filming, she likes watching the dailies, because the creative process is in full swing. “I like working with the director and carving out a communal point of view,” she says. “But when it’s all put together, there’s nothing left for me to do…. I’m too harsh on myself.”

As for what comes after The L Word, Beals replies that she would consider another series if the writing measures up. Beyond that, she’s not sure. “I don’t know what the next thing is for me, what way I can be useful and creative. I’m sure it will be revealed to me—sooner rather than later.” (Sooner, indeed. Just a few days after our interview, Beals signed on to star in The Book of Eli, an action/thriller that reunites her with Devil in the Blue Dress costar Denzel Washington.)

I ask the former American lit student to name some of her favorite works. She’s a huge fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald and deems “The Great Gatsby” one of the greatest books ever written. When she’s traveling, she’ll usually have with her Walt Whitman’s “The Leaves of Grass” or Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar.” Lately, her shelves have become populated with child psychology books. Then there’s the “Twilight” series. She’s read them all. “I’ll take that to read in the trailer during shooting,” she says.

So the question remains: What is it about vampires that makes them so intriguing?
“When I was a little girl, I was afraid of the vampire, but I still didn’t understand why Lucy didn’t want to let him in.” she recalls, referring to Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”. “It’s like, he’s so much more interesting than the fiancé.
So…what’s the problem?”

While the myth of the vampire will always be cloaked in mystery, The L Word has done more than its share to bring lesbian issues and discussions of sexual identity into the light of day. And that’s a good thing—for the gay community and for society.

source: hmonthly.com

Rose Rollins - Curve Magazine March Issue

2009-02-10T04:54:00.005-05:00

credit: tdmama

season 6, episode 5: "Litmus Test"

2009-02-09T04:50:00.002-05:00

Jenny writes another script that sells; Bette and Kelly go into business; Alice and Tasha have a third-person crush in their relationship; the girls plot a sting operation to test Dylan; and, Jenny encroaches more on Shane.

Preview

Promo 1 - Another Script

Promo 2 - Whatever You Want

L Word star Clementine Ford comes out exclusively in the new issue of DIVA

2009-02-06T06:50:00.004-05:00

Clementine Ford talks exclusively to DIVA about her sexuality

“The truth is that I’m not technically out yet. There. Put that in your magazine. For me, there’s never been a distinction about anything to do with sexuality, so there was no declaration to be made. My siblings and I would bring home men and women, and as long as they were human it wasn’t a big thing.”

Her reasons for choosing to come out

“I never want to put a label on my self – but knowing that not everyone comes from such a liberal place, when something like Prop 8 [banning gay marriage in California] comes out, you realise it’s important to stand up and be counted. A little gay kid in a small town is more important than whether I want a label.”

She talks about the rumoured relationship between her and co-star Kate Moenning

“Yes, they’re tricky – and clearly we did our jobs right if there are rumours. But I hate to squash them, too. Whatever I say people are going to have their own ideas. Basically we’re really good friends now and people can draw whatever conclusions they want.”

On whether she is currently dating

“Yes, I am, but it’s new and I wouldn’t call it a relationship. I don’t want to say too much and jinx it.”

On her co-star in the L-Word and mother in real life Cybil Shepherd

“Mum and Jane (Lynch) have such a great energy together, on screen and off. They’re still friends. I want them to be together so badly; it’s my secret dream.”

The March issue will be on sales February 12, 2009.

Source: www.divamag.co.uk

Stills update

2009-02-03T10:59:00.001-05:00

Season 6, episode 4: "Leaving Los Angeles"

2009-02-02T05:49:00.004-05:00

Shane and Jenny are still melting over each other; Bette and Tina go to Nevada to meet a potential birth mother; Max is trying to deal with being pregnant; Alice and Tasha play matchmaker; and Kelly Wentworth may have what Bette needs.

604 Preview

604 Promo 1 - true to your passion

download link

604 promo 2 - being pregnant

download link

Jennifer Beals - Michigan Avenue Magazine

2009-01-29T06:37:00.004-05:00

by Michigan Avenue Magazine

Actress and Chicago native Jennifer Beals graces the high-impact cover of Michigan Avenue magazine’s 2009 Love Issue. ChicagoPride.com has an exclusive preview of the issue hitting shelves in February.

In the headline feature, 44-year-old Beals opens up about playing a lesbian on The L Word, and how her views of the GLBT community have changed since taking the role and forever being associated with Flashdance.

Here’s an inside look from the must-read interview:

MA: You could have never predicted the impact you’d have on the gay community, playing a lesbian on The L Word. Were you nervous about taking on the role?

JB: I just thought it was a great part, and I didn’t even think about the love scenes. I was so committed to preparing for the whole work story, because so much of Bette’s life is work. What does it mean to run an art gallery? That was the focus—and then I realized, In two days I’m shooting a love scene and I don’t have a friggin’ clue what I’m doing. I’m going to be outed as such a hetero chump! And then I thought, I just have to relax.

MA: Lesbianism seems to be more culturally accepted these days. Do you think The L Word is partially responsible?

JB: I think in some ways it has shifted, but with Proposition 8 passing it clearly hasn’t shifted enough. I was really disappointed but I also realized it’s a matter of education and exposure. For me it was a lesson in campaign organization—or disorganization, if you will. The opposition was fired up and organized. You can’t wait until you realize your opponent has $15 million in the bank; you have to frame your argument right away. All the numbers show the younger generation supports same-sex marriage, so it is inevitable. Someday people will look back and say, “I can’t believe there was a time all people couldn’t get married.”

MA: You’re quite revered in the gay community. There are websites, blogs, and a Wikipedia entry dedicated to your character. How does your husband feel about being married to a gay icon?

JB: We don’t talk about it—it’s just part of my work. I don’t say, “Hey honey, the gay icon is home!”

The full interview and amazing fashion photography will be available in the Love Issue of Michigan Avenue magazine available in February.

Beals will be in Chicago on February 9th to host the new Michigan Avenue magazine February issue event at The Peninsula Hotel. Entertainment Editor Michael Roberts will attend the red carpet event and provide full coverage on ChicagoPride.com.

source: ChicagoPride.com

Review: 'The L Word' who is 'Least Likely' to be happy?

2009-01-25T22:49:00.001-05:00

By Jennifer Thomas

Spoilers ahead if you haven't seen the second episode of this season's "The L Word.") If Season 6 of "The L Word" was part of the Chinese New Year, it might be the year of the psycho. Since Jenny (Mia Kirshner) will die this season, various characters are being set up as potential suspects. (And it's not being done in a very subtle way -- get used to hearing the phrase "I hate Jenny" or "I could kill Jenny" a lot this season.) In "Least Likely," the No. 1 suspect is definitely Niki (Kate French), although that seems a little obvious.

It's interesting how everything is coming back to the first season in the series' last season, with Jenny now playing the Marina role -- she's the older, wiser, woman taking advantage of a younger, unstable girl. Did anyone else find it hard not to laugh when Niki threw her "I hate Jenny" tantrum on the balcony? All she needed was to be twirling a mustache next to a woman tied to some railroad tracks for her to be the perfect silent movie villain. [read more]

season 6, episode 3: "LMFAO"

2009-01-25T21:26:00.007-05:00

The negative of "Lez Girls" goes missing; Shane's guilt from her intimate moment with Niki leads to her incessant apologizing to Jenny; Alice's feelings are hurt when Jenny denounces her desire to write a screenplay; Phyllis lets Bette in on a suppressed secret; and it's opening night at Kit and Helena's new club, HIT!

603 Preivew

Promo 1 - Stolen Negative

download link

promo 2 - The Future is Now

download link

"I am an Actor and I'm a Vegetarian" - featuring Daniela Sea

2009-01-23T13:27:00.003-05:00

Order a FREE 'Vegetarian Starter Kit' at GoVeg.com.
After learning what happens to animals raised and killed for food, The L Word's Daniela Sea made the decision to stop eating animals because they are not ours to torture and dominate.

: L Word Set Dec and Production Equipment Auction

2009-01-22T17:38:00.006-05:00

After 6 seasons of shooting this hugely popular t.v. series, the production of The L Word has been stopped and all contents of this over 30,000 square foot facility will be sold with no minimum price.

Auction Details
Designer clothing, designer shoes, furniture, home and restaurant decor items, several Genie Boom lifts, forklifts, lrg. qty. of warehouse racking, office furniture, restaurant equipment, production tents, hundreds of folding tables and chairs, and much much more. Full equipment and set dec inventories along with hundreds of pictures will be posted over the next few weeks.

Bette & Tina’s House

Bedroom – Bette & Tina’s King size Bed, High boy Chest(6 Drawer), Low Boy Chest (6 Drawer)

Dining Room – Le Corbusier Style Glass Dining Table

Bathroom – x2 Stainless Steel Vessel Sinks including Marble counter, Roll Top acrylic Tub with Cedar Japanese inspired stand, Towel Ladder, Stainless Steel and glass Bathroom Shelf

Patio – Mid-century Iron Table with matching Chairs, Pretzel style 50’s Bar

Shane & Jenny’s House

Living Rm – Leather 70’s style sling sofa

Dining Rm – Mid-century Teak Dining Table with Draw Leaves and 4 chairs,

Large 70’s wall unit with lots of storage, 50’s black veneer sideboard

Jenny’s Room – Upholstered Queen sized bed, night tables, lamps, LeCourbousier 2 seater white leather sofa

Kitchen – mid-century pedestal table and 4 Lucite and metal Director’s Chairs

Alice’s Apt

Bedroom – Queen sized Teak headboard and night tables, 6 drawer low boy, drop front teak desk

Kitchen – vintage 50’s pink & black arborite table with 4 chairs, 20’s built-in bookshelf with leaded glass doors

Planet – Kit Porters, one of our main characters, retuarant, bar, club

50 mid century bar chairs that have been stripped, automotive paint applied and reupholstered, faux burl finished kidney shaped restaurant table tops x 15, 2 faux burl oval tables, mid century teak ultrasuede upholstered sectional, 22 armless upholstered chairs, small burled tables, bar stools, x 6 marble tables from patio, 30 exterior planet chairs, dishware, barware, coolers, artwork, carpets

The Shebar – Florida inspired night club/café

Shimmer screen Ball & Chain Curtain for club, 29 running feet, 8 ft high, 3 hanging bubble chairs, x 8 white Italian barstools, lighting

The Hit Club – Main characters Moroccan inspired night club

Hanging Moroccan lights ( 72 hanging glass & brass Lights, 2 @ 42” High, solid Brass, 3 @ 27” high, 9 @ 22’ high, 27 @ 17” tall 11 @ 19” tall, 20 @ 10” high, 40 low upholstered stools, various low Moroccan tables, screens, daybeds x 3, sumptuous cushions, 20 High Bar stools wood base with woven wicker top, 80 panels of Various Fabrics @ 10’ drop, 3 30” high tables, various shelves, Indian Window Frames Vintage, Moroccan Mirrors, Planters

click here for more info.

Sneek preview of TLW Season 6

2009-01-19T17:12:00.000-05:00

TLW Season 6 Premiere Preshow talk

2009-01-19T17:08:00.000-05:00

season 6, episode 2: "Least Likely"

2009-01-19T05:51:00.004-05:00

Bette and Tina talk about expanding their family and beginning a new life but the plan could be ruined when Bette bumps into an old friend with dangerous potential; Alice and Tasha ponder their compatibility as they seek counseling; an old flame appears sending Helena reeling; and Max is faced with an extraordinary situation.

602 Preview

Promo 1 - Tune Up

Download Link

Promo 2 - Eveyone Get Out

Download Link

Jennifer Beals: "The Bonnie Hunt Show"

2009-01-16T16:36:00.001-05:00

credit: jbealsfan

preview - jennifer beals on The Bonnie Hunt Show

2009-01-16T06:38:00.002-05:00

Some people find coming down the fire pole scary, Jennifer found it fun. Jennifer Beals will be on "The Bonnie Hunt Show" Friday, January 16, 2009.

source: http://www.bonniehunt.com

season 6, episode 1: "Long Night's Journey Into Day"

2009-01-14T00:17:00.006-05:00

Last season's spontaneous steamy moment between Shane and Nikki leads Jenny to confess the identity of her true love and complicates the group's future dynamics. On the sixth and final season of THE L WORD®, careers evolve, relationships are tested and friendships end in murder. It begins with Jenny found dead! As a result, everyone's lives are turned upside down leaving all the friends despondent but also suspects — who did it and how did it happen? Flashbacks of the months leading up to the murder will be the only way to put the pieces together to learn why.

promo 1 - Jenny is Dead

Promo 2 - Profoundly Sorry

Pam Grier Ready to "Drop More Seeds of Tolerance"

2009-01-11T17:39:00.001-05:00

As The L Word's sixth and final season draws closer -- it begins January 18 on Showtime -- Pam Grier is reflective about her time with the show.

"England, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand, so many countries are starting to see The L Word," she tells the Chattanooga Times Free Press. "I'm happy to be a part of that historical significance."

Grier, along with costar Jennifer Beals, was one of the most recognizable faces on The L Word when it premiered in 2004. The former star of cult favorites Foxy Brown and Coffy, Grier stepped into unchartered territory with The L Word, a drama about glamorous lesbians in Los Angeles. Grier plays Kit Porter, the heterosexual sister of Beals's gay character. Grier says she's proud of the groundbreaking program, even though she endured "quite hostile" e-mails for being part of a gay-themed show.

"In the black community -- I can't really say 'black community' anymore because it's so fragmented -- there's some taboo on homosexuality," she tells the newspaper. "It might come from the church; I don't know. I would like to see more acceptance, of course. If people watch The L Word because of me, if I'm the impetus of that, then I'm glad. You never know what influence you have." She added that she hopes to "drop more seeds of tolerance, loving, caring, and understanding."

source: Advocate.com

[read more]

Big Questions

2009-01-09T23:39:00.002-05:00

What will happen on this season of The L Word?

Showtime's Who Killed * **** Short (spoilarrrr alert)

2008-12-18T23:33:00.003-05:00

INTERVIEWS WITH Jennifer Beals, Laurel Holloman, Kate Moennig, Rachel Shelley as The L Word comes to an end.

2008-12-17T17:42:00.005-05:00

IT SEEMS HARD TO BELIEVE that five years have passed since The L Word made its huge debut on Showtime, bringing gay women out of the supporting role closet and to the foreground as primetime leading ladies.

We have put together some interesting facts, characters profiles, and recaps of every episode, from season 1 up to now. As the sixth and final season of this groundbreaking series gets set to air on January 18, 2009, we at She felt there was no better way to send it off in-style than to talk with some of the women who brought us episode after episode of The L Word to love.

JENNIFER BEALS:
Did you ever think that this show would give you such a big comeback, and that it would be in a gay role?
I don’t look to have a comeback or an impact on anybody, other than myself. It’s about following the story and what story is meaningful to me and what I connect with. That’s my biggest criteria. The mortgage is maybe a distant second.
You can’t help but notice that almost every character has had either semi-nude or full-nude scenes on the show except for you. Was that a personal choice?
I didn’t think it was necessary. I think I’ve effectively conveyed Bette’s sense of intimacy and sexuality without showing nudity.

LAUREL HOLLOMAN:
Being a mom in real life and in the show, what differences or obstacles, if any, did you find between a straight and gay mother?
The main problem is that there should be a gay marriage. But basically, I don’t know how much I can say without giving things away. Let’s just say going to the hospital and being not legally married, one mother, the birth mother, which would be Tina, gets recognized before that. And that’s a problem, and a straight mother does not have to deal with that.

[read more]

source: She Magazine

Jennifer Beals Thrown a Curve By 'L Word' Final Season Change

2008-12-17T17:35:00.002-05:00

Jennifer Beals reveals she was "completely" surprised to find out that the final season of her "The L Word" series has been transformed into flashbacks. She admits to this column that she's been thrown "a little off-balance by it. It seemed very different from what we had done prior, but you kind of roll with the flow. We'll see what happens."

Asked whether she likes the way her Bette Porter character's storyline has been handled, she says, "I don't know how the show has been edited. It's completely different from the way we shot it, in a way, since it's all being shown as flashbacks."

The Showtime series, returning Jan. 18, completed its production in October, and "they just recently put the trailers together," she notes. She did not learn of the change from the producers. "Somebody else told me -- Rachel," she says, referring to cast mate Rachel Shelley.

read more

Season 6 Cast Photos

2008-12-17T17:19:00.007-05:00

Season 6 Cast Photos and HQ Photos (credit: Dorothy Surrenders)

Season 6 Episode 1

2008-12-17T05:03:00.003-05:00

Episode 1

Please DO NOT repost these on another site without permission. Thank you :)

credit: saabstory13

Go Magazine - December 2008 issue

2008-12-12T17:57:00.004-05:00

source: Go Magazine - Out With A Bang
credit: bendrix731, twop

Director Bios

2008-12-11T06:46:00.002-05:00

ILENE CHAIKEN (Executive Producer/Writer and director of Episode 601 “Long Night’s Journey Into Day” and Episode 608 “Last Word”)

ILENE CHAIKEN has accomplished extraordinary range and versatility throughout her career as a writer and producer working in film and television and continues to defy all boundaries. With a penchant for storytelling and a passion for her community, Chaiken has been a pioneer in the portrayal of lesbians on television. Chaiken has worked openly as a lesbian in Hollywood for more than 25 years and is internationally known as one of the creators of the groundbreaking SHOWTIME series THE L WORD®, which debuted in January 2004.

Chaiken made her directorial debut in season two’s final episode, and has continued to direct episodes of the series since.

THE L WORD® has grown into a cultural phenomenon, giving a worldwide audience of both gay and straight fans the opportunity to get a glimpse into the complex lives and relationships of a group of LGBT friends and lovers. Since the creation and subsequent success of the series, Chaiken has been recognized as one of Power Up’s “Top 10 Lesbians in Hollywood,” and as one of OUT magazine’s “100 Most Powerful Gay People in Hollywood.”

Chaiken’s other writing credits include the SHOWTIME Original Pictures “Damaged Care” and “Dirty Pictures,” which won a Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Movie in 2000. Chaiken’s feature film work includes “Barb Wire,” starring Pamela Anderson. Prior to her writing career, Chaiken was an executive for Aaron Spelling Productions and Quincy Jones Productions.

In January 2007, Chaiken and a small group of prominent women from the entertainment and technology worlds launched OurChart.com, a fully-featured social networking and media site on the Web for lesbians and their friends. In March 2006, THE L WORD®: Welcome to Our Planet was published by Simon & Schuster with excerpts throughout the book by Chaiken.

ROSE TROCHE (Episode 602 “Least Likely”; Episode 604 “Leaving Los Angeles” and Episode 607 “Last Couple Standing”)

ROSE TROCHE is the award-winning writer/director of “Go Fish,” “Bedrooms and Hallways” and “The Safety of Objects.” Her work in television includes the Emmy® award-winning, “Six Feet Under,” “Touching Evil,” “South of Nowhere,” and “Ugly Betty.” She is set to direct Ariel Shrag's adaptation of her autobiographical graphic novel, “Potential,” and is finishing work on her original screenplay, “Matty Tadeau's In Love,” as well as developing a series for television based on the graphic novel by acclaimed writer, Brian Wood, entitled “The New York Four.”

ANGELA ROBINSON (Episode 603 “LMFAO” and Episode 605 “Litmus Test”)

ANGELA ROBINSON first caught Hollywood's attention when her indie feature, "D.E.B.S.," premiered at the Sundance Film Festival – a film she wrote, directed and edited. "D.E.B.S." launched her career and subsequently Walt Disney Pictures approached her to direct the feature "Herbie: Fully Loaded," starring Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton and Matt Dillon. Upcoming projects for Robinson include “Pledged" for Paramount and "Witches" for Disney Studios. Girltrash!, a graphic novel based on her web-series of the same name will be published by Random House in May 2009.

JOHN STOCKWELL (Episode 606 “Lactose Intolerant”)

JOHN STOCKWELL has established himself as an actor, writer and director. Some of his television directing credits include “Cheaters,” “Rocky Point” and the feature films “Crazy/Beautiful,” “Blue Crush,” “Into the Blue,” “Turistas,” and most recently "Middle of Nowhere."

Guest Star Bios

2008-12-11T06:40:00.002-05:00

KATE FRENCH (Niki Stevens) was born in Flemington, New Jersey, and raised on Long Island with her three siblings. Her parents, Joan and Rob French, were both fashion models and her stepfather is a fashion photographer. Following in her parents' footsteps, French pursued a career in modeling but always had a passion for acting. She first appeared on the big screen in 2006 with a small role in the film “Accepted,” and later had a starring role as ‘Brooke Crawford’ in the primetime soap opera "Wicked Wicked Games" which was her first appearance on the small screen. French attended the University of California in Santa Barbara, and is an aspiring writer in addition to her acting career.

Born in New Zealand, LUCY LAWLESS (Sergeant Marybeth Duffy) has always had a passion for acting. As fate would have it, Lawless was picked on the spot when an American actress pulled out of the role of “Xena.” At that time, she was just a guest character on “Hercules, the Legendary Journeys,” which was filming in her hometown. The character struck a chord with audiences and spun off into her own series. Since then, Lawless has played “Rizzo” on Broadway, hosted “Saturday Night Live,” pulverized Calista Flockhart on “Celebrity Deathmatch,” and saved Bart and Lisa on “The Simpsons.” Roles on “X-Files” and “Battlestar Galactica” cemented her cult-TV status. However, it was “Celebrity Duets” in October of 2006 that propelled Lawless in a new creative direction. On the final night, when she got to sing a song of her own choice called “Tell Mama!” Since then, she has performed sold-out shows at the famed Roxy in Los Angeles and the Canal Room in New York.

ELIZABETH BERKLEY (Kelly Wentworth) is a versatile and accomplished actress, on stage, screen and television. On the big screen, Berkley starred in Dylan Kidd’s critically acclaimed “Roger Dodger,” which screened at the Toronto Film Festival, won Best Feature Narrative at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the Don Quixote, FIPRESCI, and Luigi DeLaurentiis Awards at the Venice Film Festival. She also starred in “Moving Malcolm,” “Curse of the Jade Scorpion,” “Any Given Sunday,” “The First Wives Club,” “Showgirls,” “The Real Blonde,” and recently completed David Arquette’s 3-D film “The Butler’s In Love.” Other recent projects include “S. Darko,” a continuation of “Donnie Darko,” and “Women in Trouble” directed by Sebastian Gutierrez opposite Josh Brolin and Carla Gugino. Berkley is currently appearing weekly on TV’s highly rated “CSI: Miami” as recurring character ‘Julia Winston,’ as well as hosting Bravo’s hit dance show “Step It Up And Dance.” Past television roles include “Without a Trace,” “Law & Order,” “NYPD Blue,” and her breakout role as ‘Jessie Spano’ on four seasons of “Saved by the Bell.” She has starred in two Lifetime films, “Student Seduction” and “Dark Beauty.” On stage, Berkley garnered rave reviews for her Broadway debut in “Sly Fox,” opposite Richard Dreyfuss and Eric Stoltz, and for her role in “Hurlyburly” opposite Ethan Hawke. She also starred opposite Eddie Izzard in Sir Peter Hall’s West End production of “Lenny” and received critical praise for her portrayal of ‘Honey Harlow’ during the show’s successful six-month run at the Queen’s Theater.

ROGER CROSS’s (Emcee Sunset Blvd. / Sonny) feature film credits include “The Day The Earth Stood Still,” “Noah’s Ark: The New Beginning,” “Mad Money,” “World Trade Center,” “King’s Ransom,” “Beautiful Joe,” “Chronicles of Riddick,” and “X2: X-Men United.” Cross won a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance as ‘Curtis Manning’ in the hit Fox series “24.” Cross has also been seen in Steven Spielberg’s “Taken,” Francis Ford Coppola’s “First Wave,” “Peacemaker,” “Bionic Woman,” and several episodes of “Outer Limits” and “The 4400.”

MEI MELANCON (Jamie Chen) is a new character on THE L WORD®. She recently wrapped filming the feature “Shrink,” starring opposite Kevin Spacey and Robin Williams. Melancon recently starred in the Bigfoot independent production of “Irreversi,” Lakeshore’s “Pathology,” and “Fold” a film by Ghost House Pictures. Melancon grew up mainly in Japan; her mother is of French heritage and her father is Japanese and Chinese. While having a successful modeling career, she began studying with various acting coaches in 2003 and soon began getting parts in shows such as “CSI” and “Deadwood.” She caught her big break when Brett Ratner cast her in the role of ‘Psylocke,’ a mutant assassin in the hit feature film “X-Men: The Last Stand.”

About the Show

2008-12-10T17:13:00.002-05:00

THE L WORD® 601: “LONG NIGHT’S JOURNEY INTO DAY”

Last season’s spontaneous steamy moment between Shane (Katherine Moennig) and Nikki (Kate French) leads Jenny (Mia Kirshner) to confess the identity of her true love and complicates the group’s future dynamics. On the sixth and final season of THE L WORD®, careers evolve, relationships are tested and friendships end in murder. It begins with Jenny found dead! As a result, everyone’s lives are turned upside down leaving all the friends despondent but also suspects – who did it and how did it happen? Flashbacks of the months leading up to the murder will be the only way to put the pieces together to learn why.

THE L WORD® 602: “LEAST LIKELY”

Bette (Jennifer Beals) and Tina (Laurel Holloman) talk about expanding their family and beginning a new life but the plan could be ruined when Bette bumps into an old friend with dangerous potential; Alice (Leisha Hailey) and Tasha (Rose Rollins) ponder their compatibility as they seek counseling; an old flame appears sending Helena (Rachel Shelley) reeling; and Max (Daniela Sea) is faced with an extraordinary situation.

THE L WORD® 603: “LMFAO”

The negative of “Lez Girls” goes missing; Shane’s incessant apologizing to Jenny finally gets noticed; Alice’s feelings are hurt when Jenny denounces her desire to write a screenplay; Phyllis (Cybill Shepherd) lets Bette in on a suppressed secret; and it’s opening night at Kit (Pam Grier) and Helena’s new club, HIT!

THE L WORD® 604: “LEAVING LOS ANGELES”

Shane and Jenny are still melting over each other; Bette and Tina go to Nevada to meet a potential birth mother; Max is trying to deal with being pregnant; Alice and Tasha play matchmaker; and Kelly Wentworth (Elizabeth Berkley) may have what Bette needs.

THE L WORD® 605: “LITMUS TEST”

Jenny writes another script that sells; Bette and Kelly go into business; Alice and Tasha have a third-wheel crush; the girls plot a sting operation to test Dylan; and, Jenny encroaches more on Shane.

THE L WORD® 606: “LACTOSE INTOLERANT”

Jenny throws a baby shower for Max; Bette and Tina hit a roadblock in the adoption process; Bette goes solo to her gallery’s opening night celebration leading Kelly to go in for the kill; Shane is feeling boxed in by Jenny; and Alice starts to feel like three is a crowd.

THE L WORD® 607: “LAST COUPLE STANDING”

The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center dance marathon is on; someone is moving to the Big Apple; rumors fly fast around the dance floor that Alice and Tasha may be in couple trouble; The HIT!’s Sunset Blvd makes a shocking revelation to Kit; and there’s a no-show at the bus station.

THE L WORD 608: “LAST WORD”

In the final episode of the series, what starts out as a celebration of friendship quickly ends in a web of betrayal and deceit; the girls find themselves in the slammer with Sergeant Duffy (Lucy Lawless); and the investigation into Jenny’s death begins…

Season 6 - Production Notes

2008-12-10T17:11:00.001-05:00

Ever since THE L WORD® exploded six years ago into living rooms across the country, Showtime Networks’ landmark series has continued to take center stage in the hearts and minds of legions of fans. The groundbreaking series has become a pop culture icon that has put its indelible stamp on the political/social and entertainment landscape as it has brought the lesbian community into the fold of mainstream’s consciousness – eliciting controversy, pride, empowerment and conversation.

On Sunday, January 18 at 9 PM ET/PT, THE L WORD® begins its sixth and final season on SHOWTIME. For creator, writer and executive producer Ilene Chaiken, the direction and goal of the series has always been very clearly defined to provide the lesbian community a voice and sense of place in society at large.

“We set out to tell good stories, to entertain and to aspire to the same success that anyone else hopes for who is making a primetime television show,” says Chaiken. “In that journey, we found how the show became incredibly meaningful to a great many lesbians around the country and all over the world – to be represented in popular culture, to be represented as glamorous, as sexual, as affluent, as intelligent, as educated, as interesting, as romantic, as all of the things that heterosexual people have had role models for.”

As in previous seasons, THE L WORD® revolves around the lives of a tight-knit group of women living in Los Angeles, women who are all trying to navigate and learn from where life and love takes them. In its sixth and final season, if there has been any shift in tone from previous seasons, it may be that within eight episodes, the writers were able to capture and deliver the intimacy that fans may feel reminiscent of the pilot. Chaiken acknowledges the special relationship that the show has had with its fans. “We knew we were doing a final season and that was a real gift from SHOWTIME since a lot of times you are never given that opportunity, so we really thought carefully about what we wanted to say and how we wanted to go out,” says Chaiken. “We wanted to tell a story in which there was a real sense of ‘on-goingness’ because we wanted the audience to feel that these characters will live on beyond the show. I would say the biggest difference between Season 1 and Season 6 is that in this last season, we never stopped thinking about the integral conversation that we are having with the fans of the show and the world at large. They have an impact on us and we wanted to keep reflecting that dynamic.”

Rewarding fans this season is the highly anticipated reconciliation between Bette (Jennifer Beals) and Tina (Laurel Holloman), an intense relationship that has been as turbulent and troubled as it has been loving and nurturing. “It was really important to us to get it right,” exclaims Beals. “Getting the depth of that reconnection between Bette and Tina was everything and we really wanted to honor the fans who have been so passionate about Bette and Tina and who have waited so long to see if they would get back together. For many of the show’s devotees, Bette and Tina’s relationship hit a deep emotional chord and the characters became the quintessential couple that everyone rallied around and looked up to.”

Actor Rachel Shelley, who plays Helena Peabody, understands the appeal, “It has to be Bette and Tina, their relationship with all the ups and downs, their love for each other and the undeniable chemistry between them.” she contends. “Everybody can see they are meant to be together – they really were the orbit that the rest of us all revolved around. I think in real life we look to those kinds of relationships because they make you optimistic, because when you’ve met your soul mate, you’re meant to be together and that is Bette and Tina.”

As in previous seasons, humor and drama envelops the core cast of characters. Alice (Leisha Hailey) and Tasha (Rose Rollins) test the boundaries and frailties of love; Jenny’s (Mia Kirshner) tangled web of complexities unravels which leads to her ultimate demise; Shane (Katherine Moennig) tries to change her life-long behavior of breaking hearts; Max (Daniela Sea) comes face to face with parenthood; while Kit (Pam Grier) and Helena (Rachel Shelley) forge a new friendship that transcends their business venture.

Striking a balance between the serious elements of the larger political and social storylines that the show tackles and the comedic situations can be tough. But just as much emotional investment came into play knowing that this was the final season. THE L WORD® will deliver what is bound to be one of the most memorable scenes to date – one where Alice (Leisha Hailey) heads up a dance marathon to benefit the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center. With each character teaming up with a partner to perform specific dance routines from past eras, the cast quickly discovered they had an appetite for strutting their stuff.

Hailey, as with all the cast, says the dance numbers are high on everyone’s “Top Ten List” of favorite L WORD® moments. “Alice throws a giant party where it’s a twelve-hour, stay up as long as you can, dancing competition and all of us dress up in costumes to match our routines. Soon after we started practicing in front of each other on set, all of a sudden there was all this whispering going on like, ‘Oh my God, have you seen Jennifer and Laurel? They are so good!’ The last two days before we started shooting the episode, we all became seriously competitive and it became incredibly funny.”

Rising to the challenge of learning the samba with Holloman, Beals says the rigors of daily rehearsals with the choreographer was soon outweighed by the magic of the getting the steps right and being totally in the groove. “It’s one of my most favorite episodes of the whole six years and it was nothing short of hilarious,” says Beals. “Some of these girls can really dance and I think we all started thinking about taking up dancing careers because we all loved it so much. [Series guest star] Marlee Matlin of course pulled the rug out from under us, as she’s phenomenal. It was so much fun to watch everybody practice their dances and to see how deep they got into it.”

Just as in real life, THE L WORD® has proven that art does imitate life more often than not. After six years of being together, the real life experiences of the core cast sometimes spilled over into their characters’ story arcs and vice versa with marriages, deaths, births, break-ups and falling in love all being part of the experiences.

Katherine Moennig, who plays heartthrob Shane, feels that THE L WORD® resonated with audiences because of the closeness that developed between the cast members, who many times lived next door to each other. “The chemistry that fans picked up on between these characters is reflective of our relationships off-set because we became really close friends,” she says. “That camaraderie isn’t fake and it transferred onto the screen. What’s cool is that our friendships happened very organically – six months of the year we were on location in Vancouver, so we really depended on each other a lot as we didn’t have family and friends from home around.”

THE L WORD® is undoubtedly a history-making endeavor that has broken down barriers and put another few thousand cracks in the glass ceiling. Chaiken shares her feelings on being behind the helm of one of television’s most successful shows. “This show has been a huge piece of me because it consumes your life, but THE L WORD® has been more meaningful than it might have otherwise been because of the numbers of people who have come to us to tell us that the show has made a positive difference in their lives. It’s been a big job, a consuming job, an exhausting job but it’s also been the most gratifying experience that a writer or creator could ever want.”

Pam Grier who plays Kit Porter, Bette’s half-sister, feels that it’s been very humbling and special to be part of something that is much bigger and broader than just another television show. “I think all of us feel so honored to have been a part of something that will go on and continue to influence generations and is recognized as a pop culture icon,” Grier says. “THE L WORD® really is an exploration of relationships and it hopefully opened people’s hearts and eyes up to what really matters in life and that is the way you love someone unconditionally and in turn are loved for yourself. I have learned so much from being involved in this show and I’ve met friends for life – I am so much better informed than I was when I came on to do the pilot so it’s had a huge impact on me personally, as well as professionally.”

Rose Lam, executive producer for THE L WORD’s® whole six-year run, says it’s those Sunday night “L WORD® parties” and conversations around the dinner table that she finds the most rewarding part of the journey. “I’m so thankful that I’ve been involved in a show that has brought people together,” says Lam. “Whether it’s my husband and I talking to our young sons at dinner about what does ‘gay’ mean or all those fans [gay and straight] that get together on Sundays to watch the show. THE L WORD® has provided a platform for dialogue and that’s incredibly exciting.”

Just as THE L WORD® tackled serious issues such as breast cancer, the Army’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and transgender surgery, the show also hit a huge note in the fashion world. By the second season, THE L WORD® became synonymous with the term “Lesbian Chic.” Costumer designer Cynthia Summers feels that the series tore down old stereotypes and exposed the fashion world to a new and affluent consumer, as well as offering style tips to a new generation of lesbians. “It’s so great and unique when you get to work on a long-running series because you get the time to offer different things to audiences. Obviously there are political/cultural reasons why some people watch the show, then there are others that love the humor and drama of our characters and other viewers want to see what the girls are wearing this week.”

As the characters evolved and matured, so did their fashion sense and, as Summers explains with some characters, fashion became an integral part of self-expression and empowerment. “I think in Season 2 we started to challenge the way lesbians think they should look or a need to look a certain way to be identified as a lesbian,” she reveals. “We brought all of those views to the table and said ‘Okay, let’s take this and run with it.’ Instead of dressing Bette as the stereotype butch professional, we thought of showcasing other possibilities because there’s a whole world out there of professional lesbians that are dressed to the nines. First of all, Bette is a woman and why not bring in some masculine and feminine aspects into the way she dresses? So Jennifer Beals’ character gave the ‘power suit’ a whole new meaning.”

Beals says that there is at least one piece of wardrobe that holds special nostalgia for her: “The white suit from the pilot will always live in my memory. “That suit was the first send off to Bette’s suit-land and those wonderful cufflinks will stay dear to my heart. All the clothes were really gorgeous, but that suit really was a defining look.”

However bitter sweet the cast may feel about wrapping up six years together, there is one thing they are eagerly looking forward to and that is buying up all the pieces of wardrobe that they’ve had their eyes on all season. “Oh my God, the clothes!” gushes Grier. “At the end of every season, we all make a beeline to Cynthia’s office to see what we can buy up so one way or the other, my character, Kit, is always with me and she’s had some wild outfits over the years!”

When the pink curtain finally closes on one of television’s most groundbreaking series, one that permeated America’s cultural narrative, Holloman sums up the sentiments of all those who felt privileged to be part of this extraordinary experience. “I get blown away when I think of how far this show has gone around the world, how many people have been affected by the stories we’ve told. THE L WORD® has been my life for six years and the ‘L’ word means a lot of things for different people, but for me it’s LOVE – it has always been and will always continue to be about love!”

Spoiler Alert!

2008-12-08T17:54:00.002-05:00

Ilene Chaiken and Showtime spoil their own show

'L Word' is killing 1 of its major characters (Spoiler Alert)

2008-12-05T17:27:00.005-05:00

lNEW YORK – Dead is the word when "The L Word" returns.

Showtime's drama about a circle of lesbian friends and lovers is going to kill off one of its major characters on the premiere of its sixth — and final — season.

The victim is Jenny Schecter, Showtime has disclosed. Jenny, a would-be writer and accomplished two-timer, has long been embraced by fans as the character they most love to hate.

The episode, which airs January 18, begins with a splash as Jenny's body is discovered in a swimming pool. Accident, or murder — and whodunit? Viewers will have to wait for those answers.

Meanwhile, she won't be absent from the show: The remainder of the season is heavy with flashbacks of Jenny (played by Mia Kirshner) in the swim with her enemies and pals.

source: news.yahoo.com
~~~

When Showtime's series The L Word returns for its sixth (and final) season, one of its major characters will bite the big one.

Straight, then gay, Jenny Schecter (actress Mia Kirshner) -- who found herself as a writer and became one of the most annoying characters on cable -- will be found dead in a swimming pool when the series returns on January 18.

The producers aren't saying whether it was homicide, accident, or suicide. We're guessing Norma Desmond is not responsible.

But y'never know.
~~~
'The L Word': Someone dies. Welcome to season 6!

Don't worry, it's not Dawn Dembo or her lover Cindi. Quit clutching your pearls, I know you were terrified. After the jump, the unlucky lady who gets to start off The L Word's sixth and final season face-down in a swimming pool...

You can watch the first two minutes of the season 6 premiere at Showtime's website. (Hot cop! New character!) Jenny's dead, BUT! Mia Kirschner will be present throughout the season via flashbacks. Buzzkill?

Many EW staffers seem psyched that sinister, mangy weep puppy Jenny will get what's been comin' to her, probably since that time she thought she could be a waitress for like a day in season 2. (She was an even worse waitress than I was, and I once spilled a Diet Coke on a baby.) Does anyone else appreciate Jenny? I mean, I'd never want to go anywhere near her, but I'm glad she's a TV character because she's such a laughable mess and has huge green eyes. Your loyal PopWatch recapper Nicholas Fonseca and I think they should have killed Kit instead. What about you?

~~~

Showtime drama announces plan to axe major character

The L Word is getting all Twin Peaks on us for its sixth and final season. Showtime has announced that the drama--centered on a group of lesbian friends and set in Los Angeles--will be killing off one of its main characters at the start of its January 18 premiere. We know who the unlucky victim is, so read no further if you're afraid of spoilers!

Okay, here's the deal: Jenny Schecter is going to die! The body of the much-maligned character (played by Mia Kirshner) will be found floating in a swimming pool during the first moments of the premiere, and how she got there is anyone's guess. Accident? Suicide? Murder? If so, who's the killer? These questions and more will be answered, but it may take all season to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Fortunately for Jenny fans, the brooding young writer will be making some calculated visits from beyond the grave. Producers have promised frequent flashback scenes of Jenny at her not-dead-yet best, and we imagine those scenes will prove instrumental in the solving of her case.

So what's your take on this strange turn of events? Are you sad to see Jenny go, or is she finally getting what she deserves? Is The L Word jumping the proverbial shark, or was this a stroke of writerly genius? Jump into the comments section and let us know!

The L Word returns to Showtime on Sunday, January 18, at 9 p.m.

hmmm check this out! When Xbox Live Avatars and The L Word Collide

2008-12-05T05:13:00.002-05:00

Yes we've been at it again with casting The L Word in video games. You may recall our L Word in MySims article from ages back? Well with the "New Xbox Experience" released recently we wondered what the L Word cast might look like and what they'd be doing hanging out on Xbox Live.

With this in mind we've put together a full article and images of all your favorite L Word characters in Xbox Avatar form, along with a blurb about their gaming habits. You can check it out at the link below:

The L Word does Xbox Avatars.

source: lesbiangamers.com

Showtime Signs New Licensing Agreements for Hit Shows

2008-12-02T17:04:00.001-05:00

NEW YORK, December 2: Showtime Networks has added to its roster of licensees with products for the hit series Dexter, The Tudors and The L Word.

Showtime, working with its licensing agency, 360ep, has signed deals with four companies for Dexter-branded products. Breygent Marketing will be introducing trading cards, CID Distribution will take on apparel internationally, Universe Publishing will be distributing a 2010 wall calendar and Global Prints is developing greeting cards. Global Prints will also be marketing posters and greeting cards for The Tudors and greeting cards for The L Word.

The trading cards, featuring seasons one and two, will be released in early 2009, while products from CID Distribution will be available later this year. Global Prints will introduce the greeting cards next year and the calendar will be available in late 2009. The Tudors posters are available now and The L Word greeting cards are in development.

The L Word: Season 6: Cast Commentary

2008-12-01T00:15:00.001-05:00

credit: lhollomanfan

Crime Scene

2008-11-25T12:23:00.000-05:00

Take a look at the first moment of L Word Season 6.

Season 6 tiny tiny stills ;P

2008-11-24T21:29:00.007-05:00

sorry guys I don't have HQ yet .... soon i hope ;) more of the tiny winy stills here :)

~~~

Mia Kirshne - I live Here

2008-11-24T19:31:00.002-05:00

by nicole powers

The L Word's Mia Kirshner takes the plight of refugees and the displaced personally. As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and the daughter of a father born in a displaced persons camp in Germany shortly after World War II and a mother who's a Bulgarian Jewish refugee, it would be hard not to.

Born and raised in Toronto, Mia studied Russian and English Literature at Montreal’s prestigious McGill University, before taking on the role of actress.

Never one to shy away from difficult subject matter, Mia has a fearless reputation in Hollywood, taking on numerous sexually challenging roles. She portrayed a dominatrix with psychic abilities in acclaimed Quebec filmmaker Denys Arcand's first English language movie, Love and Human Remains, she was a mysterious bisexual assassin in Fox's 24, played the title role of murder victim and women whose sexuality was the source of much speculation in Brian De Palma's Black Dahlia, and is a regular on the small screen as Jenny from The L Word, a Showtime drama based around the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual and transgender women living in WeHo.

The recurring themes of female sexuality and empowerment, and the plight of those displaced by conflict collided, when, over a period of seven years and with the support Amnesty International, Mia journeyed around the world to gather the stories of women and children who were driven from their homes. From the war in Chechnya and the ethnic cleansing in Burma to those affected by globalization in Mexico and AIDS in Malawi, Mia tells the tales of individuals would otherwise not have a voice in a compelling and beautiful new book, I Live Here.

Below, Mia shares one of the stories from her journey, which came a little too close to her home. [read more]

source: suicidegirls.com

A Closer Look

2008-11-23T19:53:00.003-05:00

Who takes their last breath? And who takes the fall? The final season of The L Word premieres Sunday, January 18th.

youtube

Showtime Promo of all their shows

The Official L Word Poster

2008-11-20T12:17:00.004-05:00

The L Word Final Season Premieres Sunday, January 18, 9pm ET/PT only on Showtime. For all L Word queries be sure to visit sho.com

Click on picture for larger image.

First Look

2008-11-09T20:01:00.001-05:00

Get a first look at the final season of The L Word!

Season 6 Promo

2008-11-07T11:16:00.002-05:00

Don't forget to tune in to SHOWTIME this Sunday 8PM ET/PT to catch the new season 6 promo. ;)

Memorable Moment

2008-11-07T11:14:00.002-05:00

The final season of The L Word premieres in January 18th, 2009.

Showtime's "The L Word" Complete 5th Season on DVD (Oct 28)

2008-10-22T05:26:00.003-04:00

L Hath No Fury... "The L Word" tells intertwined stories about the lives and loves of a group of women--some lesbian, some straight--in Los Angeles.

THE L WORD, Showtime's popular cable TV drama series, is back with the Complete 5th Season DVD set arriving next Tuesday October 28 (SRP $55.98).

Creator/producer Ilene Chaiken is gearing up for the 6th (and final) season debuting in January, which will be an abbreviated 8-episode season. Afterwards, the producers will broadcast a pilot for a possible spinoff series centering around Leisha Hailey's character Alice Pieszecki.

Showtime's CEO Matt Blank first announced plans for the new show at the Television Critics Association press tour in July.

The L WORD: Five Season Pack - Paramount and Showtime have also packaged every episode of the series' five seasons! Each season set includes many exciting bonus features, including audio commentaries, cast interviews and behind-the-scenes featurettes, music selections, fan letters, website features, and much more (SRP $235.98).

[read more]

New program helps lesbians become moms.

2008-10-21T20:26:00.002-04:00

by Tara Murtha

Cast members of Showtime’s hit series The L-Word are coming to town to raise money for women’s services and programs at the Mazzoni Center, Philadelphia’s leading LGBT healthcare center. Mazzoni Executive Director Nurit Shein says that in addition to medical services like PAP smears and mammograms, the new funds will support a progressive collaboration with Pacific Reproductive Services, a lesbian-owned sperm bank founded in California in 1984 to serve the reproductive needs of women planning alternative families.

Pacific has the nation’s largest selection of “willing to be known” donors, which means that at 18 the child can discover his or her biological and cultural heritage, an important option for many lesbian parents. [read more]

November 1st: 11th Annual Women's Event

2008-10-17T23:11:00.005-04:00

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center is thrilled to celebrate their 11th annual Women’s Event and the 25th anniversary of the organization on Saturday, November 1, 2008, with an evening of cocktails, dining, fabulous silent auction items, dancing and so much more. Women’s Event is the largest and signature gala for women on the east coast and in New York, and a not-to-be missed celebration. And this year Women’s Event will also serve as a salute to “The L Word” in its sixth and final season, with cast members from the iconic series in attendance!

In addition to cast members from “The L Word” attending, the event serves as an awards evening, with this year’s three distinguished honorees including Ilene Chaiken, Creator and Executive Producer of “The L Word;” Stephanie Gibbons, Executive Vice President of Marketing and On-Air Promotion of FX; and Lisa Sherman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Logo.

Buy tickets by clicking here.

Source: Gay Online Magazine

Captive in 'Couver: Episode 607

2008-10-17T13:04:00.001-04:00

by Cassie Pappas

A crumpled up piece of paper and a DVD were found last night by a janitor on the floor of The L Word soundstage. The handwriting was barely legible and the contents of the DVD may help investigators determine the whereabouts of the missing blogger, Cassie Pappas. A transcript of the blogger's last words are below. [read more]

It's a Wrap!

2008-10-16T21:18:00.000-04:00

It's a Wrap - A Message from Jennifer Beals

The Soft Side of Pam Grier

2008-10-16T13:11:00.004-04:00

As one of the most iconic actresses of all time, the beautiful Pam Grier of "Foxy Brown" fame, has most recently been seen on TV hits like "The L Word" and "Law & Order: SVU." Most famous for portraying powerful, serious characters, Grier is currently playing a more lighthearted role in her new Hallmark Channel TV movie, "Ladies of the House," premiering this Saturday, October 18 at 9 p.m. E.T.

"Ladies of the House" is the story of three friends, the always loud and comical Birdie (Grier), down-to-earth Rose (Florence Henderson), and the wealthy and successful Elizabeth (Donna Mills), who are asked by their pastor to renovate a run-down house that was donated to church-- the proceeds of the sale would allow the church to keep its daycare center open. In addition to learning how to fix up the house (none of them has any experience in home improvement), each woman has their own marital issues at home to deal with. [read more]

All the Girls Love Alice and Leisha Hailey Too!

2008-10-15T20:31:00.002-04:00

It’s six years into playing sexy, quirky Alice Pieszecki on The L Word and Leisha Hailey, a bonified double threat of an actress and rock star graced with cracker jack comic timing and on-screen pathos, is an unstoppable rising star.

While Showtime’s breakout little lesbian-themed show that could is gearing up for it’s sixth and final season Hailey’s just getting started with the announcement this summer that Alice, one of the show’s most beloved characters, is slated to headline a yet-to-be-named spin-off. But it’s really no surprise that Hailey -- who wowed the girls early on in her acting career playing the adorable, pink-haired musician in the indie flick All Over Me -- and Alice, who’s character already spawned the siteOurChart.com, would get land the spin-off.

This year has been a busy one for Hailey, who along with her Uh Huh Her band mate Camila Grey, released their first full-length album Common Reaction in late August, while Hailey was already in Vancouver shooting The L Word. Before The L Word had finished shooting the upcoming season -- they’re just wrapping up -- Hailey was home in Los Angeles for a quick visit and then off on a whirlwind tour with Uh Huh Her beginning in San Diego Oct. 17. [read more]

I Live Here!

2008-10-13T11:04:00.005-04:00

Mia Kirshner's First Book

Book Tour

10/15—Los Angeles / 7 p.m Book Soup in-store signing 8818 Sunset Blvd.

10/17 Vancouver, Canada, 7 p.m Vancouver Writer's Festival, location TBA

10/19—Madison, WI/ 12:00 p.m Wisconsin Book Festival appearance, Orpheum Theatre, 216 State St.

10/20—Minneapolis/ 7:30 p.m Magers and Quinn reading and signing 3038 Hennepin Ave. South, Minneapolis

10/21—New York/ Idlewild Books book party.

10/22—New York / 7 p.m Barnes and Noble Tribeca reading and signing event. 270 Greenwich St. New York

10/25 – Toronto IFAO event with Lauren Kirshner and Karen Connelly, Studio Theatre, 235 Queens Quay West

10/27—Seattle/ 7:30 p.m Elliott Bay Book Company at Town Hall event 1119 8th Avenue, Seattle

10/28—Portland/ 7:30 p.m Powell’s Books Burnside reading and signing 1005 W. Burnside, Portland

10/29—San Francisco/ 7:30 p.m Books Inc in the Castro reading and signing 2275 Market Street

10/30—Corte Madera, CA/ 7:00 p.m Book Passage reading and signing 51 Tamal Vista Blvd.

11/1—Santa Cruz, CA/ 7:30 p.m Bookshop Santa Cruz reading and signing 1520 Pacific Ave.

11/6—Los Angeles/ 7:00 p.m Vroman’s reading and signing, 695 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena

11/8—Pasadena, CA/ 11:00 a.m Amnesty International Regional Conference

11/11 Los Angeles, CA/ 6:00 p.m Chapman College Event

11/14—Boston/ 7:00 p.m Harvard Books event Masschusetts Ave., Cambridge

11/15—Boston/ Amnesty International Regional Conference

11/16—Miami/ 12:00 p.m Miami Book Fair appearance. Miami Dade College. 300 Northeast Second Avenue.

11/17—Austin/ 7:00 p.m Book People event 603 N. Lamar Blvd

Links:-
ilivehereblog.blogspot.com
I Live Here

Showtime Sets Premiere Date for 'L Word,' Diablo Cody Comedy

2008-10-01T23:44:00.003-04:00

Showtime Sets Premiere Date for 'L Word,' Diablo Cody Comedy

The last season of 'The L Word' launches on Jan. 18
The premium cable network announced Wednesday (Oct. 1) that the final season of "The L Word" will be paired with a comedy block of "United States of Tara" and the second season of "Secret Diary of a Call Girl."

Sunday nights will lead off with the sixth season of "The L Word" at 9 p.m. ET. Core cast members Jennifer Beals, Leisha Hailey, Katherine Moennig, Laurel Holloman, Mia Kirshner, Rachel Shelley, Daniela Sea and Pam Grier will return for the eight-episode closing run.

Pam Grier Listens to Colorados Frog Symphony

2008-10-01T23:41:00.000-04:00

Colorado actress Pam Grier hears a frog symphony — in her new movie “Ladies of the House” and at her simple spread near Colorado Springs.

She’s currently shooting “The L Word” in Canada — and she called in to explain what the heck a frog symphony is.

“You go out to the swamp and listen to the frogs. It’s a metaphor for finding a place that takes you away from the harshness and coldness and pain of life. It gives you a comfort zone.”
“Ladies of the House” stars Grier, Donna Mills and Florence Henderson and airs Oct. 18 on the Hallmark Channel.

That’s a long way from “The L Word.” Oh yeah.

And her Colorado home is a long way from Hollywood — just how she likes it.

[Read more]

Lucy Lawless says she's on The L Word

2008-09-29T07:00:00.001-04:00

New Zealand-born actress Lucy Lawless has revealed on her blog that she'll be in the last season of The L Word.

"Look for me on The L Word at some point," Lawless typed. "Can't tell you anything about that, it's deep in the closet."

The sixth and final season of Californian lesbian drama will begin on US TV network Showtime in January.

[Read more]

Jennifer Beals at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards

2008-09-22T22:29:00.003-04:00

Pam Grier's Forthcoming Memoirs Promise To Be Memorable

2008-09-12T17:50:00.004-04:00

By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith

Pam Grier's Forthcoming Memoirs Promise To Be Memorable

"Besides filming the final "L Word" season, Grier has the Hallmark Channel movie "Ladies of the House" coming up Oct. 18, with Donna Mills, Florence Henderson, Richard Roundtree and Lance Henricksen. It has the three women taking on the challenge of renovating a house for charity, only to find that their own lives are in need of renovation as well."

Leisha Hailey to top 'L Word' spinoff

2008-09-04T00:07:00.005-04:00

Showtime is hoping to extend the life of its "L Word" franchise with a spinoff starring Leisha Hailey.

Thesp has signed on to shoot a pilot presentation for the pay cabler.

Ilene Chaiken, creator and exec producer of "The L Word," will write and produce the pilot. Shooting is skedded for December. [read more]

source: variety.com

Win a Walk-on Role on The L Word & Support Equality Now

2008-08-29T12:08:00.003-04:00

Equality Now is auctioning a walk-on role on “The L Word^®.” The winner will get a behind-the-scenes look at how one of television’s hottest series getsa filmed, meet some of the actors, tour the production facility, and eat lunch with the cast and crew.

The available dates of the walk-on are September 8–30, 2008, in Vancouver, Canada. The exact dates will be announced to the winner. Winner must contact Equality Now at smercedes@equalitynow.org by September 5, 2008 to finalize dates. Winner must be available in Vancouver for a minimum of 2-3 week days.

Winner may bring one guest. The guest is only allowed to visit the set and will not participate in the walk-on experience. Winner is required to be at least 21 years of age, and the guest must be 18 years old unless s/he is the child of the winner, in which case the parent/legal guardian is required to sign a Guest Liability and Publicity Release on behalf of the minor. Winner and guest will need valid passports to enter Canada.

Neither Showtime Networks Inc., Equality Now or their parents, affiliates, successors, licensees or assignees are responsible for airfare, hotel, transfers, or any other expenses for Winner or guest. Winner is solely responsible for all of his or her costs related to this trip.

100% of the proceeds from this auction (a tax-deductible contribution, minus any eBay or PayPal fees) will benefit Equality Now, an international human rights organization that works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world. Visit www.equalitynow.org for more information.

Starting bid for the walk-on role is USD $1000.00. Winner and guest must agree and sign the Liability and Publicity Releases and FAX them to The L Word Production office prior to arrival on set. Winner and guest are also requested to bring a copy of the Releases with them to Vancouver.

here's the link! Click here to bid on eBay!

"L" Is For Lunch

2008-08-18T22:49:00.002-04:00

by Cassie Pappas

Ever wanted to know what the "L" in The L Word really stands for... [read more]

Join Jennifer Beals

2008-08-18T22:47:00.000-04:00

A message from Jennifer Beals

Mia Kirshner's First Book

2008-08-14T19:40:00.005-04:00

Pantheon Books is honored to publish Mia Kirshner’s first book on October 14, 2008. A talented actor of the big and small screens, Mia makes her debut as an author with I LIVE HERE, a ‘paper documentary’ collaboration with graphic novelist Joe Sacco and graphic designers Paul Shoebridge and Michael Simons.

The result of seven years of travel, I LIVE HERE is a raw and intimate journey to crises in four corners of the world: war in Chechnya, ethnic cleansing in Burma, globalization in Mexico, and AIDS in Malawi. Threaded throughout these accounts is Mia’s intimate travel narrative, brought vividly to life in collaboration with writer J.B. MacKinnon and designers Paul Shoebridge and Michael Simons.

~~~

I LIVE HERE (Pantheon Books/October 14, 2008/$29.95) is a visually stunning paper documentary, in which the lives of refugees and displaced people become at once personal and universal. It is a raw and intimate journey to crises in four corners of the world: war in Chechnya, ethnic cleansing in Burma, globalization in Mexico, and AIDS in Malawi.

The voices we encounter are those of displaced women and children, told in their own words or by noted writers and artists, including Joe Sacco, Ann-Marie MacDonald, Phoebe Gloeckner, Chris Abani, and many others. Threaded throughout these accounts is Mia Kirshner’s intimate travel narrative, brought vividly to life in collaboration with writer J.B. MacKinnon and designers Paul Shoebridge and Michael Simons.

This groundbreaking book is but one element of a larger project known as the I Live Here Foundation, committed to establishing creative writing programs for marginalized people. Further information is available at i-live-here.com.

Baby Mamas

2008-08-11T21:19:00.002-04:00

by Cassie Pappas

Look what the stork dropped off! It's not a boy. It's not a girl. It's a prosthetic! And, might I add, an Academy Award-winning prosthetic. Introducing the pregnant belly that Ellen Page wore in Juno, which is also apparently worth $10,000. Now for the breaking news. Drum roll please... [Read more]

The L Word Goes International

2008-07-31T21:39:00.002-04:00

by Cassie Pappas

The Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment international press junket is underway.

Reporters from all over the world interview Ilene and the cast in support of The L Word DVD releases around the world. [Read more]

The Secret of The L Word Spin-Off

2008-07-25T20:37:00.002-04:00

by Cassie Pappas

Solving mysteries. I’ve just added that to the special skills section on my resume, along with making Nancy Drew my alternate alias. It’s official. I’m taking on the task of solving the mystery of The L Word spin-off series, and while I do so, I would like to pretend I’m Nancy Drew if that’s okay with all of you. [Read more]

Showtime to create "L Word" spinoff. Which character would you like to see live on?

2008-07-24T21:13:00.003-04:00

by Alley Hector, OregonLive.com

In a lesbian drama swirling with mystery, Showtime has announced that original creator Ilene Chaiken will be creating an L Word spinoff directly after completing the upcoming sixth and final season.

The as-yet-unnamed show will star one of The L Word's current characters, though neither audiences nor the actress herself knows. Even more cryptically, the new show is to pick up where the Word's open-ended finale leaves off.

Showtime may or may not pick up the new series, so it could end up an Internet-only event. But isn't that how all the lesbians currently watch the show anyway? (I mean, what lesbians can afford Showtime?)

Because Elizabeth Berkley will join the cast for a multi-episode story arc this year as a college friend of Jennifer Beals' Bette Porter, rumors have swirled that it will be Beals that the show continues with. [Read more]

Exclusive: Elizabeth Berkley Utters 'The L Word'

2008-07-22T22:25:00.001-04:00

by Michael Ausiello

Elizabeth Berkley, who flirted with the L word during her Showgirls days, is joining the Showtime hit for a multi-episode arc, sources confirm to me exclusively. She'll play the straight girl that got away from Jennifer Beals' Bette in college. [Read more]

L Word Spin-off.

2008-07-19T11:42:00.002-04:00

By Grace Moon

There will be an L Word spin-off. That’s right, you read it right. Our big boss, Ilene Chaiken, certainly has many tricks up her sleeve and this is definitely one of them. Showtime’s president Bob Greenblatt has just announced that there will be a spin-off starring one of the original cast. Who that may be has yet to be revealed. Fear not lesbians, our stories will continue to be told! It’s rumored that the finale of Season 6 will end with an open-ended component, in which the new spin-off will continue online. This leaves the door open for Showtime to order the new series for its cable programming. [Read more]

Camp LWordowatta

2008-07-18T18:40:00.001-04:00

by Cassie Pappas

Interested in a career in television? Ever dreamed of being on The L Word? Or simply wanted to spend a summer in Vancouver? Then look no further. This is the summer camp for you!

Anything you wanna, at Camp Lwordowatta! [Read more]

L Word Sweeps

2008-07-18T00:10:00.004-04:00

Test your L Word trivia and enter to win a fantasy vacation for two to either the Olivia Fling at the 2009 Dinah Shore weekend, or an Olivia cruise from Rome to Barcelona! Sweepstakes ends 7/18/08 at 11:59PM, so be sure to enter before then!
http://www.logoonline.com/shows/events/the_l_word_fantasy_vacation/

Writer's Room 5: Welcome to the Gayborhood

2008-07-10T20:14:00.001-04:00

by Cassie Pappas

A piano plays Mr. Rogers’ “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.” The door to The L Word production office opens. Cassie enters with a kite under her arm. She sings.

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
A beautiful day for a neighbor.

[Read more]

Questions Anyone with Rose Rollins Part 2

2008-07-10T07:38:00.004-04:00

by Gigi Nicolas

From favorite superpower to favorite imaginary super band, it’s not 20 Questions but another episode of Questions Anyone. [Read more]

Download
youtube

QA part 1 with Rose and Alicia

Marlee Matlin - Sweet Nothing In My Ear

2008-07-03T10:29:00.000-04:00

Showtime - Naughty Promo

2008-06-28T02:34:00.003-04:00

hehe Yes, We're naughty!

The L Word Fan Blog

DIVA magazine - June issue

Niki's Interrogation Tape

You can have the Last Word

Helena's Interrogation Tape

Shane's Interrogation Tape

The 10 Best Wives On TV

TLW Season 6 Final Episode and Intro and Followup with Jennifer, Laurel and Leisha

Looking Back

An interview with Ilene Chaiken 'L Word' creator dishes on the show after its final episode

Tina's Interrogation Tape

Fans bid to own a piece of The L Word

CelebStyle Giveaway: Win The L Word Look

The Last Word

'The L Word' Holds Red Rarpet Farewell Party

The Jenny Schecter O-BITCH-uaries

608 Stills

season 6, episode 8: "Last Word"

Season 6 Desktop Wallpaper

607 Stills - High Quality

607 Stills

606 stills Photos

season 6, episode 7: "Last Couple Standing"

Season 6 Video Podcasts

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Love

season 6, episode 6: "Lactose Intolerant"

Clementine Ford - Diva Magazine (March 2009)

Good news for all the US and worldwide l word fans

Leisha Hailey: Is Alice The Killer on 'The L Word'?

Jennifer Beals & The Final Season of The L word

Rose Rollins - Curve Magazine March Issue

season 6, episode 5: "Litmus Test"

L Word star Clementine Ford comes out exclusively in the new issue of DIVA

Stills update

Season 6, episode 4: "Leaving Los Angeles"

Jennifer Beals - Michigan Avenue Magazine

Review: 'The L Word' who is 'Least Likely' to be happy?

season 6, episode 3: "LMFAO"

"I am an Actor and I'm a Vegetarian" - featuring Daniela Sea

: L Word Set Dec and Production Equipment Auction

Sneek preview of TLW Season 6

TLW Season 6 Premiere Preshow talk

season 6, episode 2: "Least Likely"

Jennifer Beals: "The Bonnie Hunt Show"

preview - jennifer beals on The Bonnie Hunt Show

season 6, episode 1: "Long Night's Journey Into Day"

Pam Grier Ready to "Drop More Seeds of Tolerance"

Big Questions

Showtime's Who Killed ***** ******** Short (spoilarrrr alert)

INTERVIEWS WITH Jennifer Beals, Laurel Holloman, Kate Moennig, Rachel Shelley as The L Word comes to an end.

Jennifer Beals Thrown a Curve By 'L Word' Final Season Change

Season 6 Cast Photos

Season 6 Episode 1

Go Magazine - December 2008 issue

Director Bios

Guest Star Bios

About the Show

Season 6 - Production Notes

Spoiler Alert!

Ilene Chaiken and Showtime spoil their own show

'L Word' is killing 1 of its major characters (Spoiler Alert)

Showtime drama announces plan to axe major character

hmmm check this out! When Xbox Live Avatars and The L Word Collide

Showtime Signs New Licensing Agreements for Hit Shows

The L Word: Season 6: Cast Commentary

Crime Scene

Season 6 tiny tiny stills ;P

Mia Kirshne - I live Here

A Closer Look

The Official L Word Poster

First Look

Season 6 Promo

Memorable Moment

Showtime's "The L Word" Complete 5th Season on DVD (Oct 28)

New program helps lesbians become moms.

November 1st: 11th Annual Women's Event

Captive in 'Couver: Episode 607

It's a Wrap!

The Soft Side of Pam Grier

All the Girls Love Alice and Leisha Hailey Too!

Showtime's Who Killed * **** Short (spoilarrrr alert)