The L Word summary

The L Word is the intimate story about the lives and loves of a group of lesbian friends living in Los Angeles. The show has received a lot of praise for it's brilliant storylines and the portrayal of the lesbian community. The L Word is created and executive produced by Ilene Chaiken, who also serves as a writer on the show. Other executive producers include Steve Golin and Larry Kennar.

season 1

Set in West Hollywood, the series features Bette Porter (played by Jennifer Beals) and Tina Kennard (Laurel Holloman), who have been a couple for seven years and want to have a child. Their next-door neighbor, Tim Haspel (Eric Mabius), faces a major life change when his girlfriend, Jenny Schecter (Mia Kirshner), moves in with him after she graduates from the elite University of Chicago. Jenny's alter-ego Sarah Schuster's name is a play upon Zarathustra, a frequently-referenced character of Nietzsche's, who is frequently discussed in her developing affair with Marina Ferrer (Karina Lombard). Marina is the European owner of the trendy neighborhood café, The Planet, which, as the group's hang-out, serves as a focal point for the show. Marina is part of Bette and Tina's circle of friends, which also includes Shane McCutcheon (Katherine Moennig), an androgynous, highly sexual hairstylist and serial heart-breaker; Dana Fairbanks (Erin Daniels), a professional tennis player who is still in the closet and torn between her career and finding love; and Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey), a girlish, bisexual journalist looking for love in any way she can. Lives, however, begin to change as Bette's musician half-sister Kit (Pam Grier), who is recovering from alcoholism, returns to her life (jazz fans probably notice Kit Porter's name as a reference both to Eartha Kitt and Cole Porter); and as Jenny begins a discreet relationship with Marina, which challenges everything she knows about herself.

season 2

ntroduced in the second season are Carmen de la Pica Morales (Sarah Shahi), a confident DJ who starts a relationship with Shane; Helena Peabody (Rachel Shelley), the daughter of a wealthy supporter of the arts, who later becomes Tina's temporary love interest; and Mark Wayland (Eric Lively), a documentary filmmaker who moves in with Shane and Jenny. Mark makes them part of his latest documentary, by setting up hidden cameras in the house to videotape them. After Jenny discovers a few of his videotapes — including one in which Carmen confesses to love Shane — Mark takes the cameras down, and, after an attack of conscience, confesses about his voyeurism. Jenny allows Mark to stay at the house, but treats him negatively for the remainder of the season.

In the second season, the characters are wracked with new discoveries. After Bette's illicit affair with a carpenter (Candace), Bette and Tina break up, but slowly renew their relationship, though making it an open one. Tina becomes pregnant after a second insemination attempt, which she keeps secret from Bette, fearing another miscarriage. Meanwhile, Tina begins seeing Helena Peabody, after receiving a large grant from her to help underprivileged kids, while the Peabody Foundation oversees the California Art Center. Ruthless, controlling, and conniving, Helena Peabody appears to be on a mission to ruin Bette's life, which comes to a head when Bette loses her job at the CAC in the second season finale. In the midst of all of this, Bette's father, Melvin (Ossie Davis), dies after revealing that he was suffering from prostate cancer.

season 3

Set six months later after Tina gives birth, she and Bette raise their baby, whom they name Angelica (Olivia Windbiel), while suffering more marital strife (including Bette losing her job at the CAC, and showing little interest in finding a new one). The couple appears to be more distant than ever; Bette seeks partner support from an overwhelmed Tina, who starts looking for the protection Bette cannot give her outside the home. Bette's love seems to have less and less effect on Tina, who rediscovers her male attractions.

Elsewhere, Dana is back with Lara, causing Alice to become obsessive. After finally being able to get over with the breakup, Alice has to deal with tragic news: Dana has been diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, which could lead to her death. Dana becomes emotionally abusive to Lara, who then leaves town for a cooking school in Paris, France. Alice takes up the job as Dana's caregiver. At the same time, Max Sweeney (formerly Moira) begins the process of becoming a man with dubiously obtained testosterone injections obtained from Billie Blaikie (Alan Cumming), Kit's new manager for the Planet, a bisexual man who becomes sexually fixated on Max's androgyny. This drastic transformation alters Max emotionally, leading him to turn his relationship with Jenny into a story of potential abuse.

As the season advances, stories entwine. As Dana's condition worsens, Alice keeps a bedside vigil at the hospital where Dana is admitted. Bette, who is still in Olympia, Washington, finally leaves her silent retreat without any enlightenment and ends up receiving wanted wisdom in the place she would least expect. Back in Los Angeles, Jenny's ex-husband Tim makes a reappearance on the scene for a visit. He has re-married and is expecting a child with his new wife. Jenny and Tim spend some time together with their respective couples, but the dark story of their past ends up ruining their meeting, making Tim leave town once again on a sour note. Lara tries to reach for Dana, but apparently she has taken too long. Carmen reveals an infidelity to Shane; Dylan and Helena settle their lawsuit and break up out of court; Tina delegates even more fatherly duties to Henry; and nobody gets to say goodbye to Dana, who ultimately loses her cancer battle alone while Alice is out taking a walk.

A lot of emotions are confronted upon Dana's death. Her fiercely conservative parents, whom are still trying to ignore and deny Dana's sexual orientation, prepare a ceremony in which her friends are excluded. Alice, who is upset about this setup, steals some of Dana's ashes and decides to arrange a funeral of her own with her friends. They spread the ashes on a waterfall at a tennis camp Dana loved, and where she and Alice first met during an interview. At the same time, Tina and Henry continue settling in, and Bette decides to visit a gay civil rights lawyer (Jane Lynch) in order to obtain the full custody of Angelica. Shane, on the other hand, is severely affected by the loss of her friend Dana, and decides to propose marriage to Carmen. Carmen accepts, agreeing to marry Shane at the waterfall. Meanwhile, Max gets a job offer at a technology center where he had been rejected as Moira, which makes Jenny angry and leads them to more conflict. Dylan returns Helena's check and the footage of the sexual harassment setup; and Lara comes back from Paris, only to find out she is too late. In the midst of the loss she is suffering, Lara reaches out for Alice and they share an emotional moment that evolves into a secret relationship.

season 4

As it can be read in Showtime's press release, dating from February 2, 2006:

"On the heels of a year highlighted by industry recognition and critical acclaim for its award-winning original programming including Weeds, Huff and Sleeper Cell, Showtime has ordered a fourth season of its hit drama series The L Word, it was announced by Robert Greenblatt, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc. [...]"

This new season will have 12 episodes, and will air early on 2007. It started filming in Vancouver on May 29, 2006
New cast members have been announced for the new season. Showtime has revealed the addition of Academy-Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin, three time Golden Globe winner Cybill Shepherd, Kristanna Loken, and Janina Gavankar to the cast. As well, Karina Lombard will reprise her role as Marina Ferrer for a few episodes in the beginning of the season.

source: wikipedia and tv.com (thank you so much!)