Each of the gals on The Real L Word seem to be boxed into a category. There's the career girl, the "Player", the newly out lesbian and then there's Nikki and Jill. Nikki and Jill are "The Couple." Think Bette and Tina from The L Word, without all the drama. Without all the drama. Some would say that is a good representation of lesbians. Others say it's boring TV. What do you think?
Lesbian Couples with Drama:
© Nicole Wilder/Showtime
I haven’t seen the show. Without the dyke drama; I would say it’s more like the typical lesbian relationship. At least for the lesbians I know, including myself. I wouldn’t consider the show boring, if there wasn’t any drama.
However, drama sales, it’s what keeps the ratings high and the viewers tuned in each week.
I predict a new and more dramatized second season.
It’s both! Good, boring AND dramatic representation.
My girlfriend and I just started watching the show and we love it. It is like any other depiction of any stereotype there are going to be the good, the bad and the ugly, luckily there are not any ugly people in this show. Asides from all of that, this again is a glorified version of one part of the lesbian community and we are not all that success with lucrative careers. Some struggle to make ends meet while others are closeted with big job titles and paychecks. I think the show enables others to see that there are healthy relationships out there and that the gay community has the ability to be successful and powerful without the dark cloud of drugs and alcohol hovering overhead. From another stand point I would really like to see producers move from this “ultra femme” basis and show all walks of the lesbian community. Being able to incorporate everything from lipstick femme (which Nikki & Jill are) to hardcore dyke (not on the show…yet?), would be a nice touch, and why not even showcase a trans-couple. We are so diverse and unique that we all should be recognized and spotlighted from time to time. The show is great and I will continue to watch it but it could use a twist and not be so predictable.
Yeah I completely agree with Katy. From a hetero point of view, I absolutely LOVED the L word, and I’m really loving the Real L Word. I think aside from the “MTV” vibe I get from seeing Whitney and Rose being players (to some extent), Mikey, Tracy, Nikki and Jill open up and let us viewers into their world. For those members of the LGBT community, it’s a kindering of spirits to a degree (wouldn’t you agree?); but for those of us who enjoy well made TV and learning what the world is made up of, the Real L Word allows us the chance to be a voyeur in a light that many of us would not normally break out into. However, if you prefer not to read into things as much, again, the Real L Word is just a great show to watch. As Katy said, the show should try incorporating other types of couples (and lesbians) as well.
In response to the question, as this is reality tv, it is one part crazy drama (in a made-for-tv fit) and one part documentary, in a voyeuristic manner. Nikki and Jill really fit more of the documentary aspect, as well follow them while they plan a wedding and deal with everyday issues (money, house remodeling, keeping the love alive, etc). I know LOTS of people who say documentaries are boring, so I would expect the same to be said about Nikki and Jill. On the other hand, Nikki and Jill are not the show all together, they are simply complementing their castmates, as their castmates do them.
Nikki and Jill are gorgeous; but why does IC feel the need to concentrate, as she did in ‘The ‘L’ Word’, only on gay women who are glamourous? I can remember the storyline where the straight film-makers working on ‘Lez Girls’ thought the original ending ‘too gay’… and I thought that Ilene was making the point that a representation of lesbians should reflect reality; but in real life, many butches don’t do ‘glam’ (and why should they feel they have to?)… Why are none of these women featured by Ilene… could she be falling into the ‘Hollywood gloss’ trap herself?