Losing The Lesbian Fanbase [The L Word 310 Rant]

[dreiser]

WARNING: This is going to be a short and irrational rant.

1. Shouldn't the episode where DANA dies have more than five minutes of DANA in it?

2. Fuck the singing flower. Seriously. Fuck.The.Singing.Flower.



3. Having a short and cheesy and fucking devoid of any real human emotion public service announcement air after this episode does not justify this storyline. The L Word is not the fucking lesbian Mother Theresa of cable television shows because of this cancer storyline. There's no higher cause behind this other than ratings and goddamn awards. And that award had better go to Erin or Leisha.

4. Kate Moennig is the voice of the fans.

-End Rant-

I told you it was going to be irrational. lol. But those are my rage filled feelings. I might be able to give a more cohesive analysis behind my rage a little bit later but right now? Yeah, that's it.

ETA: So I'm talking to ackemat on Yahoo about the episode and she asks what Michi thought of the episode to which I replied... wait. Why the fuck am I explaining this? I'll cut and paste the conversation because it's fucking easier and I'm a lazy asshole and I don't think ackemat will care.

ackemat: what did your girlfriend think of the episode?
dreiser7: I have to get up at noon so yeah, only that many. I might ahve two more or something
dreiser7: She wanted to know why didn't they save time and kill Dana in the first minute
ackemat: lmao
dreiser7: And focus instead on Bette on the bench
dreiser7: Which is so crucial
ackemat: lol
dreiser7: She's a sarcastic Asian nerd
dreiser7: My gf
dreiser7: I do love her
ackemat: very cute
dreiser7: "Dana's death wasn't nearly efficient enough for me."
dreiser7: I should post that in my LJ. rofl
ackemat: *shaking my head*
dreiser7: What? rofl
dreiser7: That's what she said
dreiser7: lol
ackemat: yeah - I had to laugh out loud for real!
dreiser7: I'm typing in our side room whre people are boozing it's next to living room
dreiser7: So I ask her when she walks in your question
dreiser7: That's her answer

It's because of my weekly L Word viewing party that I can now plainly see that Danish fans can save themselves through the healing power of snark. Yes, let us unite, sarcastic assholes! Snark until your heart is content about the fucking idiocy of this goddamn storyline and how IC couldn't be deep if she was sunk to the bottom of the ocean next to the fucking Titantic.

So I say, snark disgruntled fans, snarkety snark snark!

ETA: ETA: I managed to be somewhat thoughtful in explaining why this episode and Dana's death in general sucks major ass over on MediaBlvd. This is also the fairly obvious explanation as to why I'm writing All The White Horses. Not to create an alternate universe where Dana lives but rather to write the cancer storyline as I wish it could have been portrayed on the show. To sustain my laziness I'm reposting my prattle here as well and now I really do think I'm done posting about this craptacular storyline. At least for tonight hopefully. Man I'm a sad ass fangirl.

TokyoNiGHTS Posted: Which only means the episode worked. It was meant to evoke alot of discussion and emotion. It's done that more than any other episode and the episode has only just aired.

True but the way they evoked that emotion was somewhat cheap and badly done. I think the problem for most upset fans isn't with the fact that Dana gets cancer and dies from it but instead how the storyline is being handled. I've been spoiled from the start about Dana's death and I think what made me dislike and dread this storyline, other than the obvious fact one half of my favorite couple would be dead, was this sinking feeling that the storyline wouldn't be developed enough. And it honestly hasn't been. I suppose I should have seen that coming since Dana has really never gotten much attention, except by way of her dating Alice in S2.

There was so much they could have done with Dana from the start of this show. Her coming out storyline was a huge chance to go into the thoughts and problems of a closeted lesbian but instead we got jokes and snarking. We had a hint of her turmoil over being in the closet and feeling scared of family and societal rejection but that's it. A hint. Then we had her storyline with Alice where she, in my opinion, fell deeply in love for the first time. We could've seen her fear and her excitement as it developed and then sadness as it fell apart and her best friend changed into someone she couldn't recognize. But we didn't. Again, we got a hint. And now we have her cancer storyline and her death. It was good that they showed the mammogram. Yes, that was good of them and yes it's good to have a storyline focused on cancer but is it really good when it merely skims the surface of dealing with this disease?

I mean, it's like we got the Idiots Guide to Cancer with this storyline. Just the cliff notes and the more in depth story is something that's been pulled off the shelves of our book store and it's up to the fans to imagine what Dana has been going through during all of this. I don't know. I'm prattling now and being preachy and so I'm going to stop. But I just had to say as someone who loved Dana's character it isn't her death that bothers me so much, it's the way they went about telling it.

Comments

[liberalista.livejournal.com]

I'm so angry right now I can barely manage coherent sentences. Was a Shane/Carmen sex scene while Dana was dying necessary? I would have thought maybe an Alice/Dana goodbye would have been slightly more appropriate? No, let's just have Dana die alone, cause that's riveting. FUCK.

Must go read ATWH Part 3 to ease my pain..

[dreiser.livejournal.com]

Dude, you know how I feel. lol. You caught me on Yahoo during my rant mode. Let me know how you like Part 3 though. I'm suffering from lack of commentry. lol

[narcolepsy-slds.livejournal.com]

I am not even sure if I want to see the episode. I know that Dana is dying this episode, but by not actually watching it I can pretend that it didn't happen.
I still don't know why ED had to leave the show, because apparently it wasn't her choice. I also think that if they would have written it differently the whole story line would have been much better. So if they really did it all for the awards and education of the public, Dana should have survived it. If she can't survive, what about all those who don't have her advantages??? I am really pissed at IC for pulling this shit.

And why is Kate the voice of the fans? I assume you are not talking about me here *g*

[dreiser.livejournal.com]

No, not you. lol. Kate Moennig because during the craptastic PSA that airs after the episode she talks, several times, about being pissed off over this storyline and how she is STILL pissed off. That's why I say she's the voice of the fans. Because she's the only one to say or at least hint that the way they went about this cancer storyline with Dana was crappy.

[narcolepsy-slds.livejournal.com]

oh, and I was feeling so special for a moment *g*
I am glad it is not only us who think the story line is crap. I really would like to know why IC felt the urge to play it this way, and to piss (almost) everyone off. I reckon she just didn't foresee the reaction of the fans, but I can't really see that either.

[feral-sherryl.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking hat EZgirl has some serious dirt over IC. What else, other than pure blackmail, could force IC to kill off one of the most popular characters. I wouldn't be surprised if Betty were to break into song and dance at the funeral. Why not call the show, The L-Betty Word?
>
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Okay, back to serious mode. What the fuck was going through IC's brain? The cancer storyline is great but there's no fucking need for a death. You don't need to kill off a main character to get viewer ratings up. If anything, she's lost viiwers. Just take a look at the Erin Thread on MediaBlvd.
I'm glad they didn't edit out Kate's views on the show. At least someone was brave enough to say the truth! Rock on Kate!

[narcolepsy-slds.livejournal.com]

I have never said it before because it is useless, but when Alice starts dating Betty I won't watch the show anymore.

IMO the cancer story line had potential, huge potential - but they managed to fuck it up completely. Yes, they showed a mammogram, but if they really wanted to make a difference and educate, they could have done more. Everyone with breasts - even those without - know what a mammogram is today. So I am really disappointed, not only regarding how they did it, but also regarding how they axed ED out of the show. I could rant on and on about it, and I probably will sooner or later, but I have to go now. At least Dreiser can tell the story how it is supposed to be now - though I still don't like Dana dying, I want her to survive and I want Danish to make it through as friends, and then Alice can hook up with Helena. Yes.

[dreiser.livejournal.com]

Helacious is the ONLY thing I have hope for in S4. Seriously. They have good chemistry and similar backgrounds and although Alice will be going through it far worse they're both experiencing major heartbreak. Their hookup, if done properly, could a fucking explosion of glorious love story angst and drama.

I swear I want to see that happen so bad. But this show rarely gives me what I want. lol. I'll fucking write it in the ATWH sequel. And then after that I might give into my perverse urges and write an AU one shot novel fic with Dana not dying. Sort of like ATWH the not dead Dana version. rofl. My god is that a lame title.

[dreiser.livejournal.com]

L-Betty Word? lol. Dude are you talking about in the PSA how Leisha was sitting next to EZ Girl. People at my viewing party shrieked at that and told her to move before she got untalented cooties. lol. I now love Kate so very much and I'm super pissed that Sarah won't be back in S3 but unlike Erin that was her choice.

Rationally I know that the storyline was filmed and done with by the time Sarah said she wasn't returning but ugh, why couldn't they give cancer to Carmen? rofl.

[narcolepsy-slds.livejournal.com]

I still haven't seen the episode yet, but when I watched the commentary afterwards and saw Leisha next to EZ Girl I was tempted to spray holy water on the screen and cross myself three times for good measures ... considering the speed Betty and EZ Girl spread into the L word universe, I think there is something supernatural to it. Or very infectious and resistant, like MRSA.
What really pissed me off though was IC's "we did not know that Dana was dying when we started, it developed ..." - yeah, riiiiight, that is why ED knew about her imminent death in March before filming started .... don't try to diffuse the issue here, for whatever reason she wanted her off the show.

If the L word was a sci-fi show, Dana could keep on living... actually it is not such a leap considering the story lines.

[feral-sherryl.livejournal.com]

GGGrrrrrrRRRRrrr AAAArrrrgggHHHH!!
Even after a goodnights sleep I'm still too peed off about the whole ED situation. I can't even put into words the thoughts that've been bugging me all morning.
It's totally irrational behaviour over tv show and that just makes the whole thing worse!
There was soooooooo much potential at the start of S3, IC had the whole thing in her hands. How the hell did she let it slip from her grasp (besides the EZgirl infiltration!). A cancer storyline is one of the most powerful/important storylines a tv drama can portray. The thing that makes it so powerful is the survival storyline. Killing a character through cancer is pure stupidity. Maybe IC did catch the EZ cooties.
My only hope now is that she isn't stupid enough to let Leisha go. She's the only hope for the show now. Leisha is one of the only reasons I watch the show and if she were to leave or get killed off by EZ, that would be the final nail in the coffin for me.
Here's hoping for a Helacious relationship. It's the only thing that will save the show for me. IC has fucked up all the other storylines too much to be able to save them.
As for keeping Daniela Sea, what the hell is she thinking?!? A plank of wood could act better than her! I have nothing against the character of Moira/Max. Again, another storyline with heaps of potential that IC fucked up again. If they had to get rid of a character, it should've been Max. Why get rid of one the strongest actors but keep the weakest? There's no chemistry whatsoever.
I'm still mega happy that Kate spoke her words. If i had a packet of gold star stickers on me, she'd be covered in them. You go girl! I'm glad someone was brave enough to speak up!

I do have one thing to thank IC for though. The demise of Tibette! About bloody time!

[narcolepsy-slds.livejournal.com]

well, ED did not want to go if I interpreted her podcast correctly. I think if someone is fed up with the politics and story lines of the L word, then it seems to be Kate Moennig (sp?), she was quite outspoken during the comment of the boat episode, she was the one who said that she did not like that Dana had to die...
You are right about the cancer story line, Dana's quite sudden death (or maybe it is just me, but that was how long? a couple of weeks tops) made the whole thing almost superfluous. Honestly, she is perfectly healthy - no symptoms at all - but gets her lump checked out, they take it out immediately, she gets chemo because it has spread to her lymph nodes, she has the best access to medication, care etc. nonetheless she dies within weeks. If I didn't know more about it and had BC, I would be devastated. If someone like Dana can't make it, who can???
If they wanted to educate, to raise awareness, whatever, they did a pretty awful job in it. What is the message they are sending?
The more I think about it the more angry I get. And I don't want to get angry because it is ridiculous to make a fuss about a tv show...

Bleah

[(Anonymous)]

I can't believe Dana died. Just like that. It's an irrational storyline - cancer patients don't go like that. I just hope she doesn't come back as a ghost. This is turning into Buffy - Tara. Is there a way to write in to complain? ~Kel

Re: Bleah

[dreiser.livejournal.com]

Your shirt was fucking Shakespeare compared to Dana's death. At least Tara got some airtime in the episode she died in. There's a petition already floating around MediaBlvd but I think it's kind of futile to try to bitch to the establishment. It's been proven IC doesn't care about the fanbase. I think IC managed to sink lower than Joss with this crap. I mean, at least he didn't try to give a fucking PSA about why he shot Tara. Bleah x 2.