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We spoil who the "L" diesTelevision has given us many great mysteries. Who shot J.R.? Who killed Laura Palmer? Who keeps supporting David Caruso’s acting career? But, come January, the only mystery every gay, bisexual and just bi-curious shoe-wearing gal will care about will be, “Who will Ilene Chaiken kill?” Well, if you can't wait or you already know, we need to talk. Let me say, in the clearest and most emphatic terms possible: This is a spoiler post about the sixth season of The L Word. Let me repeat, this is not a test. This is a huge, big, red, flashing SPOILER ALERT. If you do not want to know what happens in the new season, stop reading now. I mean it. This is your final warning. Spoilers lie ahead. I cannot and will not be held responsible for what happens to your childlike innocence if you click “continue reading.”
OK, so, now that we've weeded out the spoilerphobes, we still need to lay down some important ground rules. Since people are very sensitive about spoilers, please be extremely careful when commenting on this post.
Right, so now we all know the rules. And we're all going to follow the rules. (Do not make Sarah and Trish come after your comment with a baseball bat.) So now let's roll up our sleeves and enter the crazy that Ilene built. Last week, the fine folks at the Television Without Pity forum appear to have uncovered the secret to Season Six. So, who does Ilene Chaiken kill?
Yep, it's Jenny. Yep, she is found floating in the pool. Yep, we see her dead in the first two minutes of the season. Yep, the rest of the season is told in flashback. And, yep, you liked this story the first time you saw it when it was called Sunset Boulevard. Now, I'm sure many of you are probably all, “Ding, dong, the Jenny Schechter is dead!” Granted, Jenny was undoubtedly the most controversial — not to mention crazy — of all the characters. You either love her or hate her, and emphatically so. She was egomaniacal, megalomaniacal, pathological and any other -cal you can think of. Still, it's hard to deny that TLW was, largely, Jenny's journey. She was the outsider who moved to L.A. She was the happily hetero gal who found her latent lesbian. She was the artist in search of herself and a six-picture deal with Paramount.
So, then, what are we to make of Mama Chaiken's decision to kill her lead character? What does her journey mean? What message are we supposed to learn from her death? Why am I ascribing grand artistic overtones to a show most of us ultimately watch, let's face it, to see really hot ladies kissing? Because this whole thing makes me mad. It's not that I loved Jenny. Believe me, Jenny drove me nuts. It's that this is how the seminal lesbian series on television will end. With a dead lesbian. Have we really made so little progress since The Children's Hour? Are we really still mired in that old chestnut about the tortured lesbian who meets an unfortunate end? Why not just stick Jenny's head in an oven, as long as we're going for the easy analogy?
Through five seasons, Ilene has made it clear that she will do whatever she wants, fans be damned. (Oh, Dana, I think I miss you most of all.) It's her show and she can make us cry if she wants to. But from a storytelling perspective, it's just so terribly unsatisfying. First, it has become a murder mystery. I don't know about you, but I never thought the first and still only hour-long drama about lesbians would dissolve into an episode of CSI. I know it's hard to think of new ideas after five season, but a genre change seems a tad extreme. Second, it just seems mean to poor Mia Kirshner. She has valiantly handled all the crazy that Ilene & Co. threw her way. The only reason some people could stand Jenny at all is because of Mia's acting. So now to reward her hard work all these years to make a willfully unsympathetic character sympathetic with a body bag seems unfair. Death is easy, redemption is hard. Third, and most important, it is a little lazy. We all know Ilene's penchant for borrowing from famous films (hence last season was All About
With a month and a half until we see how the Death of Jenny fully plays out, we're left with only time and our continued bemusement. How, if at all, is Ilene going to make this death train work? My only consolation these next few weeks is that when the fateful day does come, we'll have Scribegrrrl back to lead us in snarky eulogy. That alone is reason enough to do a little jig to this funeral dirge. So, let's hear it. Whadayathink? And, remember, no spoilers in comment subject lines (and remember to fill them in, too, even if you just write, “Damn, Ms. Snarker, shut up about the SPOILER subject lines already!”). Edited to add: don't start forum threads with spoilers in the titles, either! Submitted by on December 2, 2008 - 5:00pm. |
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well if it had to be
What pisses me off, is
That in all likelihood, it would probably turn out that it had been a lesbian who’d committed the murder…
It is one think to take this “Psycho Dyke” stereotype crap from hetros…but another thing entirely to get it from within our own community.
well... I did saw it coming........ but..
well, i did saw it coming... but everything told in flashback?!!! i didnt see that coming..!
Who's to blame for Jenny's death?! hope it wouldnt be shane....
so like, the promos show the "shenny" storyline and it was good.... but it sucks to know that jenny actually died..... Bullshenny!!!....
I wished Adele died instead! she's full of crap!...
omg...
No way would it be Shane! Well I really hope not anyway...
While I was waiting for the page to load I was thinking please don't let it be Shane who dies... So much for Shenny. Lol. Musn't be a long lived even if it does happen. Excuse the pun.
I bet Adele was the one that killed her. Or for some reason I can imagine Nikki drowning her. Maybe she's not a Shenny fan either?
Damn, Ms. Snarker, shut up about the subject lines already!
:|
I am not to sure whether i am happy with this news or not !!
anywho i wonder who does the Killing !!
i hope someone did actully do the killing and she didnt just drown...i want something juicier than that !!
Yey cant wait ! xx
Damn, Ms. Snarker, shut up about the subject lines already!”).
this is me.... pretending to fill this in....
hmmm *sings*: Jennnny i've got ur number!! 867- D. E. AAAAA. DEEEE.
eta: dang someone beat me to the subject line.... eh.... line!!....
meawr.
purrito >' '<
It's fitting really
Damn, Ms. Snarker shut up about the subject lines already!
Wow. *shakes head at Ilene* Really, my only thoughts on this are...
DANA!!!! She freaking killed DANA!
omg.
*Trying to follow the rules*
Wow, I'm not sure what to say. I agree that Mia has done a FANTASTIC job with the crazy role she's been given!!
However, I am curious about how this will unfold.
I'm glad Scribegrrrl will be back in all her snarky glory! Yay! *Does jig to this funeral dirge*
um
as far as i heard her death has to do with shenny :\
That sux...
I'm all for Shenny... but I guess I got what I asked for. Seriously, Jenny was truly the least stable of everyone so I'm not surprised. Poor Shane, if she didn't have demons before, she'll have them now.
Do not judge, unless you want to be judged...
Damn, Ms. Snarker, shut up about the subject lines already!
someone posted that pic
on my jill forum last week and I didn't want to believe it. not neccessarily that jenny is the one that gets killed, but that the whole season is told in flashback mode. what a lame copout....
------------------------------------------------------
No on H8! pics
WTF!!!
It's genius really...
...the show always WAS about Jenny and how she saw the world. Her experimenting, her coming out, her connecting with her soulmate (SHENNY!) With her death, the story-- the L Word journey is truly over.
I feel VERY sad.... *sniff sniff* I almost don't want to write fanfic anymore.
Do not judge, unless you want to be judged...
Ninnybuggers.
I was just starting to like her..
But I don't get it...How is she in those photo stills that were posted and wearing different clothes in a few of them? Did they do a flashback or something in the first episode? I noticed that bette and shane's clothes in a few of the stills were the same from the last episode in season 6. Hmmm...sneaky....
say it ain't so
Sigh
You're so right
It's like when that that godawful member-of-royalty-by-marriage-who-shall-not-be-named-as-some-people-labour-under-the-misapprehension-that-she-was-anything-but-a-self-centred-publicity-craving-media-whore died in the mid to late nineties. She was ghastly enough to endure whilst she was still alive, but the public hysteria and practical canonisation that ensued following her demise was almost unbearable.
If there's even a WHIFF of Elton John, I shan't be watching the rest of the season.
are you kidding me??
yes, people went a little apeshit, but still, are you really bad mouthing diana in this thread? the woman's husband cheated on her, and the paparazzi hounded her until they actually killed her, leaving her two children motherless. if i recall correctly, people had similar reactions to jfk's death. is that unbearable, too?
Wow, alykat...
I mean, I've been accused of being some sort of angry feminist cynic and maybe I can be a little too serious for this entertainment site (I'm not in complete disagreement with that assessment) but lady, you're just plain MEAN without reason. This comment is totally off topic, and it must be said that your comment is also extremely misogynistic (yeah, there's that angry feminist side again). What a shame you have to much internalized misogyny that makes you lash out at other women, when in reality, we're all at the mercy of the patriarchy.
Besides the fact that this post is about a CHARACTER dying, and you're making extremely hateful statements (worse than people have posted about the FICTIONAL CHARACTER) about a REAL ACTUAL PERSON. I'm not really into calling people out (I know, who am I kidding?), but it had to be done. Seriously, who do you think you are to say those things?
could this be how they go into the spinoff
I think Alice is going to be in jail, for the spinoff, either wrongly accused or actually did it of killing Jenny.
Which would be awesome....i love alice
this is because of leisha hailey's recent interview about her spinoff, and some the characters, and whoever wrote it seems to think they'll be in jail...
...i really wish i had showtime.... i guess I'll have to settle for the recap on each episode....
Sarah- Are you guys going to have recaps on here for the final season, and the spinoff?
could this be how they go into the spinoff
I think Alice is going to be in jail, for the spinoff, either wrongly accused or actually did it of killing Jenny.
Which would be awesome....i love alice
this is because of leisha hailey's recent interview about her spinoff, and some the characters, and whoever wrote it seems to think they'll be in jail...
...i really wish i had showtime.... i guess I'll have to settle for the recap on each episode....
Sarah- Are you guys going to have recaps on here for the final season, and the spinoff?
could this be how they go into the spinoff
I think Alice is going to be in jail, for the spinoff, either wrongly accused or actually did it of killing Jenny.
Which would be awesome....i love alice
this is because of leisha hailey's recent interview about her spinoff, and some the characters, and whoever wrote it seems to think they'll be in jail...
...i really wish i had showtime.... i guess I'll have to settle for the recap on each episode....
Sarah- Are you guys going to have recaps on here for the final season, and the spinoff?
could this be how they go into the spinoff
I think Alice is going to be in jail, for the spinoff, either wrongly accused or actually did it of killing Jenny.
Which would be awesome....i love alice
this is because of leisha hailey's recent interview about her spinoff, and some the characters, and whoever wrote it seems to think they'll be in jail...
...i really wish i had showtime.... i guess I'll have to settle for the recap on each episode....
Sarah- Are you guys going to have recaps on here for the final season, and the spinoff?
could this be how they go into the spinoff
I think Alice is going to be in jail, for the spinoff, either wrongly accused or actually did it of killing Jenny.
Which would be awesome....i love alice
this is because of leisha hailey's recent interview about her spinoff, and some the characters, and whoever wrote it seems to think they'll be in jail...
...i really wish i had showtime.... i guess I'll have to settle for the recap on each episode....
Sarah- Are you guys going to have recaps on here for the final season, and the spinoff?
The way I see it
I agree with you that Chaiken is being lazy. I don't think she's had any ideas of her own since season 1 to tell you the truth. She knows she's got the power. We'll watch whatever drivel she puts on the screen because it's the only drivel we've got. Killing a lesbian isn't surprising at all - remember they aren't catering so much to us as straight men. We didn't see any kind of really threshold pushing until what? Season 3 when our community was finally in an huge uproar over the idiocy (wasn't it season 3 with Ivan?) And c'mon - she stole the whole "FTM transgender gets pregnant" from the news about the same thing in OR.
It makes me sick, because we fought as hard and long as we did to get a lesbian show after QAF had their run, and I might say, they bowed out far more gracefully than TLW is.
EDIT: and I forgot to add, I doubt anyone "killed" Jenny. More likely than not it will be a lethal dose of antidepressants and alcohol that has her pass out in the pool while no one was looking. Remember, that's supposed to be teh ultimate twist. There is no murderer. She just wants you to watch.
If you're an upside down purple people eater who happens to believe in aliens and you can get the job done, I'm voting for you. Period.
Damned if she does, damned if she doesn't...
Ilene just can't win with you lot, can she? All I've been seeing on every forum or blog post or discussion is 'why won't they just kill Jenny already?' or 'JENNY MUST DIIIIEEEE!!!!!', then when they give everyone what they want it's like 'how dare she!'
What a fickle bunch...
Haha!
...
Gutted it was Jenny.. she's one of my favourite's.. if not my actual favourite.
I wanted Shane to die.. she's just such a pointless character.. that will never change..
WTF
Ouch
I know you're hurt but that last comment was sharp, lol.
OK, so IC is crazy, but unless she wanted a lot of rioting lesbos in the streets, I don't think she'd kill off Shane.
really Ilene?..
this makes me mad..Jenny was really starting to grow on me..if you would've asked me who i wanted to kill off seasons 1-4..it would've been Jenny in a heartbeat..but Jenny was SO FUNNY season 5..and i love Mia..
-sigh-...i'm a little curious, and scared, as to what Ilene has in store for us this season..
exactly
just as i was starting to like her and hell maybe understand her they go do this........
why!
its my responsibilty to show emotion in my life
cuz otherwise it seems i'm going through the motions with my life
oi what a psycho?
this is what i think
Following the rules...
I dunnoo....
Perhaps this is the film student in me coming out, but I just don't see anything wrong with borrowing from other films' storylines, as long as you can do it in an interesting way. There's nothing new under the sun, every film/tv/novel storyline or structure has pretty much been done before. We don't slag off classical music composers for stealing each others musical ideas (which they did ALLL THE FREAKIN TIME), in fact we applaud them because every time someone recapitulated someone else's ideas they put their own spin on it and that's how music evolved over time. I guarantee if you try to create a 100% original tv storyline it's pretty much impossible. Just because you can link this back to some other movie in itself isn't a valid criticism. It's all in the execution.
Also, don't forget the inherent cognitive pleasures for viewers in linking and referring back to their own previous viewing experiences and cultural references!
Well said!
I concur.
Do not judge, unless you want to be judged...
damn
I don't really want any of them to die. We already lost Dana, wasn't that enough?
Jenny's craziness made me laugh. A lot.
I was going to type "I'll miss her" but then I realised the death scene is at the start of the season and then they go back. Which means Jenny will be in a good portion, if not all, of the season. Then the show ends (sorry to remind everyone) after this season anyway. So I'm not really going to have to miss her.
I will just be missing the whole show.
again, damn.
noo!
Can't think of a non-spoilerish headline...so here's this
After all the uproar with Dana I think she realised she didn't want to be knocking off one of the most popular characters again. Although I must say that from what I can tell from last season's comments (having being tragically seperated from my TV as it was airing in the UK, and so not being able to watch it myself) Mia seemed to be adding a much needed light relief/comedy value to the show, and turning a serially dislikable character into a sort of hate-to-love figure.
My GRAND theory (i.e. the first guess that came to my head) is the wrapping up of the Jenny saga. It starts with her new beginning and ends with her demise. Plus (and I only just thought of this...the theory is already developing). She is the character with the most people who would want to kill her. I.e. everyone.
Can I guess that the previous photos of her and Shane that everyone went ape over were actually flashbacks then?
And I'm not too angry about the killing-off idea (yet), I just think they finally ran out of crazy storylines and figured murder was about the only one they hadn't tried yet (probably going down some sort of tick-list)! I'll pass judgement when the series airs...
The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes, but don't be afraid...
Honestly...
Ilene needs to stop drinking her own kool-aid.
I still hate the theme song, etc and I will never forgive her for killing off Dana. I'm a hater but I keep watching. So, who's really the crazy one?
mmmm kool-aid
I don't think ANYONE will EVER forgive IC for killing off Dana. Ever.
My theory is that she was surprised that Dana became a really great character while the lead character, the innocent Jenny, was just so annoying! I would leave the room and go to the bathroom or get a snack during the Jenny scenes. Dana, I grew to love because she was the actual innocent one, all wide-eyed and funny.
I can't talk about Dana any more, her death still pisses me off.
“Damn, Ms. Snarker, shut up about the subject lines already!”
Alright i saw this one coming and denied it the whole time. It is true that Jenny was crazy but that was one thing i loved about her. Mia is one of the best actors on this show. I to was going to say that i would miss her but alas the season is told in flashback so its all good. Cant wait for the new season.
Ps. Jenny would you say hello to Dana for me in The L Word heaven. :)
Damn, Ms. Snarker, shut up about the subject lines already!
This show can suck it already.
I tuned into S1 because it was all about gay ladies.
Oh, and Mia Kirshner was on it, who happened to be a fav actress of mine.
I only continued to watch this crap past ep one because Mia is amazing (not to mention stunningly beautiful.)
She got the shaft on this show and this ending for her character blows. Lazy, cruel, UGH! Lame!
She deserved better.
And what's worse is that I can't even stop watching it now. I have to stick with it out of my undying loyalty to all things Kirshner because those writer chumps went with the overused, uncreative flashback. G-dammit, already. I've been hoping she would quit so I can allocate that 47-51 minutes every Sunday night come Januarys to something more interesting...like a bubble bath...or making toast...having a staring showdown with a cat...or sleep.
Thanks Chaiken. Thanks a bunch.
It's time for this SHOW to rest in peace, not just Jenny.
No Subject cause im following the guidelines