“The L Word” Reboot Is Really, Actually Happening This Very Year
Well, it’s official: Showtime is really, truly, actually rebooting The L Word. President of programming Gary Levine said so himself, “cautiously,” at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour earlier this week. And Showtime confirmed it during their TCA slot today.
According to Deadline, they’ve been hard at work at it for over a year. And by “they,” I mean new showrunner Marja-Lewis Ryan; your old pal Ilene Chaiken; and Jennifer Beals, Leisha Hailey, and Kate Moennig, who will serve as executive producers and reprise their roles as Bette, Alice, and Shane. The Hollywood Reporter says “other characters from the original series” may also appear, and includes on that list Erin Daniels and Mia Kirshner. Any skepticism I have about this reboot would vanish instantly if someone could confirm Dana and Jenny will appear as ghosts or vampires.
The L Word: The New Class will reflect “how members of the community’s relationships, their lives, and experiences have evolved and what has changed (and what hasn’t) since the show’s inception.” Maybe, for example, people of color and trans people and bisexuals exist in West Hollywood now! Maybe lesbians know how to talk about those identities without being monsters! Maybe no one’s going to get breast cancer on Tuesday and die on Wednesday! I do hope Bette Porter keeps saying “fuck” a lot, though; no one fucking knows how to swear like Bette Fucking Porter.
Showtime has ordered eight episodes, which are expected to premiere before the end of the year.
Update: Sarah Shahi is in. Reporters asked her about the reboot at TCA today. Caroline Framke at Variety reports that she said: “This was something that was brought up in a discussion [with original L Word cast members] last year… The girls were talking to me about it, and my involvement was discussed very heavily that I would be in it. I think they want to keep it that way, and so does Showtime.”
It's real. So excited! https://t.co/6IMF4HuA4P
— Ilene Chaiken (@ilenechaiken) January 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/jenniferbeals/status/1091034778961408000
And here we go! @Showtime
See you all soon xoxo https://t.co/Sa4wLjOWf5— kate moennig (@katemoennig) January 31, 2019
THE WAIT IS OVER! We will see you all soon https://t.co/hNN4uPMNIA
— Leisha Hailey (@Leisha_Hailey) January 31, 2019