The L Word - Season 3, episode 8

Several posts ago I said something about this season of The L Word "sucking pond water through a bent straw," but after Sunday night's episode I would like to amend that statement.

Helena's scenes with Dylan have completely turned me around! To quote my good friend Anna, "Hot Day-Um!" No doubt! If I could whistle I would totally do it right here. It's a good thing I was in veg mode Sunday night and already lying down, or those scenes might have knocked me plum over. I could have lost an eye or something.

My memories of most of the other episodes so far this season have been fleeting (except for images of that cute little Angelica...she reminds me so much of my niece Jada that I just want to reach through the TV and squeeze her pudgy little cheeks), but this episode stayed with me and popped into my head several times yesterday. And not just Helena and Dylan... I thought the images of Dana were amazingly bold and powerful. Post-surgery, post-chemo, with that awful-looking scar and not one strand of hair on her head... Beautifully done I thought.

I just wish Bette and Tina could live happily ever after. I don't know what's so wrong with letting one healthy, committed couple be the nucleus that the rest of the show revolves around. A lack of dysfunction between Bette and Tina doesn't make them any less interesting, does it? Everyone has problems and nobody's perfect, but can't they just be in love and work through things together? Anytime those two are going in two different directions I feel like the nucleus of the show evaporates into thin air, and I don't feel as attached to it. Maybe that's just my own projection that stems from a need to have stability in my own life. Maybe it's okay for the nucleus of the show to shift as things happen--from Bette and Tina, to Dana, and maybe now to Max. I can deal, but I just like it better when Bette and Tina are getting the Helena/Dylan scenes!

Last season I found myself throwing stuff at the TV and every time a circus scene went off in Jenny's head, and now I'm throwing stuff at the TV every time the focus is on Kit and Angus. I just can't get into that storyline. But somehow this new connection between Helena and Dylan, and the power of the Dana storyline makes up for everything, and slaps a big gold star on the whole show. I've always liked Helena (even last season when she was a snot), but now I LOVE me some Helena. Bette is still my ultimate fav, but until Bette and Tina get happy I think I'm going to have to be all about Helena. She's very inspirin'...