The L Word

The L Word
GenreDrama
Created by
Starring
Opening theme"The L Word" performed by Betty (seasons 2–6)
ComposerElizabeth Ziff
Country of origin
  • United States
  • Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes71 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Rose Lam
  • Kim Steer
  • Elizabeth Ziff
  • Angela Robinson
  • Elizabeth Hunter
  • A.M. Homes
Production locations
Running time50 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkShowtime
ReleaseJanuary 18, 2004 (2004-01-18) –
March 8, 2009 (2009-03-08)
Related
The L Word: Generation Q
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

The L Word is a television drama series that aired on Showtime in the US from 2004 to 2009. The series follows the lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women who live in West Hollywood, California.[1][2] The premise originated with Ilene Chaiken, Michele Abbott and Kathy Greenberg; Chaiken is credited as the primary creator of the series and also served as its executive producer.

The L Word featured television's first ensemble cast of lesbian and bisexual female characters,[3][4] and its portrayal of lesbianism was groundbreaking at the time.[2][5][6][7] One of the series' pioneering hallmarks was its explicit depiction of lesbian sex from the female gaze,[8] at a time when lesbian sex was "virtually invisible elsewhere on television."[9] It was also the first television series written and directed by predominantly queer women.[10]

The L Word franchise led to the spin-off reality show The Real L Word (2010–2012) as well as the documentary film L Word Mississippi: Hate the Sin (2014), both of which aired on Showtime. A sequel television series, The L Word: Generation Q, debuted in December 2019 and was canceled after three seasons in 2023.

  1. ^ Brown, Tracy (December 6, 2019). "Commentary: Why 'The L Word' was must-see lesbian TV — and the reboot doesn't need to be". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Higgins, Bill (December 15, 2019). "Hollywood Flashback: 'L Word' Was a Groundbreaking Take on Gay Women's Lives". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference nyt1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference nyt2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Hashemi, Sarah (December 6, 2019). "'The L Word' changed television. Its reboot speaks to a new generation". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  6. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (December 2, 2019). "The return of The L Word: the groundbreaking lesbian show is back". The Guardian. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  7. ^ Loh, Stefanie (December 6, 2019). "'The L Word' was groundbreaking in the canon of LGBTQ media. Here's why its reboot, 'Generation Q,' is relevant today". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference thr2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference nbc1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Baker, Sarah; Rutherford, Amanda (2020). "Upgrading The L Word: Generation Q". M/C Journal. 23 (6). ISSN 1441-2616.