Written by Det. Mallory

Beginning with the first episode of this season (wherein Alice has become a stalker), the L-Word began a series of story lines that lacked the humor, sweetness, and pathos that captured a loyal viewer ship in Season 1.

In the most simple of terms, the show moved from real drama to melodrama, thereby squeezing out its intelligence and humanity. Everyone watching Season 1 could identify with the struggles of coming out, the hilarity of having a love interest "checked-out" by friends, the difficulty of insensitive parents and the challenges of long term relationships. There's an old joke that goes, "What do lesbians call a second date? Answer: Moving day--when they get a place together". Yeah, it's old, it's not too funny, but it could have been used on "The L Word" with a recognition by the characters of its truth.

By season three, the writers had begun to treat the characters like escapees from a group home who could not discuss their emotions without shrillness, confront another without hysteria or control their passions beyond a 14-year old boy's. The "old joke" would have fallen on deaf ears.

So, what have the producers and writers brought us this year:
--A vision of a women's community that cannot maintain intimate relationships beyond a few months (remember, Bette and Tina's happy times have been referenced and rarely seen; Alice and Dana couldn't make it; Carmen and Shane couldn't make it, etc, etc.);
--A statement that friendship among lesbians is superficial (except for the blind loyalty of Shane, the cast was given little time together to show sympathy toward Alice or Bette. The writers made it seem that it takes a case of breast cancer to move these friends to kindness);
--Levels of misjudgment and psychosis in previously sane characters suggesting a need for serious mental health intervention (Alice becomes a stalker and Bette a kidnapper?);
--The message that cancer means death (missing the opportunity to deal with breast cancer by letting Dana survive and letting her deal in the future with the illness of her mother or someone who is more likely to succumb to breast cancer);
--Examples of healthy relationship EXCLUSIVELY with heterosexual couples; and finally
--Show after show after show lacking humor, irony, insight or appreciation of the PROCESS of living as gay women.

So, what happened? Well, maybe the writers simply lack meaningful experience beyond Hollywood (or West Hollywood) and simply don't know that there are interesting lives and tales to be told in storylines that are not so puerile and melodramatic.

Maybe they forgot to look and see--really see--the wonderful characters they had created. They certainly showed no affection for or appreciation of the integrity of their characters. How else can you explain the decisions to make Bette a depressed, homebound lump or Shane a weak-willed women who could actually be influenced by her loutish father? It's almost as if the writers hate their own characters and want to punish them in the way usually reserved for slasher movies. You know, kill the kids who show signs of life but save the virgin.

As I write this, the viewers poll shows about 60% of viewers are not pleased with the show. Many will watch next season, out of loyalty or the hope that it will get better. The L-Word also has a corner on the market as lesbian characters have not made an impact on broadcast or basic cable show.

But in my gut, I don't hold out much hope because I don't trust the writer to know how to repair what they have broken. It may be HOT to have these wonderful characters simply jump each other, but this will lack any truth or understanding about how healing happens.

So, unlike Queer as Folk, which ends with all major characters in motion and Brian Kenny dancing beneath a turning disco ball, I suspect The L Word will go out with a thud, with relationships artificially patched, a strained scene of the cast at the Planet and an audience that barely cares.

*** Jumping the Shark is a common term used when a TV series takes a leap that makes its fans shake their heads and roll their eyes. This season did it with flair.

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