The only fiction network TV show to exclusively follow a group of lesbians talking, laughing, loving, breathing, fighting, f*cking, and crying in Los Angeles is finally rising from the dead. At a Television Critics Association panel today, Showtime revealed their plan for The L Word sequel series. Fan favorites Jennifer Beals (Bette), Katherine Moennig (Shane), and Leisha Hailey (Alice) are all part of the new show—and thank God, they are executive producing, too. Y’all know those three never would’ve killed off Dana.
O.G. creator Ilene Chaiken is also exec producing, and Marja-Lewis Ryan (who is only thirty-three!) is showrunning. So it’s an all-woman team, to which I say: hell yeah.
“Marja has brought her unique and contemporary vision to The L Word and blended it beautifully into the fabric of Ilene’s groundbreaking series,” Showtime president Gary Levine has said. “This revered show was both entertaining and impactful when it originally ran on Showtime, and we are confident that our new version will do that and more in 2019.”
The L Word premiered on Showtime in 2004 and ran for six seasons—though we like to pretend the sixth season never happened, because it was…weird. (R.I.P. Jenny and we love you, comedic genius Mia Kirshner. Alice, did you kill her? Wish The Farm—a spin-off starring Alice in jail—had actually happened. Orange is the New Black, eat your heart out.)
We don’t yet know who else is returning to the show, but I’m gunning for Mia as Jenny, queen Pam Grier (Kit) to show everyone who’s boss, Sarah Shahi (Carmen) because we all know she should’ve ended up with Shane, Erin Daniels (Dana) as a ghost who haunts Alice and gives her sassy counsel, Rose Rollins (Tasha) to be Alice’s rock, and Laurel Holloman (Tina), because Bette and Tina are the most classic couple of all-time (albeit a liiittle boring).
The first season of The L Word revival will premiere sometime this year. And something else we’re desperately gonna need is a new theme song. No more Betty. Catch up on the first six (or five) seasons now, currently streaming on Netflix.
