OK, where to begin?
– Jenny is reverting back to her old manipulative self, trying to seduce the girlfriend of the woman who seduced her with empathy and then gave her a bad review. Because *that’ll* show the reviewer that Jenny is a sincere person who didn’t deserve to be called “whiny and self-indulgent!” I had such high hopes for Jenny through seasons two and three. Now, I just wish she’d been busted last night.
As for her “Lez Girls” New Yorker story, wasn’t that the plot of an episode of Star Trek: Voyager? The doctor writes a holo-novel about a starship with a crew that resembles all his colleagues, and changes a few details here and there and then claims it’s *not* about them because these characters have differences from his colleagues (all of them unflattering). And the whole point of the novel is to show how hard it is to be a hologram in a flesh-and-blood world? Yep, that definitely was an episode of ST:V. And Jenny’s “Monet” defense? Pure crap. I’m sure Monet’s water lilies really didn’t care if he painted them, or how he painted them. But you don’t paint *people you know* or use them as models without their permission ’cause if you do, they might be pissed too, especially if the likeness was uncomplimentary. Artists and fiction writers always draw from their lives for their inspiration, ’tis true, but whether that’s OK, or a violation, really depends on *what* details you choose for your inspiration, and how you alter them.
– Speaking of Star Trek: Voyager, who’s this new blonde friend of Shane’s? I mean, other than another straight girl looking to cross the railroad tracks? I don’t think I caught her name and now she’s been in two episodes. I recognized the actress, though, and it took me a moment to place her. Then, aha! I made the connection. There’s this lame episode of ST: V where Harry is convinced by some alien babes that he’s a member of their species and must now live on their planet and mate with them. I guess they don’t have males there anymore and they have to physically convert the DNA of off-world males to carry on the species, which they do surreptitiously to fool them. Anyway, the actress was one of these babes, who the OK-so-not-really-picky Tom Paris comments are “the most beautiful women he’s ever seen.” Only she wasn’t. She was this skinny little nothing, no presence at all. Well, that’s changed in ten years. She filled out and growed up. Her and Shane? I’m for it.
– I’d wish they move some of the other characters across the railroad tracks. ‘Cause straight people spying on cheatin’ straight people? Zzzzz. Let’s move on. (Although how bummed am I about Tina? When I look at her, I still see Justine. And Randi Dean).
– Alice breaking Phyllis’ heart: I so called that. You could tell Alice was looking for a way out of this “instant relationship” she’d found herself in, but didn’t know how to do it without coming across as a complete shit. So she took her convenient “out” by claiming she didn’t want to be with a woman who had a husband and family. I somehow don’t think Alice would worry about that if she really, really liked a woman and thought the woman was planning on leaving her husband. And maybe not even then.
– Papi? Needs to chill. Although I think she finally got on Shane’s nerves for the first time stealing that chick right out from under her. In her defense, though, Shane did let her do it without a fight. But that’s so Shane. She’s not really a game player.
– Oh, and Marlee Matlin was interesting for a change this week! She’s just seemed kind of bitchy and judgmental up ’til now. I guess all she needed was a little toke to relax her. So now? She *totally* needs to get rid of the third wheel. There she was, smoking pot in the foliage with Bette, hearing all Bette’s sordid little tales, and that interpreter guy is right there acting like the chaperone they so *don’t* need! Wasn’t that an episode of Star Trek: the next Generation? Troi meets this deaf-mute emissary/mediator guy and he asks her to dinner in his cabin and one of his interpreters is there with them in the room during their date! Say, didn’t the interpreters *die* in that episode, leaving the deaf guy to fend for himself with Troi? Yep, yep, I think they did.
Author Nancy E. Shaffer 
I wonder if the interpreter guy is the same one who was her interpreter in The West Wing. I’ve always been curious whether he was her actual interpreter or just an actor.
I don’t know the name of the actor who plays the interpreter, but his character comes across as gay.
Before this season I still hated Jenny. I didn’t even think I could hate her more. Now I know that I can. I can’t believe that Alice is the only one to call her on her shit.
I kind of started liking her some in season 2 when she read that guy roommate of theirs the riot act. Now, I’d just like to lock her up with a therapist who has a giant can of GetAClue.
I hated Jenny before this season, too. Then I watched episode one of this season, and just felt depressed. After that, I left episodes 2-6 build up, ominously, on my DVR. The more that build up, the more depressed I feel about trying to catch up. I haven’t run out of hard drive space yet, but if I do, I might just have to delete them, cancel Showtime, and give up. I’ve read through all of ‘s reviews of the episodes I missed, and I just don’t feel compelled to watch them. I’ve read other people’s reviews too. I just can’t get excited about this show anymore. Does that make me a bad lesbian? Jenny is the number one reason I don’t like the show, specifically the writing. If she’s even worse now than she was before, I feel nothing but dread.
Tell me something, anything, to make me want to watch this show again. Are any of the characters funny? Is any of the writing good? Are Alice or Shane still hot and sexy and interesting? Or is the whole thing just more and more of a train wreck?
Shane still shines. Her storyline this season gave me serious pause (I don’t know how much you know about the current season and I don’t want to spoil you on anything), it’s got one of my iron clad story squicks, but I’m impressed with the way they’re handling it.
Funnily enough, I didn’t much like Alice until recently, but this season I think she’s great (except for one thing I won’t spoil you for and is purely the result of sloppy writing).
I was never much into the Bette/Tina mommy!drama. Moirax is more interesting since he’s gotten away from poison Jenny. I’m afraid though, that the only way to redeem the Jenny storyline is for everyone to finally realize what a toxic person she is (and what a crap writer she is) and have her fall hard and fast and end up alone to wallow in her self-pity and self-righteousness.
For me, if Shane’s still in it and she’s still Shane, I’ll be watching. The way she handles Papi is a joy to watch.
Don’t give up on it quite yet.
Shane is good. I like Shane this season for reasons totally different than why I liked her in the past. Alice is great, but they’re pairing her off with the wrong women. Tina is off my radar right now as there’s nothing in her storyline that interests me in the least. Bette, watching but not particularly interested. Nothing train-wrecky there, though. I think. Moirax, I have no idea where they’re going with hir, I’m not sure they do, either. Jenny–‘nuf said.
There’s several new characters, none of whom have been fleshed out enough yet to say one way or another.
My reaction each week has been “Gee, this is such a soap opera!” like that’s a bad thing. I always liked soap operas. But this season’s a bit overwrought, I think. I’m giving it a chance, though.
If you say Shane is still good in some way, then I will eventually watch them, although your descriptions are almost thorough enough to serve as replacements for actually doing so. 😉
I’m so sad about Tina. I really love Laurel Holloman as an actor. But I recent read an interview with her in which she was pretty openly unhappy with some of the writing choices for hers and other characters on the show. Apparently Kate Moenig has been even more vocal about her unhappiness with the Dana omissions. Very interesting read. And I love Laurel’s comments about Justine, Joss, and Angel.
That unhappiness about Dana stuff is pretty old news at this point, since it all went down a year ago. The actresses are still on the show.
Don’t worry about spoiling me, I’ve already read all the spoilers there are. I don’t care about that, I care about good vs. bad writing. 🙂
Yes, but I still liked the interview. I mean, obviously they are still on the show because they value a steady job — good for them, why not? They can be unhappy but still working, just like non-actors. 😉