Pride Month 2020: The L Word: Generation Q's Leisha Hailey redefines queer relationship narratives as Alice
"So you're a throuple now?" Shane McCutcheon (Katherine Moennig) asks Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey) early on in the episode in 'The L Word: Generation Q'. Alice is in a relationship with Natalie 'Nat' Bailey (Stephanie Allynne) and then soon enough, finds herself in a 'throuple' (couple plus one) with Nat's ex-wife Gigi (Sepideh Moafi). Showtime brought the trio of Alice, Shane and Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals) back with a revival ticked (most of) the right boxes. An extension of the 'The L Word', the series picks up over ten years after the events of the original show and focuses on their lives, intersecting with a whole new ensemble of "Generation Q" -- one that consists of "diverse LGBTQ+ characters experiencing love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks, personal growth and success in Los Angeles".
But Ilene Chaiken, Kathy Greenberg and Michele Abbott, creators of 'The L Word', come with the expertise of portraying queer relationships for television for over a decade and with the sequel series, the trio redefines the narrative. When Alice agrees to a throuple with her girlfriend Nat and Nat's ex-wife Gigi, things go great for a while. The three begin by splitting the responsibilities of Nat and Gigi's children. Trying to come on common grounds with the ex-wife was difficult at first. But these differences were to be soon resolved paving way to a three-way relationship - and a steamy threesome that fans called "hottest sex scene."
Yeah, things might have moved way too fast, but there is no denying that it played out well. The three didn't just share physical chemistry but also an emotional connection by parenting children together, although it had a messy end with Alice exiting the throuple. Fans of the show really appreciated the treatment of Alice's relationship(s) this season and couldn't praise it enough for its portrayal of polygamy. The Showtime show is used to set benchmarks in its portrayal of queer relationships and while fans might have had concerns about other aspects of the revival, Alice's arc was well-received.
Apart from her personal life, Alice hosts her talk show titled 'Alice', which discussed issues surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, feminist and socio-political issues through a unique perspective, and one particular interview was with soccer star Megan Rapinoe. Although the season showed 'Alice' under threat of cancellation, the feminist-focused talk show sought to introduce new perspectives in discussions on issues surrounding women and the LGBTQ+ community. In her interview with Bette, who was running for mayor of Los Angeles, she discusses Bette's clean campaign and her responsibility as a member of the community.
She fights fiercely with the network for her show but we are yet to see the end of that. Leisha Hailey as Alice is charming as ever and the new horizons she explores in this season is testimony to a strong arc. For Pride Month 2020, she is an inspiration to never bow down before a challenge, personally or professionally.
