'The L Word: Generation Q' Episode 3: Angie's choice to move to a public school affects Bette's Mayoral debate
Spoilers ahead for season 1 episode 3 of 'The L Word: Generation Q' titled 'Lost Love'
After the scandalous news of Bette's (Jennifer Beals) affair with a married employee of hers is made public, she is concerned about how it will affect the campaign but she is more worried about her daughter Angie (Jordan Hull). And rightly so.
In 'Lost Love', things take a new turn. Angie is bullied in school for the actions and decisions of her mother by a girl named Missy. "Your mom slept with the entire school board," she tells Angie, obviously to rile her up. Angie remains quiet. "Your mom is a f*****g slut," she says. It is all quiet for a few seconds before Angie sends a punch swinging at her nose.
When Bette reaches school, Angie is nervous that she would be angry, and Bette is, but for completely different reasons. It is revealed that Angie is suspended from the private school, but Missy, the girl who provoked her is only going to get a strict talking to. As the real issue comes to light, Angie retires with a sigh, but Bette explains to her that Missy is going to get through a lot in life - "the rules are different for you and you know that," she tells her. She also adds that the only way to get around the system is that you learn to work around it and evade it. All of this is not what Angie wants to hear - it is unfortunate, but Bette is stating the truth.
It is an emotional yet powerful scene Jordan Hull's Angie stays calm in the face of this adversity.
After her daughter's suspension, Bette is looking for a new private school for Angie. But the debate of a public school comes up, especially after Dani (Arienne Mandi) brings up the several ways that public schools are better over private schools. Angie expresses her interest in studying at a public school - she believes that it will be a better institution than a private school, that reeks of privilege, power and money. "Are you sure the school is for me or for you?" she asks her mother.
While Bette dismisses this at first, during the mayoral debate with the running mayor Jeff Milner, it takes a new turn.
Milner talks about his policies of reform mainly in the fields of money and jobs. Bette, on the other hand, talks about her policies of reform with regards to homelessness, housing and education. Taking the bait, Milner makes a personal attack on Bette about Angie. But Bette turns around the debate in her favor - noting how public schools are better, which bags her the teacher's union endorsement.
'The L Word: Generation Q' airs on Sundays at 10/9c on Showtime.
