Hello and welcome back! Here’s what you missed: On the OG L Word, the ladies played some poker and perhaps it’s actually possible that every episode of Season Four is a classic? Riese and Carly will investigate. Supergirl herself directed this week’s Supergirl and Lena Author wore one helluva suit. Drew, Riese, and Carmen sat down to talk about Ryan Murphy’s new Netflix series Hollywood — spoiler alert: Two of them loved it, and one of them really didn’t, but you’ll have to click the link to find out who. Heather believes that Batwoman has come to the correct conclusion that everyone in Gotham City is gay. Sara woke up from her coma on Legends and somehow that also involves a murder mystery? Drew loved HBO’s Betty and she thinks it will skate right into your heart, too. Kayla promises that the Riverdale Season 4 finale showcases the show at its best and most bonkers.
We also had some great film coverage this week. Kamala talked with Fatimah Asghar about feeling anxious at queer parties and Autostraddle got to give you all the digital premiere of her new short film, which we all fell immediately in love with! Then we brought together six queer Asian American artists — including The L Word: Generation Q’s Leo Sheng — to talk about Alice Wu’s The Half of It and the future of queer Asian cinema. It’s a long read, but carve out some time this weekend, because it is SO WORTH IT.
Notes from the TV Team:
+ So, last week, I joked that Hen’s storyline on 9-1-1 felt a bit like a backdoor pilot for a medical show and I was kinda right? This week, Karen gets suspicious: she finds a restaurant receipt, spots texts from another woman on Hen’s phone, finds a list of dates and catches Hen in a lie. Worried that Hen’s cheating on her again, she heads over to Chimney’s for some answers… or, in lieu of that, for a strong drink.
When Hen comes to collect her intoxicated wife, she reveals that the woman she’s been seeing is the doctor from last week. She’s been talking to her about possibly going to med school? But, with no word of a second 9-1-1 spin-off on the horizon, panic started to set in: are we about to be deprived of Aisha Hinds on our TV screens?! — Natalie
+ Judge Brenner didn’t have much of a storyline in this but as we start to contemplate what TV creation looks like in the age of corona, All Rise gave us our first glimpse: an entire episode of scripted TV shot remotely via the actors’ computers and phones. It’s worth a watch. — Natalie
+ Not a great showing for the queer cheftestants this week, as Melissa and Karen both found themselves on the losing team in Restaurant Wars. Their issues weren’t entirely of their making so thankfully they were spared from elimination. The news wasn’t all bad for Karen this week, though, as her restaurant Fox and the Knife was among 2020 James Beard nominees — Natalie
Station 19 315: “Bad Guy”
As we talked about last week, Maya Bishop is really not into processing her Dad’s emotional abuse, ok? She wants no part of it, and she’s even shut out her mother (who left him) because of it. You know when a three-year-old sticks their fingers in their ears and screams at the top of their lungs “LALALALALLAA” to block out the bad things? Maya is doing whatever is the adult version of that.
So, Carina, desperately worried about her girlfriend, switches tactics. If Maya won’t talk to her directly, maybe an orgasm will help coax out her vulnerability. When, after some extremely hot close up moans to the camera, Maya comes up for air and coos that orgasms feel better in the daylight, Carina agrees. She did study them for a living, after all (Damnit Dr. Orgasm, never change). She uses their post-sex glow to approach the topic of Maya’s dad again, but the fire captain shuts her down HARD. Later, over breakfast, in an amazing cut off sweater that shows just enough shoulder to make a girl blush, Carina tries again. And again Maya digs in her heels. If Carina won’t drop the subject of her father’s abuse, then Maya thinks its best she leaves.
Carina won’t leave, however. She knows that Maya is trying her hardest to push her away, but that this relationship is something real and worth it. Instead, Maya goes for a run with Carina waiting for her at home. The run leads her back to Station 19 and eventually, into Jack’s arms. Of course they sleep together, because Maya is on a warpath to destruct her own life.
When Maya finally returns, the sun has already set and Carina’s still there. Maya’s surprised she waited (I’m not) and when Carina says that she doesn’t want to be mad, Maya counters by telling her about the affair before storming away in a cloud of anger towards their bedroom.
Carina’s face breaks, gasping for air. But so far, at least for now, she stays.
Here’s the thing, to paraphrase Shondaland’s greatest mothership — the more “dark and twisty” Maya gets, the more I fall for her. Based on her small role in the early seasons, I never expected that Maya Bishop would become the reason I watched Station 19 week after week, but here we are. I love that they have rebooted Carina DeLuca within this little fire show, I love that she shines here when she otherwise fights for screen time on Grey’s, and I love that she’s determined to fight for Maya.
I love that Maya, even in all her hurt and pain, is someone damn worth fighting for.
