The L Word: Generation Q final trailer promises a more inclusive take on the beloved series

The final L Word: Generation Q trailer is here, with Bette, Shane, Alice and several new characters, promising to be more inclusive this time around.

Showtime dropped the final trailer for the sequel to The L Word, The L Word: Generation Q which is rife with millennial pink graphics and a bumping track of Lizzo’s “Better in Color” in the background:

Original characters Bette (Jennifer Beals), Alice (Leisha Hailey), and Shane (Katherine Moennig) return for the new series with Tina, Kit, and Carmen conspicuously missing. And it appears a lot of living, laughing, and loving has been going on with these ladies in the last ten years.

Shane appears to have left her old life behind, returning for a surprise party on a (private?) jet. Has she become a full-blown celebrity hairstylist? Seeing a “settled-down” Shane will surely be fascinating.

Bette, in a very 2019 move, is campaigning as the first openly lesbian mayor of Los Angeles. Anyone who watched the original series knows that Bette can be at turns loving and callous, so this turn to the political pulpit makes perfect sense.

Alice looks to be working as possibly an activist, promising there is a “real opportunity to make an impact.” Maybe The Chart has really taken off… Alice also seems to be involved with the great and good Stephanie Allynne’s (One Mississippi) Nat, a new character.

Speaking of, the trailer also debuts the four new characters, presumably the “Generation Q” referenced in the title. According to a previous article in The Advocate:

"The show’s new cast members include relative newcomers Arienne Mandi, Leo Sheng, Jacqueline Toboni, and Rosanny Zayas.Mandi will play Dani Nùñez, a public relations executive who is “powerful and calculating,” according to Deadline. Sheng, who recently costarred in Rhys Ernst’s Adam, plays Micah Lee, “a soft-spoken adjunct professor forced to confront his fear of vulnerability.” Meanwhile, Toboni plays Sarah Finley, an assistant reconciling her sexual identity with her religious background. Finally, Zayas plays Sophie Suarez, a TV producer who subverts her own needs to those of others."

While the original series was beloved and groundbreaking, it was also criticized for its poor handling of a trans storyline later in the series and overall lack of full representation of diversity in the queer community.

In an interview with NBC News, creator Ailene Chaiken acknowledged the issues with the original series:

"And what I would say is I accept all of those criticisms. The world has changed; we’ve learned a great deal, I’ve learned a great deal."

It is promising that there already appears to be more authenticity this time around, both in casting and behind the screen.

Fans will be able to decide for themselves when The L Word: Generation Q premieres December 8 on Showtime.