A crew member from the set of The L Word: Generation Q got in touch with us to reveal some of the shows dirtiest secrets… and they are pretty nasty.

Showtime’s The L Word: Generation Q premiered last week on Stan Australia and it is probably one of the most graphic and naughtiest television shows on their platform.

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I remember getting excited for The L Word back in the day after binge watching Queer as Folk and getting invested in the story and falling in love with the characters. Unfortunately The L Word couldn’t hold candle to its well written character driven predecessor, but it still had its charm.

I was excited to see where Showtime would take the new series, so I invited some of my friends over for a girl’s night in to watch the first episode and pig out on snacks. We couldn’t keep our snacks in… the first episode was gross.

The first episode entitled, ‘Let’s Do It Again,’ starts with two of the main characters going at it like cats in heat. One of the first things that kind of got me was how graphic the love scenes were, and the show is only rated MA15+ down under.

The L Word has real love scenes, but which ones?

We get a good long glimpse at Dani Nunez, played by Arienne Mandi, going to town on her soon to be fiance Sophie Suarez. The scene wasn’t romantic; just loud moaning and some shouted vulgarities… kind of primal, so it shouldn’t really to surprise me when Dani pulls away to reveal that she was covered in menstrual blood. It was gross and it was awkward to watch with my girlfriends. But still, what away to kick off the new series.

I didn’t quite know what to make of the series from the first episode so it was straight onto the internet to confirm or dismiss some of my concerns.

In one of my groups there’s a girl who allegedly works as a crew member on the set for The L Word: Generation Q, and she was quick chime in when I expressed shock in the show’s controversial love making scenes.

The L Word has real love scenes?!

The insider, we will simply call D, responded to my message with, “oh my, you have no idea.” She explained that some of the love making scenes were in fact unsimulated, meaning that some of the actors actually get down to real business during filming. Which scenes specifically? She wouldn’t specify.

“Wow. Isn’t it a bit awkward for the crew members who have to film it?” I asked. She insisted that only a few people were uncomfortable with some of scenes being unsimulated, and it was mostly producers.

The L Word Ratings are low!

“Most of us working on the show are LGBTQ and very comfortable with our sexuality, so it’s not really a huge deal,” she said when asked about The L Word real love scenes.

“Nobody is forcing anyone to do anything, when this happens it is usually the actress’s ideas. I think they want to do it for realism,” D explained.

The L Word ratings are low

When the cast and crew of The L Word: Generation Q received word that the The L Word ratings for the premiere were abysmal — only 250, 000 people tuned in to the premiere and even less for the following episode — they were doubtful that they would be renewed for a second season, but that didn’t dampen their spirits.

“We’re not really thinking about season 2, or even worried about cancellation, we are just trying to have as much fun as possible filming this season.”

I asked her why she thinks the ratings aren’t as good as they’d hope ans she told me that the majority of the cast and crew blame ‘heteronormativity culture’ and ‘straight white men’ for ‘snuffing’ the show.

“I think the studio execs, most of whom are straight white guys, are glad the show is failing. They weren’t too enthused about the show and I think they’ll be glad once it’s cancelled. Sad truth is that we live in a culture where hetronomativity is the societal standard and anything that makes straight guys feel uncomfortable usually bombs or gets bombed.”

The L Word tea: low ratings, real love scenes!

Perhaps if The L Word: Generation Q didn’t criticise and insult straight white men so much there wouldn’t be a back last.

At the end of the very first episode Nunez meets a lesbian politician who is running for office (and I’ve only watched the first episode but I just know she is going to cheat on her fiance with her). Nunez wants to donate to her campaign but, at first, is rejected because her organisation deals with the sales of opiates. “I would expect this from a straight white male, but not from a well respectable woman like yourself.” That’s a kick in the ball to all straight white men who watch the show.

Leo Sheng, transgender male, saves the show

Despite the show’s many cliches it is wasn’t a complete waste of time watching it. Leo Sheng, transgender male, saves the show with some outstanding performances.

Perhaps his acting is so sublime because it’s not acting for him. Leo Sheng plays a transgender man and in one of the first scenes this is addressed. “I am used to people asking me why I look like this, but I just don’t like bringing it up because it’s not who I am anymore.”

The L Word: Generation Q is available for streaming on Stan. New episodes are out weekly. Sign up now for a 30-day free trial.