NOTE: this article contains spoilers for The L Word: Generation Q season 3 episode 1,"Last Year."
The L Word: Generation Q season 3 premiere picks up right where season 2 ended, with Tina arriving at Bette’s house to confront her about what happened with Carrie and Bette’s speech. The two say they still love each other, but Tina wishes Bette were better at loving her before leaving.
And with that, the show does a one year time jump.
Domesticated Shane?
The time jump opens with a brief glimpse of Alice, who is getting intimate with a younger man, although both seem pretty disengaged. Seems like Alice is still searching for the right partner.
We quickly jump to a surprisingly domesticated Shane, helping with Tess' mom, Patty. With Patty dealing with Alzheimer and MS, she is living with Shane and Tess. When Tess is done dealing with the crisis of a makeup artist dropping out of her MS fundraiser and a caregiver helping with Patty, Shane and Tess steal a romantic moment, but Shane looks stressed and a little trapped.
Everyone knows Shane doesn't do well in domestic situations. The strain of living with Tess and her mom could be wearing on her.
Time to get the U-Haul?
Gigi and Dani are still happily together. After a short intimate moment in the morning, Gigi is getting ready to leave when Dani says they should move in together. Gigi is taken aback, but likes the idea.
However, she needs to check with Nat because of the shared custody situation they have, which Dani is very put off by. There's going to be drama there down the line. Count on it.
A new leaf for Bette
Alice, Shane and Tina are helping Angie move into the dorms. But Bette is late. When she arrives, a student moving in hits her car. Everyone waits for Bette's usual explosion, but it doesn't come. Tina is impressed with Bette's self-restraint and Alice and Shane explain that Bette's been doing a lot of self-work over the last year. Is this a new, more mature Bette? Tina seems interested to find out.
Homecoming
Sophie and Micah get the apartment ready for Finley, who is returning home after a year of getting sober. Sophie is worried that Finley's feelings may have changed during the big transformation she's gone through.
While she's getting the apartment ready, she finds an engagement ring in Micah's room. He's ready to propose to Maribel, but hasn’t found the right time. While they are talking, Finley comes in. She looks healthier but now has dark hair. The reunion is a little awkward, not the joyous homecoming that would be expected.
Sophie and Finley head to the park to reconnect. Being in a neutral space helps. Finley's holding back a little because she has a lot of guilt and feelings about her actions when she was drinking all the time.
She reads a letter she wrote to Sophie thanking her for saving her life and apologizing for not being there for Sophie the way she should have been. It melts the awkwardness. Finley tells Sophie she's going to get a job, a car and maybe go to school. Sophie seems optimistic about their future.
The MS Fundraiser
The MS Fundraiser is held at Dana's. Alice has volunteered her glam squad to make up for the makeup artist who dropped out.
Finley tries to make amends to Tess and Shane, but both say it's not necessary. Shane gives Finley her job back. Is that a good idea though?
Although there is a funny moment where Teddy, Alice's influencer boyfriend, tries to explain TikTok to her, it's clear Alice is already done with this. She breaks up with Teddy before the end of the fundraiser and goes back to dating apps.
Shane faces some temptation that might come back to haunt her. She meets Ivy, one of the makeup artists on Alice's team, and there's instant chemistry. Ivy reveals she has some old Shane for Wax products she bought on Ebay and asks Shane to style her hair. Shane does, almost reverting her to old ways. Just before she crosses the line she pulls back, but it's clear Ivy’s going to be back to flirt with Shane again. Knowing Shane's track record and that she’s feeling constrained in her relationship with Tess, this could be the start of something bad.
Finley tries to make amends to Dani, but Dani tells Finley she's not interested and to leave her alone. Finley, being Finley, doesn’t until Dani gets really upset. Way to respect someone else’s boundaries Finley…
Sophie and Finley leave to do something fun — playing strip basketball. Sophie is ready for an intimate homecoming, but Finley is holding back. She tells Sophie she needs to go to a meeting instead. At the meeting, Finley talks about her fears and insecurities, confessing she's worried about staying sober with all the pressures of life.
At the fundraiser, Bette puts up a print for auction that's very special to her and Tina. It's from their old house and that started Bette's collection. Tina buys it for $10,000 because of the memories it evokes. They leave the fundraiser together and go to Bette's.
At Bette's, Tina asks her how she's found this new peace within herself? Bette reveals she found her mom and forgave her for leaving her as a child. Bette also says she returned to the silent meditation retreat, the one in Washington she went to in The L Word, and this time she stayed. Is this a new start for Bette and Tina? Their paths have always been linked.
Growing Up, Making Hard Choices
Angie invites Jordi over to share her first night in her dorm, but Jordi breaks up with Angie, saying they're about to become very different people and it feels like time to move on.
Meanwhile, Micah proposes to Maribel, but Maribel tells Micah she doesn't want to get married. She wants to have a baby.
Speaking of babies, Tess shows Shane a building for sale near Dana's and says she wants to buy another bar with Shane. Tess tells Shane she loves their life together and she wants another baby. Shane's going to need a minute to process that. Is Shane ready to go all in on domestic life with Tess?
New episodes of The L Word: Generation Q air on Showtime Sundays; they are available to stream on the Showtime app and Paramount Plus with Showtime bundle.
