A Guest Star’s Legacy
When not writing about writing, I’ve used this platform to write about important moments, people, or events in my life. This is about a television show, but more specifically a couple of its characters.
When The 100 began in 2014, I honestly had never heard of it. If for some slightly better marketing, maybe I would have tuned in sooner. It was my exact type of fun. Like LOST with teenagers mixed with some space fun. So when I started hearing about this completely show-stopping performance of a queer-coded badass warrior girl by a guest star (Alycia Debnam-Carey), I knew I had to tune in.
I caught up to the end of S2 in two days and was ready to witness everything that unfolded thereafter with joy and anticipation. Alycia’s character, Lexa, was positioned as the antagonist to Eliza Taylor’s, Clarke. And although their relationship was contentious, there was something deeper and more meaningful brewing beneath the surface. You could feel it. These girls, these leaders, these monumental characters were a shift in the zeitgeist.
It can be hard to see things in perspective when it took place months or especially years in the past, so where television stands today can make 2015 TV seem very conservative. At the time, there had never been a lead bisexual character and so Clarke made history by expressing some sort of feelings for Lexa after having a relationship with Finn shortly prior. This alone was huge for me and much like Korra, I saw a lot of myself in Clarke.
Not to mention, the chemistry between Clarke and Lexa was unmatched and provided a new kind of dynamic not often seen on TV. The electricity carried into S3, creating the foundation for an incredibly strong bond to come. They made history together again that season, but their triumphant relationship was quickly cut short by Lexa’s death. An entirely unnecessary one and one which perpetuated the Bury Your Gays trope still alive and well in 2016. With a messy plot and regular disrespect of fans and characters, what haunted The 100 was that Lexa Deserved Better. An international outcry which, to its credit, helped shape film and television for years to come.
As devastated as I was at the time, I thought I could hold out and perhaps they would bring Lexa back. I should’ve known better, but I wasn’t all wrong. After crumbs of Lexa references for the next 4 seasons reinforcing the importance of Clexa, the finale that aired Sept 30 2020 did fulfill my wish to see Lexa again. And while not in the way I hoped, what was magical about it was that it was really given to the fans by Alycia’s willingness to return to a show that did her dirty.
Alycia’s understanding of what Lexa meant to queer fans and moreso what Clexa meant to them as well, gave her the drive she needed to return to us. In many interviews, it became clear she only wanted do so if it was healthy for the fans. That’s an amazing choice from any actor. For that, I extend my deepest thanks. And while The 100 S7 ratings were some of their lowest of all time, the finale became an internationally trending topic. Not because of the show itself, but because of Lexa. Her return was a welcome ode to the love Lexa an Clarke shared and a real tribute to the fans who she meant so much to.
It’s incredible to think Lexa only ever appeared in 17 out of 100 episodes. 2 of which came after her untimely death. And while I think all Lexa, Clexa, and The 100 fans who admired their story wished it all happened differently, the joy of seeing a beloved character again momentarily outweighed the wrongs done before. But there’s still work to be done.
I imagine a world where The 100 kept Lexa alive and allowed her arc alongside Clarke to progress for longer, if not until the very end. Like would have been the case for many straight relationships (The 100 was not free from baiting Bellarke fans either, though, to be clear). I imagine other iconic stories in the future being told where queer leads get to be happy and healthy and experience joy in all forms. Where their relationships and lives are not cut short because they’re expendable. And I believe we will see that. We have already started to. A lot in thanks to Lexa.
So when people look back on The 100 and review it’s legacy, they’re not going to remember the screwy plots or high body count, but how a guest star left an indelible mark and defined a show she was regrettably, only barely in. Alycia elevated every scene she was in and gave life and soul to her role as Lexa and could have given so much more. It’s why her finale appearance moved so many to tears once again. That’s what will be remembered from The 100. Lexa and Clarke and the beautiful story they shared and how in the end, life is about more than just surviving.
Losing a Piece of Yourself
You never really know celebrities, but it can feel like you do. Like you can see their beautiful imperfections as if they were a close friend or loved one. This is what Naya Rivera was for a younger me through her role as Santana Lopez on Glee. I’m devastated over her loss in a way many other queer people have been feeling.
Naya brought such sass, compassion, and spark to her role as Santana. Her portrayal of a queer girl provided me a place to see myself be loved and accepted before I really felt that way in my real life. I watched with friends whose love for the Glee kids made me believe those friends could love me, too.
Her character was stubborn and intimidating, vulnerable and afraid. Everything I saw in myself at the time and so it was easy to project myself into Santana, imagining her life as mine, enjoying the complex teenhood I wish I had, and surrounding herself with the friends I hoped I make. At the time, Santana was coded as bi, something I had never seen before. It was wonderous and exhilarating and even though the character refined herself as time went on, it was exactly what I needed at the time.
Santana, and Naya by default, was also the first girl crush I consciously allowed myself to have after first coming out. That connection, however fictional, became formative for me and likely many others, making her loss like losing a part of ourselves. Seeing Santana live so fully gave me hope. Her story with Brittney was quirky and moving and I was amazed it existed.
Naya even devoted herself to furthering LGBT+ causes outside Glee and was a champion for many of us without a voice. She was strong and made us feel strong. She never shied away from that either, standing up for queer kids and adults alike online and at many-a-press junket. Which only made me admire her more. I only recently learned Naya was the one who pushed for Santana’s story as we ultimately saw it. She blessed us with the kind of representation and hope we all needed. It really speaks to the kind of person she was.
As Glee gave Santana her happy ending, I felt comforted as my time with Santana, too, came to an end. It’s the happiness she deserved. That we deserved. Media expanded and other representation was given center stage. I firmly believe Naya is responsible for how many later works of queer art filled the space I once held for Santana. But even as I left Glee behind, I loved seeing Naya still out there being an incredible person, friend, and mom. Whenever I’d come across her work or tweets, I’d smile.
Like many others who heard the news, I held out hope the result would be Naya coming home safe. To her son, to her family, to her friends, to her castmates, and to us. My heart breaks for her loss. And everything she had left to give. I’m so thankful for her impact on my life and the lives of others, but something just won’t be quite the same ever again. She deserved so much more. I hope her loved ones know what she did for us and I hope they find peace.
I’ll miss you, Naya. Thank you for everything.
Writerly Thoughts
Been awfully busy these days and as such, I have been majorly slacking on my blog. Honestly, I think blogs are past their prime at this point. With social media and texting more popular than ever, a regularly updated blog seems like a thing of the past. Or perhaps I’m just making excuses. Don’t worry (I know you were), I will still update mine when inspiration strikes, but I would anticipate the inactivity to remain fairly regular from here on out.
So, what brings me back? A whole smattering of things. Mainly juggling three projects. A completed one, one in the editing stage, and one still marinating in my head. A lot of these thoughts came from various forms of inspiration over the last couple years that I’m trying to work into a cohesive set of stories. They’re not related, but they are related? I guess you’ll have to wait and see.
In the meantime, I’ve been spending time with other people’s stories and trying my best to learn from them. What makes them work? What makes them fall apart? Why do people gravitate towards some topics but feel lukewarm about others? I’d say this time is well spent honing my craft even though I’m not necessarily actively engaging in a learning process. And I think it’s been helping. Not necessarily for my complete work, that’s said and done, for the most part. But for the story I’m revising and the one that’s still cooking, I’ve found myself adjusting the way I write to better reflect the lessons I’ve learned from others.
Indirect learning is a good thing and I think maybe it should be used more as a source for writerly advice than writers give it credit. Sure, there are great theories and guidelines for effective writing, I’ve shared some of those very same words of wisdom here from time to time, but since everyone’s journey is different, not every tool or approach works for us all. That’s where learning from enjoying other people’s work can factor in.
And so that’s what I’ve been doing with a lot of my time. It may sound irrelevant to my own process, but to each their own (as I said before). For me, taking the time to read, watch, and enjoy other art has been slowly building and perfecting my own methods behind the scenes so when I do sit down to write (which can be a challenge when there are three projects and zero time), all the inspiration comes out onto the fresh page.
Going forward, I’ll continue this method and continue writing my stories, too. Hopefully, in amongst all that, I’ll find a few moments to update this blog, too.
Happy writing!
2019 Fall TV Round-Up
Welcome back for another installment of my ongoing series where I review the latest television show premieres from this Fall! Hopefully, from reading these quick summaries, you could find your next favorite show, or perhaps the ones you want to skip. Let’s jump into it!
Batwoman
While I’m not a huge fan of the CW’s attempts at DC comics, I am queer and this show advertised a queer lead! So, naturally, I tuned in. The concept is interesting enough. Batman has been missing for years, but his cousin finds his batcave and takes up the mantel. There’s even a familiar batman-ish villain, Alice, who mirrors the character of Wonderland fame, but has an attitude much like the Joker. To make everything more complicated, Alice is seemingly the missing twin of Batwoman! It has family drama, romantic tension, and cool fights scenes. The acting is a bit wooden, and the story a touch predictable, but it’s enjoyable enough to stick around. B.
Emergence
Any new show that says it’s from the writers of LOST will catch my attention. So, this new show was no different. It even started with a plane crash. Might be time to give up that plot device, LOST writers 😉 However, the scifi bend to the little girl a local cop discovers at the crash site makes for an interesting set up. The action develops quickly and presents a lot of unanswered questions. The problem I saw was revealing too early that, Piper, the girl from the plane, might actually be a robot. I think that secret could’ve been toyed with until the finale. Other than that, it’s an intriguing concept with some great suspense. B+
Stumptown
Starring Colbie Smolders aka Maria Hill from Marvel aka Robin Sherbatsky from HIMYM, this show is all sass and all action. Colbie plays, Dex, a private eye who goes outside the law to solve dangerous cases. She plays the action hero really well and has a sharp attitude to match. The show has a good breadth of characters, which adds to the appeal, although, Dex’s brother who has Downs is constantly called “bud” which on occasion would be cute, happens so often it becomes patronizing. It has promise overall in exploring the typical cop narrative from a different perspective, and so far has displayed versatility in plot. Hoping for more out of this one. B+
Perfect Harmony
This was the only sitcom that caught my attention this premiere season and I had high hopes for a new, funny, and clever show to unwind to. That’s unfortunately not what I got. I can see this story appealing to a certain audience, but for it wasn’t a great fit for me. There is the fun mix of highbrow characters with lowbrow comedy, but for me, the better fit here would be to watch Schitt’s Creek. It leans a little heavily on stereotypes for my liking and is more concerned with completing a message each episode than letting the themes naturally evolve. Probably won’t stick around. C.
Raising Dion
On Netflix, this new series starts out slow, but develops into a charming, innovative take on superheroes. Namely, the super-powered Dion is a young boy and the show follows how his mother and friends adapt to his abilities while preparing to fight the mysterious Crooked Man who killed Dion’s father years earlier. Packed with twists and turns, the show explores a lot of great concepts in approachable ways while providing an entertaining rift on an old plot. And it seems there may be a second season to come! A-.
If you’ve seen any other fun new shows this fall, feel free to leave a comment. And if you liked any of the ones I mentioned here, share your thoughts on those, too!
Pitch Wars Mentee 2014
Awards
