I was absolutely SHOOK when Alice and Tasha were not together when The L Word returned with Gen Q. Sure, they had a rocky season six of the OG L Word but, by the end, they were clearly an item. Now that Tasha’s returned, and the pair have settled their differences, I believe in love again.
Of all the couples in the L Word’s history, Alice and Tasha were (and are) my favorite. There was always something so real in how, on the surface, they should have hated each other: Tasha was a soldier and Alice an activist. Tasha was traditional and Alice progressive. Tasha, a strict monogamist, and Alice, a little more adventurous.
But what made it work is that they challenged each other. At the heart of it, they weren’t complete opposites. Behind the walls, behind the masks–Alice’s carefree one and Tasha’s stoic one–they are just two people who believe in love. Alice craved the safety of Tasha. Tasha needed Alice to have fun. They have what each other needs.
There was always something in the way of them reaching their full potential. Season three of Gen Q revealed that it was Dana. It explains why we saw glimpses of Tasha’s walls coming down in OG L Word, but never permanently: because Alice was not over her dead best friend and (unrequited) “soul mate.” Tasha always knew Dana, “in a way,” because Alice would never stop talking about her.
Alice still grieving Dana explains why the pair couldn’t compromise, either. They always had one foot out of the relationship. The conflict over Alice’s progressive activism, her desire to be a celebrity, and Tasha’s work in the military, then the police, and her desire for a quiet life, were never resolved because who was going to change their life for a dead-end? Can you blame Tasha for not giving up the life she knew for someone who wouldn’t let go of a dead ex?
The stars aligned for Tasha and Alice in season 3 of Gen Q. Firstly, Alice took ayahuasca and saw Dana’s spirit–who told her that The One was still out there–and she was finally able to move on, knowing Dana was with her, helping her, leading her to who she needed.
Alice moving on from Dana wasn’t the only star aligning. The night Alice refuses to apologize on television for outing a homophobe years ago, her kitten needs rescuing. Who is the firefighter that pulls the cat down from the tree? Tasha.
It’s no coincidence that Tasha rocks back up in Alice’s life on the same day Alice becomes disillusioned with being a celebrity. Alice and Tasha both share strong convictions and Alice refusing to budge on them, in order to be liked, was important. Tasha prefers the freedom that comes without millions of eyes on you. She doesn’t like attention or attention seekers. She thinks seeking celebrity status is vapid, superficial and a sign of privilege. Tasha cares about what’s real, and doesn’t think you can be true to yourself and be liked by so many people.
But Alice had valid concerns about Tasha’s line of work, too. While Alice spent so much time advocating for the freedom of marginalized people, Tasha worked in roles built on correction and punishment. Now that Tasha works as a firefighter, she’s still tough and brave but for all the right, most compassionate, reasons.
In episode 10 of Gen Q season three, when Tasha came to save Bette and Tina’s wedding day by releasing them from behind a broken door, Tasha gets to tell Alice that they didn’t work out the first time because Alice wouldn’t let go of Dana. Alice apologizes, which is all Tasha needs, but lets Tasha know that she made her own mistakes in their relationship. Namely, her resistance to Alice’s success.
Alice and Tasha are 100 percent endgame. Let’s hope there’s a season four so we see more of them!
