Lauds and Gripes (and black, black bras) -- Season 5 Episode 2

Wow -- this episode blew 5.1 out of the water. Being privy to Ilene Chaiken's personal fantasies has its perks. Imagine having your own show and a stable of hot actresses: you get to sit around at night thinking, Hmm, wouldn't it be hot if Bette and Shane made out? Yeah, that would be hot ...
If your not Ilene Chaiken, this is pretty much your option:



Or if you're in the pre-school set:



Or if you're Sounder:



My five favorite things:

1. Bette and Shane together at last

2. Shane and Tina together at last

3. Bette and Helena together at last
4. Helena in prison -- keep her there!
5. Pam Grier strutting it like it like the old days:


My five least favorite things:

1. Cardboard characters -- Tasha's superior in the military is such an unrealistic tool -- one second he's friendly and the next he's acting like, Ooo, get away from me, you nasty dyke with your icky, yucky, dykey cooties -- AWAY!


2. Wasting Wallace Shawn -- I mean, c'mon! It's Wallace Shawn! He's not just window dressing -- were all his scenes cut or what?


3. Wasting Marlee Matlin. She was reduced to dinner companion this week. (Too, too many characters to manage, huh, Ilene?)


4. Chaiken Message of the Week: I wasn't paying much attention but I'm pretty sure there was some gays-in-the-military propaganda with those really boring Alice and Tasha scenes:


5. Aww, forget 5 -- I really liked this week.