In this week’s DIVA Dating Digest, we’re taking a look back at one of our favourite fictional love stories
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY SHOWTIME
Tina and Bette have dominated the sapphic subconscious ever since the first episode of The L Word was released in 2004. Played by Laurel Holloman and Jennifer Beals, the pairing has been lovingly coined #Tibette by fans. 20 years after the first season of the show aired, avid viewers are still just as enchanted by this love story. Despite its many twists and turns, we are pretty confident that everyone shed a tear in the final season of The L Word Generation Q.
In this week’s DIVA Dating Digest, join us as we chart the rollercoaster ride of this pair’s relationship. Spoilers ahead.
The pair meet at an art gallery
The L Word kicks off with Bette and Tina having been together for a whopping seven years. We learn that the pair met in an art gallery and the sparks flew pretty instantly. Bette was actually Tina’s first experience with a woman. I mean who wouldn’t fall instantly head over heels for Jennifer Beals?!
Bette and Tina want to start a family
Flash forward to the official beginning of The L Word and Bette and Tina are shown to be getting ready to start their very own family. Fans may recall that early episodes of the show centred around the pair looking for a sperm donor so that Tina could get pregnant. However, things are a little rocky at the beginning, and the pair are seeing therapist Dan Foxworthy at the time to help smooth things out.
Tina gets pregnant
Despite their relationship wobbles at the beginning of season one, things massively improve between the pair when Tina gets pregnant. This is when we see Bette fall straight into protective partner mode, and we get to watch #relationshipgoals moments like her 3 am slurpee run and bringing home gift baskets for Tina. Although we do still see the pair argue and miscommunicate, things seem to be on the up.
Tina miscarries, and Bette cheats
Towards the end of season one, #Tibette’s relationship becomes increasingly strained. Tina tragically miscarries, creating a huge amount of trauma. Tina finds comfort in working for a charity, the pair begin to drift. In episode 12, Bette cheats on Tina with the carpenter Candace which begins a secretive affair. It all comes to a head when Tina sees Bette and Candace flirting and holding hands at an art show.
The pair split
After seeing Bette with Candace, Tina slaps her and says that she knows what has been happening. The pair get into a huge fight which leads to Tina leaving to live with Alice.
Bette goes to win Tina back
The first few episodes of season two of The L Word revolve around Bette doing everything she can to win Tina back. After five months of no contact, Bette goes to see Tina leading to yet another big fight between the pair. In response to Bette’s actions, Tina hires Joyce – a lawyer – to make their split final.
Joyce makes a pass on Tina
Although Tina does move in with Joyce briefly, she quickly leaves when the lawyer starts hitting on her. Somehow Tina finds herself back at Bette’s, and it seems like perhaps the pair will get back together soon – or at least, that’s what Bette thinks.
Tina starts dating Helena Peabody, and Bette finds out about the pregnancy
Things could never be straightforward with this pair! We learn that Tina secretly inseminated herself before Bette’s affair and is now trying to hide her pregnancy. She also starts dating the iconic Helena Peabody, who is actually the one to tell Bette about Tina’s pregnancy. Demanding that she has a place in the child’s life, Bette and Tina do begin to rekindle their relationship. After Bette’s father dies, the pair become inseparable again and decide to give #Tibette another try.
Their daughter Angelica is born
Season three kicks off with the announcement that Bette and Tina have a six-month-old daughter Angelica! We see them visit a sex therapist to try to rekindle the spark between them, and some of their previous issues about miscommunication are creeping in again. The big strain on their relationship is money – Bette hasn’t found a job she wants but doesn’t like the idea of Tina working. Things become even more tense when Tina takes a job from her ex Helena as a movie producer.
Tina reveals that she’s struggling with her attraction to men
As season three continues, Tina reveals that she has started feeling attraction towards men and has been speaking to them secretly in online chat rooms. Bette encourages Tina to explore this further, but this only further strains their relationship. Tina begins an affair with Henry Young, which leads Bette to approach Joyce about gaining full custody of Angelica.
The pair argue about shared custody
After learning about Tina and Henry, Bette goes to Joyce to file for sole custody of Angelica. However, she realises her mistake just as it’s too late. After Tina receives the letter in which Bette asks for sole custody, she chooses to withdraw her consent for Bette to become Angelica’s other legal parent. Series three ends with the very dramatic scenes at Shane and Carmen’s wedding where it is revealed that Bette has actually kidnapped Angelica!
Tina realises that she wants Bette back
In season four, things calm down slightly and the pair manage to work together in raising Angelica. Tina decides to leave Henry, and renews her friendship with Bette… However, Bette is already getting involved with the sculptor Jodi. Will these two ever learn? Although Tina realises that she wants Bette back, she decides to respect Bette’s new relationship and let it go.
Bette and Tina start (another) passionate affair
Although Bette is dating Jodi, a sexy self-defence class seems to push her back to Tina and the pair begin yet another affair in season five. These two just don’t know how to stay apart! Jodi finds out about this affair and decides to publicly humiliate Bette at her long-awaited exhibition, which only pushes #Tibette closer together.
The pair move back in together
And just like that, peace is restored once again. After deciding to move to New York, the pair’s relationship becomes even more intense (if that is possible), and they decide to get married. However, this is The L Word after all, so things couldn’t remain as peaceful for long. Shortly after their leaving party in LA, Jenny is found dead in their pool.
In Generation Q the pair split once again
In true #Tibette style, the “will they won’t they” couple split once again. Generation Q takes us 10 years after Jenny’s death, and we see that the pair have gone their separate ways. While we learn that Bette and Tina did get married at some point, we also see that they got divorced and both moved on with new partners. The pair still share custody of Angelica and seem civil.
Bette and Tina admit that they still love each other
In season one of Generation Q our hearts get ripped out when the pair admit that they still do have some love for each other after Bette runs for Mayor. However, Tina reveals that she’s moving to LA to marry her partner Carrie. Although she’s devastated, Bette gives her blessing and decides to move on once and for all.
Carrie calls off the wedding with Tina
Season two of Generation Q gets rather messy when Carrie reveals she has cold feet about the wedding. Prompted by Shane’s advice, Bette tells Tina that she still has feelings for her… which is overheard by Carrie. This leads to Carrie calling off the wedding with Tina who accuses Bette of sabotaging her relationship.
We finally get our #Tibette wedding
Despite all of the back and forths, the pair cannot stay away from each other. In season three of Generation Q, the pair reveal their love for one another despite all the years and breakups that have passed. The season ends on one of the most beautiful moments in all of sapphic TV: the legendary #Tibette wedding.
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