Oliva Wilde

Olivia Wilde infamously played Thirteen on House MD, who was constantly bullied in a homophobic fashion the entirety of being out as bisexual on the show. While Wilde is notably involved with men in her personal life, it has never stopped us from wondering about her sexuality. For a lot of people, Thirteen was a voice for bisexual women in the early ’00s, and we thank her for that!

Aisha Dee

Any fans of The Bold Type up in here? It’s true, we love Kat Edison more than life itself. A staple character for bisexual women who dismantles stereotypes of what it means to be gay, Black, and a young woman in today’s society. However, Dee is yet another actress who openly plays gay characters but hasn’t ever come out in real life, passing as straight. Like Wilde, we can’t help but speculate as to what Dee’s sexuality could be and notice a running theme with these actresses not explicitly stating one way or the other.

Shay Mitchell

Shay Mitchell quite honestly could be number one on this list. Why? Because she is in a straight passing relationship but almost strictly lesbian characters! When was the last time you saw Mitchell in something where she wasn’t interested in women? The most wild part is that for what we know, Mitchell is straight, and out of the PLL gang, Ashley Benson ended up being the one to date women. Still a W for us!

Natasha Lyonne

Ugh, Natasha Lyonne, one of our biggest celeb crushes. Lyonne is for sure sapphic-coded, as she infamous has played multiple lesbian characters and just generally has this awkward girl confidence that screams *lesbian.* However, Lyonne is straight, leaving us WLW’s in the dust behind her. Unfortunate!

Vanessa Morgan

You have probably seen Vanessa Morgan on Pimp or Riverdale playing openly bisexual/lesbian characters, and we love to see it! However, Morgan is straight – she has said in the past she loved playing the first bisexual character on Riverdale so she could draw attention to equality. We do appreciate an ally!

So, what do you think AE readers? Is it better to hire lesbians to play sapphic characters or are they simply hiring the “best” actresses for the job? It could be argued that by keeping their sexualities private and playing lesbian characters these actresses are creating more PR and rumors which levels up their projects in the public eye. Food for thought!

The post 5 Straight Actresses Who Play Lesbian Characters appeared first on AfterEllen.

Dead To Me’s final season aired on Netflix last November, and with it came all the water works. The show ending came with many bittersweet storylines, and our resident bisexual Judy was the lead on most of them. If you are a fan of the show, you know Judy is very open with her attraction to women, particularly evident with her ex-girlfriend, Michelle. However, is Michelle and Judy’s romance really the two women in this love story?

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD //TW: CANCER

We have covered Judy in the past and analized how Dead to Me brought in Michelle and created lesbian and bisexual characters within that relationship. In the final season, we see Judy’s battle with cancer; we do not want to minimize her experience, but rather draw attention to what Judy does during recovery. Essentially, Judy reconnects with people throughout her life that meant something to her, and thus we see Michelle once again on our screens. Judy eventually tells Michelle the truth, and uses her as an excuse as to why she’s “going away.” It’s clear there is still a lot of love between the two of them, and we loved the opportunity to see them together again.

Although, the truest love story between two women in this show is not the relationship between Michelle and Judy. Rather, it’s about Judy and Jen. Similar to Firefly Lane we see the truest form of platonic love between two women that is earth shattering. It’s the type of love that’s completely unconditional and forms families around and within it. That said, as we watch Judy’s health decline consistently throughout the final season, we can’t help but actually feel the most attached to her and Jen’s friendship. It is rather unique, as the best ones are, but in a way that makes us understand what being “in love” really means. Now we can question our own relationships a little deeper, and hold space for the people we love the most.

Dead to Me’s final season is now streaming on Netflix.

The post Dead To Me’s Final Season Is A Tear-Jerker, But Not The Love Story You’d Expect appeared first on AfterEllen.

Episode seven opens with Tegan listening to a song her and Tegan recorded while doodling Maya’s name on a cassette case. 

Cut to a montage of Tegan sitting alone at her and Maya’s spot, sitting alone in class, looking around the cafeteria for her, and slipping notes into her locker each day. 

Tegan goes to Maya’s house and knocks on the door, receiving no answer. She walks to Maya’s bedroom window and places the cassette tape on the outside of the window. 

While Tegan is sneaking back through her bedroom window, she hears a knock on the door. She quickly jumps under the blankets, but it’s just Sara. Tegan tells Sara that she went to Maya’s house and left the cassette tape but Maya wasn’t there. Sara invites Tegan to hang out with her, Phoebe, and Phoebe’s friend Cass, adding that Phoebe thinks Tegan would really like Cass. Tegan agrees to hang out and Sara leaves to call Phoebe. 

The next day at school, Tegan is slipping a note in Maya’s locker when she locks eyes with Maya, who is at the end of the hall. Maya walks the other way.

After school, Tegan and Sara meet up with Phoebe and Cass at a restaurant. Phoebe introduces Tegan and Cass but Cass immediately skips the pleasantries and starts quizzing Tegan on her music taste. Tegan and Cass argue about donut shops next, making plans to do a taste test together—-where the loser has to make the other a mixtape.

Sara mentions that Lily’s parents aren’t home and the group heads to her house. They’re smoking a joint in the living room when they hear Lily’s brother playing guitar. Tegan asks if they can listen and the twins go in his room, staring as he masterfully plays guitar. 

Lily mentions that Tegan and Sara make music and the group begs them to play a song. Tegan plays the guitar while the twins sing “Don’t Believe the Things They Tell You (They Lie).” The group cheers and Lily’s brother invites Tegan and Sara to open for him at a party the following weekend. 

Later that evening Tegan and Sara beg Simone and Patrick to help them buy a guitar, offering to work for it. They agree but Simone says they can only afford to pay one of the twins and the other will have to work for David, their biological father. 

The next day Tegan and Sara do rock-paper-scissors to decide who has to work with their dad that day. Tegan loses and heads to work with David. 

David instructs her to carry a bunch of wood up a hill, to the trash. She asks if he has machines for that and he tells her that he does, but today he has her. He walks away and Tegan starts working. 

At lunchtime, David gives her a plastic bag with two hardboiled eggs in it. A few minutes later Cass appears with each of their favorite donuts to do the taste test with Tegan. After tasting both donuts, Cass tells Tegan that she wins and Tegan brags playfully.

Halfway through the episode, the show switches from Tegan’s perspective to Patrick’s perspective. 

Patrick and Simone are doing a walkthrough of their new, unfinished house. Simone asks how close they are to moving in and he tells her they should be in by the end of summer. Simone is antsy about the late move-in date and Patrick tries to reassure her. 

Patrick goes to his mom’s house and fixes her garbage disposal. He tells her that she shouldn’t put big things in there and her husband yells “I told her that” from the living room. When his mom thanks Patrick at the door, her husband remarks, “hopefully you don’t break this one.” She asks Patrick about Simone and the twins. He tells her that they’ve gotten really good at playing music and she responds that he must be proud. Her husband calls out that they aren’t his kids and Patrick leaves.

Standing outside the guitar shop, Patrick remembers when the twins asked for a guitar. When Simone mentions the twin’s dad and calls the twins “her kids,” his eyebrows twitch. The doorbell chimes and Tegan and Sara tell them that they invited Phoebe and Cass over. When the teens leave, Simone tells Patrick that she should be the one saying yes, not him. He argues that they’re his kids too and Simone says that she doesn’t want to feel like they’re playing house, where he’s the laidback father and she’s the strict mom. Patrick says that he just wanted to be there for the girls and that she’s not always available, even when she’s home. Simone tells him she appreciates that and leaves to get ready. 

Later that evening, Patrick and Simone hang out with their friends, sitting across the table from each other. Both try—and fail—to be smiley and upbeat. 

The next day Patrick is driving Sara to the new house when she thanks him for helping with the guitar stuff. He says of course, adding that it’s important to her and she’s important to him. 

Sara is blasting music while she works and Patrick storms in and takes the cassette out of the player. He tells her that he doesn’t want to listen to screaming and that it’s bad enough her mom lets them listen to that band. Sara asks if he hates Nirvana and he answers yes, adding that Kurt Cobain was weird. She questions how he was weird and Patrick says that he wore makeup and dresses. Sara says Kurt was just alternative and Patrick responds that he was a fag. She calls him homophobic and asks how he would feel if people called her and Tegan dykes. She questions how he would feel if Kurt actually was gay and Patrick says it would be okay. Sara tells him not to use the word fag and storms off.

Patrick and Sara drive home in silence. When they pull in the driveway, he tells her that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” isn’t a bad song. She doesn’t respond and gets out of the car just as Simone walks up, distraught. Patrick asks her what’s wrong and Simone just hugs him. 

The post High School Season 1, Episode 7 Recap appeared first on AfterEllen.

The eighth and final episode of season one opens with a funeral reception for Patrick’s stepdad. Tegan and Sara are standing off to the side when Mary, Patrick’s mom, walks up and hugs them. She tells the twins that Patrick gave her one of their tapes and that she loved it, adding that Patrick is very proud of them. 

Patrick takes his mother to the car and tears up as she drives off. When he walks back inside, Simone asks Patrick how his mom is doing. He curses Buck out, saying he never should have let his mom marry him but he didn’t want her to be alone. He breaks down crying thinking about his mom. Simone hugs and comforts him. 

When Sara leaves her room, she hears Patrick sobbing and peers through the doorway before walking away. 

Sara is strumming the guitar in the den while Tegan expresses her anxiety over their upcoming gig, questioning if she’s even good. Sara reassures her sister and tells her that she’s not doing it alone. Switching topics, Sara tells Tegan that she wrote a new song and starts playing it for her. Tegan tells Sara she loves it and that she’s really glad they’re writing music together. 

Fast forward to Tegan and Cass hanging out. Cass tells Tegan that she’s listened to her tape upwards of 500 times and “Plunk” is the best song. Tegan tells Cass that she wrote that song and Cass says that doesn’t surprise her. Tegan responds that it’s cool that Cass is into her playing music because not everyone is. Cass asks if Tegan means Maya and advises her to tell Maya how much writing music means to her. 

Sara and Phoebe are hanging out in the den while Sara tells her about Patrick. Phoebe advises Sara to ask him how he’s feeling but Sara says that things have felt weird since they fought. Sara tells Phoebe that she can’t wait until summer, so they can hang out all the time, and Phoebe takes a deep breath, looking at Sara. 

Simone and Patrick are at his mother’s house, cleaning up for her. Simone asks if she has anything to eat for dinner and Mary responds that she still has leftovers from the memorial service. Simone tells her that she’ll bring her dinner later that night and they leave. Mary stares ahead lifelessly at the television. 

Sara and Tegan count their money but they’re still $80 short. Sara suggests selling their CD’s and Tegan responds that she’d rather sell her lungs. Simone walks in and the twins tell her they won’t have enough money to buy a guitar for the party but they’ll have enough before summer’s over. Simone tells the twins she admires them for trying and Sara questions why she’s being so nice. Simone asks them how they’re feeling since Buck, Mary’s husband, died and if they have any questions. Tegan asks if it’s bad they don’t feel anything and Simone responds that there’s no right way to feel. Sara asks why he did that—suicide—and Simone responds that it’s just one of those things where they have to accept never knowing the reason why. 

Tegan is walking with Sara, Natalie, and Ali when she spots Maya and lags behind to talk to her. She tells Maya it would mean a lot to her if Maya was at their gig that weekend. Maya says that she might try to stop by and walks away.

Tegan, Sara, Natalie, Ali, Lily, and her brother are hanging out at Lily’s house while Sara plays guitar. Ali leans down and asks if it’s a new song and Sara responds that it’s not finished yet. Ali asks if she can hear it when it is. 

Cass arrives and tells Sara that Phoebe couldn’t make it. She asks Tegan to go to the bathroom with her and once they’re inside, Cass tells her that Phoebe got into a french immersion program in Montreal and she’s spending the summer there. Tegan responds that Sara’s gonna freak and Cass makes her promise that she won’t tell Sara, adding that Phoebe really wants to be the one to tell her. Tegan promises. 

While walking home, Sara asks Tegan if Cass said anything else about why Phoebe couldn’t come. Tegan says that it was just because her mom needed her. 

When Tegan and Sara arrive home, Patrick and Simone call them into the living room. They give the twins a guitar and amp, telling them it’s an advance and they still have to pay it off but they wanted them to have it in time for the party. Tegan and Sara thank them before asking if they can play it now. Patrick and Simone say yes, and Tegan and Sara run upstairs. 

Patrick and Simone revel in the twin’s enjoyment and kiss. When they pull apart, Patrick asks what she would think about making “this” a more permanent thing. He tells her that he knows they said they wouldn’t do that but he wants her and the twins to always be taken care of. Simone says that he already does so much for the twins and he responds that its about them being a family and the stability of that. He asks if he made things weird. She responds that it’s fine, kissing him before leaving. 

Tegan plays “I’m Just Like You” on the phone for Cass, who exclaims that it’s amazing. Sara comes in and asks if Phoebe has called. Tegan says she hasn’t and Sara leaves. 

Patrick is sitting at the kitchen table when Sara walks up and thanks him for the guitar. She asks how he is and he tells her that he has had better months. She responds that she’s sorry and he apologizes for calling Kurt Cobain a slur. Sara says that it’s okay and he responds that it isn’t, he really messed up, and he’s glad he has her to keep him in check. She asks if he wants to watch the game and they go to the living room. 

Tegan and Sara are getting ready for the party when Phoebe calls. Sara asks her why she’s calling when she’s supposed to be there soon. Phoebe tells Sara that she won’t be able to make it because she doesn’t feel well. Sara tells Phoebe that she hopes she feels better soon and hangs up. She tells Tegan that Phoebe isn’t coming and runs off to get ready. 

Simone’s coworker Loni comes over to pick up her cake plate. Noticing that something’s wrong, Loni interrogates Simone. Simone tells her that Patrick proposed and Loni asks her if she’s not happy about that. Simone says that she met Patrick when she was 27, had two five year olds, and was just floating, so he became an anchor for her and the twins. She adds that she’s worked hard and grown a lot in the last ten years, and she’s scared the anchor is keeping her in a place she doesn’t belong anymore. 

Just as Simone finishes talking, Patrick walks through the front door. Patrick greets Loni and leaves to take a shower. 

Later that night Simone drops Tegan and Sara off at the party. Ali asks Sara if she ever finished that song and Sara responds that she’s almost done. Tegan and Sara leave to prepare for the gig. 

At her house, Maya finally listens to the cassette that Tegan gave her. She lies on her bed with tears crowding her eyes. 

Back at the party, Sara says that she can’t believe Phoebe isn’t coming. Tegan tells her that she’s pretty sure Maya isn’t coming either. Sara says “but Phoebe is—” and stops herself before telling Tegan the truth. Tegan tells Sara that Phoebe is going to Montreal for the summer and Sara storms off. 

Meanwhile, Simone is driving her car, crying, while Patrick sets the dinner table. 

At the party Cass lends Tegan her lucky necklace to help her anxiety. Maya walks through the front door just in time to see Tegan and Cass hugging. She runs out. 

Lily’s brother tells Tegan that they’re playing in ten and Cass leaves to find Sara, telling Tegan to focus. 

Sara goes to Phoebe’s house, angry that Phoebe didn’t tell her about Montreal. Phoebe says that she found out right after Patrick’s stepdad died and didn’t think it was a good time to bring it up. Both crying, Sara and Phoebe hug. 

Meanwhile, Simone is stopped at the intersection to go back home, the turn signal clicking. She drives away. 

Patrick is at the house, waiting for Simone. 

Tegan is at the party, looking around for Sara. Cass walks up and tells Tegan that she couldn’t find her. Tegan runs off. 

Sara and Phoebe stop hugging and Sara runs out of the house, into the street. 

The post High School Season 1, Episode 8 appeared first on AfterEllen.

Tegan and Sara are sitting on the couch when David asks why they’re at his house. Sara says that their mom is pissed because they went out and didn’t tell her. When David asks why they didn’t tell her, Tegan immediately spills the entire story. Sara gets mad at her and they start arguing. David tells them that they’re stuck with each other and have to figure out how to get along. 

Once in their room, the twins keep fighting. Tegan says that she only went to the rave because Sara has been so upset lately and that she doesn’t care that they got in trouble, but Sara being mad at her isn’t fair. 

When they wake up the next morning their dad is gone and there’s a note on the counter, saying their mom wants them back home. 

Simone is furious and demands to know why the twins lied. Tegan says that they really wanted to go to the rave and knew Simone would say no. Sara chimes in, saying that raves are really safe and they don’t serve alcohol. Simone and Patrick ground them—they aren’t allowed to leave the house except for school or use the phone whatsoever and they have to spend every waking moment doing chores. 

Tegan and Sara clean the house, taking down the Christmas decorations and putting everything back where it goes. Sara calls Tegan from the other room and shows her Patrick’s guitar. Tegan and Sara take turns strumming the out-of-tune guitar until they hear Simone and Patrick open the front door. 

The next day at school, Tegan and Maya talk about what happened that weekend. Tegan says the only thing that really sucks about being grounded is that she can’t see Maya as much. In response, Maya says that it makes school something she’ll actually look forward to. 

When Tegan gets home from school, she secretly practices on Patrick’s guitar. The next morning, she tells her mom that she’s sick in a bid to stay home from school. As soon as everyone leaves, Tegan goes into the den and practices the guitar to a Nirvana concert video. Even when she lays down in bed, she practices by strumming the air.

Sara barges into Tegan’s room after school and asks what she did all day. Tegan lies, saying she slept and watched tv, before questioning if anyone at school had asked about her. Sara responds that no one even noticed she was gone, subsequently handing a letter from Maya to Tegan. 

Tegan falls asleep reading Maya’s letter and wakes up to the sound of Sara practicing guitar on the other side of the wall. 

Halfway through the episode, the show switches to Sara’s perspective. 

Sara wakes up from dreaming about Aly. The screen cuts to black. 

Patrick takes Sara and Tegan to the den and gives cleaning instructions. Sara asks if Simone will stop being pissed at them when they’re done cleaning. Patrick responds that Simone has feelings too and the twins really hurt her. Simone yells that she’s ready and Patrick leaves. 

While Tegan is distracted cleaning, Sara sneaks away to call Phoebe. Phoebe’s mom answers the phone, says that Phoebe is out, and hangs up on Sara. Sara looks around the room and spots Patrick’s guitar case hidden behind a couple of bins. She pulls it out, calls Tegan over, and starts strumming.

When they hear Simone and Patrick open the door, Sara tells Tegan to put the guitar away while she distracts them. Sara tells her mom that going to the rave was her idea, she pushed Tegan into it, and Tegan shouldn’t be in trouble. 

The following day at school, Sara is ripping a laminate card into pieces when she notices Aly staring at her. That evening, Sara uses the broken card as a pick to practice guitar. 

Sara apologizes to Simone on the way to school the next morning but immediately becomes defensive when her mom doesn’t accept the apology. Once at school, Sara tells Maya that Tegan is home sick that day. Sara asks if Tegan is still mad at her for making her go to the rave and Maya says that Tegan could never be mad at Sara, “even though…,” but never finishes the thought. 

That evening Sara is practicing guitar and writing a song when Tegan knocks on the door. Tegan comes in, asking to hear the song, and Sara plays it for her. The song ends with, “Tegan, I missed you.” After finishing the song, Sara teaches Tegan how to play it. 

At school the next day, Sara and Tegan talk about the song until Maya walks up. Tegan and Maya walk away, leaving Sara alone. 

Tegan and Sara are playing the guitar and writing songs after school when Simone walks in and asks where the guitar came from. She calls Patrick into the room and tells him that they found his secret guitar he didn’t even know existed. They apologize for taking the guitar without asking but Patrick questions how they even know how to play. Sara says that she doesn’t know how, but they just know. The twins play their song as Simone and Patrick stand still, shocked and impressed. 

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The Breakup is less than ten minutes long, but has a lasting impact in those short nine (plus) minutes. The film itself dropped in February of 2023, about a week after its trailer was released; it is free to stream on YouTube, which we love to see. To release the short for free is a big deal because it makes it accessible to everyone – spreading love, recognition, and equality as a result. The short film was written and directed by Savonne Pearson, a 24-year-old who loves to tell stories and challenge perspectives.

“Whether it be through commentary or a series, in each video, I aim to teach you something new or tell a story,” Pearson writes. “I talk a lot about lesbian topics, heavily promote normalizing talking about mental health within the Black community, and take you with me as I begin to navigate this thing called adulthood.”

Pearson actually wrote the main character of the film in what we can guess is her own image, as they share the same first name. In these nine minutes, you see Savonne (the character) go through a very unexpected breakup. However, the breakup itself is intriguing because Savonne then goes on a journey to uncover the mysteries as to why the breakup happened in the first place.

It is difficult to tell a multi-layered, sapphic, breakup film in a matter of minutes. Pearson does exactly that, and released the film for free. You will go into the video expecting lower budgets, younger writing, cheesey stereotypes, perhaps. However, you will leave feeling somewhat hopeful for the future and how younger voices are shaping a generation of love and acceptance. It an amazing feat to see this creativity while also allowing and holding space for those that would not be able to see this at a festival. Thus, Pearson creates a film that highlights inclusivity of minorities, lesbians/sapphics/WLW, and disabled humans all in one place.

You can stream The Breakup, a Lesbian Short Film (2023) for free on Youtube. Just tap the link below!

The post The Breakup – A Lesbian Short Film Review appeared first on AfterEllen.

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Beverly and Genevieve have a fancy dinner with the Parkers, celebrating the Centre’s success. Patient satisfaction’s through the roof, Beverly’s publishing groundbreaking research, and she’s been nominated for a huge award. Rebecca’s thrilled because they’re raking in money. She wants three new Centres. When Beverly hesitates, she asks about Elliot.

Elliot eats alone at the diner, still in the scrubs she wore last time she saw Beverly. She has sad sex with Larry, the creep who asked for a threesome, on top of a toilet. And Beverly escapes to the bathroom, taking down her hair. She switches back and returns to the table, revived.

Rebecca demands Beverly distance herself from Elliot – her crimes have come to light. Silas has all the receipts and is about to go public. Rebecca’s team, Tom, and even Genevieve dished the dirt to save their own reputations. Beverly is wounded by Genevieve’s betrayal. At home she ignores Genevieve’s pleading, turning her back.

Greta sets up her art installation, displaying the Mantles’ trash. Linda’s voicemails about missing her daughters play on loop. Then Greta gets dressed up, a photo of her mother in the mirror.

Beverly meets a depressed mother who regrets her baby, and relates a little too much. Getting ready for the ceremony she has an argument with Genevieve, leaving for a month’s filming.Genevieve claims to have made sacrifices for Beverly – the exact same argument Elliot made. She points out that Elliot has defined their whole relationship so far, asking Beverly to choose her.

Silas goes to Greta’s exhibition, asking for a quote on the Mantles. At the awards he toasts Beverly, making her uncomfortable.

Beverly wins. In her speech she slams Elliot’s abusive and destructive behaviour, condemning her sister’s crimes. She destroys Elliot’s reputation and publicly fires her from Mantle Parker. All the while Beverly hears Elliot’s voice. Rebecca’s thrilled.

A drunk Tom congratulates Beverly. But he’s consumed by guilt for turning on Elliot, stealing her lab and work. He accuses Beverly of breaking her sister with this betrayal, saying Beverly’s support is the only thing that keeps Elliot going. Beverly argues that she deserves to have her own life.

She walks home with Genevieve, phone still buzzing, past Greta’s exhibition. It’s packed. Greta tells the story of her birth, her mother’s death, and the young doctor who blamed her. Greta’s father arrives, approving of the tribute to his wife.

In the morning Beverly and Genevieve say goodbye, declaring love and kissing. Alone, Beverly lies on the nursery floor listening to her phone vibrate. She cracks, returning to the apartment. It’s filthy. Beverly lies on Elliot’s bed, smelling her clothes and crying. And finally Beverly answers the phone.

She finds Elliot in the secret lab. They embrace, laughing and crying. Beverly admits that she’s not capable of happiness, even now she has everything she ever wanted. And that life isn’t possible outside of her sister, who was better at being her. She asks Elliot to take over her life.

Beverley lies on the table, Elliot injecting her as they sing together. The Mantles profess love and switch places one last time, Beverly letting her hair down and giving Elliot the elastic. As Beverly drifts off Elliot slices open her own stomach and stitches it up to look like a Cesarian. Then she cuts the twins out of Beverly, not closing her sister’s wound. Blood spills onto the floor.

As Beverly, Elliot staggers from the lab with both crying babies, screaming for help. Nurses take the twins. And Elliot falls to the ground bleeding while Beverly dies.

She wakes to Susan and Rebecca Parker. They ask her about what happened, a camera recording. As Beverly she claims Elliot delivered the twins and is now gone. The babies are sleeping in the crib. Rebecca is suspicious, but congratulates ‘Beverly’. Genevieve rushes back to the Birthing Centre, calling Beverly’s name, and Elliot turns to face her.

This time Genevieve doesn’t realise there’s been a switch. They raise the babies together, taking them to Central Park. When Genevieve goes to get coffee, Elliot meets one of Beverly’s grief group friends. And realises Beverly planned her exit strategy in advance. Later Elliot goes to the group, emotional as she shares her loss.

The post Dead Ringers, Episode 6 Recap: Born Again appeared first on AfterEllen.

Earlier, Silas is at home alone. He monologues about not writing, his anxiety and depression. Until Rebecca calls. She demands a puff piece about the Mantles and their new Birthing Centre in Alabama.

Lenka strokes the head of her premature baby, sleeping in his crib. Beverly watches, cradling her own bump, calling the baby a miracle. Silas asks if she really believes in them.

With Genevieve gone, all’s well between the twins. Beverly meditates while Elliot cooks for them both. Elliot even asks about the baby. On their way to the airport Beverly reminds Elliot she loves her. Moved, Elliot takes her hand.

Silas meets the twins at Rebecca’s private jet. On the flight he asks about Elliot’s addiction, which both twins deny, and their co-dependency. He’s perplexed when Beverly claims they’re both about to become parents, raising her babies together. Silas grills them about Alabama. But Beverly comes in clutch with statistics about maternal mortality and poverty.

Susan Parker welcomes the Mantles and Silas to her family home. She invites Beverly to rest whenever she needs, reminding Silas to be gentle. She introduces them to her sisters, grandmother, and father – Dr Marion James.

It’s awkward at first. Beverly talks to Florence, Susan’s heavily pregnant sister. Marion invites the twins to examine her – until now he’s been her OB. The Mantles, being hypocrites, find it weird. They’re even more thrown by the detail Florence will be their first patient, having her quadruplets delivered tomorrow at the new Centre.

Over dinner, conversation turns to birth. Marion’s fascinated by Lenka’s baby, thriving against all odds. It’s Elliot’s earliest successful delivery. Even Silas is impressed, if concerned about the implications for women’s right to abortion. Marion knows Elliot’s responsible for the miracle baby, but Beverly’s shaken by the revelation.

Marion waxes lyrical about his own career specialising in women’s health. He describes the birth of modern obstetrics, glossing over the abuse of Black women. After dinner he asks how Elliot made Lenka fertile. She has a flashback to the delivery, calling Tom to help rather than Beverly because the implantation was “unusual, high-risk” and also illegal – and Elliot had no idea what the consequences would be. She grew the embryo a full month before putting it in. Elliot keeps the truth secret, which Marion accepts. Beverly guesses the truth and vomits, disgusted.

Beverly remembers watching Lenka, amazed the baby breathes on his own. And Silas asking about Genevieve. She and Beverly only communicate via lawyers now. When Silas asks about their love, Beverly fights back tears and says Genevieve no longer exists to her.

At home Greta tries on the Mantles’ clothes, stuffing a jumper up her top and being sad like Beverly. Later she dresses as Elliot, bold and flamboyant, dancing.

In the bath Beverly ignores Elliot’s knocking, biting on her arm to keep from screaming. Elliot tries to pass off the Lenka situation as a joke with Marion. Beverly dips under the water, not wanting to hear it.

Later Susan finds Beverly and explains their mother regretted having them all and left. She’s sure Beverly will be a good mother.

Elliot tracks down Silas, unimpressed when he asks whether she wants kids. As far as Elliot’s concerned, the babies are hers as much as Beverly’s. She hates Silas differentiating between them. But he charms Beverly into opening up about her addiction. She spins pushing Agnes off the balcony into a funny story about hallucination.

Beverly has an intense nightmare about when she was a child, swimming and struggling to find her sister.  She explores the house, following groaning, and finds a Black woman who retells the story Marion shared at the dinner table from the perspective of a girl enslaved and experimented on without anaesthetic. Beverly’s covered in blood. Until Elliot calls to her, and she wakes up.

In the morning Greta leaves the apartment. The building next door is cordoned off, swarming with police and CSI. They found Agnes.

At the new Centre all Susan’s family watch from the gallery as Marion and the Mantles perform a C-section on Florence. She’s ecstatic, ready to meet her kids. All four baby girls are fine.

But Elliot cuts Florence’s bladder by accident, spattering blood everywhere. Marion pulls Elliot away from his daughter, throwing her into the wall.

Back at the mansion, Rebecca’s pragmatic, going into damage control mode. When Marion kicks off Rebeca pulls rank, reminding him she owns his house. The Parkers are trying to wipe the botched surgery from Twitter, determined to press on with the Centre.

Elliot sits out in the car, banished and bloody. Silas carries his bag out. Beverly appears with no bag. She remembers Elliot’s lies about Lenka and goes back inside, ignoring Elliot’s shouts. Silas watches Elliot fully melt down without her sister, screaming and kicking bags.

Inside Beverly sees Rebecca and Susan kiss. She watches Elliot speed away in the rental car. She calls Genevieve, claiming to have left her sister; that Elliot no longer exists.

Elliot goes home, alone save for the dog. Beverly has a romantic dinner with Genevieve. Rebecca phones Silas, warning him not to write. But he sits at the laptop with a Dictaphone and an article about Agnes being found on a rooftop. And Silas writes.

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At the lab cells divide in a petri dish. A foetus grows. Elliot watches through the microscope, overjoyed. She’s still wired at the Mantle Parker Centre launch. Tom guesses she’s doing illegal experiments and Elliot points out he’s better not knowing.

Rich people mingle. Elliot does lines in the Centre, watching lambs in artificial wombs. Genevieve shares her coke, asking about the research. But Elliot interrogates the actress about her intentions towards Beverly. Genevieve reveals they’re in love, asking if Elliot can bear it.

Later Beverly and Genevieve kiss in a corner while Elliot watches, ignoring Joseph and Tom as they talk. At home Elliot keeps crossing boundaries, going into Beverly’s bathroom while Genevieve showers. She offers to get someone new for her sister, complaining Beverly hasn’t “shared” Genevieve.

At their futuristic new centre, Beverly delivers babies while Elliot leans into research. With a group of investors in the gallery, Elliot answers their questions while performing the surgery she described at Rebecca’s. She’s taking ovarian tissue from a 24 year old to freeze and reinsert when she’s on the cusp of menopause, delaying it for another twenty years.

Beverly sees Lenka again. She’s back after yet another miscarriage. On Beverly’s way out a protestor throws blood over her. And Beverly goes out for a secret cigarette. Afterwards she confronts Rebecca, unhappy with how security manhandled the girl protesting. And Rebecca gives one of her cynical, charismatic speeches, telling Beverly to get over her morals and work.

Alone with Elliot, Beverly shares her disappointment. Nothing about the Centre feels the way she’d hoped. Lenka joins them at the juice bar, offering to be Elliot’s guinea pig for research into preventing miscarriages.

Beverly comforts a traumatised woman in labour. Zhu Ye’s afraid and unwilling to be touched. By respecting her boundaries, Beverly wins her trust.

After work Elliot wants the two of them to go out and celebrate. She’s not pleased that Beverly has plans. And Beverly is anxious about Genevieve’s wrap party. They trade places, going together. But Genevieve can tell right away they’ve swapped. She confronts Elliot about ambushing her, warning the twins not to do it again.

Beverly’s called back to help Zhu Ye deliver. And Genevieve explores the Centre, sending a sample off to be tested. Zhu Ye’s baby arrives, safe and healthy. And she’s so grateful to Beverly for a positive birth experience.

Beverly goes back to Genevieve’s afterwards, but their night of passion is interrupted by Genevieve’s brother Sammy. He’s asleep on the bed. So they make love on the couch instead. Afterwards Genevieve asks Beverly to have a baby with her. They make plans for Beverly to carry. And they’re both ecstatic.

In the morning Elliot eats alone, flying into a rage when Greta packs a bag for her sister’s romantic getaway with Genevieve. She calls Beverly, asking her to stay and hash out baby plans over the weekend. Beverly pretends she doesn’t want kids anymore, knowing Elliot will hate her starting a family with Genevieve.

Elliot crosses the city, begging Beverly not to go. Genevieve points out this isn’t healthy; that two nights apart shouldn’t be a disaster. And she’s clear that this part of Beverly’s life is off limits. Beverly promises Elliot she’ll be fine and leaves her.

In the lab Elliot takes her fury out on underlings. She blindfolds Tom and has him jerk off, using the sperm to fertilise Beverly’s egg. Afterwards she gets wasted in a bar and invites everyone home for a party. Elliot leaves a boring hookup midway through to drink, desperate for distraction from Beverly’s absence.

Elliot gets high and gives all Beverly’s clothes away, throwing her stuff onto the street below. Agnes, the homeless woman who got Elliot’s sunglasses, is beside herself. She gets the lift to the penthouse and smashes Elliot’s furniture in retaliation. But Elliot doesn’t care. Her guests get freaked out and leave. But Agnes stays, getting high with Elliot.

Elliot tries to explain having a twin makes life twice as good. But Agnes is adamant she’s only half a person. She sees that Elliot is a shadow without Beverly. In a moment of rage, Elliot pushes Agnes from the balcony. She falls, screaming.

Right away Elliot panics, rushing to the ground floor. She scrabbles through the trash, searches the streets, but Agnes isn’t there. Elliot calls her sister in a panic. Beverly comes home, sorry for leaving. And Greta cleans up the mess.

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