Why was the Dana Fairbanks character killed on the Showtime show The L-Word?
In all likelihood, it probably had something to do with the actress’ wanting to move on or the fact they had nowhere to take the character, but it was also a really good opportunity to present breast cancer as a very real illness with very definitive consequences. For a main character to die gave impact to how devastating the cancer can be and served to draw attention to its cause.
As a recent fan of The L-Word, I just watched Dana’s death episode last night. Honestly, I was shocked at this decision by the show’s writers and producers and am asking the same question. My answer, however, is that the writers may not have had any future for Dana. She was in love with Lara – not Alice, anymore – Lara’s character is not a regular and Dana’s friction with the group (because it was Alice’s group) was clear (though well-done to show the group’s own love of Dana) after their breakup but prior to Dana’s sickness. They had made her an amazing, out tennis player leaving her no where really to grow. I am saddened by this loss and wish the writers had kept Dana around to build up the other relationships we got to see in Dana’s memorial episode (her hook-up with Jenny and her acid-drop with Shane). Though frankly, these types of events were impossible with Lara in the picture and yet another break-up for Dana would have shown a lack of commitment and poor character development
