The L Word: 5 Reasons Why Shane & Carmen Were The Best Couple (& 5 Why It Was Bette & Tina)

The L Word was a cultural phenomenon in the LGBTQIA2 community and spawned many fan-favorites couples such as Shane and Carmen and Bette and Tina. The show depicted the tumultuous lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women living in Los Angeles, from their dramatic love lives to their exciting careers.

The L Word featured many couples, some of whom were unhealthy and dysfunctional and some of whom were destined to be together. Shane and Carmen are regarded by some fans as couple goals despite their abrupt breakup, whereas Bette and Tina’s rollercoaster relationship was a focal point of the show. Here are five reasons why Shane and Carmen are the best couple in The L Word and five why it’s Betta and Tina.

10 Shane & Carmen: Shane Changed For Her

When fans are first introduced to Shane McCutcheon in the first season of The L Word we learn the ultimate law she lives by; she doesn’t do relationships. Her brief romance with Cherie Jaffe further cemented this idea, until she met and fell for Carmen in season two.

Shane tries to distance herself from Carmen, even encouraging the DJ to date Shane’s roommate and best friend Jenny Schecter. However, the connection between Shane and Carmen is too strong and the pair get back together at the end of the season.

9 Bette & Tina: They Always Got Back Together

Bette and Tina had a passionate but tumultuous relationship in The L Word. The pair split up after Bette cheated on Tina with Candace, before getting back together and breaking up again after the birth of their daughter Angelica.

No matter what happened, Bette and Tina could never stay away from each other. Even though Bette temporarily finds love with Jodi in season four, it is Tina who she truly loves.

8 Shane & Carmen: Shane Couldn’t Let Go Of Her

Shane and Carmen’s relationship came to an abrupt end during the season three finale when Shane leaves her fiancee at the altar. A conversation with her estranged father sends the hairstylist into a spiral of self-loathing and back into her ex-lover Cherie’s arms.

Despite this, when Jenny urges Shane to get rid of her old clothes later in the series, Shane cannot bring herself to part with the t-shirt that reminds her of Carmen. Even though they had been apart for a long time, Shane still had strong feelings.

7 Bette & Tina: They Were Together For A Long Time

Bette and Tina had a few breakups but were generally in a relationship for many years. They are the first established couple fans are introduced to in the show and are both depicted as settled and devoted to each other.

Bette and Tina often acted as pseudo parents to the rest of the group. They are the only couple to stay together – sort of – throughout the entire series, beating other fan-favorite couples such as Shane and Carmen and Alice and Dana.

6 Shane & Carmen: They Shared Steamy Scenes

Shane and Carmen were a passionate couple and their scenes together were some of the steamiest in the show. Their romance had fun and free-spirited vibe to it, with both characters comfortable around each other.

Shane and Carmen shared brilliant chemistry on-screen which made their love more believable. Their scenes together were intense and emotional, making them one of the most popular couples from the show.

5 Bette & Tina: They Have A Child Together

In the first episode of The L Word, fans meet Bette and Tina and learn that they are trying to conceive a child. Unfortunately, Tina suffers a miscarriage in the first season but later gives birth to a healthy baby girl named Angelica in the season two finale.

Bette and Tina are united by their love for their daughter which forever connects them even when they are not romantically involved. Their decision to have a baby highlighted that they were ready to settle down and spend the rest of their lives together.

4 Shane & Carmen: Carmen Is Shane’s Biggest Love

Shane had several relationships throughout The L Word with characters such as Jenny, Molly, and Paige, as well as numerous trysts with other women. Her romance with Molly was touching but no relationship matched the intensity of Shane and Carmen.

Shane and Carmen danced around each other during season two but spent all of season three together as a couple. This didn’t stop Shane cheating on Carmen with Cherie, however, or from jilting her at their wedding.

3 Bette & Tina: Bette Is The First Woman Tina Fell In Love With

During the girls’ trip to the Dinah Shore weekend, Tina reveals that Bette is the first woman that she fell in love with, having spent many years believing she was straight. A flashback depicts the moment Bette and Tina met at an art show and there is an undeniable connection between the two characters.

Like Shane and Carmen, Bette and Tina share an incredible amount of on-screen chemistry. The instant attraction between them was apparent and it is interesting to see just how domestic Bette became after meeting Tina.

2 Shane & Carmen: They Supported Each Other’s Careers

Despite their shortcomings and flaws, Shane and Carmen were a supportive couple. Shane always encouraged Carmen’s music career and Carmen almost misses an opportunity to DJ for Russell Simmons so she can support Shane during the opening night of Wax.

Bette and Tina were often at loggerheads due to their jobs and failed to support each other’s careers on several occasions. Shane and Carmen were each other’s biggest fans and encouraged each other’s professional progress.

1 Bette & Tina: Bette Changed For Tina

Shane isn’t the only character who changed for her girlfriend. Through flashbacks, fans learn that Bette was a serial cheater before meeting Tina, cheating on Alice during their brief tryst together. It is her love for Tina which prompted Bette to settle down and start a family.

This wasn’t a permanent thing, unfortunately, as Bette cheated on Tina in season one. However, despite her mistakes, it was obvious that Bette loved Tina very much and the two had an undeniable rapport.

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