I was super excited for #Hashtag Season 1, because I love when tello gives us new shows. They include all types of lesbians across their media and that makes me very very happy because we don’t fit into neat little labels and in that respect #Hashtag did not disappoint. The first time I watched the pilot of #Hashtag, I was a little unsure. I found elements funny and to be perfectly honest with you I fell in love with Gus, the gorgeous dog. It also didn’t hurt that AH and I were eyeing up the cute women. Yes I’ll admit it. On some level I am extremely shallow in that respect. Give me cute animals and cute women and I’m sold on something even if I’m not sure about it, and I will keep coming back for more. I am glad I did decide to come back for more because I love this show! It’s on rewatching (read marathoning the entire series several times) that I’m making more connections with the lesbian community I first came out into back home. Although that was pre the Instagram boom and Facebook and online forums were our main form of social media.
I could tell you who I see when I look at Skylar, but that could cause a whole heap of trouble. I once knew a Rose or three as well. Actually make that a Rose or ten. The problem with living within a tiny LGBTQ community is that it’s a rarity if the woman you’re dating hasn’t dated the woman who is sitting three tables down. And I love this aspect of the show. Not only do we have a reflection of the society in which we’re now living, which is social media addicted, but also a look at the way dating happens in small communities.
I recognise in Liv, parts of myself and parts of others I know. Both in my life back home and in my current one. The difficulty in getting over an ex, the need for freedom, the trust issues that seem present and keep her from dating seriously (although for the love of all things I am praying Liv and Tash are destined to be, they are so damn adorable together).
Liv is definitely the more down to Earth of the bff friendship that is Liv and Skylar. Whilst Skylar is the highly strung, still trying to find herself individual whom I’ve met in several different ways over the years. They never seem to quite row out of their high school insecurities and that is printed onto their psyche, showing itself in their relationships with friends and romantic partners. I think that’s why later on, when Skylar gets the attention from elsewhere that she feels she’s lacking at home, the inevitable unravelling of relationships begin. I’ve commented during live tweets that if I was Liv or Miriam I’d be out of there, but the truth is, Skylar has a lack of confidence that causes her to doubt herself and her relationships and any attention that isn’t bad in the black and white binary sense is lapped up. She doesn’t think things through and I think we’ve all done some extremely rash things at times. It doesn’t mean she’s in the right though.
I am sure that technically Rose is the character we’re all meant to distrust. But we don’t know enough of the backstory there to actually for certain take Liv’s side. That’s not to say part of me hasn’t already automatically taken Liv’s side. Cheating is not cool, but Rose in episode three seems to have matured a little when she says she is sorry for messing up. I struggle with taking sides because Liv is the sort of girl who makes me melt a little, then again so does Rose. They’re both super cute (what? I said I can be shallow), and intelligent. Although saying that Liv didn’t exactly think through her social media use when first dating Tash. I think the entire audience cringed during that part of the second episode. Although that led to a whole discussion about who we really are behind the safety of the internet persona we all share with the world. (Did I mention I love the social commentary of this show?)
I love the juxtposition in Episode 3 ‘Sex or Beers’ of the two date nights. The high maintenance of Skylar with poor Miriam showing the strain of their relationship and the early dating stage of Liv and Tash. There’s a tentativeness to the early part of the conversation between Liv and Tash and part of you is left wondering if maybe Liv is rushing in a little fast, but the reality is that, for whatever reason, it does happen that way for some lesbian couples. I know it’s happened for me in the past. And I like that that’s reflected on screen. The chemistry between Laura Zak as Liv and Marnie Alton as Tash is amazing and that reflects well with the characters. There are several moments both in this early date and in later episodes where you’re torn between ‘awww they’re so cute together,’ and ‘hell yes, hotness!’
I mentioned Miriam in passing earlier, I love the character. She’s a little more reserved than the others, and I can’t help but feel sorry for her. She’s clearly in love with Skylar, and we can all see, before we even hit episode 4, that it’s a train wreck waiting to happen. I’m purposefully stopping there because in truth you should watch the whole show. But I can tell you this. The comedic lines in the show are classics. The paths that each of the characters are on is representative if not of your own journey, of someone you know. #Hashtag gives us the heat of new romantic relationships, the problems that occur with existing ones (both romantic and friendly), a variety of lesbian characters rather than two complete stereotypes, and a deeper social commentary; all of which is laced with comedic and cringe-worthy moments that add to the story.
I’m looking forward to the show’s second season. And yes when we have a release date, I will be counting down the days. Laura Zak and Caitlin Bergh have created a show that is, to be honest, addictive and the cliffhanger at the end of the first season left me screaming at my laptop screen “YOU CAN’T LEAVE IT THERE!” So please, sign up to tello and check it out. The first five episodes can be watched in under an hour, it’s not as if you need to spend an entire week marathoning it to catch up. And in today’s world, we all hate having to find the time to watch what we really want to. There are so many options out there. But this is a show that cannot be missed.
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