Exclusive Update – Spinning Off in the Big House
Feb 12th, 2009 | By HAL | Category: The Small ScreenSpoiler alert!! It you don’t want to know anything about this, why are you still reading?
The L Word may be drawing to a close but that doesn’t mean no more from our girls in Los Angeles. As most people who haven’t been living under a rock will know, Ilene ‘Mama’ Chaiken has written a spin-off.
Called The Farm, it will be about the trials (pun untended) of our dear sweet Alice enters the clink. She seems to think this is an episode of Xena in this pic. Maybe she’s afraid she’ll be confronted by The Freak (right). What for we don’t know, but it doesn’t take a huge leap to guess that she’s found guilty of Jenny’s murder. We love you Alice, but why didn’t you do that four years ago?
There are lots of rumours about what will happen, who’ll be in it and so on. Here’s what we can confirm.
The show will be internet-based only, in 20-minute episodes. If Showtime is happy enough, it might make it into a series. The first episode/webisode will take place with Alice arriving off the bus and into chains.
According to those in the know (thelwordonline.com) the main characters will be as follows (feel free to tick off a list of caricatures):
Wade Dawson – gorgeous and dangerous. Think Corky from Bound.
Graciele Martinez – mother-of-two and gang leader. Will probably be the nurturing but hard as nails character.
Margaret Elder – smart, sassy and sexy. No idea what she’s in for but this is one for Alice 
Tootsie Freed – druggie with her ear to the ground
And now for the Bad Girl rip-offs:
Valentina Galindo – the mobster. Potentially The Farm’s Yvonne Atkins
Helen Miller – seeker of justice? Nikki
Sheri Silva – tough but a softie. Danny Blood
Herein lies a problem, especially for Irish and British viewers; it’s going to be nearly impossible not to compare it to Bad Girls. Producers have been at pains to point out that it won’t be an all-lesbian jailhouse rock.
“It’s not all lesbians like ‘The L Word,’ ” said Showtime president Bob Greenblatt. “It is more of a sort of mixed group of female characters, some of whom are lesbians.”
A lot of the talk now, though, is about who’s going to get on board. They have already confirmed that the delicious Famke Janssen (above, right) will guest star in the first episode, along with Melissa Leo (left) and Laurie Metcalf who appear as prison guards. I’m thinking Janssen could be the prison warden, but then maybe I’m having Nikki/Helen flashbacks.
We’ll know more as soon as The L Word finishes at the end of the month. So what do you think? Will it be a babes behind bars shagathon, Prisoner Cell Block H with better sets, Oz for ladies or Bad Girls Us-style? What do you want it to be?
Update - With thanks to Gaelick reader, T, we have exclusive news.
Ok, now first of all a caveat, all of this is unconfirmed. That doesn’t stop us from being damn exciting about it though!
Famke ‘yummy’ Janssen (above right) plays Valentina Galindo – although I had envisioned Famke as Helen Stewart (a vision I’ll keep with me for lonely moments) it looks like the delicious Dutch actress will be playing mobstress with a heart, Valentina.
Yolanda Ross (left) plays Wade Dawson – star of Shortbus and drop dead gorgeous, Yolanda is an up and comer who has been one to watch for a couple of years now. She’ll be well used to playing a lesbian behind bars too, as she won a Breakthrough Award for The Stranger Inside.
Melissa Leo (right) is Helen Miller – Melissa Leo is one of those actresses whose face you’ll recognise and will spend a movie trying to place. She’s been nominated for an Oscar (for last year’s Frozen River) and travelled the world picking up gong after gong. This is one serious actress and a real coup for The Farm.
Laurie Metcalf (left) is Wardern Margeret Elder – Most famous for playing Roseanne’s sister in the 80’s TV show for which she won three Emmy’s, Metcalf has gone on to steal scenes 
away from everyone from Richard Gere (as a lesbian in Internal Affairs) to Kevin Costner (JFK).
Onahoua Rodriguez (right) is Graciela – Onahoua is a New York Actress who has been building a head of steam on stage productions of Lydia all over the US. The young actress has been ‘one to watch’ for a couple of years now and it’ll be fascinating to watch her bounce off the older actresses, Leo and Metcalf.
Who’s playing Tootsie and Sherie? We don’t know yet. IMDB, however, have a cast list so keep an eye there to see updates.
What makes this announcement most exciting is that, which such meaty actresses (no reflection on their BMI), surely this must be more than just a run of webisodes? If not, it would be a, very enjoyable, waste of talent.
No related posts.
Loading ...
Famke Janssen plays Valentina Galindo
Yolanda Ross is Wade Dawson
Melissa Leo is Helen Miller
Laurie Metcalf is Wardern Margeret Elder
and Onahoua Rodriguez is Graciela
it’s Unknown who’s playing Tootsie and Sherie
they’re all intended to be series regulars but have unfinished contracts so thats why they’re calling em “guest stars”
oohh….interesting stuff T, thanks for putting us in the know
I’ll update this article with your info
Famke Janssen!!!!!!!
Famke Janssen – Oh My God – she’s my… my….. waw – I can’t believe she’ll be in it
I didn’t read the article as I HATE spoilers but I saw her pic and had to have a scan for her name
You’ve made my day
Also this is a pilot for a tv series it has nothing to do with previously mentioned webisodes (those were scrapped or have nothing to do with the farm ) Famke Janssen,Melissa Leo etc. would not do it if it were to be just a webseries
another interesting twist is that Prison Break are apparently doing a 2 hours back door pilot for a women in prison spinoff with Jodi Lyn O’Keefe’s Gretchen Morgan which actually seems to have more lesbian themes than this that should air in May (its currently going by episode 23 / 24 of Prison Break)
casting slides :
DADDY] FEMALE, 35-45, this tough, powerful, older inmate at Miami-Dade Women’s Prison runs the motor pool detail and has fashioned a family for herself on the inside. Known as “Daddy,” she’s a stern but fair “parent” and “husband” to a select group of female prisoners. She offers a new inmate protection and gang membership. Daddy also has influence over certain guards…
[COWLER] FEMALE, 30s-40s, this hard-hearted, slightly lascivious female prison guard is unmoved by a new inmate’s life-threatening condition until Daddy suggests she get a doctor. Cowler is later susceptible to Gretchen’s charms…
[WARDEN ALICE SIMMS] In her 40s, “an insecure bureaucrat with higher aspirations who’s using the job as a ‘tough on crime’ resume builder,” she is the Warden for Miami-Dade Women’s Prison. Worried about the public embarrassment should her high profile prisoner manage to escape under her watch, she refuses to allow visitation
[BLUE PHILLIPS] MALE, in his mid 30s to mid 40s, sharply-dressed and purposeful, he is an attorney who is unable to keep his client out of prison but does arrange supervised visitation for the prisoner’s spouse…
[TRACY] FEMALE, 30s to 40s, this prison guard appears to be sympathetic to a new inmate’s plight, but quickly reveals herself as a brutal enemy with a grudge.
[JENNY] Mid 20s to early 30s, this pretty but tough, submissive inmate is one of Daddy’s “kids” who acts out occasionally but cowers when Daddy reprimands her…
[WIFE] This pretty but tough inmate, mid 20s to early 30s, Daddy’s “wife,” is jealous of a new inmate…
[DOCTOR] In his 40s, this male doctor at the women’s prison direly explains to a new inmate how her baby’s birth will go. His words belie his calm, matter-of-fact bedside manner..
[DETECTIVE MARLIN] A cop in his 60s, he breaks up a tender moment between two newlyweds by brandishing an arrest warrant…
[BEARDED MAN] This bearded man in his 40s to 50s who seems mysterious is revealed to be a pastor…
[SNAGS] In his 30s, this wily, resourceful con at the Miami-Dade Men’s Prison has a sinister counteroffer for T-Bag to take to Krantz…
[CALVIN DANIELS] In his 40s, a smooth, dangerous attache-type hitman, he meets with Krantz in prison to discuss a sinister plot
[JASON] This good-looking man, 40ish, is Pam’s new boyfriend who awkwardly meets Mahone while grocery shopping…
[SKITTLEZ] FEMALE, 30s to 40s, this mentally unstable, over-sized and very intimidating prisoner has her eye on a new inmate…
[GUARDS] FEMALE, 30s to 40s, these guards at a women’s prison order the cons to line up and get inside.
You’re a mine of information, T – thanks a million!
Also, Carol and HAL – I’m so with yas on the Famke buzz. Yum.
I had no idea who Famke Janssen was… I feel like I have been missing out.
Who or what is a Famke?
[...] and learned of continuing lesbian fictions in the L Word spin-off: this time, with the prospect of Famke Janssen making an appearance (mmm..). Continuing with our parenting articles, OtherMother began her series, [...]