Introduced in the second season are Carmen de la Pica Morales (Sarah Shahi), a confident DJ who starts a relationship with Shane; Helena Peabody (Rachel Shelley), the daughter of a wealthy supporter of the arts, who later becomes Tina's temporary love interest; and Mark Wayland (Eric Lively), a documentary filmmaker who moves in with Shane and Jenny. Mark makes them part of his latest documentary, by setting up hidden cameras in the house to videotape them, as well as Shane's frequent sexual encounters.

In the second season, the characters are wracked with new discoveries. After Bette's illicit affair with a carpenter (Candace), Bette and Tina break up, but slowly renew their relationship, though making it an open one. Tina becomes pregnant after a second insemination attempt, which she keeps secret from Bette, fearing another miscarriage . Meanwhile, Tina begins seeing Helena Peabody, after receiving a large grant from her to help underprivileged kids, while the Peabody Foundation oversees the California Art Center. Ruthless, controlling, and conniving, Helena Peabody appears to be on a mission to ruin Bette's life, which comes to a head when Bette loses her job at the CAC in the second season finale. In the midst of all of this, Bette's father, Melvin (Ossie Davis), dies after revealing that he was suffering from prostate cancer .

Tim Haspel leaves Los Angeles in the second season opener, to accept a job back in Ohio, while Jenny stays in the house, renting out to Shane and Mark. Jenny and Shane become fast friends, and jealous lovers in regard to Carmen who has a brief fling with Shane, and later a romantic relationship with Jenny. Marina is gone after apparently attempting suicide, and is committed to a mental hospital in her home country of Italy.

Alice and Dana confess their love for one another, amidst Dana's upcoming wedding to Tonya. The wedding is cancelled, and Alice and Dana began a somewhat rocky relationship filled with jealousy, especially after the reappearance of Lara Perkins late in the season.

Kit buys The Planet, and has a brief affair with a married motivational speaker, named Benjamin Bradshaw.

At the end of season two, Jenny has a nervous breakdown after remembering previously repressed memories of being raped . Shane and Carmen renew their relationship, where Shane finally says the words "I love you," to Carmen for the first time in her life. Also in the second season final, Tina goes into labor and, after some complications, manages to deliver a baby girl. The group (for the time being) manages to put aside their differences and issues to congratulate Bette, while Tina remains in the hospital to recover from the difficult birth.

Guest appearances during the second season were made by the music groups Betty, Heart, Peaches, feminist celebrities Gloria Steinem, Sandra Bernhard and many others.



Episodes

201 Life, Loss, Leaving
202 Lap Dance
203 Loneliest Number
204 Lynch Pin
205 Labyrinth
206 Lagrimas De Oros
207 Luminous
208 Loyal
209 Late, Later, Latent
210 Land Ahoy
211 Loud And Proud
212 L'Chaim
213 Lacuna



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