The pussyfooting about of the ladies on the L Word has ended.

Tonight's episode is the curtain call for Showtime's groundbreaking drama about the day-to-day lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women living in Los Angeles.

The show, which arrived hot on the heels of the company's hit gay series Queer As Folk, surprised when it premiered in January 2004 by appealing to both gay and straight audiences.

L Word was the first episodic drama to feature an all-lesbian cast. Additionally, over the years the show has addressed many difficult subjects affecting GLBT people, including gay civil rights, closeted celebrities, depression, and transgender issues.

For its final season, creator Ilene Chaiken has turned to murder. In the first two minutes of the sixth season's premiere episode, the show's most conflicted character, Jenny Schecter (Mia Kirshner), was killed. Producers have promised to reveal the murderer's identity in tonight's finale.

But an upcoming L Word spinoff where Alice Pieszecki (played by Leisha Hailey) lands in prison for murder has left longtime fans scratching their heads. The new series, reportedly called The Farm, is set in a women's prison and includes both lesbian and straight characters.

“If the new show goes on the air, it will be connected to the Who-Killed-Jenny storyline,” Chaiken told Entertainment Weekly, “and I would say that that's what Alice is in prison for. I don't know that she actually killed Jenny.”

Another surprise is the return of five former characters – Tim (Eric Mabius), Peggy Peabody (Holland Taylor), Marina (Karina Lombard), Ivan (Kelly Lynch) and lovable Carmen (Sarah Shahi) – in the final episode.

Jennifer Beals (Flashdance) and Cybill Shepherd (The Last Picture Show, Moonlighting) star in L Word. The ladies take their final bows tonight, Sunday, March 8 at 9PM.

Gay Entertainment Report is a feature of On Top Magazine and can be reached at ontopmag@ontopmag.com.