#leanne/rosalyn

[aquila1nz]

Queer Women on Shortland Street in 2023

2023 started with Maeve battling it out for top dog in Ferndale Prison, as soon as she won she rang Rebekah, the leader of the evangelical cult Brightshine and asked her to get her out on bail. Meanwhile Brightshine was bankrolling the Shortland Street rebuild and Rebekah ended up in the CEO seat. She gave Maeve a no patient contact job, and as they spent more time together a romance built. Maeve was so relieved to have someone supporting her that she was prepared to overlook Rebekah's need to remain closeted, with only Nicole finding out about their relationship, but Rebekah's various lies slowly came to a head; when she had to go on the run she finally admitted to Maeve her part in Wilder's murder - Maeve tried to drown her but decided not to, and Rebekah was arrested. Goodbye Antonia Prebble.

Maeve returned chastened to Nicole's arms, and despite an STI scare they started fixing their marriage.

Gia took off to a job in Chicago and I guess is unlikely to return since her family has mostly also left the show.

Dawn also left for pastures greener, which is a pity because she was always a character who attracted gay shenanigans.

Six new surgery registrars were introduced, and one of them, Quinn, proved to have very good gaydar, admiring Harper and flirting with both Nicole and Maeve… Somehow Nicole acted liked they'd had a big romance instead of a weirdly inappropriate kiss when Quinn died in the winter cliffhanger. Pretty coulrophobic on the part of the show.

Leanne lost all her money financing son Eric's pyramid scheme, then won the lottery for the second time and announced she was off on a world tour - taking Rosalyn with her! Last we heard she and Rosalyn were living on a vineyard in the South Island - Pele went to stay with them for a while, and we saw Jennifer Ludlam on a video call briefly just before Christmas. Offscreen reunions are better than nothing!

Harper - still married to Drew. Billy - still a preschooler. Marley briefly had a storyline where he played with Drew's clippers and had to buzz cut his long hair, and then Billy had short hair just like their idol older brother a week or so later, I wonder if one or both actors wanted shorter hair in real life.

In the latter half of the year Cassie, Wilder's girlfriend, returned, no longer pregnant but with no memory of what had happened to the baby, and that mystery has been Maeve and Nicole's main storyline.

So an odd year, with decreasing numbers of queer characters, but at least Nicole and Maeve are still together, something that seemed unlikely this time last year. Somewhere in there they've become the show's longest running gay couple, passing Jay and Maia's threeish years.

Shortland Street returns on the 5th of February. Let's see what 2024 brings.

And let me know if I've missed anything, it's been a long year and I wasn't always paying attention!

[akaanonymouth]

Well. This was a turnout!

Disappointed not to see Ros back on-screen, but neither of them are dead, so that's a low-bar win 😂

[this-geek]

So ummm, did Leanne and Ros just leave after Wilder's funeral? Like, they don't even show up when Pele goes to hospital. I'm so confused

[sarahlancashire]

i'm extremely upset about what the shortland street writers have done to leanne and rosalyn.

ros cheating on leanne is antithetical to her character; besides which, they were madly, head over heels in love. and now, apparently, the same woman who told leanne she'd love her until her dying day, who proposed to her in front of everyone she cares about, was having an affair only months later? really???

it really hurts me that rosalyn is being treated this way, because i love her so much. she's honestly one of my most favourite sapphic characters that i've ever come across, and they're doing her such a disservice by making her out to be the kind of person that would do this.

what also bothers me is the way this parallels what the holby writers did to bernie and serena. serena, another character i loved very deeply, whose philandering husband had broken her heart, and who was so fiercely loyal and deeply in love with bernie, who would have given up her whole life to move across the world with her, told her she chose her over everything else, would never have cheated on her, but, apparently, when tv writers want a plot device to break a couple up, characterisation goes out of the window!!!!

unsurprisingly, the whole ros / leanne breakup is happening while ros remains offscreen. i understand that theresa was a guest cast member, but really, this is another knife in the back. they're telling us ros has left leanne, but they're not even letting us see her, hear it from her, try to make sense of it; but that's part of the problem, isn't it, because it doesn't make any sense. and, in the same way that bernie died offscreen, another sapphic character is destroyed from behind the scenes.

i realise that bernie was revealed not to have died eventually, and that she and serena reunited, and, yes, i am glad, but that doesn't make up for their having broken them up in that way or having killed her off in the first place. it doesn't ameliorate the damage which had already been done, and it doesn't mean they didn't conform to the bury your gays trope after what they'd already done with elinor's death.

so, is this what we're doing now, soap writers, when we want to break up two women? just deciding, arbitrarily, that one of them has an affair, and / or making something awful happen offscreen, where the viewers can't see it?

because that doesn't help. it doesn't make it better. it still hurts, very deeply, even if we can't see where the pain is coming from.

[mrsconneryisunfaithful]

I was ignoring this 👇 as usual.

And then this 👇 happened. Like wtaf!

[fairnelav]

Rosalyn × Leanne

Shorthand Street

[temazepam-and-shiraz]

I can’t let another medical soap/drama entice me in with an older f/f couple - HC took my ability to trust 💔

[monsterintheballroom]

Rosalyn and Leanne from Shortland Street

[laissefaire-kindergarten]

LAISSE FAIRE’S CLASS OF 2022

STRAIGHT A+ CLASS

Kim Mingtu (Class President) - @SIREMNGYU

Kenina Audrey - @HUAGNLIZHl

Leonel Edmund - @hai_high_hiy

Huta - @huta_z0ne

Fredrica Joey - @STAYCJJJJ

Lala - @Iaurenntsai

BE FWB CLASS

Alexa Leanne Ross (Class President) - @yoonbbomii

Aleia Anastasia - @renebaeibae

Ayukawa Haze - @hayeonhong

Janice Hewitt G - @nct_subak

Edward William Choi - @hoibomin

Keira Noellyn - @nohjisuen

Aaralyne Cyra Anya - @Sanarendelle

CLASS OF CLOWNS

Aleina Clarissa Salim (Class President) - @sullyeonm

Nicholas Hammond - @xbangstergram

Alessia Tosca - @ofYujimin

Alin - @nagyungiu

Im Daniel - @iemnameim

Ezzekiel Marvin - @JAKESlRM

DUNKDOT CLASS

Aubrey Cheshire Ralleigh (Class President) - @rubythejen

Rheinne - @ryujinveIy

Adryan Ezekiel - @YEOSANGKAENG

Lunara Rosalyn - @iveyujien

L Riou - @skawngrru

Muhammad Hasan Yoon - @ddanayunz

E& CLASS

Aslan Ryle Lupin (Class President) - @bbaexiann

Haru Tanoesoedibjo - @ewsibdi

Kiera Sherlyn - @parkrouseane

Sharon Gracella Myoui - @myouinm

Dohnny Jun - @Johnjunsh

Aelion - @waengyibo

Faye - @JlEUNKlM

[aquila1nz]

This is what I've been saying! Shortland Street - more gays per square inch than any other soap!

[aquila1nz]

Shortland Street's Queer Women in 2022

We finished 2021 with an unexpected kiss between Samira and Francesca, plus two ongoing f/f relationships, and then 2022 turned out to be an absolute rollercoaster.

The new relationship between Samira and Francesca was very popular and absolutely lovely - and then went downhill very fast, as Francesca pushed too hard, then left the show. Samira immediately decided Marty was the love of her life instead, then promptly left the show without him.

Dawn tried to set Louis up with cosplayer Demelza but instead she kissed Dawn. Dawn was very flattered and is never good at saying no to people, but had to tell her she had been down that path before and it was not for her. Demelza turned out to be an ex of Maeve's (pre-Saskia) that she had a bad break up with which Maeve was apparently still harbouring a lot of anger over. I'm sorry Demelza didn't hang around after that.

Rosalyn left Leanne for a man who grew flowers; Rosalyn's side of the breakup all happened off screen. Leanne didn't swear off women forever (which would have been within character) but she did sleep with newly married Damo and then got involved with an evangelical church which would have drastic repercussions down the line. She did quit the church when her closest friend there proved homophobic, in time to prevent them fleecing her of all her money, so well done Leanne. Not sure if she'll get a girlfriend again but she has evolved a bit. Still trying to run Nicole's life though. And then at the end of the year Ros showed up for a funeral.

Nicole and Maeve have had a difficult year of never quite being on the same page, struggling with intimacy and whether the other really wants them. Which culminated in Maeve suggesting a threesome with a woman who had been flirting with Nicole because she thought that might make things better with Nicole. Nicole was not pleased but later trying to initiate a threesome with a man they worked with which Maeve said yes to but then freaked out about, and shortly after that Nicole decided their relationship had become too hard and asked Maeve to leave. Maeve did not take this well, got drunk a bunch and kissed Harper once. And then someone from Brightshine church killed Wilder, which briefly brought them back together in their grief, the year ended with them loosely together, Nicole obviously not happy about it, and Nicole was last seen in the IV as it burned down. Cliffhanger! On the one hand that's three f/f couples that have broken up on Shortland Street this year. On the other, that's a soap record, because no other soap has three unrelated (or overrelated) wlw couples to break up.

Saskia also returned for one episode for Wilder's funeral (not surprising - Amanda Tito had been doing some directing - including directing the episode where Nicole and Maeve first broke up).

Young Billy is still not quite up to full dialogue scenes, but has become more vocal with the addition of Marley, and there was a nice storyline where Marley wanted to wear a blue Frozen dress for Halloween to match Billy's princess dress. After Marley came home from school angry at being laughed at for wearing it to the school Halloween Drew also dressed in a dress to go trick or treating, leading to drama with a friend's parent who had unnecessary opinions. And Billy ended the year with a full sentence of dialogue!

In other news in November new doctor Gia Te Arakura was introduced when Jack employed her as a locum. Gia was avoiding meeting TK who had recently found out that the older child he was estranged from was dead, and it quickly became clear that Gia was that child, who had transitioned. And had also become a fully fledged doctor in the five years since she last appeared on the show as a teenager focused on rowing - we could solve the country's health worker shortage if we used Shortland Street's sped up training methods! Gia is played by trans actress Awa Puna.

So yes, a year with lots of ups and downs for the fans. Shortland Street is back from hiatus on Monday, it'll be interesting to see where they go this year.

[akaanonymouth]

I can't believe I got suckered in by this, and now I have to put up with Leanne (and Maeve in her own way actually) being an insufferable twat purely on the slimmest off chance that Ros will appear again having un-shagged the handyman or whatever he was, remembering that she actually proposed to the woman she professed to want to die with.

They've made me invested in this bloody show as a whole and I'm very cross about it 😂

[this-geek]

I wrote a thing.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/44743555

We don't know where Leanne and Ros have gone. So lets pretend they're together

[aquila1nz]

Where oh where is the Shortland Street femslash?

I'm still sad that there's essentially no Shortland Street femslash fic. There were a smattering of Nicole/Harper stories back in the day, mostly on the pit of voles (fanfiction.net).

There's a tiny set of Nicole/Maeve stories on AO3 now, and an even tinier bit of Leanne/Rosalyn. There's no Samira/Francesca, even though I know there are other people like me that loved them and were so sad when that storyline went south so fast. There was so much scope for writing fic for them. This is the heartbreak of tiny fandoms.

I want to read Samira and Francesca's conversation at the wedding reception. I want extensions of all the episodes to give them more time together. I want Francesca taking Samira on a jetboat ride while they're at the conference because Samira has never been to Queenstown before. And oh boy do I want fixit fic: Francesca doesn't leave, Samira goes after her, they meet again in several years time. Francesca has taken that job at Central and they're quietly continuing their relationship during Samira's later episodes but Samira has had enough of the gossip wheel so she's not telling anyone. Any fixit will do.

Samira and Francesca both start working at Seattle Grace at around the same time but their paths don't cross straight away. To confuse things people keep referring to "the new surgeon from New Zealand" without realising there are two of them.

And then this year, where was the Rebekah/Maeve fic? That was so sweetly done for such a fucked up relationship.

Give me Rebekah and Maeve on the run together fic. Unhealthy Maeve trying to be everything for Rebekah fic. Future fic where they live somewhere very quiet far from everything.

Give me your headcanons where Rebekah didn't have Scott kill Wilder, she really has been trying to do her best and it's just all gone wrong along the way.

Give me redemption fic - Rebekah admits it, does her time and finds Maeve in the end.

Give me a crazy prison AU - Rebekah goes to prison for Scott's murder, but the nature of hearsay, proof and what can and can't be included in evidence means Maeve still gets convicted for Wilder's. And they end up in prison together. Maximum angst.

And where is the longform Nicole/Maeve fic trying to make Watsonian sense of their crazy Doylist on again off again relationship and sudden character changes? Where is the fluff fic that ignores it all? Where is my everyone is gay fic that pulls in every possible Shortie character? Where is my future fic that ignores Wilder's death and has all three of Nicole's stepsons working at the hospital, while Pele is a trouble making teenager? Where are the AUS?

And my younger self would love fic about Meredith and Annie, or Caroline and Laura.

Tell me what fic you wish for in the comments. Share your headcanons! Or please write some!!!

[aquila1nz]

So what did Shortland Street give wlw fans in 2021?

1. Leanne/Rosalyn - the show went full steam ahead with their relationship, giving us a sex scene, and Nicole and Maeve's reactions at finding their mothers were dating!

2. Theo kept hanging around Maeve but eventually took no for an answer and left the show for pastures greener - a good character who got stuck with some shoddy storylines!

3. Before she left she and Zara tried to help some women being trafficked, a storyline that lead to Zara being kidnapped, presumed dead, returning pregnant and leaving town with Boyd. Oh well.

4. The Carla Saga - an old villain returns and hypnotises Nicole and half the hospital into being her friend, culminating in her kidnapping Pele. Not great for Nicole and Maeve's relationship.

5. Harper is still with Drew *sigh*. But their kids are cute.

6. As some desperately needed light relief Maeve gets Chris Warner into drag.

7. Rosalyn proposes to Leanne. Leanne also has a heart attack, but makes a full recovery.

8. Tom, Maeve's best friend since they were at school, shows up and causes all sorts of ructions; also not great for Nicole and Maeve's relationship.

9. Prisoner Carla is brought into the hospital, escapes and holds Nicole hostage so Maeve threatens to kill Carla, only for Carla to end up as the one holding the syringe. Cliffhanger.

10. Young surgeon Samira's storylines start revolving around new head of surgery Francesca as they try to put Drew in his place, culminating in an unexpected kiss at Tess and Tom's wedding reception (while the rest of the annual cliffhanger bloodbath happens in the next room).

That's 9 queer women and an intersex kid on the show in 2021, not bad Shortie!

Tomorrow Shortland Street is back for 2022, I trust that Nicole and Maeve will survive Carla again, and I can't wait to see where the show goes with Samira/Francesca!

[aquila1nz]

I couldn’t resist giffing this.

I can’t blame Nicole for this reaction, Leanne does have form.