Beating the Odds #2 - Fastlane's Billie/Sara (More Than a Gimmick) and Author Blackbird

In the second half of our two-parter on unlikely successes, we'll be talking about the short-lived FOX police drama Fastlane. Lasting only a single season, Fastlane eventually resorted to a ratings gimmick at a time when other dramas - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once and Again - were beginning to address onscreen kisses between two women. Targeting male viewers as always, Fastlane aired an episode where Det. Billie Chambers (Tiffani- Amber Thiessen) seduces burglar Sara Matthews (Jaime Pressly) on an undercover assignment. Hot women kissing, woohoo! While it may not have boosted ratings, it didn't stop fans from seeing the surprise potential behind the Billie/Sara pairing. Foremost among these was Blackbird, who wrote the epic fic "After the Fall" that explored Billie/Sara long after Fastlane faded from the airwaves, and more thoughtfully and romantically than Fastlane probably ever would have (or been allowed to). We'll talk to Blackbird about ATF and its unfinished sequel, "Reparations" , as well as her one-shots and her possible plans to return to the series in the future.