With the boom of reality shows seemingly at its peak, we typically cringe at the mere mention of a season renewal but when The Real L Word signed up for a third season last fall, we wrote down the date. Set to air Thursday, July 12th at 10 p.m., the sultry lesbians of Showtime have returned. The network has brought both new and old cast members, including Whitney Mixter and Sara Bettincourt from season one, together to take over New York. Mixter and Bettincourt sit with Inked to chat about their tumultuous on-screen Love, their camera cluttered Lives and just how reaL this season will be.

Inked Magazine: This is the 3rd season of The Real L Word - can you tell us a little about it?

Whitney Mixter: This is a really strong season. There are some familiar faces and some great new additions that really create a multi-faceted cast of women who are really committed to opening their lives up to the viewer. There’s definitely some steamy scenes, controversial topics, and new relationship dynamics that I have a feeling will really lock in the viewer.

Sara Bettencourt: It's full of surprises, from heartbreak to unexpected hook-up’s and rivalries. The new cast and some old are creating buzz from LA all the way to NYC. To me, I think this is the most raw and exciting season yet.

Inked: How does it feel to be filming in New York?

Mixter: I’m actually from NY so it’s nice to have it tied in to the series, although honestly I’m still going to remain in LA for a bit longer.

Bettencourt: I absolutely love NYC; it feels like home to me. I love the people, food and the fast paced go-getter mentality that resides there so being there feels great.

Inked: The Real L Word first aired in 2010. Two years later, how do you think you've both grown from the first season?

Mixter: I’ve definitely grown a lot personally since Season 1 and I think some of it actually has to do with seeing myself on the show. It’s a rare opportunity to get to see yourself; you have the opportunity to see that things aren’t always as they appear within your own mind. I always said to myself going in to doing this show that if I was going to do it, it was going to be all or nothing so I never censored myself. I really just did let it roll out and I think it ultimately was the best decision I could make regarding it.

Bettencourt: I have grown tremendously since the first season, re-hashing old memories could really show sides of your self you realize you really need to work on. It was very challenging for me to be 100% open to the cameras and not censor myself at first but I learned quickly how imperative it is to really let it all go, be present in the moment and literally bare my soul.

Inked: Speaking of bearing your soul, let’s talk about you and Whitney. Your relationship has been plastered all over the TV set and scattered all over the media for a few years now. How did it affect your relationship and your friendship?

Mixter: Honestly it is a pretty typical relationship, even when people are watching it, because at the time it’s taking place the only people that are there are the camera crew. You learn to forget that and carry on with your business. This show has done a good job with taking a fly on the wall perspective and letting relationships naturally unfold, sometimes its good and sometimes its not but such is life.

Bettencourt: At first because it was hard for me to show my vulnerable side, being filmed really hindered my communication with Whitney and changed my interactions with her. Now it has become a norm for me and I feel really comfortable on film, you kind of just pretend as if they are not there. Our relationship is pretty typical except that more than half of the lesbians in the world know our intimate details.