Queer as Folk

**Drinky Milk** · 05 Oct 2004, 02:57 PM

I admit, I was very cynical coming into this series. From the commercial's and advertising I saw for it, it looked like just another fag hag romp into the stereotypical gay community. The queens, the clubs, the booze... it looked really tacky.

So I borrow the first season from my friend, and start the first episode. Two days later, I've skipped two days of school and finished the whole series.

It's tacky, sexy, dramatic and controversial ALL rolled into one, and it's absolutely fabulous. In a way, I think this show de-sensitizes you from the whole weirdness that comes along with homosexuality, and really just get's you involved with the characters and plot. After a while you forget that it's even considered weird in this day and age to be gay.

I'm now starting on season two, and enjoying every minute of it. Who else watches it? Anything I can expect that is juicy in seasons three and four?

**Master** · 06 Oct 2004, 05:07 AM

Here is my take on the show:

I LOVE Six Feet Under. I Love The Sopranos. I usually love any HBO original series, and I was hoping that would translate here as this is basically Showtime's big thing. Unfortunately it didn't.

The characters were all a little too distant for me to latch onto. They all seemed to be in places in their lives that I have never been, and the Gay Lifestyle they lead doesn't speak to me at all.

I'm also slightly squeamish about seeing men kiss/fondle/dance with other men. I'm not homophobic by most people's definition, but this show makes me uncomfortable pretty much all the way through.

Sorry I can't be of help answering your questions, I really want to like this show.

**sethsez** · 06 Oct 2004, 05:24 AM

Seasons 3 and 4 weren't nearly as good. That's when the show went from "kinda trashy yet honest drama about a group of gay friends" to "gay soap opera that must always be gay because the characters are gay and it's all so gay." Of course, I still watch every episode because by this point the series has me trapped (if you think the bullshit between Brian and Justin ever resolves itself, you're wrong), but the first two seasons are by far the best.

For anyone who wants to get into this show, start from the beginning (it's NOT friendly to people who want to just jump right into it), and suffer through the first six episodes. I like them, but you can tell that everyone was still trying to figure out who their characters were, and the writers were a little too anxious to be shocking. However, once you're past that point, it's pretty smooth sailing, the plotlines get better, and the characters start becoming more fully developed (until season three where they all become charicatures). Also, by that point you've seen the most graphic sex the series has to offer, so it's only downhill from there.

Personally, I think the series is just as good as The Sopranos or Six Feet Under, but it's definitely a different kind of show and requires a bit more effort to get into. Even seasons three and four are still better than most of TV... I may bitch about their quality, but that's only in comparison to the first two seasons (though a BIG event occurs in season four, and I didn't really care for how it was handled at all).

**Drinky Milk** · 06 Oct 2004, 03:21 PM

I'm on episode 9 on Season 2, and it makes me really uncomfortable that Justin seems to be turning into a a smaller version of Brian. When he ditched that guy at Daphne's party... nu uh.

I also think that some of the character development is pretty misleading. One day I love watching Brian do his thing, and the other you can't stand watching him at all. One day you'll really appreciate Melanie and her blunt personality, and the next you're wondering why Lindsey is even dealing with her at all.

sethsez: Can you give me an idea what happens that's so significant in season 4? Someone dies?

**sethsez** · 06 Oct 2004, 06:17 PM

Justin's only going to get dumber and dumber as the show goes on. And yeah, Mel is a complete bitch sometimes, but I think it fits with her character. Besides, she ususally makes up for it somehow.

Brian, though... he's pretty damn consistant. I don't think he's ever going to grow one iota, though he does seem to be getting a bit nicer as the series goes on.

And yeah, someone dies in the fourth season. Though it's pretty obvious this character existed from the very beginning just to have a "touching" death scene. I'm amazed it took four seasons for it to happen.

**MVS** · 06 Oct 2004, 06:25 PM

If I'm going to watch homo, I'll watch The L World.

**sethsez** · 06 Oct 2004, 06:34 PM

Well, Queer as Folk does have some token lesbians that are in the show purely as a desperate attempt to get straight men to watch it.

It's pretty funny to watch a show that has a naked guy on the screen about 15% of the time suddenly come to a halt for five minutes while three lesbians go at it.