Gay-Friendly Blu-rays (2 Viewers)

[Matt Hough]

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out this week.

 

[Will Krupp]

Coming to Hulu June 3rd. This looks crass, vulgar and obvious. Needless to say, I'm IN!

 

[Mark-W]

8 episodes coming to Netflix April 22nd.

It looks cute!

I binged this on show on Sunday.
Heartstopper in many ways is the 2022 update of 1998's Get Real.

Both have nerdy protagonist boys, Steven in Get Real; Charlie in Heartstopper, that fall for the star jock of the school.
Both Steven and Charlie are comfortable with their homosexuality. Steven is okay being gay, but is angry at the world for not letting him be himself. Charlie is okay being gay, but he has issues around generally feeling "a bit crap" about himself, including blaming himself for the bad things that happen to those he cares about. He apologizes for things that are not his fault or responsibility... a lot.

Where Get Real ends (save for the last ten minutes) could almost be where Heartstopper begins, with Charlie dating a boy in the closet that does not treat him well.

I love looking at how similar these two shows are, further how they encapsulate the progress that has been made in the last twenty plus years on LGBTQ+ acceptance, visibility, and representation.

Interestingly Get Real is more sexual than Heartstopper, with Steven starting the movie meeting men in the toilet and talking more frankly about the sex he has been having with men. Heartstopper sets its tone to be solidly PG with nothing more than kissing and no talk of having actual sex. As much as I loved it, there is zero sexual heat in this series and that seems intentional.

Both shows address bullying and how the popular boy enables it with passive or active complicity. It is refreshing to see Heartstopper's Nick makes significantly different decisions than Get Real's John when he is confronted with the similar dilemmas. Oh, Nick. Nick. Nick. Nick. Solid in yourself (mostly) without needing to be cocky. Self-aware and resourceful, even as you're dealing with a crisis. I believe you would be the popular boy on the Rugby team because you are nice to everyone, even though your buddies can be jerks. You don't have a mean bone in your body. Comparing Nick to Get Real's "sex on legs" John Dixon, John is so busy living up to how and who everyone expects him to be that he doesn't really know who he is authentically. He is so focused on how he presents, he doesn't have the capacity to think about how is hurting others.

While I enjoy the cast of Get Real and their subplots (for example the driving Instructor, Steven's dad being a Doctor Who fanatic.), the supporting cast in Heartstopper really shine. Charlie's pals and sister, the gals at the all-girl-school who have a plot that mirrors Charlie and Nick's story line. And Olivia Coleman as Nick's mom! How I love her in this. No wonder Nick turned out so okay, stable, and popular while also being the sweetest, most humble, and sincere person. They also celebrate diversity in a very 2022 sort of way with students of different ethnic backgrounds and gender identity.

Get Real was a message film wrapped in a romance; Heartstopper is through-and-through a romance between two charming young men with issues to work out.

I was hooked on and cared about both guys in Heartstopper. That is what trapped me. Both Charlie and Nick are so likeable that caring about them extends beyond caring about them being together.

And the endings. Wow, those endings between Get Real and Heartstopper. Both climax on a sports fields and I will leave it at that.

Rotten Tomatoes has this show rating 98%. I can absolutely see it getting that high of a rating.

I will be putting this on again.

Cheers!

 

[Will Krupp]

I binged this on show on Sunday.

What a perfect write-up (you'll forgive me, I hope, for not quoting the whole thing)

I loved this show so much, from beginning to end. Loved the characters, the actors, and the sweet story. Yes, I agree with you that the no-sex rule seems entirely intentional. My dearest friend is also watching this (though I binged half on Saturday and the second half on Sunday, he's taking a little longer) and, after watching the first episode, he says to me on the phone, "We're not going to get to see any dick in this one, are we?"

At the risk of sounding like a schoolgirl, this one gave me all the "feels" and it had enough suspense toward the end that I was worried whether or not everyone would make the right decisions.

As far the goddess of all things, Olivia Colman, is concerned, her involvement in the show was kept a strict secret even from the cast until the moment she stepped on set. Kit "Nick" Connor has some very nice things to say about it, and her, in this article that originally appeared in Hello:

The sweet story behind Olivia Colman's secret role in new Netflix series Heartstopper

The Oscar-winning actress stars in the new Netflix series

www.hellomagazine.com

The British REALLY know how to do this properly and I just loved it. Guess I'm not as much of an old curmudgeon as I thought!

 

[KeithDA]

I will be putting this on again.

The British REALLY know how to do this properly and I just loved it.

I didn't want to say too much earlier, but I'm glad you both enjoyed it.. No sex (as Will's friend spotted - not that British then ), I agree it has a great cast and I also loved the sister. Saint Olivia can do no wrong and I've had to buy the Chvrches album just so I can dance around the kitchen whilst cooking (now there's a picture for you).

 

[ptb2017fr]

Watched Fair Haven from 2016 last night. Not bad but again a bit depressing at times. When are religious people going to get that being gay isn't an illness that can be cured, forcing so many young kids into places that try to make them heterosexual? This to me is child abuse. Even when it's the gorgeous Gregory Harrison playing the priest trying to turn the lead boy straight. But the ending was positive which was good to see, especially the way his father finally understood. Remember dad Tom Wopat in Dukes of Hazzard. A real hunk then.

 

[Mark-P]

So… after being banished to Hulu for 2 seasons, it looks like Love, Victor is finally coming back to where it was originally supposed to be, Disney+. I’m sure the current political situation, which we‘re not allowed to talk about, has nothing to do with it.

 

[ptb2017fr]

So… after being banished to Hulu for 2 seasons, it looks like Love, Victor is finally coming back to where it was originally supposed to be, Disney+. I’m sure the current political situation, which we‘re not allowed to talk about, has nothing to do with it.

Could somebody post me privately to explain the political situation. In the meantime I’ve only just caught up with it. Love the guy playing Benji, but I’m wondering how nobody is having sex or seems to be. All those horny teenagers, lots of kissing and hugging and nobody having sex!
What happens in season three?

 

[EricSchulz]

I finished Heartstopper last night and highly recommend it! GREAT cast, a sweet, feel-good series which isn't condescending or artificial.

 

[Malcolm R]

Could somebody post me privately to explain the political situation. In the meantime I’ve only just caught up with it. Love the guy playing Benji, but I’m wondering how nobody is having sex or seems to be. All those horny teenagers, lots of kissing and hugging and nobody having sex!
What happens in season three?

I don't think characters in Disney or Disney-adjacent productions are allowed to have genitalia.

 

[Matt Hough]

I finished episode five of Heartstoppers this afternoon. It is sweet and endearing with just a bit of teen meanness to keep things from being completely idyllic.

 

[ptb2017fr]

Finally Victor and Benjie had sex in Love Victor, series 2 episode 4, with it seems the rest of the teenaged cast. Then it’s no longer mentioned it seems. After all Disney, teenagers never obsess about sex or think about it all the time, especially when in love with a incredibly hot guy, do they? And I want to see Benjie without his shirt lots!

 

[Will Krupp]

After all Disney, teenagers never obsess about sex or think about it all the time, especially when in love with a incredibly hot guy, do they?

The short answer is no, gay OR straight, they don't. It's not their brand. It doesn't really come as a surprise, does it?

 

[ptb2017fr]

The short answer is no, gay OR straight, they don't. It's not their brand. It doesn't really come as a surprise, does it?

Remember the days when James MacArthur ran around shirtless being lusted after by both female and male members of the cast? And most of the audience?

 

[Matt Hough]

Remember the days when James MacArthur ran around shirtless being lusted after by both female and male members of the cast? And most of the audience?

Yes, I do remember. He was then and remained a giant heartthrob.

 

[Will Krupp]

Remember the days when James MacArthur ran around shirtless being lusted after by both female and male members of the cast? And most of the audience?

With great fondness, yes! I also remember Peter McEnery's tight, wet shorts in The Moon-Spinners (sigh) with equal fondness. Paradoxcially, it was a more innocent time with an inexplicable and unspoken vein of sexy running through it

 

[Joel Arndt]

I haven't read this thread for a few days in case there were any spoilers regarding Heartstopper (there weren't any really) which I just finished last night. What a wonderful series! The entire cast is great and loved how they cast teenagers to play teenagers. Everyone should have a "mum" like Olivia Colman. Highly recommended!

 

[Will Krupp]

Everyone should have a "mum" like Olivia Colman.

Phoebe Waller Bridge's "Fleabag" would likely disagree with you but that's the unholy wonder of Olivia Colman. There's NOTHING she can't do!!

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I haven't read this thread for a few days in case there were any spoilers regarding Heartstopper (there weren't any really) which I just finished last night. What a wonderful series! The entire cast is great and loved how they cast teenagers to play teenagers. Everyone should have a "mum" like Olivia Colman. Highly recommended!

Phoebe Waller Bridge's "Fleabag" would likely disagree with you but that's the unholy wonder of Olivia Colman. There's NOTHING she can't do!!

She truly is a wonder. We had no idea how good she was back in the days of Hot Fuzz. Truly amazing actress.

 

[Will Krupp]

She truly is a wonder. We had no idea how good she was back in the days of Hot Fuzz. Truly amazing actress.

Not to mention that she's ALWAYS a great time on The Graham Norton Show!