Queer as Folk - Season 2 (1 Viewer)

[John Berggren]

This thread is a continuation of Queer as Folk.
Season 2 of Queer As Folk begins on Sunday, January 6 at 10pm on Showtime.
There's a lot of hype surrounding the return of Showtime's highest rated series. I've seen stories on CNN.com and banner ads on every gay-oriented site around. Hopefully they can maintain or increase the level of quality and interest generated in season 1.
Season 1 will begin to be available on DVD on Tuesday, January 8. A review is available at DVDFile. Currently the best price available is at Link Removed but this could change.
Some spoilers for Season 2:
I know that Justin lives, is well, and will continue his relationship with Brian. This will be a focus in season 2. Additionally Michael will get a new boyfriend. I saw a news item a while ago regarding the actor who will portray him. I remember that it was a sitcom dad, but don't remember who. If anyone else remembers this news item, or has a link for it, it would be much appreciated. Lastly, they'll be focussing on the supporting cast more in the coming season. Particularly this will be Melanie and Linsday, but also Debbie.

I myself can't wait. I'll be posting again Sunday at 11 .

 

[MatthewA]

There's a second season of this show? Geez louise, how desperate is Showtime?

 

[John Berggren]

Matthew:

QAF is Showtime's highest rated show. I'd hardly call renewing it desperate. But perhaps I'm mistaken and NBC has been desperate for renewing ER all these years.

Buzz:

Bruce Gray is not the actor who will portray Michael's boyfriend. It would be nice if he were an interest for Vic -- or even Debbie.

 

[Joseph Young]

For being Showtime's highest rated show, a lot of people on this forum don't seem to care for it very much.

I only recently caught some episodes on showtime 2, and was pretty impressed. Maybe i don't watch enough television, but I thought the melodrama was well played and aside from a few too many matrix-ey camera moves it's a pretty solid show.

am i just missing the apparently superior British version?

-j

 

[Alan Light]

The original UK series, which I admit is vastly superior, was also a lightning rod for some very harsh criticism from those in the gay community who didn't want certain aspects of gay life portrayed. I enjoy the Showtime series on its level. It's far from perfect but also a lot of fun.
This review of Season 2's early episodes was in yesterday's Washington Post and is written by Tom Shales. I can't say I disagree with his criticism:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2002Jan4.html
SPOILER WARNING (don't read if you don't want to know) applies to the article above and my comments below):
In the early episodes of Season 2:
1. No sign of Blake :>( (I hope he returns later, love the actor)
2. Justin has suffered brain damage and will have to work his way back to full functionality
3. Justin and that self-adoring sourpuss Brian (sorry, can't stand Gale Harold) finally do become boyfriends tho sourpuss insists he be allowed to continue his promiscuity.
4. Ted gets fired for watching gay porn on the computer in his office.
5. Lesbians get more screen time this year.

 

[MatthewA]

QAF is easily one of the worst shows I have ever seen. The acting is generic and the writing is like Dynasty on a particularly bad day. Imagine a bad daytime soap with explicit gay sex, and that's what I think of this show.

And as a gay person with no interest in trendy clothes, computer-generated "music," anonymous, promiscuous sex or sex with underage boys, it offends me that more gay men don't see this show as the exploitative malarkey that it is. It claims to depict gay life realistically but it reinforces all the worst stereotypes about gays. I just hope nobody thinks this is how MOST gay people live.

 

[John Berggren]

Matthew,

I think your point has been quite made. There are those of us who do like the show though.

Also, the show makes no pretense of representing all of gay life. There is a disclaimer to that effect that runs at the beginning and end of every episode. This show is about one group of friends. And you can't tell me that these people don't exist.

If you hate the show quite so much as you say you do, don't watch it. Also, you needn't remind us of how much you hate it. It's well noted.

Thanks.

3 more hours to cliffhanger resolution!

 

[Trace Downing]

Just watched it. It's nice to see the folks back again.
Also, a widescreen version will be broadcast on Tues. Night at 10 (sharp)...which by my clock is 10:02.
I knew that they would let Chris Hobbs off with a slap on the hand. It was almost too predictable. The temptation to resist a jab at the criminal justice system, I guess, was too much to avoid. I'm sure they put it in for those that don't know that this happens, all too often I'm afraid.

And Matthew...Never expect Television to do your social acivism work for you. That's our job.
You're not going to be another Gerard Priori are you?...always hating the show, never letting up about it, yet is there every Sunday night, watching it raptly, ready to report what atrocious crime to the Shakespearian arts it has committed that week?

 

[Michael Allred]

Watched tonight's premiere.
Dear lord, will Brian ever be something more than a stiff (no pun intended)? Gale, learn how to emote...PLEASE?!?!?! Why do the other characters even remotely like Brian? To me, this is QAF's biggest hole. No, Brian doesn't have to be "happy cheery" but in real life, WHO would wanna hang out with his character?
The Chris Hobbs getting a slap on the wrist for the Justin bashing was expected. I just hope he gets what's coming to him later in the season. Hell, *I* wanna smack him with a bat once or twice. Forget spring training, I'm in a baseball mood now.
I'm glad those herky, jerky, cheap camera movements were not present in the opener.
Anyway, I still say Showtime's version grew into something far better than the UK version.

 

[John Berggren]

I really enjoyed last night's show. I was sorry to see it end. At least it'll be waiting for me next week. (And at Tuesday at 11pm when I tape it in Widescreen.)

I've got all of last season taped, and starting this season I wanted to tape over last season's recordings since my DVD set will be coming in soon - but my partner wants to keep it - just in case we go to the mountains, or want to loan it out, or for some other reason. It's difficult to argue with this psychology, but I honestly think I copy on DVD is enough.

My favorite instances involved Melanie and Lindsay. Although I needn't see them in all of their glory quite so often, I did really appreciate their storyline. I'm particularly enjoying how Melanie is developping as a character.

Additionally, I'm glad that Justin didn't come away as 100%. Though it seems he's pretty close. I think that there was a 6 week period between the season finale and the season premeire is part of their way of making his condition serious without dwelling on it. Whether he draws again or not, I certainly hope it takes at least the better part of the season. We were convinced that he would be dead or have serious brain damage as a result of his injuries, and I'm willing to accept his reduced sentence, but I hope that further dealings are realistic. I'm just thrilled he wasn't bright and cheery at the outset.

I can't wait for more. Everyone looked very good. New haircuts for Vic and Melanie are great. Vic looks healthier this year.

Still glad I got Showtime for this show.

 

[Chuck L]

I agree John...It is great that it seems that they want to do more with Melanie and Lindsay than to have them be the token lesbians. I am really hoping that we get to see a lot more of them, story wise, not naked, this year. Would be nice if they would get some of the guys to drop tro and do some frontal for a change. I still am dying to know just why and what makes people long for Brian so damn much! It can't be his personality. (Am I the only one that thinks that the only real catch of the show would be Ted...)

I was not pleased by them picking the story up 6 weeks later though. I honestly would have loved to have seen the chacaters having to react to Justin's incident right after the incident. It would have caused something that there has been, even though spotty of on the show....ACTING.

Boy has Sharon Gless lost some weight! I was really taken aback by that. She was looking great.

I still have the main complaint that I have had since the first show of the first season....slow things down a little and add suspense for the love of the acting God.

Even though with all the problems of the show that I have in it's protral of the gay life...I am at least Thankful for Showtime to having the balls to air the show to begin with. In this television land of mainstream attention, at least QAF doesn't seem to suffer much from that stigma.

 

[MatthewA]

"Also, the show makes no pretense of representing all of gay life. There is a disclaimer to that effect that runs at the beginning and end of every episode. This show is about one group of friends. And you can't tell me that these people don't exist."

I know these people exist. I wish these people did not exist, frankly. They are an embarrassment to the rest of us who have heard of sexual self-control.

Even if it doesn't represent all of gay life, it's still exploitative trash. Do other gays somehow relate to this?

I realize that the show is fiction. It is, however, bad fiction. I didn't see the disclaimers, however. Thank you for correcting me.

Still, every time I tried to watch this show, I hated all the characters and was totally disinterested in the writing. There is no substance but plenty of style. The explicit sex would be one thing if the show had anything else going for it. If I liked the writing or any of the characters, I would not be posting this message.

I have not seen the UK version, and after seeing the US version, I don't intend to anytime soon.

Though slightly off-topic, I am offended, however, by the term "queer." Attempts to reclaim it by radical gay activists does not make it any less of a derogatory term.

"You're not going to be another Gerard Priori are you?"

Nope. When I hate a show, I cease watching it and actively avoid it as I avoid most of television today.

 

[Alan Light]

The show continues to be what they call a guilty pleasure, I guess. I certainly agree with most of the criticism of the show but enjoy it a lot anyway. Go figure.
While not specifically related to QAF, it appears that TVGuide.com is reporting that MTV and Showtime are currently in "serious discussions" about launching a gay channel. It says the channel could launch within the next year. You know that showing the original QAF and/or reruns of their own Showtime version of QAF would likely be on their program lineup.
Maybe America will catch up to Canada yet. Canada has had a full-time 24-hour gay/lesbian/etc. channel, PrideVision, since September - offering some great programming (yes, including both original AND remade QAF versions). (see Link Removed)

 

[Ryan Spaight]

IMHO, the homosexual promiscuity on QAF isn't much worse than the heterosexual promiscuity on Sex and the City, yet no disclaimer on Sex and the City to the effect of "This show is not meant to portray typical NYC singles life."

I guess HBO thinks the average viewer can be trusted to watch SATC and realize that not all 30-something NYC single women sleep around like rhesus monkeys, but Showtime figures that the same viewer will watch QAF and think all gay men do the same.

The really sad part is that they're probably right.

All that aside, I enjoyed the first ep of the second season. My wife is a huge fan of the show, and will likely be bringing home the first season on DVD tonight. Can't wait to see all those vivid colors in Babylon on something better than DirecTV.

Ryan

 

[Christina_V]

I saw the preimrei on Sunday night and thought it was great & theres a chance the show may be getting better!
While i did miss a few minutes at the starting as i was checknig out The Burning uncut on Sho2.....i was disapointed with the time line jump...but got into it after a moment.
So far i was impressed for the most part since i was drawn into the episode,rather than nearly all of the first season(sometimes forced,othertimes corny & just phony) which started out rough.....then slowly got better,here and there & then finnaly near the(ep 15-22 i think) end of the season i was actually hooked and the shows got better. Loved the prom seen with Brian & Justin,and was heartbroken with the ending,though i should've excpeted that because it was the finale,lol,oh well i didn't care & could'nt wait for season 2.
So if theres any indication..the shows may get better......though they should evolve the charecter's as well,otherwise it'll just get boring(& i'll stop watching) & thats one thing i didn't like about most of the first season...to much repitition,Brian doesn't change ect ect.
Also a gay channel would be awsome & it'd be great to see some tg related shows/charecters as i'm sick of them always being ignored or used only for comic relief,ridicule ect on tv/movies ect...theres plenty of beautiful t-girls out there & even worse,when a tg charecter isn't used for the standard stereotypes,they use a real women to play the role,which is insulting in away since a real t-girl should play the part!

 

[John Berggren]

Once again, an enjoyable episode of QAF. I'm glad to see that Justin has sufferred emotional trauma from his bashing. _NOT_ because I care to see him going through it, but because the realism is continuing. His mom's request to Brian was a bit weird though. I guess it moved the story along. I laughed hard at Brian's joke about what she had in common with his trick.

Lindsay and Melanie's plans make me happy. Their story arc this season continues to be amongst my favorites.

I can't beleive Michael went back to the Q. Especially working for that loser. Couldn't he have spoken to a higher manager about being rehired at least? I'm glad his friend from Q is back though. Her departure last year was one of the 2 I was distressed with.

Am I alone in thinking Ted is a raging moron? Who in their right mind thinks he can win a case for wrongful termination of employment when their cause for termination was internet porn? Not just that, but High Bandwidth video porn? And why didn't Melanie point out this painfully obvious reality to him rather than suggesting that "we don't have protection from workplace discrimination". While the statement was true, I think Ted's experience is far removed from that even coming into play. Now if Michael got fired for being gay at the Q, then I'd say fight it.

All concerns aside, I can't wait until next week.

Widescreen Rebroadcast on Tuesdsay at 11pm.

 

[Ryan Spaight]

Just watched eps 1 and 2 on DVD tonight. The anamorphic picture isn't "reference quality," but it definitely light-years beyond cable or satellite quality. The sound is Pro-Logic, but pretty good all the same.

I looked at some of the goodies on the last disc, and they're OK. Hal Sparks does a variation on his "Talk Soup" routine introducing some outtakes which are amusing but inessential.

Still a great set, and I'm looking forward to working through it.

Ryan

 

[MatthewA]

Let me make clear, John, for the final time, that I hate this show, I will not watch it (the only chance I did get in the first place was a free preview of Showtime), and I will encourage others I know, gay and straight, to boycott it.

Now I'll refrain from this discussion as I work my way through season one of M*A*S*H, a truly great TV series.

 

[Alan Light]

I really wish there weren't such gaping holes in logic in this show. I.E., in the first episode of this season are we really to believe that a judge could get stuck to a toilet seat for 14 HOURS? Didn't anyone else use that bathroom in that time....nor any janitor come in to clean...nothing?

Then in last Sunday's, are we suppose to believe that a service which offers sexy nude male waiters would hire two people sight unseen over the phone (what if they looked like George Costanza?) and send them directly to their first job without telling them what they were in for?

I find it very difficult to get past such goofy writing.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

MatthewA, please make it a point to refrain from this discussion on a permanent basis.

- Steve