Queer As Folk
Season One
by Xena

Let me start off by saying that I do not like this show half as much as my partner does (read her thoughts by clicking here). She calls it a gay soap opera. That is true. Maybe my first problem with QAF is that I just was never all that into soap opera's. I did watch General Hospital a lot, but that was more because I had a crush on Finola Hughes (Anna). Once she left, so did I.

The show did grow on me as the season went on. I started to like some of the writing and agree that it's cool to see gay people on television more. I just don't know if this is a good extension of "Will and Grace". Do we want this for the community? Maybe I've been an activist too long. I can't see things from the strictly gay perceptive anymore. I always think about what the straight folks will get from it. And I'm not happy about what they are getting. It is not that the way the portray gay men is totally untrue. The question is, do we want straight people knowing that some of it is true! I don't think so.

The characters are interesting. Melanie Marcus is really cute. My partner and I both admit to watching to show for her alone. I just don't like Melanie and Lindsay. They are boring. Well, Lindsay is boring. I wouldn't date her. Why Melanie stays with her is a question I hope they go into next season. Heck, why Melanie ever dated Lindsay or decided to go ahead and have a child with her in what really boggles my mind. See, right from the get go, I have problems with this show. Judging by the show, Melanie and Lindsay are the only lesbian couple living in Pittsburgh. They have very few friends. They never do anything but hang out with all the gay boys. Lucky for Melanie, the one night of the year that Babylon has a "ladies nights", she had broken up with Lindsay. She didn't end up meeting anyone though. I guess she realized that Lindsay is the only other lesbian in Pittsburgh and decided she must go home. I do think both actresses are wonderful in the show. Michelle Clunie (Melanie) and Thea Gill (Lindsay) do make the characters come to life.

Speaking of Babylon, where did they come up with this? The closest thing to Babylon I've ever been to was the Limelight in NYC and that was not just a gay bar. Babylon is full of gay men every night of the week. I feel bad for all the young gay boys hoping a bus to Pitt thinking that there are more bars there for gay men then for the straight folks. Though, judging by the show, there are not a lot of straight folks in Pittsburgh.

Back to the characters. Emmett is one of my favorites. He is real. I think we all know an Emmett, or wish we did. The story lines for Emmett were interesting this past season. It was especially funny when Emmett makes a promise to God that he will never again sleep with men. I think we all knew that wasn't going to last. There is just something about Emmett that makes me stayed tune. Maybe it's to see what amazing outfit he will wear next. Who knows. But Emmett is hard not to like.

Ted is boring. Not much more to say about him. Okay, he is a nice enough guy, and to be honest, we each know a Ted somewhere in our lives, but there really isn't much else to say about him.

Michael is a five year old in a 30 year old body. He needs to grow up. Everyone likes Mikey because he is so darn cute you want to just pinch his cheeks and give him money for the ice cream truck. But how much more can we handle him getting screwed over by Brian. He never seems to learn. He has come so close to screwing up his relationship with Dr. David (who I won't even go into here in the hopes that he doesn't come back next season) because of Brian. He just can't grow up. He doesn't want to grow up.

Speaking of Brian. Okay, Brian Kinney is cute. No doubt about that. Even some dykes would date him. I hated Brian when the show first started, but have grown to like him. You know what you get with Brian. He tells it like it is and doesn't say he is sorry. It has been interesting to see Brian's heart come to life with Justin in his life. We all know he loves him. We can see them following each other around in 20 years. Justin takes some of the mystery out of Brian.

Justin. What can you say about Justin? I don't know. He is young and is learning from Brian. Not a good combo. It will be interesting to see if he returns next season and what he will be like.

Justin's mother is another very interesting character. A woman not quite ready to join PFlag, she still loves her son and just wants to see him happy. If only we could all have that.

Saving the best for last brings me to Debbie. Debbie is Michael's proud Mom. If PFlag wasn't around when Michael came out to her, she would have started it. We all wish Debbie was our Mom (well, most of the time). For me, seeing Sharon Gless back on television is wonderful and does help to keep me watching. I have loved her since even before her "Cagney and Lacey" days and am just thrilled that she wanted this part when so many other actresses would not even go in and audition. If anyone deserved an Emmy this year for acting, it is Ms. Gless. (The fact that she didn't even get a nomination has me very upset and caused me to write more then one letter to the Television Academy.) The character of Debbie is so over the top and still so real. You really believe in this woman. She fights ignorance and homophobia with every step she takes. Make sure you read the saying on each shirt she wears. That alone is worth watching QAF for.

So, what else is there to say? I don't know. I guess I like the show enough to watch it week after week. It does test the limits of television and makes me thankful again for cable. We would never see this type of show (even without the sex scenes) on network television. I'm not even sure what QAF would be rated if it were a motion picture. I guess it is good for us to see images of ourselves on television. I am looking forward to next season (which start's Jan. 6, 2002). Maybe I'll feel differently then. Who knows. For now, it's worth ordering Showtime and tuning into the lives of all these characters. I know that I'll keep watching.

You can also read Gabrielle's take on this show.

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