Watching Showtime

With so many gorgeous stars on Showtime, I had to divide their pics up into two groups! So here’s the rest (well, not the rest, but the rest for today) of these gorgeous men and women!

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Highlights are the way to go with episode five. Michael finally meets someone, albeit in a strange way. The good doctor is everything all these men want: cute, rich, attentive. Brian hates it, obviously, as Michael is supposed to be there for him and him alone. Not that Brian can judge anyone else’s love choices, as he is caught having to decide between scoring a big account (and the married man that comes with it) or holding onto the respect of his friends and not selling himself for a job opportunity. Brian being Brian, he goes after the man, the money, and the shocking.

Playing off the seeming unrequited interest between these two friends, this episode is all about choice. In the end, both men make the right decision as Brian sends his potential client home, losing the account, and chooses to spend the evening with his son.

queer as folk, season one, hal sparks, gale harold

The third episode left us with Ted convulsing on the floor; in this episode you find out that he did not die. Thankfully. He is, however, in a coma and not expected to wake up. Confronted with the harsh reality of hookups in the 20th century, the boys do what they do best, gathering together to be there for Ted’s mom and each other. Brian discovers he’s been named the “responsible” party if Ted is unable to make decisions for himelf, and is thus left to deal with potentially pulling the plug on his friend.

Justin deals with a lot this episode as well, with his mom finding the drawings he made of Brian, her subsequent questions regarding his sexuality, and of course jerking off Chriss Hobbs in the equipment room after school. With the realization he can’t hide his sexuality much longer, Justin runs away to find Deb, who tries to befriend Justin’s mom.

By the end of the episode Ted is awake (thanks to Brian screwing an orderly in the next bed!) and getting ready to head home. If there’s one thing I didn’t like about this episode, it’s the hinting the writers did regarding Ted’s crush on Michael. It never goes anywhere, and seems an unnecessary plot twist.

queer as folk, season one, coming out

No holds barred seems to be the belief of the writers of this show, because only the third episode in there is major drama. Mel and Lindsay are hosting a bris for their son Gus, which appears to be happening without incident. Until Brian shows up, dramatically stopping the ceremony and not allowing the ladies to go through with it. His reasoning is sound, but unsatisfying for Mel who feels like she is the odd parent out in the situation.

Justin and his best friend Daphne (super cutie!) decide to head to Liberty Avenue and prove that Justin is a hottie deserving Brian’s full attention. After a few slip-ups and a run-in with Deb and Vic, he manages to make it into Babylon and bust up a three-some Brian has created for himself. There is an amazing moment where you see the importance Justin will play in his life register across Brian’s face, and these seconds of vulnerability are beautiful. Michael, watching from a balcony, also notices, and is more than a little frustrated that this young kid is working his way into their tight-knit group.

Love does not seem to be in the air for either Emmett or Ted this episode unfortunately. Emmett picks up an adorable Asian man who doesn’t speak a word of English, and turns out to be a male prostitute. Ted keeps running into a hottie named Blake who he ends up bringing home with him. Just when you think Ted will finally see how much he’s worth, Blake pulls out a bottle of GHB. The two experiment with the drug, and while Blake seems to handle it well, Ted takes too much and begins to seisure and pass out, at which point the hottie bails on him.

The episode ends with Ted lying on the floor unconscious while Justin and Brian dance in their own little world at Babylon. Powerful, dramatic, and I can’t wait for the next episode!

showtime, queer as folk, QAF, brian and justin, drugs

showtime, queer as folk, QAF, brian and justin, drugs

And I lied. I’m totally going to review this show episode by episode! The series pilot begins with a two episode show, full of introductions and foreshadowing. You meet Michael, Emmett, Ted, and Brian - four friends bonded by their love of men and one another. Within the first fifteen minutes, however, you meet the young man who will affect all of their lives permanently/

Justin is a seventeen year old who is just figuring out how to come out, and decides Brian is just that way. As Brian sets out to bed this hot young twink, he gets a call that Lindsay has had her baby. Melanie and Lindsay, the show’s resident lesbians, have been given sperm by Brian, and the three are now the proud parents of a baby boy they name Gus. In a moment that even I didn’t realize was forshadowing until I rewatched the show, Brian and Michael hug while the lyrics “what have you done today to make you feel proud?” play in the backround (I won’t tell you why that’s forshadowing).

The evening ends with Brian and Justin finally having lots and lots of sex, while Michael resigns himself to porn.

In the morning, with Brian and Michael driving Justin to school in a car with “faggot” spray painted on it, you think the episode is over, but there’s more!

You discover Michael is in the closet at his Walmart-esque job, which causes a ton of issues as the season progresses. Melanie and Lindsay ask Brian to sign a life insurance policy, and Justin goes looking for Brian. Then we get to meet Deb and Vic, Michael’s mother and uncle, with the episode ending shortly after.

Such a good series, and so much packed into one episode. The writers start everything out with questions, such as:

will Brian and Justin be together again?
does Michael really think he can stay in the closet at work for long?
can I please see more of Emmett, the big Nelly Queen I love so much?

And a thousand more, so stay tuned as we get to know the men of Liberty Avenue!
showtime, queer as folk, qaf, glbt

showtime, queer as folk, qaf, glbt

i’ve been debating for at least a month when it comes to QAF and how to review it here. the show has not been on air for several years, although it was one of showtime’s best shows. i’m convinced it deserves plenty of attention, but walking through the five seasons episode by episode might just be too much for you readers to deal with (although i would definitely do it!)

i decided rather than to do season by season “best of” lists, i’m going to discuss character development by season. so much happens to each of these amazing men (and women) that they each deserve to be talked about season by season.

that said, look for many many discussions of the boys of QAF coming soon!

***EDIT****

this is all a lie. i’m going to review the show episode by episode. mostly because i can. but also because i think the show deserves it.

was out last night for the weekly trivia gathering a few friends have. good times, good wings, always good conversation. and i met a few new people, who am now completely in love with, save one fatal flaw.

none of them has seen many (if any!) episodes of Queer As Folk. this amazing showtime series, now finished, has been a staple of my life for many years. i cannot imagine how someone, anyone, can make it through a day and not wish for more scenes involving this amazing cast.

with that, i ask for your help, dear readers. post in the comments your favorite QAF moment, character, storyline. tell me if you want me to rave on and on about this phenomenal show.

i wait expectantly for you to remind me of the world’s love for these men and this show!