We are losing Queer as Folk and Six Feet Under after this year

[dsc]

What are we going to do for TV? While not as serious as the political issues we face, it would be quite sad if we returned to the bad old days when nary a gay face was on TV. Here is to hoping that they find a new gay angle to cop shows since they seem to be all the rage.

[Imagine My Surprise]

1. As a gay man who was a gay character on Grace Under Fire...

I can only hope that "gayness" is treated as normal and not some in your face Ellen-esque bullshit. When will it be a perfectly natural story line (ala six feet under)?

[dsc]

2. I watched that show on occasion

too bad she let her demons get the best of her. Is she doing OK now? I do hope we get a Six Feet Under type of show again soon. In the meantime I am watching the premier of the last season as I type this.

[Imagine My Surprise]

3. Yes, she has gotten "control" of her demons, as it were...

thanks for asking.

[dsc]

4. I have been where she was at

Though not as high up the ladder as she was I lost a job over booze too. Glad she is in control.

[saracat]

5. Hey do you remember "Brothers" it was the first real cable series about

a gay character and his family. They had a restaurant and bar that was owned by the gay chracter and his straight brother. There was another straight brother who was older and a homophobe. He was the but of the jokes! I wish they could put something together by those writers! Those chracters had to confront lack of acceptance and confusion. They didn't live in the La la land of todays gay sitcom which is either agressive or "gayworld' where either everyone is gay or everyone is accepting! A little reality would be nice. Reality handled with humour!

[dsc]

8. I loved that show

The one where the flamboyant one explained why he didn't celebrate Christmas was such a bittersweet episode. I also had a huge crush on the gay brother. He was both hot and brave (to play gay in that day and age) Showtime was ahead of the curve even then.

[saracat]

11. And I seldom see "Brothers " given credit for being the first! I wonder

why?

[dsc]

12. My best guess is that Showtime was so new back then

and thus not watched by many people. It really should get more credit though. It took on the issues of being gay with class and humor.

[zalinda]

10. I loved Brothers

I wish I could see that series again.

zalinda

[swimmernsecretsea]

16. I remember that show...

I loved it also. So different from QAF. I loved all of the characters on the show as well.

Not that I don't love eye-candy, but the last season of QAF just been porn. They do away quickly with life problems so the characters can all get back to dancing, wearing improbably expensive clothing, and sniping at each other--then cut away quickly to simulated sex under arty, dim blue lighting.

[davidinalameda]

17. yeah porn and eye candy!

whoo hoo!

:woohoo:

[swimmernsecretsea]

19. ...so predictable... eom

[davidinalameda]

20. you know me way too well

[Booster]

6. As well as "Will & Grace", although everybody involved in that

show is so talented, I think they will have more shows on the air.

[Imagine My Surprise]

7. Though I'm a little biased, Will and Grace represented how NOT

to handle a gay sitcom.

[dsc]

9. I honestly quit watching that

I used to love that show but it degnerated so badly.

[kweerwolf]

13. I honestly can't say I'm sorry to see Queer as Folk go

I tried watching it for two seasons and the characters were so unredeemably shallow that I couldn't stand it. QAF gives me the same queasy feeling some "straight-acting" yuppie-fied gays get when they see someone in drag at a pride parade. As the commercials say "your mileage may vary," but QAF has always been an embarassment IMHO.

I'd rather watch tapes of the PBS (and later Showtime) adaption of the first three "Tales of the City" books. Maybe it's the time period in which Tales and QAF were set, but I feel absolutely nothing in common with the little twits on QAF.

[dsc]

14. I disliked QAF until last year

then they explained both Brian and Justin which helped a great deal. I also really liked what they did with Michael and Grant.

[ladeuxiemevoiture]

15. I have never been able to really get into QAF

though my boyfriend just loves it.

The first few episodes were fun, because at the time, they were fresh and daring for mainstream TV. I must be hardened in my old age, though, because I was never able to suspend my disbelief about all these different plotlines going on, like a soap opera.

Also, most gays don't have lives even resembling the QAF characters, though I realize nobody wants to watch a show about boring people, even if they are gay. :D

[davidinalameda]

18. we're not losing that much with QAF at least

it's a soap with lots of pretty people

there's still gay characters on The Wire--a black gangbanger

let's not forget The Simpsons and Smithers and you always have the token gay character on the reality shows

[satyricrash]

21. --

QAF was nothing more than a cartoon. But every once in awhile, catoons can be fun. I have not watched it since the first season, so I don't know it it ever got better, but I would have to doubt it, the way the characters were evolving. That Brian was sure fun to hate.