Gay Television Series

[fountainhall]

As Thailand seems to have more and more TV series based on the burgeoning love between two seemingly overly young schoolboys, a thread on another Board reminded me that there have been gay series on television that have broken boundaries. I have not yet seen the Netflix series made from Armistead Maupin's wonderful books about life in Barbery Lane in San Francisco, "Tales of the City". I could not wait for each book to appear, even searching a bookstore in Singapore in the late 1980s for the latest one - and found it and all the others on the shelves.

But I vividly recall a short visit to England when a friend insisted I see the first episodes of the British series "Queer as Folk". My jaw literally dropped. That British television would permit that first scene of Stuart and the supposedly 15-year old Nathan (although 18 at the time of filming) - Brian and Justin in the US series which followed - naked in bed indulging in some pretty graphic gay sex that included an ejaculation was mind-blowing. I remember that the producers had been unable to cast the role of Nathan and were seriously considering postponing the start of filming. Then Charlie Hunnam appeared as if out of nowhere. Many gay hearts were aflutter when the series was televised, only to be deflated on learning Hunnam was totally straight. At least in the American version, Randy Harrison was openly gay and appeared on the cover of The Advocate.

I preferred the first episodes of the UK version before being won over by the later and much longer running American version.

I didn't like the British series featuring two knights of the theatre Ian McKellan and Derek Jacobi. I felt it was too over the top. But I thoroughly enjoyed the mini-series "A Very English ScandaL" based on the very public scandal of the Leader of Britain's Parliamentary Liberal Party, the upper-class Jeremy Thorpe, and his efforts to have killed a former stable boy with whom he had had a multi-year affair. The gay actor Ben Whishaw (Q in the latest Bond movies and the wonderful lead actor in the movie "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer") plays the former lover and won a Golden Globe for his performance.

I don't recall many gay-related TV series. I'd love to see "The Assassination of Gianni Versace". I am sure there must be several other favourites that should be on my list.

[Undaunted]

[fountainhall]

Many thanks for that link.

[thewayhelooks]

The Ian McKellan and Derek Jacobi series referred to is Vicious. Two seasons and a Christmas special. Over the top? Perhaps but better than being PC and boring.

[Moses]

Looking
Glee
Torka aldrig tårar utan handskar
New Normal
Modern Family
Vicious
Shameless (US)
Happy Endings
Please Like Me
Hunting Season