it also seems to be americans, logo viewers in particular. this show is great, well it could be better. russell t davies is a great writer, but i feel like he's held back with this series, trying to spread his ideas across three shows. still, it's enjoyable viewing.
sharePeople are negative about it because it's a pile of crap. Davies yet again trying to be relevant and failing miserably while playing up to some of the most negative gay stereotypes. He's always been a dreadful writer and now everybody else seems to realise that. This show (and its spin-offs) bombed terribly in the UK so you can't blame Americans for its bad rep.
shareto say it's a pile of crap is a bit harsh. it's not amazing, but it's still watchable and still highlights some importnat lgbtq issues.
shareSorry, but I disagree. (Big surprise, right?) I think it's a clear-cut case of "be careful what you wish for." There's been so much bitching and moaning about how GLBT-themed series about men and women of the community are always portrayed in a negative, unrealistic or stereotypical light. Well, honey, got news for ya. Russell T. Davies nailed it as far as I can tell.
They ARE characters and not real people, of course, but I have seen aspects of every character in real life people I have known. Sex-obsessed, middle-aged men with a special affinity for twinks? There are so many "Henry Bests" out there, it's completely unrealistic to sit here and deny it. I know from personal experience, because I tried to 'date' some of them. Not every man is as frightened of his own shadow, or reluctant to even go for what they want as Henry was, in the beginning of this series, but they ARE out there. If anything, I don't think RTD went far enough. He never showed the middle-aged guys who wouldn't even DREAM of dating someone closer to their own age. At least Henry did that!
And Lance....poor Lance. Nine years in a sexless relationship until he strikes out on his own at last, only to be murdered by a psychotic 'straight' trick. Of course, THAT would never happen in real life, now, would it? It's not like we hear every other day about gay men being assaulted and even killed by people they hook up with on those cruising apps, or by someone they know from work or at a bar.
Except that...WE DO.
And it still happens more often than you or I would like to think about. Lance got too lost in a fantasy...about Daniel's steely eyes, strong jaw, chiseled chest and whatever he was hauling around behind that zipper. He didn't listen to his intuition, which was YELLING at him to "go home." Did he have some daydream about maybe giving Daniel such a satisfying sexual experience, that maybe he'd come around to his senses, come out of his psychosis and embrace his gayness, and they'd both live happily ever after?
I'd say it's a strong possibility. Lance fell into that trap that both men AND women do: falling for that beautiful, *beep* person whom they think can be "FIXED" with just a little love, affection and attention. And sometimes, more often than not, THIS is how it turns out. Lance made a mistake that cost him his life. Daniel didn't need a great blow job. He needed a great THERAPIST.
And THAT is real life, children. Not the gay men that have the six-figure incomes and the perfect jobs, the swanky apartments, the right friends, the endless string of hot boyfriends and man-candy, or even the wonderful husband to grow old with, who just HAPPENS to look like Channing Tatum. They exist as well, and if you live in that world, bless your little heart. I hope you're enjoying yourself while it lasts. The rest of us live in a different version of gay reality. QAF, LOOKING and C&B were savvy enough to include glimpses of it, but not enough to satisfy anyone. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I would probably NEVER sit down each week, to watch a TV series that is an accurate reflection of what my life is like. Why would I want to see THAT??? Why would ANYBODY???
The truth of the matter is that both versions of QAF, THE 'L' WORD, LOOKING and now C&B have ALL hit the right notes on what living life today as a gay man or a lesbian or a transperson or a bisexual is all about. It just didn't do it at the SAME time for EVERYONE all at once.
You want a show like that? One that gets it right every episode for every person, every time?
Go write it yourself. And good luck on that, because I've tried. And it can't be done. And even if you DO, the only way to make sure that a word or character is never changed is if you produce it yourself. And unless you win the lottery tomorrow, good luck getting the financial backing for THAT.
I think RTD did a great job with these series. Not PERFECT, but great. And I sincerely hope he keeps trying.
I liked the initial premise but I was soon disappointed.
Focusing on an 'older' gay man gave me hope for a more well-written and interesting gay character than we usually get to see on TV, and then they went and made him obsess over a twink for the entire show.
Sat and forever am at work here.
an older man obsessing over a younger guy is pretty realistic imo.
i think the Henry character definitely has some flaws, and a lot of the characters don't always ring believable.
but that's true in lots of shows, gay or str8 (take for instance "Looking" where those characters were so PERFECT and got everything they wanted).
i just enjoy Cucumber for TRYING to be diverse racially and age, and give some different perspectives of the gay world. that's rare in a lot of gay shows where they generally just pick a certain niche (the black gays in "noah's arc", the waspy gays of sf in "looking" etc) to focus on.
and the show is ultimately funny and FUN! so... yeah, i dig it.
also though, watching Cucumber on LOGO is the worst with all of their censorship. that might be another reason for a lot of complaints.
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