I started watching Queer As Folk (the “North American” version) a couple weeks ago, and while I appreciate the topics I can’t get over how horribly bad the acting is. And possibly the writing, too.
Brian couldn’t be more “I am so hawt” and Justin couldn’t be more “I am so young.” Debbie is way too far over the top. Scenes between Brian and Michael are so lame, it hurts. The only characters who seem like they are not over-acting are Ted, Emmet and Vic.
Now, I’ve only gone half way through season 1 so maybe it gets better. I am hooked on the stories, kinda, because the topics are fresh to me…and I’ve run out of other stuff to watch for the moment.
Is the UK version better? I found that when I tried to watch the US version of Life on Mars after watching the original UK version, also set in Manchester, that the US version was just so flat. There’s something about shows set in Manchester that I don’t think translates well to the US. That’s why I opted for the US/Canada Queer as Folk first, so I wouldn’t be biased.
Oddly enough, I feel similar about Little Mosque on the Prairie. The writing and acting seem crap, but I’m hooked because of the “importance” of the show (a sitcom about Muslims - seriously!) I can totally see why Queer As Folk lasted so long and why it won so many awards. But it certainly didn’t win any awards for acting, and I can see why.
I know there’s fan clubs dedicated to the show. What do the hardcore fans have to say? Do they realize that the acting is crap?
The UK version was a lot shorter - one series of six episodes and an additional two part special. I was amazed to learn that QAF reached something like six seasons in the US.
Was the UK version better? I can’t make a comparison to the US one because I’ve not seen it, but it definitely was a well acted and convincing show approaching homosexuality in a way that I don’t think had ever been done before on television (there was a bit of an uproar when Brian was shown fucking Nathan, who turned out to be 15). The UK Brian did seem to think he was god’s gift to the world (which I didn’t get myself, Aiden Gillen isn’t THAT attractive) and Nathan (the young one) was very much “I’m a young and immature twat”, but then you can do that for 8 episodes and it work out as an interesting story. Strung out for six seasons? Yes, that would be annoying.
If the show had a failing it’s that it made the gay scene in Manchester look extrmely glamourous which, to be honest, it’s not. I read a parody of it in a gayper once and it described the outside shots of Canal Street as “being shot in Barcelona with a cast comprised exclusively of ex Mr Gay UKs and underwear models” which I thought nailed it.
I only saw the US version and I liked it at the time. I can’t really comment on the acting because I really can’t remember, but what you say seems to ring a little true. The young and trendy advertising executive (I forget the names) might have been laying it on a bit thick with his 'tude, but I have no complaints about the rest of the cast. I watched the whole first season and enjoyed it a lot. At the time it was pretty fresh and fun.
I tried to reply to this earlier but the board wouldn’t let me.
QAF doesn’t have the best acting, no. Or the best storylines, some are pretty ridiculous. But if you look past that long enough to start to actually give a crap about the characters, you don’t notice the shortcomings of the show nearly as much I don’t think.
I’m currently on my second viewing of this show, and I still love it, but I do notice a bit more how outlandish it is sometimes. You just can’t think too deeply into it, and instead just watch.
It is too bad Babylon doesn’t exist…although the clientele would not dig me. All those hot men that don’t like chicks…what a bummer for me.
I agree that the storylines (for the most part - except for the Michael-loves-Brian storyline ugh) are fresh enough to keep me interested. I really do enjoy learning about this whole other world that is totally foreign to me.
I will have to think of it more like a soap opera, like DMark said. I’ll get over the acting better that way
