Queer as Folk, US version - any good?

Cafe Society
1

Thanks to Showtime’s free preview weekend, my boyfriend and I got to watch Queer as Folk for the first time last night. Our reaction?

Eh.

It seemed to be barely above the level of soap opera writing and acting, with occasional tries at outrageousness. None of the characters seemed sympathetic, or even human. It was nice seeing gay people portrayed on TV, but that wore off after about ten minutes, and the rest of the show just sort of dragged.

We did come to the conclusion that we have the gay thing all wrong, though. We have vowed to find a decadent nightclub with awful music, orgiastic sex, bacchanalian drug use, and to be at the gym working out whenever we aren’t at the club. 'Cause our lives sure don’t look much like that…

Anyhow, I’ve been basing my opinion on one episode of a series, which is always suspect. Am I missing something? Did I catch it on an off night? Is it actually worthwhile watching?

2

The first season was pretty good, but it has really slipped lately. Even when it was good it was never an “accurate representation” of gay life from my experience.

3

I quite like it. I’ve known plenty of queers just like them. In my experience, the characters are archetypal.

4

It is a Soap Opera; nothing more, nothing less.

5

I don’t think you’re missing anything. I’ve come to consider QAF more fluff than the revolutionary television experience it was touted as in its first season.

6

As I stated in a previous post, it is Dynasty and Dallas with Dicks.
Nothing more, and certainly nothing less.
I know a lot of guys who go out to clubs every weekend and parts of the story lines are not all that far fetched…the other parts are soap opera BS…
this weekend they showed a 4 part reality series called “Fire Island” on Bravo (or was it Sundance…whatever) and it was 10 times worse than QAF - whiney queens worried about sharing their vodka and boring subplots all over the place. Made me realize how good QAF is.
And compared to the sexless Will on Will and Grace, I would rather see Brian screw 50 guys in a backroom than watch another Will and Grace episode centered around shopping at Barneys.

7

I’d agree with everybody’s characterizations of the US QAF. What can I say - I lead a dull life, so I like a little over-the-top drama now and again. Is the UK version much different?