Os Assumidos

This show, has brought the best five years to my life. I started watching the show when I was 13, and was the backbone for my coming out. Without this show, I don't think I would have had the courage to come out when I did. It was like home to me when things got rough. Now 17, I have developed a connection with the characters based on the lifestyle they led and the one I lead. Through the whole last episode, I cried, it was like a part of me had died, remembering that it was the biggest reason why I came out. I already miss the show, and I am anticipating buying the rest of the box sets I'm missing, the two Cd's I'm missing, and the book, to keep in my collection of the greatest t.v show to be aired and the greatest backbone support to gay people around the world. That's all folks!

Before I begin, I am a 35 year old guy who tried to supress my homosexual feelings until May of this year. Now I have slowly been coming out and experiancing my true self,and "Queer as Folk" really is inspirational in hitting so many issues in the Gay society. As sexually active as some of the main characters are they always use a condom and make a point of saying so. The show came around at a great time for me, as I am still new to gay culture and want to become part of the culture, and this series,QAF really gave me glimpses of it, and I am ready to start exploring the many gay bars down in Santa Monica Blvd and perhaps meet some cool friends, or something more? Anyhow, this show is the smartest soap opera type show, gay or not, because it makes you think about things! It makes issues of very relevant topics. ANd the actors are amazing. Especially Gale Harold, as the sexy, manipulative, self serving Brian Kinny, who's portrayal is so ruthless and emotionless at times, the actor manages to sometimes show a very human, soft loving side that Brian trys to keep hidden. Hall Sparks also is another big reason to watch. He gives his character of Micheal such warmth and compassion and sincerity. Any gay guy would love to have a best friend like Micheal. And the chemistry between Brian and Micheal is undeniable. This is the best series on TV! And thanks QAF for giving me a much needed spark of interest to actively pursue the gay culture and be true to myself....

What can I say about the show? It has incredible characterisation (capable of drawing even a straight man into the lives of the characters), beautiful cinematography, great acting and compelling writing. I have seen the first two seasons and I am currently watching the third on VHS because I lost showtime in the process. I have 3 episodes left of season 3 and, barring a few rather flagrant showings of male nudity (which although arguably contextually appropriate did seem a bit over the top), the shows have continued the quality of the first two seasons. What is great about the show is the fact that you really do care what happens to the characters, you can see an element of yourself in them (well maybe not all of them but you can find something in at least one of the characters that you relate to--I really relate to Ted myself, particularly in the middle of the first season and most of the third season). The show has tackled a lot of touchy topics (HIV, gay marriages, homophobic politicians) and, barring Emmett's brief fling with quack therapy in an attempt to be straight, they have been dealt with in a thoughtful, intelligent and sensitive manner (although how can you deal with reparative therapy seriously?), and, in a real stretch, showing that the gay community has its own flaws, which i think is what really sets the show apart, it says that the gay community isn't perfect and the gay characters aren't perfect.

And even though all my straight friends who have never seen the show may laugh and ask me if I have started to play for the other team, I will continue to watch as long as the quality is kept up like this. Besides Six Feet Under, Monk and MI-5, this is one of the few shows I would go out of my way to see. Bring on season 4 and let Ben die already (the second part is only a personal opinion, I just never cared for his character although I think Robert Gant does an excellent job of portraying him, I would rather have seen Michael with David).

And I have seen the second series of the British version and, loath as I am as an anglophile and a purist to say it, the American version has gone further then the British series (although in all fairness they have had a lot more episodes to explore the characters). My only beef is that Gale Harold may seem cold and rather like a jerk (since a stronger term may be censored but one is definately implied), Aidan Gillen was creepy. Gale was the kid in high school that was popular although he never really liked anyone while Aidan was that guy who you would see somewhere and he would just creep you out yet you couldn't take your eyes off him. Two totally different characters and I think one works better for a miniseries and the other works better for a regular series.

I love the American version of Queer as Folk. I never saw the British version, though I'm interested to see if I can find a copy of it. I started watching the show because I was bored and I like Hal Sparks (Michael) from seeing him on VH1's I Love the 80s. But in this show, I discovered some things that a lot of television shows now seem to lack: interesting plots, three-dimensional characters, and most importantly, realism.

I like how the character's issues are never resolved in one episode, and how the actions of one have some effect on the other main characters of the series. The characters are all three-dimensional, and very strongly played by their respective actors. They have wide ranges of emotion, and though they at first appear to be stereotypes, it is soon very evident that each one has plenty of flaws. The story lines are extremely engaging as well, and I find myself disappointed at the end of every episode, because now I have to wait and see what happens.

Of course, it isn't a documentary of gay life in Pittsburgh, so of course there are over-exaggerations and the occasional predictable plot line or relationship. But that's okay, because this is television, and the writers are allowed to have creative license. Now into the fifth season, I am a dedicated fan of the show, and will be sorry to see it end.

Two men are standing on the roof of a hospital. Brian and Michael are in their late twenties, gay and best friends. In the past three hours before this rooftop scene, Brian has had sex in a gay nightclub, hooked up with a 17-year old boy (whom he will deflower approximately one hour later) and has become a father. Michael, on the other hand, was about to have a one-night stand and realized but once again that he actually is secretly in love with Brian.

With drugs inside, Brian goes on a trip, climbs the edge of the roof, pulls Michael to him and whispers in his ear: "Come on, Mickey, let's fly!" In the background, Heather Small sings "I step out of the ordinary…" It is a mild summer night in the middle of a sparkling city and there is magic in the air.

The first episode of "Queer as folk" was probably the sexiest, craziest, sweetest and best TV show premiere I've ever seen (well, apart maybe from "Desperate Housewives"). It really impressed me and woke my interest. But it was this magical moment Michael and Brian share on the roof that made me fall in love with this show. You can almost smell the night air, feel the warm summer wind breeze and know: it's one of those crazy, unusual moments that make us feel alive. The music, the atmosphere, the scenery – it's all perfect and goes straight under your skin into your heart and soul. The scene gives a promise to the viewer that in the future we will witness unusual, as well as profound and ordinary things, but most of all it is a promise that there will be more magical moments like this one and breathtaking surprises like the ones that happened previously and followed right after. And what better promise can a first episode give – and keep? We witness the lives of four gay friends, a newbie, a gay man's mother and a lesbian couple plus their friends, lovers, relatives and one-night-stands in Pittsburgh. Brian, the main character, is a selfish asshole and Casanova on the one hand and a vulnerable, caring, sweet young man on the other. Michael, whose relationship to Brian I have already described a bit, on the one hand loves his proud mother, on the other tries everything to pretend that he's straight at the supermarket he works in. Emmett, a sweetheart of a queen, always delivers flamboyant one-liners and looks for the man of his dreams. So does Ted, suffering from his not-classically-attractive looks, but having a heart of gold. Young Justin is about to discover the scene and has the (bad) luck to choose Brian as his first love(r). And then there are Lindsay and Melanie, just your average lesbian couple, who has just become mother and … mother with the little help of … Brian.

After having seen three more episodes I am completely addicted to this show. I could enumerate at least 1000 reasons why it went so quickly with me and scenes like the one above which pulled me inside this "queer" world. But I won't. Because everybody has their own reasons to love (or hate) this show and the right to discover it for themselves. But I would like to mention "QAF" 's greatest strength and maybe THE reason why this is a brilliant series. Today's TV shows have so many clichés, try to judge, to label. You will find none of this in "Queer as folk". It just witnesses the lives of people without commenting on it, judging or trying to justify what they do. If they want to shag, they shag, if they want to take drugs, they do so without asking anyone's permission, if they want to party, they party and they make just as many and stupid mistakes as everyone does. Sometimes they screw up and there are times they don't know if they want to scream of joy or suffering. They just live and the show celebrates them for it. And what better message can it have? I know that the show was already a huge success in the US, I am glad that it finally reached Europe (or at least Germany) and I am very grateful that I have the opportunity to see it. Great performances by a brilliant cast and a plot that simply knocks you off – for me one of the best TV shows that has ever been done.