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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2019 11:50:34 GMT
No it's not coming back, not yet anyway! So I've just finished watching my full box-set of the US series of Queer as Folk and wow! I fell in love with this show from the first episode, and it's crazy to think how times have changed from then until now. It must of been so cutting edge and controversial when it first aired. I know it started as a British series but the US version became way more successful, and I love that the cast and crew are still so close. They are forever meeting up, and sharing photos going to dinner, or parties, even as recent as Robert Gant, Michelle Clunie and Sharon Gless going to see Elton John's current tour together. I'd forever be hoping one day we get a revival or even a one-off or movie to see where the characters are now.  Did anyone here watch the British or US series and love it as much as I did? I know we have a high percentage of LGBT+ members and many LGBTT+ Ally's. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2019 11:56:16 GMT
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Post by vdcni on Feb 4, 2019 12:13:34 GMT
I'm not sure you can describe the British version as less successful just because it didn't have as many episodes. I don't believe RTD wanted to do anymore and TV shows are often more solo authored here then in the US.
The British version is by far the better show though the US version is pretty solid for the first few years but loses its way after that getting more issue led rather than character led.
The UK one hit when I was University so perfect time for me, I remember hearing a group of students talking about it the day after the first episode hit and the rimming scene made quite the impact!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2019 12:20:02 GMT
Like most American TV shows (except 'The Nanny'), 'Queer As Folk' went on for just a bit too long over there. The UK version is iconic though. I almost packed up my things and moved to Manchester until I realised that it was in The North and I can't stand tripe.
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Post by Mark on Feb 4, 2019 12:22:40 GMT
I’ve also got the whole US series on DVD boxset. It’s a really fantastic series, must revisit the whole thing sometime, although I have watched the first and last episodes a couple of times. Brian and Justin’s relationship is just fantastic to watch unfold.
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Post by sf on Feb 4, 2019 12:24:28 GMT
I watched both.
I was living in Toronto while the US series was being filmed there, and I have to say they did a spectacularly terrible job of making Toronto (mostly relatively flat apart from the ravines) look like Pittsburgh (really NOT flat).
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2019 12:26:18 GMT
I'm not sure you can describe the British version as less successful just because it didn't have as many episodes. I don't believe RTD wanted to do anymore and TV shows are often more solo authored here then in the US. The British version is by far the better show though the US version is pretty solid for the first few years but loses its way after that getting more issue led rather than character led. The UK one hit when I was University so perfect time for me, I remember hearing a group of students talking about it the day after the first episode hit and the rimming scene made quite the impact! I based the "more successful" term on ratings, the length the show has gone on and how well the American version of the show has lived on. Not a dig at the British version though, as I know for alot of British people the show was and remains iconic and obviously was the reason the American version even existed. |
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Post by dontdreamit on Feb 4, 2019 12:27:35 GMT
We loved the British one, especially as RTD had lots of Dr. Who references in it at a time it was off air!
After watching QAF, we then watched everything he’d written as his writing was just so good. I particularly liked the one where Eccleston I think was the son of God- it had me in the edge of my seat as I couldn’t work out which was it was going to go.
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Post by vdcni on Feb 4, 2019 12:55:24 GMT
I'm not sure you can describe the British version as less successful just because it didn't have as many episodes. I don't believe RTD wanted to do anymore and TV shows are often more solo authored here then in the US. The British version is by far the better show though the US version is pretty solid for the first few years but loses its way after that getting more issue led rather than character led. The UK one hit when I was University so perfect time for me, I remember hearing a group of students talking about it the day after the first episode hit and the rimming scene made quite the impact! I based the "more successful" term on ratings, the length the show has gone on and how well the American version of the show has lived on. Not a dig at the British version though, as I know for alot of British people the show was and remains iconic and obviously was the reason the American version even existed. The UK show had higher ratings, it was broadcast on national TV after all while the US show was on Showtime. |
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Post by alece10 on Feb 4, 2019 14:41:54 GMT
We loved the British one, especially as RTD had lots of Dr. Who references in it at a time it was off air! After watching QAF, we then watched everything he’d written as his writing was just so good. I particularly liked the one where Eccleston I think was the son of God- it had me in the edge of my seat as I couldn’t work out which was it was going to go. Oh I loved that series with Christopher Eccleston. Think it might have won an award or two. I've got the box set of the American QAF and it's still in the plastic wrapping. I've so many unwatched DVD's I could open a shop. |
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Post by Deal J on Feb 4, 2019 15:07:59 GMT
I loved The Second Coming (for that is what it was called) - according to Wikipedia it lost out on 2 BAFTAs in 2004: I’ve never seen the US QAF, but I adore the UK version. So many great performances and stories. And that soundtrack was immense - I was a big fan of Almighty records at the time, so this was a real treat. I remember speaking to my Mum on the phone from my Uni college and being really surprised that she’d been watching it. And this surprise turning to dread as she asked “What is rimming, though?”  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2019 15:21:53 GMT
I loved The Second Coming (for that is what it was called) - according to Wikipedia it lost out on 2 BAFTAs in 2004: I’ve never seen the US QAF, but I adore the UK version. So many great performances and stories. And that soundtrack was immense - I was a big fan of Almighty records at the time, so this was a real treat. I remember speaking to my Mum on the phone from my Uni college and being really surprised that she’d been watching it. And this surprise turning to dread as she asked “What is rimming, though?” Lmao! |
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Post by richey on Feb 5, 2019 8:27:53 GMT
The British series was a revelation to me, as at the time I was closeted and watched that first episode with my ex-wife.
There's actually a concert in Manchester in a few weeks time to celebrate its' 20th anniversary, with an orchestra playing the music from the series and appearances from Craig Kelly and Faye off of Steps
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Post by justinj on Feb 5, 2019 9:12:01 GMT
I loved the UK series, I was also at Uni and in the closet, it was so refreshing to see other mes on mainstream television.
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Post by jaqs on Feb 5, 2019 10:00:21 GMT
I was a student in Manchester in the 90s and the series began just as I moved back south, I loved it.
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Post by martello736 on Feb 5, 2019 10:22:14 GMT
I watched the British Queer as Folk at far too young an age, I could only have been 11 or 12, but it was life-changing as I'd never seen a TV series with gay people in before where they weren't the butt of the joke, or reduced to a few overused stereotypes. Russell T. Davies is and will always be my favourite TV writer. The week after the last episode of Cucumber aired I stayed up all night and watched all of them, the next night I watched Banana, then the next night Bob and Rose, then The Second Coming. By god I was shattered but it was worth it. Also, the British version will always win out because it has Littlefinger in it before he was Littlefinger  |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2019 10:24:56 GMT
Also, the British version will always win out because it has Littlefinger in it before he was Littlefinger Oh I don't know. If I recall the show correctly, I'm pretty sure he used his little finger there too. |
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Post by martello736 on Feb 5, 2019 10:39:16 GMT
Also, the British version will always win out because it has Littlefinger in it before he was Littlefinger Oh I don't know. If I recall the show correctly, I'm pretty sure he used his little finger there too. RYAN!!! Wash your mouth out! |
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Post by robertb213 on Feb 5, 2019 12:59:43 GMT
I saw the UK one when it first aired and loved it, but seeing it again recently it hasn't aged well and a lot of the acting is pretty ropey. I much prefer the US one. That affected me more. Sharon Gless slays every scene she's in.
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Post by kathryn on Feb 5, 2019 16:09:18 GMT
I think it’s fair to say that the US version of the show didn’t have the cultural impact the U.K. version did. I remember very well (due to doing Media Studies A level at the time) the huge amount of kerfuffle it caused. The Daily Mail HATED it, there were debate programmes on TV about it and whether it should be shown on TV. It was considered really shocking stuff - especially given the context of debates raging at the time about the gay age of consent being lowered to 16.
It was great stuff, really. When was the last time that a TV show managed to be that sort of culturally seismic event?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2019 16:57:05 GMT
It was also considered shocking because some of the scenes showed things that hadn't been seen on TV before (or possibly not even referred to on TV before) and certainly 'Disgusted of Hartlepool' would have been apoplectic with rage. Don't forget it was also shown at a time when the dreaded and hateful Section 28 was still enshrined in law.
Even if it hasn't aged well (and I haven't seen it in a long time), it should still be regarded as an iconic, hugely influential piece of British television.
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Post by kathryn on Feb 5, 2019 18:32:39 GMT
It’s funny to reflect on how much - and how little - attitudes have changed. Because in some ways we have moved on hugely, and yet those homophobic attitudes still linger on among certain demographics.
QAF’s frank depiction of gay sex would still be considered shocking by many. So much of our film and TV needs to sell internationally to fund itself, and so many of those international markets are very conservative still. You get the peculiar spectacle of actors in blockbuster films talking about their character really being gay but it never actually being shown on screen in a meaningful way. Even when it’s integral to character relationships - such as in the latest Fantastic Beasts film - it can only be broadly implied and would be entirely overlooked by anyone who doesn’t already know.
It’s a return to the Celluloid Closet.
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Post by david on Feb 5, 2019 18:47:00 GMT
For anyone interested - Manchester Royal Exchange are holding an “intimate conversation and Q &A” to celebrate the 20th Anniversary QAF.
Those on the panel are Russell T. Davies, Nicola Shindler (exec prod), Antony Cotton (Alexander) and Carla Henry (Donna). The panel will be chaired by Julie Hesmondhaigh.
Tuesday 26th Feb 7.30pm. Tickets on general sale 7th Feb
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Post by richey on Feb 5, 2019 22:07:29 GMT
For anyone interested - Manchester Royal Exchange are holding an “intimate conversation and Q &A” to celebrate the 20th Anniversary QAF. Those on the panel are Russell T. Davies, Nicola Shindler (exec prod), Antony Cotton (Alexander) and Carla Henry (Donna). The panel will be chaired by Julie Hesmondhaigh. Tuesday 26th Feb 7.30pm. Tickets on general sale 7th Feb Might have been interested in this if Anthony Cotton wasn't part of it |
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