Channel 4 announc 50 Shas of Gay season markg the 50th anniversary of the partial-crimalisatn of homosexualy England and Wal
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C4 ANNOUNC NEW SEASON, 50 SHAS OF GAY
Followg this creria, programm as diverse as Brishead Revised (1981), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003), Six Feet Unr (2001-05), The Wire (2002-08), Glee (2009-) and Morn Fay (2009-) don’t make the cut, spe their strong sendary queer characters (the ternatnal succs of Morn Fay particular, broadst untri where homosexualy is still illegal, uld help liberalise attus, followg the marriage of Cameron and Mchell, two of the most popular characters). Will & Grace (1998-2006) was a huge h, but s portrayal of gay men was clichéd and too few of the jok land (although try tellg that to the often hysteril stud dience). Homoeroticism throbs subtly throughout, but only the remarkable two-hour epilogue do e to the fore, through a fantastic and nightmarish journey through the md of Biberkopf.
Dpe bomb threats to the stud and protts om relig groups, the episo was broadst 1997, wh Ellen fally utterg the words “I’m gay”, accintally speakg the words to the microphone at an airport check- sk. Queer as Folk (1999-2000)This one me out of nowhere, a shamels and often outrageo seri that gave a kickg to the perceptn of gay men as sexls bt iends to female protagonists and stead put them centre stage, showg them to be as flawed, selfish and sex-hungry as everyone else – more so, fact.
Its first episo, featurg 29-year-old Stuart rimmg a horny 15-year old, was unapologetilly provotive, and upset both the tabloids and many gay viewers, who were alarmed by s subversive characters. It hasn’t dated a jot (although Manchter’s Canal Street is now the stompg ground of hen parti alongsi the gay clubbers), and lnched the reers of s three stars, Aidan Gillen, Craig Kelly and Charlie Hunnam. His next gay seri, Bob & Rose (2001), about a homosexual guy who falls love wh a woman, had s admirers, but Queer as Folk remas a landmark.
CHANNEL 4 LED THE GAY REVOLUTN TV
Angels Ameri (2003)This hugely amb two-parter based on Tony Khner’s epic play, dubbed ‘A Gay Fantasia on Natnal Them’, juggl the liv of very different gay men livg New York durg the Reagan admistratn.
The Reagan admistratn’s appallg lack of reactn to the vis and the effects AIDS had on gay relatnships is arrtgly picted by the late director Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Who’s Aaid of Virgia Woolf?
Swedish drama Don’t Ever Wipe Tears whout Glov follows the relatnship between a troubled Jehovah’s Wns and a untry boy who mov to Stockholm the early 1980s, as the outbreak of AIDS begs (the awkward tle om a stern stctn om a matron sldg a nurse who shows passn to a dyg gay man, showg the fear and paranoia surroundg the vis at the time). But while eply movg and often harrowg, s greatt triumph is showg the love and support wh the gay muny Stockholm, while a shot of the two men fallg love as snow falls gently around them is achgly betiful.