Farewell Queer as Folk

Queer as Folk - The Final (Fifth) Season
Starring: Michelle Clunie, Robert Gant, Thea Gill, Gale Harold, Randy Harrison,etc
Director: Alex Chapple, Michael DeCarlo

Well I’ve avidly watched every season of this show & I have to say I was willing this series to never end but alas its time to say goodbye to Liberty Ave. I adored the original UK Series it was truly groundbreaking, the first even remotely realistic portrayal of gays on TV and when the US episodes began a few years later I loved it all over again. Every year for the last 5 seasons there has been an annual ritual of buying the season on DVD (after a seemingly interminable wait for it to be released every year) and then devouring the whole box set over the course of a weekend with frequent calls or emails to my friend Eric to see, “what episode are you up to so far” I cant understand why it never found a regular home on UK TV but I guess many over here felt the original UK Version was the definitive one. I disagree it’s almost impossible to compare them past season two as they are both so different but even if you judge the US version inferior it lasted 3 seasons longer than its British cousin and gave you far more chance to get to know and love its characters. I have particularly fond memories of flirting with members of the US cast when they were over to promote it, in the VIP room of the now defunct Sweet Suite club. At times I found it trite, corny, sexy, fun, or sad but always entertaining. In a way I’m glad its ending before it got really lame but it will be sorely missed like an old friend.

Well the final season of this groundbreaking classic may be gone, but the memories and the "thumpa-thumpa" live on. The most intense season yet sees Liberty Avenue and its citizens go through some tough challenges.

I found it rather satisfying that in an era of increasingly anti Gay politics in The US, Queer as Folk decided to make its most political episodes yet, maybe because it was their last and maybe, as its exactly the current political climate, that hastened its demise, it was the show’s way of going down fighting. I won’t give the plot away for those who haven’t seen it but there are some pretty spectacular and dramatic developments and watch out from a couple of great guest spots from Rosie O’Donnell and Cyndi Lauper.

Queer as Folk gone but not forgotten.

QAF website http://www.sho.com/site/queer/home.do
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