I give Queer as Folk a 10 out of 10 rating because it remains my favorite show of all time to watch. I began watching the show in high school - following the series one mailed-in Netflix DVD at a time. Now, nearly 10 year later I continue to watch the show almost every night - only now it's via my instant stream.
For me, the love story between Brian and Justin is one that I have found both captivating and enduringly sexy. Be warned though: it's not a relationship I've found people are quick to get on board with. It's one that is unapologetic in it's sexuality and controversial by it's very nature - deliberately flirting with and calling into question the boundaries of legality and consent throughout.
That being said, I think the strength of Queer as Folk comes not from it's stories or it's written dialogue, but rather from the dynamic and layered performances from actors who give life to (what I believe was) some oftentimes hackneyed and one-dimensional writing. It's not that the writing in Queer as Folk was consistently bad - but it wasn't consistently good either. It was one of those shows that had moment and scenes that made you want to rewind and rewatch over and over again, followed by scenes that bombed so hard they left you cringing and puzzled. But for what Queer as Folk lacked in continuity and smart dialogue, it more than made up for in the extremely skilled acting and chemistry of it's lead characters.
In particular, Gale Harold's ability to convey so much meaning and raw emotion through his non-verbal performances was something to be admired. SO MUCH of the communication of the show's main character, Brian, is done without him saying a word, and Gale Harold really made the most of the material he was given and made every moment on screen count.
The true genius of Queer as Folk comes from the unbelievable chemistry and convincing emotional exchanges between Harold and Randy Harrison, who played his young twink lover Justin throughout the series. Even those who are not fans of their character's May/December romance (or even fans of the show for that matter) cannot deny that the spark between Harold and Harrison on screen was both rousing and real. Sex scenes ranged from tender to manipulative to downright HOT, and these two actors are a dream to watch no matter what kind of sex the scenes call for.
Luckily, Queer as Folk was smart enough to realize that their formula for ratings success came from the controversial-but-undeniably-sexy romance between Brian and Justin. So for me, the show was a home run. My advice: if you're expecting a home-run of Showtime cinematic excellence and a realistic look into the struggles of gay life in America, you might be disappointed. The story-lines range from dramatic to campy to downright absurd, and the show doesn't always have the writing to back up it's more ridiculous plots. It is, however, ridiculously entertaining, ridiculously addictive, and ridiculously romantic (ant that's a good thing). As long as you keep expectations for realism low and allow yourself to enjoy the ride, it's bound to be delight even the most cynical of viewers.
For me, the love story between Brian and Justin is one that I have found both captivating and enduringly sexy. Be warned though: it's not a relationship I've found people are quick to get on board with. It's one that is unapologetic in it's sexuality and controversial by it's very nature - deliberately flirting with and calling into question the boundaries of legality and consent throughout.
That being said, I think the strength of Queer as Folk comes not from it's stories or it's written dialogue, but rather from the dynamic and layered performances from actors who give life to (what I believe was) some oftentimes hackneyed and one-dimensional writing. It's not that the writing in Queer as Folk was consistently bad - but it wasn't consistently good either. It was one of those shows that had moment and scenes that made you want to rewind and rewatch over and over again, followed by scenes that bombed so hard they left you cringing and puzzled. But for what Queer as Folk lacked in continuity and smart dialogue, it more than made up for in the extremely skilled acting and chemistry of it's lead characters.
In particular, Gale Harold's ability to convey so much meaning and raw emotion through his non-verbal performances was something to be admired. SO MUCH of the communication of the show's main character, Brian, is done without him saying a word, and Gale Harold really made the most of the material he was given and made every moment on screen count.
The true genius of Queer as Folk comes from the unbelievable chemistry and convincing emotional exchanges between Harold and Randy Harrison, who played his young twink lover Justin throughout the series. Even those who are not fans of their character's May/December romance (or even fans of the show for that matter) cannot deny that the spark between Harold and Harrison on screen was both rousing and real. Sex scenes ranged from tender to manipulative to downright HOT, and these two actors are a dream to watch no matter what kind of sex the scenes call for.
Luckily, Queer as Folk was smart enough to realize that their formula for ratings success came from the controversial-but-undeniably-sexy romance between Brian and Justin. So for me, the show was a home run. My advice: if you're expecting a home-run of Showtime cinematic excellence and a realistic look into the struggles of gay life in America, you might be disappointed. The story-lines range from dramatic to campy to downright absurd, and the show doesn't always have the writing to back up it's more ridiculous plots. It is, however, ridiculously entertaining, ridiculously addictive, and ridiculously romantic (ant that's a good thing). As long as you keep expectations for realism low and allow yourself to enjoy the ride, it's bound to be delight even the most cynical of viewers.