Queer as Folk was an American television series produced by Showtime, which was based on the British series of the same name created by Russell T. Davies. This US version of Queer as Folk used various directors (chiefly American and Canadian), and had a story by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman. Other writers in the latter seasons have included Michael MacLennan, Efrem Seeger, Brad Fraser, Del Shores, and Shawn Postoff. Image File history File links QaF-(US)-cast. ... A teen drama is a television drama series that centers on teenage characters. ... Comedy-drama, sometimes colloquially called Dramedy, is a style of television and movies in which there is an equal balance of humor and serious content. ... For other definitions of fantasy, see fantasy (psychology). ... Russell T. Davies, pictured in 2003. ... Gale Harold Gale Morgan Harold III (born on July 10, 1969 in Decatur, Georgia United States) is American actor. ... Randy Harrison in GLAAD Media Awards 2002 Randolph C. Harrison (also known as Randy Harrison, born November 2, 1977 in Nashua, New Hampshire) was raised in Alpharetta, Georgia and is an American actor, most known for his role as Justin Taylor on the drama Queer as Folk. ... Hal Sparks Hal Sparks (born September 25, 1969 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an actor and comedian best known for his role of Michael Novotny on the American television series Queer as Folk. ... Showtime is a subscription television brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States. ... December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... Showtime is a subscription television brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States. ... Queer as Folk is a 1999 British television series that chronicles the lives of three gay men let loose in Manchesters gay village around Canal Street. ... Russell T. Davies, pictured in 2003. ... Michael Lewis MacLennan (June 5, 1968) is a Canadian playwright, screenwriter, and producer of television shows. ... Brad Fraser (born June 28, 1969 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a Canadian playwright and screenwriter. ...

Cast

• Gale Harold as Brian Kinney
• Randy Harrison as Justin Taylor
• Hal Sparks as Michael Novotny
• Peter Paige as Emmett Honeycutt
• Scott Lowell as Theodore 'Ted' Schmidt
• Thea Gill as Lindsay Peterson
• Michelle Clunie as Melanie Marcus
• Sharon Gless as Debbie Grassi Novotny
• Jack Weatherall as Vic Grassi (Seasons 1 - 4)
• Chris Potter as Dr. David Cameron (Season 1)
• Robert Gant as Professor Ben Bruckner (Seasons 2 - 5)
• Harris Allan as James "Hunter" Montgomery (Seasons 3 - 5)
• Sherry Miller as Jennifer Taylor
• Makyla Smith as Daphne Chanders
• Peter MacNeill as Detective Carl Horvath (Seasons 2 - 5)

Gale Harold Gale Morgan Harold III (born on July 10, 1969 in Decatur, Georgia United States) is American actor. ... Randy Harrison in GLAAD Media Awards 2002 Randolph C. Harrison (also known as Randy Harrison, born November 2, 1977 in Nashua, New Hampshire) was raised in Alpharetta, Georgia and is an American actor, most known for his role as Justin Taylor on the drama Queer as Folk. ... Hal Sparks Hal Sparks (born September 25, 1969 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an actor and comedian best known for his role of Michael Novotny on the American television series Queer as Folk. ... Peter Paige (born June 20, 1968 in West Hartford, Connecticut) is an American actor who currently stars as Emmett Honeycutt in Showtimes Queer as Folk. ... Scott Lowell born February 22, 1965 in Denver, Colorado) is an American actor best known for his role as Theodore Ted Schmidt on Showtimes Queer as Folk. ... Thea Gill, born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is a Canadian actress best known for her starring role as Lindsay Peterson on the hit Showtime show Queer As Folk. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Sharon Gless (born 31 May 1943 in Los Angeles, California, USA) is an actor. ... Chris Potter born August 23, 1960 in Toronto, Canada is a Canadian actor best known for his role as Dr. David Cameron on Showtimes Queer as Folk. ... Robert Gant Robert Gant (born Robert Gonzalez on July 13, 1968 in Tampa, Florida) is an American actor. ... Harris Allan Harris Allan (born February 11, 1985 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a Canadian actor. ... Sherry Miller is a contemporary Canadian actress. ... Makyla Smith is a Canadian actor. ...

Season discography

This show ran for 5 seasons: A season is one of the major divisions of the year, generally based on yearly periodic changes in weather. ...

• Season I: 22 episodes (Dec 3, 2000 - Jun 24, 2001)
• Season II: 20 episodes (Jan 6 - Jun 16, 2002)
• Season III: 14 episodes (Mar 2 - Jun 22, 2003)
• Season IV: 14 episodes (Apr 18 - Jul 18, 2004)
• Season V: 13 episodes (May 22, 2005 - Aug 7, 2005)

This Showtime original drama aired in the U.S. at 10pm ET/PT on Sunday nights. It is broadcast in Canada on Showcase on Mondays at 10pm ET/PT.

Seasons 3, 4 and 5 are broadcast in HDTV. It has been suggested that High Definition Video be merged into this article or section. ...

The series finale aired in August of 2005.

General description

This series was principally the story of five gay men who lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Brian, Michael, Justin, Emmett, Ted, and a lesbian couple, Lindsay and Melanie. Actually this series shot in Toronto, Canada. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... (This article is about the city. ... A lesbian is a homosexual woman. ... }|135px|City of Toronto, Ontario Official Flag]]|Coat Image=[[Image:{{{Coat Image}}}|135px|City of Toronto, Ontario Coat of Arms]]}} {{Canadian City/Disable Field={{{Disable Motto Link}}}}} Motto: Diversity Our Strength {{Canadian City/Location Image is:{{{Location Image Type}}}|[[Image:{{{Location Image}}}|thumbnail|center|250px|City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...

The show was noted for its relative frankness in its depiction of gay lifestyles and sex. A disclaimer, " Queer as Folk is a celebration of the lives and passions of a group of gay friends. It is not meant to reflect all of gay society" appeared after each episode.

The title of the show came from the British phrase "Nowt so queer as folk," which means "there is nothing as weird as people" (using the Northern English "nowt" meaning "nothing").

Awards

2001

• GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series (winner)
• Third Prize nominated for Effects Titles Ident's PSA's (winner)
• Golden Reel Awards nomineted for Best Sound Editing - Television Episodic - Music
• Artios nominated for Best Casting for TV, Dramatic Pilot

2002 The GLAAD Media Awards were created in 1990 by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor the media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. ...

• GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series
• DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Direction
• DGC Team Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in a Television Series - Drama

2003 The GLAAD Media Awards were created in 1990 by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor the media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. ...

• GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series
• ACTRA Toronto Awards nominated for Outstanding Performance - Female (Thea Gill)
• DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing - Short Form (winner)
• DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Direction - Television Series
• DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Picture Editing - Short Form
• DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design - Short Form
• DGC Team Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in a Television Series - Drama (winner)

2004 The GLAAD Media Awards were created in 1990 by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor the media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. ... Thea Gill, born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada is a Canadian actress best known for her starring role as Lindsay Peterson on the hit Showtime show Queer As Folk. ...

• GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series
• DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Picture Editing - Television Series
• DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design - Television Series
• Golden Reel Award nominated for Best Sound Editing in Television Episodic: Music

2005 The GLAAD Media Awards were created in 1990 by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor the media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. ... The MPSE Golden Reel Award is an award presented by the organization of Motion Picture Sound Editors in categories related to the craft of audio post production, such as Sound Editing, Music Editing, Dialog Editing, and Sound Effect Editing. The award was first presented in 1953 and has continued into...

• GLAAD Media Awards nominated for Outstanding Drama Series
• DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Picture Editing - Television Series
• DGC Craft Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design - Television Series
• DGC Team Award nominated for Outstanding Team Achievement in a Television Series - Drama
• Prism Award nominated for TV Drama Series Multi-Episode Storyline (winner) tied with Lost
• Prism Award nominated for Performance in a Drama Series Storyline (Scott Lowell)
• BMI Cable Award for Ray Ketchem (winner)

The GLAAD Media Awards were created in 1990 by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor the media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. ... Lost is an American drama/adventure television series set in the aftermath of a plane crash on a mysterious tropical island somewhere in the South Pacific. ... Scott Lowell born February 22, 1965 in Denver, Colorado) is an American actor best known for his role as Theodore Ted Schmidt on Showtimes Queer as Folk. ...

Character descriptions, plot details

Brian is a handsome, 29-year old advertising executive with a voracious sexual appetite. Raised by a carousing, alcoholic father and a devoutly Catholic mother, he lives a self-contained/centered lifestyle and prefers the honesty of lust to the dishonesty (and vulnerability) he perceives in love and romance. Michael, also just turning 30, is his best friend since childhood, and begins the series working at a retail store called The Big Q. Ted, 33, is an accountant with low self-esteem, and Emmett is a flamboyant Southern queen who works in trendy clothing shop "Torso" on Liberty Avenue.

The first episode finds the four friends ending a night at an idealized gay oasis called Babylon. Jaded Brian picks up and deflowers the sensitive and artistic Justin, a 17-year-old prep school student who becomes far more than a one-night stand. Brian also becomes a father that night, having sired a child for college friend Lindsey, an art teacher, and her partner Melanie, an attorney who loathes Brian as much as Lindsey loves him. Debbie is Michael's mother and a committed gay-rights activist. She waits tables at the Liberty Diner, which serves as a haven for the group of friends. Her brother Vic has been critically ill with AIDS and lives with her. The Red Ribbon is the global symbol for solidarity with HIV positive and people living with AIDS. The Red Ribbon made its public debut when host Jeremy Irons wore it during the 1991 Tony Awards. ...

The characters become enmeshed and entangled in various ways over the course of five years. Michael's seemingly unrequited love for Brian fuels the story, which he occasionally narrates in voice-over. Justin's coming out and budding relationship with Brian has unexpected effects on Brian's and Michael's lives. Justin confides in straight high-school friend Daphne, while struggling to deal with homophobic classmates and his dismayed, divorcing parents, Craig and Jennifer. Later in the series Justin & Michael co-create sexually-explicit underground comic "Rage", featuring a "Gay Crusader" superhero inspired by Brian. Homophobia is a term used to describe: A culturally determined phobia manifesting as fear, revulsion, or contempt for homosexuality. ... Superman (left) and Batman, two of the most recognizable and influential superheroes. ...

Brian's son Gus, being raised by Lindsay and Melanie, becomes the focus of several episodes as issues of parental rights come to the fore. Ted is Melanie's accountant and once harbored a longstanding crush on Michael. He and Emmett begin as best friends, but briefly become lovers later in the series. Their relationship ends as Ted, unemployed and with a criminal record earned from running a porn website, becomes addicted to crystal meth. In the fourth season, Brian, who has lost his job assisting Justin in opposing an anti-gay political client, starts his own agency. Michael marries an HIV-positive partner and the couple adopts a son, Hunter, who is also HIV-positive as a result of his experiences as a child prostitute. Methamphetamine is a synthetic stimulant drug which induces a strong feeling of euphoria and is highly psychologically addictive. ...

Melanie and Lindsay's relationship, while on the surface, might represent a more "stable" relationship is actually quite tumultuous and controversial. Each cheats on the other at various points in the series, both tackle on a threesome shortly after they marry in an unlawful ceremony and become separated for much of the 4th and 5th season. Melanie is impregnated by Michael through artificial insemination in the fourth season, so that the best friends are now co-stepfathers. Brian's new advertising agency; Kinnetik, becomes highly successful both through a combination of Brian's customer loyalty and his edgier advertising. As a result of this, Brian is able to purchase Club Babylon from its now bankrupt owner. Artificial insemination (AI) is when sperm is placed into a females ovarian follicle (intrafollicular), uterus (intrauterine), cervix (intracervical), or fallopian tubes (intratubal) using artificial means rather than by sexual intercourse. ...

In the fifth and final season, the boys have become men and the series, perhaps more comfortable in its role in gay entertainment, tackles political issues head-on and with much more fervor.

A political campaign called "Proposition 14" is depicted during much of the final season as a looming threat to the family-relations that the four principle characters have created. This proposition, like so many real-life recent legislative moves that have affected many US states, threatens to outlaw same-sex marriage, adoption and other family civil rights. The many ways in which such a proposition would affect the characters are depicted through nearly every episode. Debbie, Justin, Jennifer, Daphne, Emmett, Ted, Michael, Ben, Lindsay, Melanie and the children are depicted standing up and fighting against this proposition both by active canvassing, political contributions and other democratic processes, but are met with staunch opposition, discrimination, outright hatred and political setbacks by their neighbors.

The show climaxes near the end of the series when a benefit to support opposition to Proposition 14 hosted at Brian's club Babylon (after repeated relocations of the benefit, due to discrimination) is attacked by a bomb that kills 4 (including one supporting character) and injures 67.

This horrible event sets the bittersweet tone for the last three episodes in which Brian, frightened into reality by his third possible loss of Justin to an early death, finally declares his love for him. The two even plan a wedding, but Justin's artistic abilities get noticed by a New York agency and the two decide in favor of a more realistic approach to a relationship that works for their characters. Melanie and Lindsay, realizing they have more in common than they don't, resolve their relationship but relocate to Canada to "raise (their children) in an environment where they will be not called names, singled-out for discrimination, or ever have to fear for their life."

Brian and Justin resolve their relationship, as do Deb & Horvath, and the lesbians; Emmett becomes a Queer-Eye type TV presenter but is later fired when a professional football player kisses him on the news. Ted confronts his midlife crisis head-on and finally reunited with Blake. Hunter returns and the Novotny-Bruckner family perseveres.

The series came full circle with the final scenes staged in the newly re-built Babylon nightclub. In the final scene, Brian dances as Michael recites the final lines of the series:

So the "thumpa thumpa" continues. It always will. No matter what happens. No matter who's president. As our lady of Disco, the divine Miss Gloria Gaynor has always sung to us: We will survive.

Cultural implications

The American version of Queer as Folk quickly became the number one show on the Showtime roster. The network's initial marketing of the show was primarily targeted at gay male audiences, yet a sizeable segment of the viewership turned out to be straight women.

Groundbreaking scenes abounded in Queer as Folk, beginning with the first episode, containing the first simulated explicit sex scene between two men shown on American television (including mutual masturbation, anal sex, and rimming), albeit more tame than the scene it was based on in the UK version. Despite the frank portrayals of drug use and casual sex in the gay club scene, the expected conservative uproar never materialized. Mutual masturbation is a sexual act where two or more people stimulate one another sexually, usually with the hands. ... Roman men having anal sex. ... 14th century manuscript illustration of the accusations of sodomy against the Knights Templar Anal-oral contact (commonly referred to as anilingus and colloquially known as rimming or tossing salad) is sexual activity involving contact between the anus or perianal areas of one person and the mouth of another. ...

Initially, most of the actors kept their real-life sexual orientations ambiguous in the press so as not to detract from their characters, causing much speculation among the viewing audience. Since that time, Randy Harrison, Peter Paige, Robert Gant and Jack Weatherall have stated that they are gay, while the remainder of the cast have stated they are straight or have avoided public discussion of their orientation.

Controversial storylines which have been explored in Queer As Folk have included: coming out, same-sex marriage, recreational drug use and abuse (cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, cannabis); gay adoption, artificial insemination; vigilantism; gay-bashing; safe sex, HIV-positive status, child prostitution; actively gay Catholic priests; discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation, the internet pornography industry and bug-chasers (HIV-negative individuals who actively seek to become HIV-positive). Coming out of the closet (very often shortened to coming out in winking reference to the public introduction of debutantes) describes the voluntary public announcement of ones sexual orientation, sexual attractions, gender identity, or (less commonly) paraphilia. ... Same-sex marriage is marriage between individuals who are of the same legal or biological sex. ... Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. ... Methamphetamine is a synthetic stimulant drug which induces a strong feeling of euphoria and is highly addictive. ... MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), most commonly known today by the street name ecstasy, is a synthetic entactogen of the phenethylamine family whose primary effect is to stimulate the secretion of large amounts of serotonin as well as dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain, causing a general sense of openness, empathy... Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (4-hydroxybutanoic acid, C4H8O3) is both a drug and a naturally occurring compound found in the mammalian brain, where it might function as a neurotransmitter. ... Ketamine is a general dissociative anaesthetic for human and veterinary use. ... Species Cannabis indica Cannabis ruderalis Cannabis sativa Cannabis is a genus of flowering plant that includes one or more species. ... Legal status of gay adoption in Europe. ... Artificial insemination (AI) is when sperm is placed into a females ovarian follicle (intrafollicular), uterus (intrauterine), cervix (intracervical), or fallopian tubes (intratubal) using artificial means rather than by sexual intercourse. ... For the aircraft, see A-5 Vigilante. ... Gay bashing is a term used when I bash KATIE. ... Stop AIDS Project marchers at San Francisco Pride 2004. ... HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the human immune system. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services, such as oral sex or sexual intercourse, for money. ... Sexual orientation refers to the sex or gender of people who are the focus of a persons amorous or erotic desires, fantasies, and spontaneous feelings, the gender(s) toward which one is primarily oriented. The alternative terms sexual preference and sexual inclination have similar meanings. ... Pornography (from Greek πορνογραφία pornographia — literally writing about or drawings of harlots) (also informally referred to as porn or porno) is the representation of the human body or human sexual behaviour with the goal of sexual arousal, similar to, but (according to some) distinct from, erotica. ...

The series was set in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which it depicted with a good deal of creative license. Pittsburgh was chosen as the closest parallel to the U.K. series' industrial setting of Manchester, England. However, since Pittsburgh does not have a large gay district like San Francisco or Montreal, nearly all of the location filming takes place in and around the Church and Wellesley area of Toronto. Woody's, the central bar in this fantasy Pittsburgh, is the name of a leading gay bar in Toronto, whose real exterior is shot with only minor disguise. (In a Season 4 episode in which several characters travelled to Toronto, the real Woody's was dubbed "Moosie's".) While the most popular gay club in Pittsburgh is located on the real-life Liberty Avenue, it is not the gay mecca that is portrayed on the show. (This article is about the city. ... This article is about the city in England. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... City motto: Concordia Salus (Latin: Well-being through harmony) Province Quebec Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area  - % water 500. ... View of Church Street looking north from Maitland Street Church and Wellesley is a gay-oriented community located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Motto: Diversity Our Strength Map of Ontario Counties, Toronto being red Area: 641 sq. ...

The series has, at times, made humorous reference to its image in the gay community. A few episodes featured show-within-a-show Gay as Blazes, a dull, politically-correct drama which Brian particularly disagreed with, and which was eventually cancelled.

Criticisms of Queer as Folk

In many ways, the American series was groundbreaking on many social levels. Because of this, many gay critics and audience members, citing their under-representation in the past have all made public claims that the show had a certain level of social responsibility. This feeling is perhaps the strongest reason for much criticism and controversy within the gay community concerning Queer as Folk's portrayal of gay and lesbian issues.

Like the original UK series, Queer as Folk has been strongly criticized by some in the gay community for what they feel is an unrealistic portrayal of actual gay relationships and/or gay life. The producers of the show have stressed from the beginning both in a written statement that appeared at the end of each show (Seasons 1-3) and in the press, that they were not attempting to make any representations or generalizations. However, many in the gay press have nonetheless, charged that this would be the effect on many viewers--desired or not. A few gay columnists have therefore taken issue with, what they feel, are unrealistic portrayals as well as "hidden agendas" within the shows content. Examples used have been the lack of people of colour on the show, the unrealistic (overly-aesthetically pleasing) portrayal of patrons at bars/clubs, the overabundance of public sex at the bars (which is illegal in most places in the US, including Pennsylvania), and finally, the vilification of certain aspects of some gay men's lives (such as bareback sex), yet complacent treatment of hard-drug use and infidelity which, as critics have charged, is a taking of sides on controversial issues within the queer community and fails to "non-represent." The lack of the realism of the setting has also been criticized since the program depicts the gay scene in Pittsburgh as much more urbane and arguably sophisticated than it actually is. Bareback can refer to riding horses without a saddle Unprotected sexual activity, sexual activity in which a condom is not used. ...

Still, others claim that while the depiction of drugs and sex is realistic, its portrayal is a counter-productive airing of "dirty laundry" to the larger community, to whom the gay community is appealing for legal protection of their civil rights.

Others in the gay community have praised it for its reflection of previously-taboo aspects of their lives--realistic or romanticized. On balance the show is seen by many viewers in a generally positive light for its contribution to gay media exposure.

Some critics and fans alike point out that some of these issues (including the lack of racial diversity and the heavy focus on sex) are common in TV shows about heterosexuals, too. As such, they argue that it is unfair to single out Queer as Folk for criticism on these issues.

See also

• Queer as Folk (UK)