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Gays of our Lives: You, Me and Him

10

In this week’s Gays of Our Lives, we have got a lot to cover…

  • There’s a big gay wedding on Emmerdale when Robert and Aaron say ‘I do’. But will the cops ruin the ceremony?
  • The Halcyon had its season finale and Toby is being pressured to deliver by his blackmailer or have his sexuality exposed. But when his mother finds out what his going on, who will she be angrier at? Her fiance for what he’s doing — or her gay son?
  • On Days of Our Lives, Sonny has been kidnapped and it’s Paul and JJ to the rescue. Will this be what Sonny and Paul need to finally kick start their relationship?
  • Shadowhunters really ticked me off last week and you can imagine why. I’ve got plenty of thoughts about last week’s disaster of an ep.
  • It’s been a few weeks since I posted about Riverdale. What am I thinking about the show now, especially in regards to Kevin?
  • Justin and Jeffery heat up on The Haves and the Have Nots as the two of the admit their relationship is more than just sex. And Jeffery learns that Justin doesn’t like to share.
  • Plus, there are huge storyline developments on Rownd a Rownd, Hollyoaks and Neighbours.
  • All this and much, much more!

PICKS AND PANS

The Halcyon(U.S.)

Poor Toby. First loves usually don’t work out, but you generally don’t find out they are betraying their country (and you) by giving out state secrets. I don’t see how Toby and Adil come back from this. I don’t think Toby will ever forgive him. With the show’s final episode this week (and no word on a renewal), it’ll be curious to see how this all wraps up. I’m still hoping we don’t end up with any dead gays. But I have a feeling this will all end very badly.

I am enjoying the storyline though. Very suspenseful. And the background music to the scenes add so much. I found it hard to believe that Toby would have been released though. I would think that the government wouldn’t give up so easily on a suspected spy in a time of war.

I don’t know why Emma is having so much trouble choosing between Freddie and Joe. Joe wins. It’s not even close.


Coronation Street (U.K.)

I’ll really be shocked if Todd and Adam don’t start sleeping together. The story seems to be heading there. Kate Oates wrote a similar story when she paired Aaron and Robert on Emmerdale and look how popular that was/is. Todd’s insinuation that Adam came onto him and Adam insisting Todd isn’t his type is like a plot anvil in my mind. And like I said before Todd needs a story and he and Billy need some drama. Todd getting involved with Adam would certainly do that.


Days of Our Lives (U.S.)

Just once I want to see the gay guy win a fight on a soap opera. The gays are always the victim and I’m sick of it. Let the gay dude kick some butt just once. Or Paul and Sonny could have at least put up a fight rather than being pushovers. I bet those scenes would have played differently if Brady or John or Rafe had been the one being attacked. At least let Paul rescue his man. A love interest rescuing his partner is Soap Drama 101.

What I did like was Sonny playing the tough guy when talking to Justin. Freddie Smith sold those scenes. We rarely see Sonny showing some grit, some personality and I like it. More of that please.

I loved seeing Judi Evans taking over and dominating that scene with Demois. She’s a terrific actress and can sell anything. It would have been nice if Paul had of been more forceful since his boyfriend has been kidnapped, but we can’t have that, can we? The straight guys would have threatened Demois and tossed him around the room, not left it up to Sonny’s mama to beat her fists on his chest. Sigh.

EXTRA SCENE


EastEnders (U.K.)

Shirley telling Johnny to blow off his studies to put in a shift at the bar is not only selfish, Mick would hate it. Mick is right in that is where Johnny’s focus should be. It’s Mick’s pub, let him worry about how to run it.

So I’m guessing Jay and Michelle are headed for a hook up? We know she likes her men young.

I’m glad Ben and Jay got their new place. Hopefully this means a story for Ben soon.

The final scenes with Lee were well written and acted. However, Lee needs mental help and therapy, not moving to a new city. No matter where he goes, his problems will follow him because it’s in his head, not his surroundings.

Johnny still doesn’t have a story.

CLICK THE NEXT PAGE FOR CLIPS AND REVIEWS OF HOLLYOAKS, EMMERDALE AND RIVER CITY!

Anthony D. Langford
I watch a lot of television, probably too much. But can you really watch too much TV? I've yet to find out. Anyway, I especially love TV when they give us positive portrayals of gays, something that has gotten better but we're still fighting for. I've written about gays in television for many years first at the much missed After Elton, then New Now Next and now at TV Source. It's kind of a passion of mine and I look forward to sharing it with you.

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10 Comments

  1. People who disagree with you aren’t necessarily trolls (though I suppose they may be too lazy to pick a profile picture.) I did and do love the books. They’re ongoing and have added multiple queer relationships to the story — I have a sense you probably don’t know much about them beyond TMI, if you read that. I’ve read the books multiple times and watched every episode of the show, though admittedly I could never stomach more than a single viewing.

    When I talk about Magnus blackmailing Alec for sex I mean the episode in which Alec asks Magnus to be Isabelle’s lawyer and Magnus says he’ll do it if Alec has sex with him. Alec says no and Magnus accepts Alec’s bow and arrows instead, but that doesn’t erase the offer or make it less cringe-inducing.

    The representation in the books was written twelve years ago, unlike the representation in the show, which is current. What people want from representation actually does change. A character like Alec, a badass warrior who happens to be gay, was unheard of in YA in 2005. As the times have changed, representation in books has changed and Kieran and Mark (in the current Shadowhunters books, which you clearly have not read) are very different than Magnus and Alec. Mark’s is not a coming out story, probably because there have now been many, but at the time Alec was written, there had been very very few in YA fantasy.

    It’s quite funny you said that about bad fanfic since that’s always how I’ve thought of the show — after all, bad fanfic takes original characters written by someone else and twists them! The introduction of Lydia is something I’ve seen in so many bad TMI fics — oh no a bad lady comes between the boys! Oh, Magnus or Alec has to interrupt a wedding where the other one is getting married! Cliché city. :–>

    Look, you’re entirely entitled to your opinion. I understand that the show, despite its poor ratings, has an enthused fan base. I’m merely pointing out an undeniable truth which is that not all queer fans are going to agree with you because we are not all one person. You yourself have problems with the show, so does everyone else here on this article. As for the books, you can say every one of these people http://bit.ly/2l6oPO6 are lying, but it might perhaps be a better idea to agree to disagree than to discount so many legitimate GLBT voices?

  2. People who disagree with you aren’t necessarily trolls (though I suppose they may be too lazy to pick a profile picture.) I did and do love the books. They’re ongoing and have added multiple queer relationships to the story — I have a sense you probably don’t know much about them beyond TMI, if you read that. I’ve read the books multiple times and watched every episode of the show, though admittedly I could never stomach more than a single viewing.

    When I talk about Magnus blackmailing Alec for sex I mean the episode in which Alec asks Magnus to be Isabelle’s lawyer and Magnus says he’ll do it if Alec has sex with him. Alec says no and Magnus accepts Alec’s bow and arrows instead, but that doesn’t erase the offer or make it less unpleasant.

    The representation in the books was written twelve years ago, unlike the representation in the show, which is current. What people want from representation actually does change. A character like Alec, a badass warrior who happens to be gay, was unheard of in YA in 2005. As the times have changed, representation in books has changed and Kieran and Mark (in the current Shadowhunters books, which you clearly have not read) are very different than Magnus and Alec. Mark’s is not a coming out story, probably because there have now been many, but at the time Alec was written, there had been very very few in YA fantasy.

    It’s quite funny you said that about bad fanfic since that’s always how I’ve thought of the show — after all, bad fanfic takes original characters written by someone else and twists them! The introduction of Lydia is something I’ve seen in so many bad TMI fics — oh no a bad lady comes between the boys! :–>

    Look, you’re entirely entitled to your opinion. I understand that the show, despite poor ratings, has an enthused fan base. I’m merely pointing out an undeniable truth which is that not all queer fans are going to agree with you. You yourself have problems with the show, so does everyone else here on this article. As for the books, you can say every one of these people http://bit.ly/2l6oPO6 are lying, but it might perhaps be a better idea to agree to disagree than to discount so many GLBT voices?

  3. I’m sorry but when you say you loved the books but have a problem with the show AND say smth like “the part where Magnus tried to blackmail Alec[…]” it is obvious you are trolling or just have no idea what you are talking about. Magnus and Alec’s relationship in the books was the definition of a bad fanfiction and in no way the representation we need or asked for.

  4. As a queer reader/viewer, I’ve loved the books and found them a blessing. I hate the show and have hated its disrespectful, unpleasant, cringey representation of Magnus and Alec – the part where Magnus tried to blackmail Alec for sex, the entire gross Lydia plot line, the ongoing lack of interest in consent – from the beginning. Just a reminder LGBT readers are not a monolith. We don’t all share the same opinion and we’re clearly not all insulted by the same things. In the books Malec are a gorgeous interracial happy family with two kids and a great life. On the show . . . bleh.

  5. I’m done with Shadowhunters, the books were already an insult for the LGBT community but the show is now obviously following the same pattern. I was optimistic in the first season because the writers were doing a decent job but season 2 has been nothing but a disappointment. It isn’t helping that despite Malec and a few others characters this show has nothing to offer than the usual Mary Sue who saves everyone doing whatever she wants and never listening to anyone. Like seriously this redhead might be the most annoying character in the history of television.

  6. I’m trying to decide whether Shadowhunters is still worth watching. The handling of Magnus/Alec is deeply flawed. I’m skipping past most of Clary’s scenes, and that now includes my favorite Simon. Meanwhile, the Izzy/Raphael scene from last night were super-rapey and will taint all of their interactions going forward.

    I was disappointed that they ignored Aaron’s history with Jackson. The same with JP’s history before the past two or so years.

  7. Gay guys win fights on British soaps all the time. But soaps in general seem to like their women weak/crazy and their gays constantly victimized and relatively sexless. It won’t change until audiences make them change

  8. I am thoroughly enjoying the Rhys and David storyline. At least something is happening between them unlike with Iolo and Tyler (*yawn*). Right now the most gripping stories on PyC are Sioned turning Ed into a boot-licking worm, Sheryl’s alopecia and Jim’s weird-ass shrine to Courtney. And so what if Rhys caved so quickly. How could anyone not with Iestyn Arwel being – and I say this without hyperbole – the most beautiful man to have ever existed in the universe ever. Let the boys have their steamy behind-Dani’s-back fun. It doesn’t hurt that both actors bat for our team.

  9. I am so disgusted by Shadowhunters I can’t even hardly talk about it. They bait the fans of Magnus and Alec all over social media and then shortchange them constantly. And I agree that the double standard will be shown when Clary and Jace eventually get together.

  10. I had precisely the same thoughts about Emmerdale last week. Why couldn’t Emma have simply told Finn her concern that he wasn’t dealing with his father’s death earlier? We didn’t need all the drama with her demonizing – and framing – Kasim. She’s so transparent that I find it unbelievable that her sons (who have only known her for a couple of years) trust her blindly. It will be hard to redeem Finn as a character after this. Surely Kasim regrets ever coming to the village to meet the person who saved him in the accident.

    Also, I was thinking the same thing about Liv. Why wouldn’t she have to go live with her mother? Neither Chas nor Robert (nor Aaron, for that matter) has any legal responsibility for her.

    I agree that leaving won’t solve Lee’s problems, but I never liked how the show never had anyone close to him really try to help. Whitney is enough to drive anyone away, and now it looks like we’ll have to endure some kind of tryst between her and Mick. It makes good drama, I guess, but it really gives me the “ick.” It’s hard to deny they have a chemistry, though, that never existed between her and Lee.

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