Gays of Our Lives: The Eyes Have It

Welcome to a new edition of Gays of Our Lives.  This week, a new crime series begins which puts a romance between two teenage boys at the center of the story.  The USA network will debut Eyewitness, based on the popular Norwegian series Oyevitne. James Paxton and Tyler Young (above) play Lukas and Philip, who are secretly lovers. During a tryst, the boys witness a brutal murder.  They resolve to keep the incident a secret, not wanting their relationship revealed.  But keeping that secret could get them killed.  The series will begin Sunday night October 16th at 10 Eastern /9 Central.

Having watched and enjoyed the Norwegian version, it’ll be interesting to see the spin the US version takes and how they handle the gay storyline.  We’ll have a review and clips of the show in next week’s column.

Harry is stunned to see James again. But how will James react?

Also this week, on A Place to Call Home James and Harry come face to face.  What happens next between them is a shocker.  Plus, we take a look at the new gay storyline on Welsh soap Rownd a Rownd and Oliver returns in the season premiere of Canadian drama This Life. And on Days of Our Lives, Paul and Sonny are still into each other, but neither of them have gotten past Will’s death and it’s coming between them.  But when Paul is nearly murdered, will that be what finally brings them together?  All this and more!

PICKS AND PANS

A Place To Call Home (Australia)

The cinematography on this show stays beautiful and lush. 

I did like James throwing Gino’s biblical reasons for not being more open minded about James being gay back in Gino’s face.  Funny how Gino had no response for all the things he had done to go against the Bible, huh?

I really like the friendship between Harry and Sarah and I love that Sarah hasn’t stopped loving Rene and still respects his memory.

That was a really great scene with he and Olivia where James professed his commitment to his child.  And no matter what she feels for Lloyd, Olivia is still so in love with James.  She showed that by her determination to be friends with Henry.  It took a lot of her to do that and she didn’t have to.  She did it to make life easier for James.  

I’m glad that James was able to tell Henry he loved him.  Sweet scene.  As was the wonderfully shot underwater scenes of them together right before Harry shows up.

So… James doesn’t remember Harry?  Wow I did not see that coming.  I thought James was pretending, but clearly he was not.  I guess it was from the electroshock treatments James had back in Season 2.  They said it might mess with his memory and it would make perfect sense he would forget Harry since that was the point of the procedure.  Great way to use a plot point we’ve seen in soaps dozens of times. Loved it, loved it.

I got a kick out of the three ladies scheming against Regina.  Fun!

And the previews for next week?  Sarah vs the family again?  I cannot wait.  Such good soap.

Coronation Street  (U.K.)

I have a bad feeling when this is all said and done, Todd is going to wind up holding the bag for this scam and no one will believe he was trying to protect his mother from Vinny. Beyond that, there’s not much to say.  I’m glad Todd and Billy are on the right track again.

Deep Water (Australia)

Despite the subject matter, I don’t think this show is nearly as compelling or dramatic as it could be.  Everything is too subdued and underplayed when things could be pumped up a bit.  I don’t know if it’s because it’s based on a real crime and the show wants to stick to the facts or that’s the style the show was going for.   To be fair, it does capture the darkness and the moodiness very well. And I do like the psychological and emotional underpinnings to Tori and Nick’s involvement with the case.

Still, I would have liked to have seen a bit more creative license and add drama.  Maybe some romance for the characters?  The acting is pretty good though.  And you know, I was confused by Tori’s relationship with her gay friend or maybe I wasn’t paying attention.  He is her son’s father or what?  I didn’t quite get that whole thing.  Maybe the show will clear it up.

I did like the plot arc of the former football player who finally had to face the past he’d been running from.   Didn’t expect he’d be murdered though.  Oh and the plot arc of the bipolar suspect was intriguing too, especially the plight of his possibly being returned to Iran.

Days of Our Lives (U.S.)

So silly to have the Kiriakis’ running the empire from their living room with most of the action taking place off screen.  All that macho posturing with Brady and Philip was more funny than anything else.  I guess everybody loves Demois now and have forgotten he tortured and killed Bo.  

Why would Sonny think that pleading to Chad not to take over the business based on their friendship would mean anything given the number of times Chad has screwed Sonny over already?  Or does Sonny still not know that Chad purposefully destroyed his club?

Is Paul really conducting surveillance of John’s trying to rescue the kidnap victims in the middle of a busy restaurant?  I guess someone else was using the office set that day.   I do think Paul and Sonny still have chemistry.  That last scene between them was nice.  But the show is still dragging things out and finding silly (or non-existent) reasons for them not to be together.

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