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THIS WEEK IN SPOILERS
EastEnders: Ben and Jay move into their new flat.
Emmerdale: Aaron and Robert are in the middle of getting married when the cops burst in ruin the guys’ big day. Later, everyone is upset when Aaron is given a year in jail for beating up Kasim and taken straight to prison. And it’s not long before Aaron finds trouble.
The Haves and The Have Nots: Jeffery learns how possessive Justin is when Jeffrey goes to help a strung out Wyatt. Justin sees them together and is jealous and angry. Jeffrey insists that he and Wyatt just friends, but Justin isn’t having it. He demands that Jeffery choose between the two men in his life.
Hollyoaks: Ste decides that it’s over between he and Harry and he wants to get back with John Paul. Ste sets up a recreation of the day they got engaged to win JP over. Ste and JP reunite and Ste prepares to dump Harry.
Rownd a Rownd: David and Rhys continue their affair, but finding some place to meet is difficult. They finally get some alone time, but when someone sees them together, they have a hard time explaining that’s going on. Despite that, when Dani tells David she’s going out of town for the night, David sees his chance to spend a full night with Rhys. However, he could regret his decision.
Neighbours: After denying his feelings for Aaron and his sexuality for so long, David realizes he needs to accept who he is and who he wants to be with if he’s ever going to be happy. He talks to Paige, who releases him of the promise he made to pretend to be the father of her baby. With that out of the way, David goes to see Aaron to tell him how he feels. But another unforeseen development might keep these two apart.
Later, David gets news about the true identity of his father. Is he ready for the truth?
The Halcyon: In the finale of the wartime drama, Toby is desperate to get his blackmailer the information he needs. Or does he have a dark scheme in mind to get him out of this mess. Seeing that his ex-lover is in trouble, Adil tries to talk to him, but Toby is still too angry and hurt at Adil to listen.
Adil then goes to Gregory for help, but it’s not long before Olivia finds out. The question is: is Olivia angrier at her fiancé for the blackmail or her son for being gay. Bombs will be falling at the Halcyon before it’s all over. Some emotional and some literal. And not everyone will survive.
Holby City: Isaac is furious when he thinks Dom is cheating on him. Things get ugly between them and Isaac shows a stunning, violent side to Dom. He begs Dom’s forgiveness and promises to get help, but is this more of Isaac’s manipulation?
TEASERS FOR NEXT WEEK
Hollyoaks: James wants a commitment from John Paul; Harry makes sacrifices for Ste.
Rownd a Rownd: David has a shocking proposal for Rhys.
Shortland Street: Cam is determined to prove his love for Jack.
The Fosters: Jude’s desire to learn more about sex puts him in danger.
That’s it for this edition of Gays of Our Lives. Please share your comments on the thoughts and opinions expressed in this week’s column below. See you next week!
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.