Queer as Folk
| Television series | |
|---|---|
| German title | Queer as Folk |
| Original title | Queer as Folk |
 | |
| Country of production |
USA Canada |
| original language | English |
| Year (s) | 2000-2005 |
| length | 44-58 minutes |
| Episodes | 83 in 5 seasons ( list ) |
| genre | Drama series |
| idea | Russell T Davies |
| music |
Greek Buck - Spunk (Seasons 1-3) Burnside Project - Cue The Pulse To Begin (Seasons 4-5) |
| First broadcast | December 3, 2000 (USA) on Showtime |
| German-language first broadcast |
January 9, 2006 on ProSieben |
| occupation | |
Queer as Folk is a Canadian - American television series developed by Russell T Davies , Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman , which was broadcast from 2000 to 2005 by the US broadcaster Showtime and in the Canadian Showcase. The first episodes of the series are a remake of the British television series of the same name.
The title is derived from the expression “there's nought so queer as folk”, which is common in parts of northern England , for example “there is nothing stranger than people”. The series was broadcast on German television from January 2006 to March 2008 on ProSieben and from 2008 on TIMM .
General
The series, set in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, tells the stories of five gay men Brian, Justin, Michael, Ted and Emmett and their lesbian friends Lindsay and Melanie. It's about stories within the gay scene and about AIDS , drugs and prejudice. One of the better-known actresses in the series is actress Sharon Gless , who played Christine Cagney in the US series Cagney & Lacey from 1982 to 1988 .
main characters
- Brian Kinney
Brian Kinney , 29 years old at the start of the series, is a well paid executive at an advertising agency . His life revolves almost exclusively around sex, he does not have any steady relationships at first. In the first episode of the series, he meets the underage Justin Taylor and begins a turbulent relationship with him. Brian is also the father of the artificially conceived child Gus, who is raised by a lesbian couple he is friends with, Melanie Marcus and Lindsay Peterson.
When Brian loses his job at the agency, he sets out with its own advertising agency independently . A short time later, he developed testicular cancer , which he initially kept a secret from his friends. After his recovery he bought the “Babylon” discotheque, where a little later homophobic fanatics carried out a bomb attack that left numerous dead and seriously injured.
When Brian, worried about whether his friend Justin was among the victims of the attack, realizes how much he loves him, he confesses this love to him for the first time. A short time later, the two decide to marry, which they ultimately discard, since Justin goes to New York City to advance his career as an artist.
- Michael Charles Novotny
Michael "Mikey" Novotny is Brian's best friend; the relationship between the two is platonic . Michael initially works in the “Big Q” supermarket as the deputy branch manager and keeps his homosexuality a secret there. In the first season Michael meets the chiropractor David Cameron and moves in with him; however, the relationship breaks up after a while.
Michael later went into business for himself with a comic booklet business and, together with Justin as an illustrator, brought out his own comic series called "Rage" with a gay hero who was very similar to Brian. Michael meets the university professor Ben Bruckner, whom he eventually marries in Canada. Michael is seriously injured and almost dies in a bomb attack on the “Babylon” nightclub. After his recovery, Michael and Ben adopt their foster son James "Hunter" Montgomery at the end of the series. Michael is the father of the artificially conceived child Jenny Rebecca, who is raised by Melanie and Lindsay.
- Justin Taylor
Justin Taylor is the baby of the group at the age of 17. The problems of coming out are presented in person . He meets Brian in the first episode of the series and falls in love with him. Over time, his mother gets used to her son's homosexuality, his father reacts completely negatively and finally drives him out of the house. Justin is artistically gifted and after graduating from school decides to study at an art college. His life is shaken when he is knocked down by a homophobic classmate with a baseball bat and seriously injured.
After his recovery, he first moves in with Brian and then brings out a successful comic series with Michael. In the second season he separates from Brian and gets together with a musician, but Justin later ends the relationship and moves back in with Brian. After moving out again and reconciliation, they decide to get married. Ultimately, it doesn't come to that because Justin is going to New York City to advance his career, which was predicted by a renowned art critic.
- Emmett Honeycutt
Emmett Honeycutt is openly gay. He often describes himself as a " queen " and likes to speak of himself and his homosexual friends in the female person. In the first two seasons he works in a small boutique for “gay fashion”, later he has a small party service with Vic Grassi. At times Emmett is the star of Ted Schmidt's porn website on the Internet as "Fetch Dixon" . He later appears as a " queer guy" on local television news.
After a happy relationship with an elderly millionaire who soon dies of a heart attack while having sex in the airplane toilet, Emmett later gets together with Ted; the relationship breaks down when Ted becomes addicted to the drug crystal meth . After that, Emmett had a relationship with football player Drew Boyd, who initially played the straight sports idol for the public, but eventually came out as gay. This relationship also fails.
- Theodore "Ted" Schmidt
Ted Schmidt is the intellectual and oldest of the group, but he lacks self-confidence. His great passions include porn , opera, and athletic younger men. In most cases, however, he is ignored by the latter and initially remains without a permanent relationship. He and Emmett later recognize their mutual affection and temporarily become a couple, which soon breaks up because Ted becomes addicted to drugs.
Ted initially works as an accountant . After losing his job, he started offering gay pornographic sites on the Internet. Due to legal problems, he has to close his offer, becomes unemployed and finally becomes addicted to drugs. After a successful drug withdrawal , he takes a position as chief financial officer at Brian's advertising agency. At the end of the series, he meets his old love Blake Wyzecki again, who had stood by him as a supervisor during his withdrawal.
- Benjamin "Ben" Bruckner
Ben Bruckner is a Lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and is HIV positive. After some high-risk experiments with steroids that he injected himself, Ben is finally open and optimistic about his illness. Shortly after he met Michael Novotny, the two became a couple and married in Canada. They later fight for custody of the sixteen-year-old HIV-positive James "Hunter" Montgomery, whom they adopt at the end of the series .
- Deborah "Debbie" Novotny
Debbie Novotny is the mother of Michael Novotny and works at the Liberty Diner , a popular meeting place for friends. She takes care of her brother Vic Grassi, who is also HIV-infected and who initially lives with her and later dies in the series. Her flashy clothes and buttons always stand out, as does her commitment to gays and lesbians. Justin finds temporary home in their house for season one, and Emmett for season four. In the second season she meets with police officer Carl Horvath, who finally moves in with her in the fifth season.
- Lindsay Peterson and Melanie Marcus
Lindsay Peterson , called "Linds", is a long-time friend of Brian, the father of her artificially conceived son Gus. Peterson is a lesbian and lives with her friend Melanie Marcus , nicknamed "Mel," an assertive lawyer. Lindsay is an art teacher who later works in a gallery and has reactionary parents who do not approve of her way of life. Mel is also very good friends with Ted; however, this relationship is shaken when she learns that he has spent the money entrusted to him on Gus' studies on drug excesses.
Lindsay and Melanie get married, and Mel lets Michael fertilize herself artificially. While she is carrying the child, Lindsay has a brief affair with the artist Sam Auerbach. The women separate. Due to the bomb attack in the “Babylon” discotheque, however, the two realize that they want to stay together. They move to Toronto , Canada with their children Gus and Jenny Rebecca because they do not want to let the two children grow up in a homophobic environment.
Minor characters
Daphne Chanders is Justin's best friend; the two have an intimate platonic relationship. Daphne has a happy and uncomplicated nature and supports Justin as much as possible. Daphne stands by Justin when he comes out and is expelled from the house by his father.
Jennifer Taylor is very concerned, but also proud of her son Justin. She tries to support him and, unlike her husband, shows understanding for him. The Taylor's marriage eventually falls apart, and Jennifer Taylor meets a younger man with whom she begins a relationship.
Victor “Vic” Grassi has a dry sense of humor and initially lives in a house with his older sister Debbie. Since Vic became ill with AIDS , he has been cherished and cared for by her. When he meets Rodney, he moves in with him. Grassi dies after an argument with his sister; the two can no longer reconcile.
David Cameron is Michael's friend in the first season of the series. He is divorced and works as a chiropractor. Michael is intimidated by his lavish upper-middle-class lifestyle. David eventually leaves town to move to Portland . Michael backs down at the end of season 1 because he stands by Brian after the attack on Justin. He had moved to Portland for a while between seasons 1 and 2, but returns at the beginning of season 2 after breaking up with David.
James "Hunter" Montgomery was already working on the gay sex scene at the age of 16, after he was already sent to "buy" by his mother and later ran away from home. He is also HIV positive. It later turns out that he is straight. He is first taken in by Novotny and Bruckner as a foster son and adopted by them in the fifth season.
Blake Wyzecki is a young drug addict who has an interest in Ted. His drug addiction stands in the way of a long-term relationship with Ted. Blake reappears later, meanwhile cured of his drug addiction. He works as the leader of a self-help group in the addiction counseling center that Ted visits after his withdrawal. At the end of the series, Wyzecki and Schmidt meet again.
Drew Boyd is a friend of Emmett Honeycutts. He is initially a customer of Honeycutts Party Service, then has a casual relationship with him. The quarterback of a professional football team is considered a model heterosexual, but is secretly looking for gay one-night stands. In the fifth season he comes out in front of the television camera and temporarily loses his job.
occupation
The series was set to music at the Arena Synchron in Berlin. Claudia Sander wrote the dialogue books, Oliver Feld directed the dialogue and also spoke the character Emmett Honeycutt.
Leading actor and voice actor
| role | actor | Voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Kinney | Gale Harold | Karlo Hackenberger |
| Michael Charles Novotny | Hal Sparks | Marius Clarén |
| Justin Taylor | Randy Harrison | David Turba |
| Emmett Honeycutt | Peter Paige | Oliver Field |
| Ted Schmidt | Scott Lowell | Santiago Ziesmer |
| Ben Bruckner | Robert Gant | Matti Klemm |
| Deborah Novotny | Sharon Gless | Astrid Bless |
| Lindsay Peterson | Thea Gill | Tanja Geke |
| Melanie Marcus | Michelle Clunie | Cathlen Gawlich |
| Daphne Chanders | Makyla Smith | Esra Vural |
| Jennifer Taylor | Sherry Miller | Sabine Arnhold |
| Vic Grassi | Jack Wetherall |
Michael Telloke Joachim Siebenschuh |
Episode list
International charisma
- In addition to Germany, the series was also broadcast in Belgium , Finland , Hungary , Italy , Slovenia , Spain , Great Britain and France .
- In Greece , the first season under the title "„νάμεσά μας" ("anamesa mas", for example "among us") was broadcast by the Star Channel. Because of the orthodox television viewers who complained to the station, the broadcast was stopped despite high ratings.
- In Croatia , the LGBT gay and lesbian community had launched a campaign to broadcast the series in 2003/2004. The broadcast was rejected on the grounds that there were technical difficulties.
literature
- Christian Mentz (Ed.): Queer as Folk - Das Ultimative Fanbuch . 1st edition. Bruno Gmünder Verlag , 2008, ISBN 978-3-86187-478-2 .
Awards
Queer as Folk has won seven awards, including the Prism Award , and has received 20 nominations for awards such as GLAAD Media Awards and DGC Craft Award .
Web links
- German fan page with episode guide and background information ( memento from December 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- Queer as Folk in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual proof
- ↑ German synchronous index: German synchronous index | Series | Queer as Folk. Retrieved March 12, 2018 .