Channel 4 - 40 Years Out

Dudess

I think here is more appropriate than the Television forum.

Channel 4 is showing a series of programmes this week to mark the 40 years since homosexuality was decriminalised.
Right now the drama, Clapham Junction, is on. It depicts 36 hours in the lives of various men - one openly gay, some secretive about their sexuality, one having difficulties coming to terms with his sexuality, some married and having casual flings with men, two who have just had their civil partnership ceremony, an under-age guy who lusts after an older man. It's really good - some of it is a little clichéd but far less than I thought it might be. For those who haven't seen it, I'm sure it will be repeated. It's Channel 4 after all.
And, sorry if I cause offence, but to a red-blooded hetero female like me, it's pretty darn hot!!!

MooseJam

Dudess wrote:

but to a red-blooded hetero female like me, it's pretty darn hot!!!

I didn't think woman got anything from watching men together ?

Goodshape

That program ('Clapham Junction') got quite a lot of criticism on a few forums I read for it's stereotypical view of homosexuality (i.e. that it goes hand in hand with being a sexual deviant).

Missed it myself though, so I can't really comment personally.

I did see 'A Very British Sex Scandal' that was on the night before, and thought it was quite interesting. Shame it took an additional 30 years for decriminalisation over here.

BuffyBot

Clapham Junction was bound to ruffles feathers as it could never be all things to all people in the space of 2 hours.

Some of it was well above average, some of was cliched, some of it was cringeworthy (in both the good and bad ways). It had definitely highlights and quite a sense of place and time (considering it's set over 36 hours and within a small group of interlinked people I guess that's a good thing). It could have been a lot worse, and it could have been better if slightly extended.


A Very British Sex Scandal I thought was quite well done.

Dudess

I agree there were clichés in Clapham Junction. I thought some of the characters adhered to the stereotype of gay men being ultra-predatory and unable to think about anything but c*ck (I mean, the way the just-married guy made a pass at the younger waiter - come on!). Also, every guy was SO beautiful! I'm not complaining, but can gay men not be unattractive-looking?! Plus, the way the middle-aged women were discussing homosexuality - the writer must have a bit of a problem with middle-aged women (just like the writers of Desperate Housewives have a problem with older women!)
Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the programme. I thought Paul Nicholls' character was interesting - so full of self-loathing for being gay that he took his anger out on other gay men.

MooseJam wrote:

I didn't think woman got anything from watching men

Good God, MooseJam! Well you know the way hetero men go wild for girls together? Same thing. Brokeback Mountain - holy crap, did that film cause me impure thoughts!

tallus

The "Queer as Old Folk" thing was interesting. Tho I didn't see all of the show.

Vinnie69

For those who missed any of these programmes, MORE4 is showing them from 9pm tonight to 12.50 but NOT Clapham Junction which is a pity. No doubt Channel 4 will repeat it again at some stage. I have to say I agree with Dudess, there was a lot of "stage gay" characters but I suppose something is better than no gay drama on the box:D

Vinnie69

I forgot to mention that last Wednesday's Tubridy show had Phil Gerpott and Bill Hughes discussing Clapham Junction and I thought that Bill hit the nail on the head with comments, well worth listening to

AnBealBocht

Has it been all of 40 years?.

Talliesin

Eh, it's been 40 years since the 1967 Sexual Offences Act partially decriminalised private sexual acts between two men aged over 21 in England and Wales.

It's been 50 years since the Wolfenden report (1957).