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#2 |
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Do you think there will ever be a similar US show, a "realistic" teen drama?
Already has been one. It was called "Freaks and Geeks" and was canceled due to low ratings. Though I don't know if they had any gay characters on it (didn't really watch it too much). |
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#4 |
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"Realistic" dramas generally don't do as well, like "Freaks and Geeks", so I'm not surprised a "realistic" teen drama with gays isn't on this second either. TV usually has outrageous situations (like those from 24, FearFactor, CSI, Survivor, GilmoreGirls, OC, etc etc etc etc etc) and characters to attract viewers which dissolves all hope of "realism".
Having "lesbians" on the OC hardly counts, as this is probably done most for the purient tastest of the male watchers- I highly doubt any of the OC is targeted at straight males. Straight men would only be interested in the 2 women kissing then change the channel - not worth watching 30minutes of a show for only a 3second kiss when there is pr0n or 30minutes of sports/violence on another channel. The OC seems more for female teens and female 20-somethings... and if some females happen to be gay or experimenting they surely can relate more with a gay female than a gay man. there is no in depth discussion of homosexuality or how it feels to be gay, exploring deep relationsships, that sort of dynamic. As mentioned by others, the average viewers/youths don't want to watch that on TV & I hardly call 1 show (Degrassi) as proof otherwise. For "realistic" deep discussions on relationships one shouldn't look to fictional 30minute TV programs whoring themselves for ratings anyways, not anymore than than they should seek entertaining violence at a nunnery. |
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#6 |
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The best show about gays was an American comedy called "Brothers" from the 1980s. It was hilarious for the first couple of seasons.
There were two main gay characters in it, one of whom was just a regular guy, but the other was flaming. The brothers of the regular guy were coming to terms with his homosexuality. Best episode: the one where Donald had to walk home from the Julio Iglesias concert because he'd thrown his car keys on stage in a fit of passion. |
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#7 |
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IIRC, "The OC" (or some reality drama) has 2 regulars that are lesbians (teens or 20-somethings) in a relationship who've kissed and are exploring their relationship, not butch ugly stereotype lesbians. I never watched more than 20seconds tho.
Are lipstick lesbians or butch lesbians the primary stereotype? |
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#8 |
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#9 |
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#10 |
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#11 |
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#12 |
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In all honesty, I don't watch shows about developing relationships of any kind either, JCC. Mind you, I don't watch TV at all so I'm a bad example, but the case holds true for the US too. It's not merely homophobia from what I can tell, there are no serious shows about "relationships" on network TV at all. Desperate housewives appears to be some sort of thinly-repressed voyeur porn, and the OC looks like more of the same gorgeous twentysomething drama fluff that's been around since before 90210. There doesn't seem to be a market for serious examination of anything, at least not to me. You want that, read a book or watch a movie. TV is churned out too regularly to stay witty or cerebral for long.
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#13 |
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#14 |
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From my reading of it, nothing on US regular TV comes even close. Having "lesbians" on the OC hardly counts, as this is probably done most for the purient tastest of the male watchers- there is no in depth discussion of homosexuality or how it feels to be gay, exploring deep relationsships, that sort of dynamic. Will and garce is also a huge example- I mean, Will lives with Grace, not with any of his lovers- Grace has gotten married, what 3 times? Will and Jack for some reason have never formed a long term relationship lasting even a whole season- which is fine, since not having this allows the show to ignore having to look in depth at an actual gay relationship.
No, the US is NOT ready to show a show in whcih "real" gays hash out their lives. The only show anywhere close is supposedly the "L word" on paycable Showtime, abdout lesbians. |
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#15 |
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IIRC, "The OC" (or some reality drama) has 2 regulars that are lesbians (teens or 20-somethings) in a relationship who've kissed and are exploring their relationship, not butch ugly stereotype lesbians. I never watched more than 20seconds tho.
"Desperate Housewives" had 2 teen gay boys (who didn't seem stereotyped) caught naked in pool together last episode, but I don't know if they're regular characters & I don't believe the show is a "youth-oriented" teen drama. I'm not a fan of chick dramas, so I haven't actively tried watching dramas (much less specifically realistic teen dramas) on tv to find gay couples or otherwise... but I wouldn't be surprised if Europe or Canada had more "controversial" gay scenes. |
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#16 |
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#17 |
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#18 |
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Well, they were ready for it, they just didn't want to watch it. Dramas not based on courts or police seemingly get low ratings no matter what they are about... unless they are on cable.
Btw, not like homosexuality is taboo on American TV. No matter what you think about the quality of it, "Will & Grace" still gets high ratings. And "Queer Eye" would if they didn't make it suck this season. |
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#19 |
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NECRROOO!
Just thought I'd bump this because one of the actors the OP was about came out. ![]() http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...e=degrassi2006 Despite playing gay teen Marco on "Degrassi," actor Adamo Ruggiero has never publicly addressed his own sexuality. On Wednesday night, the star sat down with eTalk's Tanya Kim and discussed the parallels between his own life and his on-screen character's life for the first time. "It was interesting, I was growing up at the exact same time as my character was growing up, and he was questioning things that I was questioning, and I was just a kid," says Ruggiero. "It was a little overwhelming in the sense that the things I was feeling were being broadcast to the world, and in a way kind of made me revert back almost because I didn't know how to confront it myself." Ruggiero has decided to go public with his homosexuality, and will be posing for the cover of "fab Magazine," Canada's leading guide to gay culture. On-screen, Ruggiero's Marco Del Rossi has had a challenging time coming out to his friends and family, even announcing his lifestyle to his entire school at a public assembly. Feeling that his character's arc is coming to an end on the series, Ruggiero thinks that this is the right time to talk about his own sexuality. "The thing with 'Degrassi,' is it's not the role we're playing -- we've become these role models and spokespeople for these issues. And I thought, you know, I was learning and I learned, and I thought what better way to share my knowledge than right now." Ruggiero says that the interesting thing about his own journey to self discovery is how closely his "coming-out" experiences mirrored Marco's. "The funny thing is, every time Marco did it, I did it. Marco came out to his mom in his room on the bed, and I did the exact same thing, with my mother, in my bedroom. And Marco confronted his dad in the kitchen, and I did the same thing, with my dad in my kitchen. And I didn't even plan it that way," says Ruggiero. "Maybe it's life imitating art, or maybe that's what 'Degrassi' intended to do. I feel like I'm living proof of what the show wanted to accomplish." Born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, and a first-generation Canadian, Ruggiero isn't concerned about the impact that coming out could have on his career. He hopes that others can follow his example and not be afraid to talk about gay issues. "Degrassi: The Next Generation" is currently in its seventh season on CTV, and airs Monday nights at 7:30 p.m. ET. |
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#20 |
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