Honest Storytelling Wrapped in Raunch
This series started as a snark watch- and man, was I thoroughly surprised. In America in the late 70s and early 80s, we had a genre of comedy that could only be labeled as "sex-romp raunch." As the first episodes of this series unfolded, I assumed this was the same.
Very quickly I realized it is not. Through an almost farcical presentation (where even the most serious of offenses are brushed off with a, "and then they decided not to charge me for drug distribution and here I am, back at the bar the very next night") there are very real examinations of sexual identity, childhood trauma, using sex as a self-destructive form of self-medication, and what it means to function in a society that narrowly defines beauty in unattainable ways.
The farcical presentation ensures the themes never seem "preachy" and there is a real heartache for both the male lead and his "roommate" as they attempt to navigate sexual identity, genuine feelings, and ultimately, what it means to love someone. The tropes are all there (childhood connection) and I could easily identify with the impulse to seek revenge on the school bullies who destroyed your sense of self-worth and laid the foundation for a distorted self-image that follows you into adulthood.
This is not for everyone. The humor is crude and the frankness with which sex is discussed and explored (verbally and visually) may not be your cup of tea- it is not necessarily sexy all the time, but it is honest.
It is unapologetic in its crassness as if daring you to see past that to the heart that is there. But I think that's the ultimate takeaway for me. The series is blatant in stating that stereotypes about gayness (specifically that they are sex-hungry bodies incapable of "real relationships" that move beyond the superficial) are destructive and dangerous because they can shape reality for some- and moving past the stereotype is not an easy process nor is it without damage.
Very quickly I realized it is not. Through an almost farcical presentation (where even the most serious of offenses are brushed off with a, "and then they decided not to charge me for drug distribution and here I am, back at the bar the very next night") there are very real examinations of sexual identity, childhood trauma, using sex as a self-destructive form of self-medication, and what it means to function in a society that narrowly defines beauty in unattainable ways.
The farcical presentation ensures the themes never seem "preachy" and there is a real heartache for both the male lead and his "roommate" as they attempt to navigate sexual identity, genuine feelings, and ultimately, what it means to love someone. The tropes are all there (childhood connection) and I could easily identify with the impulse to seek revenge on the school bullies who destroyed your sense of self-worth and laid the foundation for a distorted self-image that follows you into adulthood.
This is not for everyone. The humor is crude and the frankness with which sex is discussed and explored (verbally and visually) may not be your cup of tea- it is not necessarily sexy all the time, but it is honest.
It is unapologetic in its crassness as if daring you to see past that to the heart that is there. But I think that's the ultimate takeaway for me. The series is blatant in stating that stereotypes about gayness (specifically that they are sex-hungry bodies incapable of "real relationships" that move beyond the superficial) are destructive and dangerous because they can shape reality for some- and moving past the stereotype is not an easy process nor is it without damage.
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