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Queer as Folk (American TV series)

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Queer as Folk
Company typeTelevision series
IndustryEntertainment, Television
PredecessorQueer as Folk (British TV series)
FoundedDecember 3, 2000; 25 years ago (2000-12-03)
DefunctAugust 7, 2005 (2005-08-07)
Area served
United States, Canada
Key people
Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman, Tony Jonas
ProductsTelevision drama series
ParentShowtime Networks, Warner Bros. Television

Queer as Folk is a drama television series that was broadcast from December 3, 2000, until August 7, 2005. Created for Showtime and Showcase, the production involved Cowlip Productions, Tony Jonas Productions, Temple Street Productions, and Showtime Networks, in addition to Crowe Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. The series was developed and scripted by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, who also acted as showrunners and executive producers alongside Tony Jonas, the former president of Warner Bros. Television.

Adapted from the British original by Russell T Davies, the narrative is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, though filming primarily took place in Toronto. The show featured Canadian directors recognized for their work in independent film, including Bruce McDonald, David Wellington, Kelly Makin, John Greyson, Jeremy Podeswa, and Michael DeCarlo. The pilot episode was directed by Australian filmmaker Russell Mulcahy. Subsequent seasons included writing input from contributors such as Michael MacLennan, Efrem Seeger, Brad Fraser, Del Shores, and Shawn Postoff.

Show premise

The storyline centers on five gay men residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Brian (Gale Harold), Justin (Randy Harrison), Michael (Hal Sparks), Emmett (Peter Paige), and Ted (Scott Lowell); alongside a lesbian couple, Lindsay (Thea Gill) and Melanie (Michelle Clunie); as well as Michael's mother Debbie (Sharon Gless) and his uncle Vic (Jack Wetherall). In the second season, Ben (Robert Gant) is introduced as a principal character.

Main

Brian is a 29-year-old advertising professional at Vangard who eventually launches his own firm, Kinnetik. He embraces a hedonistic lifestyle with casual encounters but reserves true affection solely for Justin. Although he maintains some distance from the broader gay community, he vigorously supports it. His perspective on heterosexuals is summed up as: "Those who hate you openly and those who hate you secretly."

At 17, Justin loses his virginity to Brian and flees home after revealing his sexuality to an unsupportive father. A gifted artist nicknamed "Sunshine," he suffers a queer-bashing incident in Season 1, after which Brian offers him shelter. Opting for art school over business studies, Justin's relationship with Brian is intermittent but deepens over time, culminating in a marriage proposal. Brian encourages him to relocate to New York City to advance his career.

Michael is Brian's lifelong best friend who harbors unspoken romantic feelings for him. Initially employed as a department store manager, he later opens a comic book shop and collaborates with Justin on the comic Rage. After a brief romance with Dr. David Cameron, Michael enters a committed relationship with HIV-positive professor Ben Bruckner, marrying him near the conclusion of Season 4.

Originating from Hazlehurst, Mississippi, Emmett is the most flamboyant member of the group. His varied employment includes positions as a clothing store clerk, adult film actor, event planner, and local news correspondent while managing multiple romantic relationships.

Ted works as an accountant while battling low self-confidence and crystal meth addiction. He admires Brian's lifestyle and has romantic involvements with Emmett and Blake throughout the series.

Lindsay is Brian’s college acquaintance and mother to his son Gus. She works as an art teacher whose WASP family disapproves of her bisexuality and relationship with Melanie.

Melanie is Lindsay’s Jewish partner and a practicing lawyer. Initially wary of Brian, she gradually develops a warmer relationship with him. She carries their second child, Jenny Rebecca, biologically fathered by Michael.

Ben is an HIV-positive academic who becomes Michael’s partner and eventually husband. Though initially met with skepticism by Michael’s mother Debbie due to health concerns, Ben ultimately earns her approval.

Debbie is an active PFLAG advocate proud of Michael’s openness about his sexuality. She treats all the men like family members—especially Justin, who temporarily lives with her. She works at Liberty Diner and cares for her ailing brother Vic.

Vic is Debbie’s brother employed as a chef and caterer. Following conflicts with Debbie during Season 4, Vic succumbs to complications related to AIDS.

Dr. Cameron is Michael’s boyfriend during the first season; he works as a chiropractor whose jealousy causes tension between Michael and Brian. Their relationship dissolves after several months.

Recurring

Hunter is a teenage hustler living with HIV who encounters Ben and Michael outside their residence. Ben offers him shelter, and ultimately, Hunter is adopted by both Ben and Michael. Initially harboring unreciprocated feelings for Brian, Hunter later develops a romantic interest in Callie Leeson.

Justin’s mother and a professional in real estate. She initially struggles to accept Justin’s coming out but, with Debbie’s guidance, becomes involved with PFLAG. After divorcing Craig, Jennifer begins dating a younger man named Tucker (Lucas Bryant) in season 5, a relationship Justin disapproves of.

Debbie’s partner who starts off with some homophobic tendencies. Through Debbie’s influence, he learns acceptance and proposes marriage; however, she declines due to Michael’s legal inability to marry. They settle on a common-law partnership instead.

  • Alec McClure as Chris Hobbs (seasons 1, 2, and 4)

Justin’s school tormentor who attacks him with a baseball bat and receives community service as punishment. Later employed in construction, he only expresses remorse after Justin compels an apology at gunpoint.

Brian’s assistant who leaves Vangard to join his new company, Kinnetic. She efficiently handles client relations and supports Brian’s leadership role.

A recovering crystal meth user who meets Ted at Babylon. Their relationship ends when Ted discovers Blake has relapsed. By Season 4, Blake is sober again and works as Ted’s counselor during rehab; they reunite in the series finale.

Justin’s longtime close friend who develops romantic feelings after asking him to be her first sexual partner. Justin declines but they maintain a strong friendship and later become roommates.

Melanie’s college girlfriend and biker companion. Despite Lindsay initially being hostile towards her, Leda helps rekindle Melanie and Lindsay’s relationship through a threesome but becomes increasingly emotionally involved.

A music student who briefly dates Justin while Brian is inattentive. Ethan betrays Justin by cheating with a fan, leading to their breakup and Justin reconciling with Brian.

A star quarterback who is engaged but closeted. Drew has an affair with Emmett and eventually leaves his fiancée for him. Though they do not remain together, Drew publicly comes out with a controversial televised kiss.

  • David Gianopoulos as PC Jim Stockwell (season 3)

A mayoral candidate known for homophobic views whose campaign Brian initially manages. Brian later undermines Stockwell’s bid due to his crackdown on gay clubs, resulting in Stockwell’s defeat and legal troubles.

Brian's senior partner at the advertising firm who rebrands Ryder's as Vangard. After dismissing all executives except Brian—who secures the Brown Athletics account—Brian becomes partner but is eventually fired following the Stockwell smear campaign.

A challenging artist attracted to Lindsay despite her lesbian identity; they share a brief affair after her Pittsburgh exhibition.

Leader of the "pink posse," who convinces Justin to join their group.

  • Lindsey Connell as Tracey (seasons 1–3)

Michael’s colleague at the Big Q who struggles with her own sexuality but remains supportive. She makes occasional appearances after Michael opens his comic book store.

Hunter’s high school friend and occasional girlfriend who continues to support him despite his HIV status and the associated family stigma.

  • Mike Shara as Brett Keller (seasons 4–5)

A Hollywood producer interested in adapting Rage into a motion picture.

Debbie’s replacement at the diner lacking prior experience but possessing a compelling personal history. After Loretta endures abuse from her husband, Deb intervenes. Loretta develops romantic feelings for Deb but ultimately leaves town following Deb’s gentle rejection.

Plot

The story begins with four close friends gathered at Babylon, a well-known gay nightclub. Brian meets Justin, who quickly develops feelings for him, leading to a connection that extends beyond a casual encounter. That same evening, Brian becomes a father through artificial insemination with Lindsay.

Michael’s unreciprocated affection for Brian serves as a central theme, occasionally narrated by Michael himself. Justin’s journey of coming out and his relationship with Brian deeply affect both Brian and Michael, especially given Justin’s young age of 17. Justin turns to his heterosexual friend Daphne for support while dealing with homophobic peers and the challenges of his parents’ divorce, Craig and Jennifer. In the second season, Justin and Michael collaborate on creating Rage, an underground comic featuring a superhero called the "Gay Crusader," inspired by Brian.

Brian’s son, Gus, is raised by Lindsay and Melanie, bringing attention to issues surrounding parental rights. Ted, Melanie’s accountant who once had feelings for Michael, briefly becomes involved with Emmett before facing unemployment and struggling with crystal meth addiction following the shutdown of his legitimate adult website by a police chief running for mayor.

In the fourth season, after losing his position due to opposing an anti-gay client, Brian establishes his own agency while privately battling testicular cancer. Michael marries Ben Bruckner, an HIV-positive academic, and together they adopt James "Hunter" Montgomery, an HIV-positive teenager with a history as a hustler.

Ted’s relationship with Blake Wyzecki, who is addicted to crystal meth, marks the beginning of his difficult yet ultimately redemptive battle with drug addiction.

The tumultuous relationship between Melanie and Lindsay includes episodes of infidelity and a threesome following their marriage. Melanie becomes pregnant through artificial insemination using Michael’s sperm, making both Brian and Michael co-parents to their children.

Melanie gives birth to Jenny Rebecca, sparking a brief custody dispute involving Melanie, Lindsay, and Michael. Brian’s advertising firm, Kinnetik, flourishes thanks to bold marketing strategies and loyal clients, allowing him to purchase the bankrupt Club Babylon.

In the final season, the characters face political opposition directly. The proposed "Proposition 14" threatens to ban same-sex marriage, adoption rights, and family recognition. The group actively campaigns against it through door-to-door efforts and political activism but endures significant discrimination and setbacks.

The climax occurs when a benefit event opposing Proposition 14 at Brian’s club Babylon is bombed, resulting in seven deaths and many injuries. This tragedy casts a somber mood as Brian finally confesses his love for Justin; they plan to marry but decide to prioritize Justin’s artistic career in New York.

Melanie and Lindsay rekindle their relationship but relocate to Canada for their children’s protection. Emmett becomes a television host but is dismissed after publicly kissing football player Drew Boyd on air. Ted confronts his midlife crisis and reconciles with Blake. Hunter returns home, strengthening the Novotny-Bruckner family unit.

The series concludes at the renovated Babylon club with Brian dancing to Heather Small’s "Proud," mirroring the iconic moment from the first episode. Michael’s closing narration emphasizes perseverance in the face of adversity:

Cultural implications

The American adaptation of Queer as Folk rapidly ascended to become Showtime's highest-rated program. Although it was initially promoted mainly towards gay men and lesbian viewers, it also garnered a substantial audience among heterosexual women.

The series made history with its premiere episode by presenting the first male-male sexual encounter on American television, depicting manual stimulation, anal intercourse, and anilingus—though portrayed with less explicitness than its British predecessor.

Despite the graphic depiction of drug use and casual sex within the gay nightclub environment, expected conservative backlash was limited. Nevertheless, creators Cowen and Lipman observed some unforeseen criticism from segments within the LGBT community, who expressed concerns about potentially harmful portrayals.

Queer as Folk addressed a wide array of contentious subjects including coming out, same-sex marriage, conversion therapy, recreational drug consumption (such as cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, cannabis), adoption by gay couples, artificial insemination, vigilantism, autoerotic asphyxiation, hate crimes against gays, safe sex practices, HIV/AIDS awareness, casual encounters, cruising culture, bathhouse experiences, serodiscordant relationships, underage prostitution, openly gay Catholic clergy members, workplace discrimination due to sexual orientation, the internet pornography sector, and "bug chasers"—individuals without HIV seeking deliberate infection.

The show occasionally acknowledged its standing within the gay community through a fictional TV series titled Gay as Blazes, depicted as a politically correct yet poorly received drama that was ultimately canceled.

Cultural implications in the Asian context

As one of the first dramas to portray nuanced gay characters realistically, Queer as Folk had a significant impact on alternative media throughout Asia. In South Korea—where queer film festivals were once met with controversy—the 2000 broadcast of the series helped increase visibility for LGBT stories and played a role in fostering wider social acceptance.

Cast's real-life sexual orientation

Questions regarding the actors’ personal sexual orientations were addressed during a 2015 reunion of Queer as Folk. Gale Harold and Scott Lowell explained that during the initial season they deliberately avoided discussing their sexuality to prevent distractions. Creator Lipman confirmed that even he was unaware of their orientations at that stage.

During an April 24, 2002 interview on CNN's Larry King Live, host Larry King identified Randy Harrison and Peter Paige as gay while categorizing Michelle Clunie, Robert Gant, Thea Gill, Gale Harold, Scott Lowell, and Hal Sparks as straight. Subsequently, three months later Robert Gant publicly came out in The Advocate. In 2004, Thea Gill disclosed her bisexuality.

Sharon Gless—married to Barney Rosenzweig since 1991—has been publicly recognized as heterosexual throughout the show's production period.

Following the conclusion of the series, Harold, Harrison, Lowell, Paige, and Sparks have openly discussed their sexual orientations in various LGBT-focused publications.

Setting

The narrative unfolds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; however significant creative liberties were taken—for instance, mentions of the Susquehanna River, which geographically lies in eastern Pennsylvania rather than Pittsburgh in the western part of the state. Pittsburgh was chosen to mirror the industrial backdrop of Manchester, England from the original UK series. Since Pittsburgh lacks a well-known gay neighborhood comparable to those in San Francisco or New York City, most scenes set on Liberty Avenue were filmed in Toronto’s Church and Wellesley district—recognized as that city’s gay village. Toronto was selected due to its cost-effective production environment and established film infrastructure; its gay village matched producers’ vision for Liberty Avenue perfectly.

Woody's, depicted as the main bar in fictional Pittsburgh, takes its name from a prominent Toronto gay bar whose exterior was captured on camera with minimal alterations. (In Season 4 episodes set in Toronto itself, Woody’s is renamed "Moosie’s".) Another venue featured in the series is Babylon—a name shared with a now-closed Toronto martini bar—although dance club scenes were filmed at Fly nightclub in Toronto rather than Babylon.

International and online distribution

  • United States
    • The full series was accessible for streaming on Netflix from February 1, 2014, until February 1, 2019.
  • Canada
    • Initially broadcast on Showcase, with reruns currently airing on OutTV.
  • United Kingdom
    • The first season was shown on the BBC digital outlet BBC Choice in 2002. Seasons three and four were later broadcast during late-night hours on Channel 4's digital platform E4. The BBC holds the rights to Season two, which has not been re-aired since the transition of BBC Choice to BBC Three. All five seasons have been released on DVD in the UK market.
  • Europe
    • In Norway, the debut season premiered on March 31, 2006, via Canal Digital.
    • The series began airing in Romania on the gay-focused channel Purple TV starting in late 2008.
    • In Poland, broadcasts commenced on March 1, 2010, through nFilmHD.
    • Only Season one was televised in Greece on Star Channel during 2002 and repeated in 2003; subsequent seasons were not shown. The Greek title used was "Anamesa Mas" (Between Us).
  • Asia
    • In Israel, the show was featured on Channel 3 and various yes stars channels, with reruns currently airing on HOT3 under the Hebrew title "הכי גאים שיש" ("Hachi Ge'im SheYesh," meaning "Proud As Can Be").

See also

Further reading

External links

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