DVD
Review | Queer As Folk (Season 3)
Written by: Kage
Alan
While I wasn’t overly fond of the first half of
Season 1 of “Queer As Folk,” the second half of it really took off and
got away from the British version. Once the show found a life of its
own, it suddenly became rather interesting. Season 2 followed suit
and introduced a whole slew of new plot threads and developments. The
finale was a tad of a downer, but it certainly kept viewers wondering
what would happen in the next season. So, here we are.
Where were we? Right…here. As we last left the
gang, Justin (Randy Harrison) had dumped Brian (Gale Harold) for poor
violin player Ethan (Fab Filippo). Why? Because Ethan showed genuine
affection for him, something that Justin had been wanting and needing
from Brian since the beginning and not receiving. The two are still
together in Season 3, but developments in Ethan’s career could cause
some bumps down the way, especially when he’s noticed by a producer who
insists that for a music career to take off, Ethan will have to be known
as straight. And Brian? Aside from missing Justin, he takes on a
homophobic candidate who’s running for mayor, basically turning the
man’s less-than-stellar numbers completely around. Savior? Saint?
Hardly.
Lindsay (Thea Gill) and Mel (Michelle Clunie)
discuss whether or not they want another child. Things naturally get a
bit heated when they have to decide who would carry the child,
especially since Mel doesn’t let Lindsay forget who makes the most money
in the relationship. And just guess who the father is going to be? Ted
(Scott Lowell) continues to date Emmett (Peter Paige), each experiences
a change in working status and poor Ted ends up taking a plunge into the
seedier side of life. What? A porn site wasn’t enough? Michael (Hal
Sparks) and Ben (Robert Gant) deal with problems of their own before
bringing an addition into their little family in the guise of a young
male prostitute they rescue from the street.
Obviously, there’s lots going on in these 14
episodes and while they all left an impression, 14 felt too short to
work out some of the more interesting plot threads. One such story
element involved something from the original show; Brian’s nephew making
false accusations against him. This is something that really does
happen, so I wished they’d have stretched it out a couple of episodes.
As for the finale, while there are still unresolved issues, it is
decidedly upbeat and much appreciated that way. I’m very curious to see
where the show goes in the next season.
Showtime has released “Queer As Folk (Season 3)” in
its original Full Screen format. Picture quality is wonderful and
barely has any grain present at all. Audio quality is excellent,
especially since the show features some outstanding new dance tracks.
It’s as much about sound as it is picture, so the transfer excels.
Extras this time around start off on Disc 4 with an audio commentary
consisting of various cast and crew on the final episode. Ever hear of
too many cooks spoiling the broth? In this case, it does. Had they
spread everybody out into smaller groups throughout the episodes, it
might have made for some fascinating insight. Here, though, there are
way too many people and they can’t really get into as much as they might
like.
The rest of the extras are found on the final disc
and include “Behind the Camera – The Directors” (15 ½ min), “Behind the
Camera with Cast and Crew” (26 ½ min), “Hot Summer Days” (32 ½ min with
questionable audio quality), “Wrap Party Reel” (11 ½ min), “Enter
Babylon: Los Angeles” (12 ¼ min), a Music Video by Kristine W. titled
“Some Lovin’” (4 min), “Quotes, Folks and Notes,” an “Animated Photo
Gallery” (4 min), “Season 4 Sneak Peek” (4 ½ min) and “Trailers and
Spots.”
With so much changing in the world in terms of gay
rights, I have to wonder what the show is going to feature next. There
is always the possibility of gay marriage, so we’ll see what happens. I
do wonder what kind of longevity “Queer As Folk” will have and just how
far it will go. With so many people watching it, I imagine it will
certainly be around long enough to find out. Until Season 4…
Film Rating:
B+
DVD Special Features: B+
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