(He received some criticism for that, and eventually made the series It’s a Sin in response, or perhaps atonement.) Twenty-plus years after Queer as Folk first hit the airwaves-with so many subsequent developments in queer visibility, which have led to a broader understanding of LGBTQ+ life’s many variations and nuances-we might expect Peacock’s new iteration to be a discursive celebration, more alert and inclusive than the original show but no less assured of the solidity of its ecosystem.
Davies reveled in the soapiness of gay life, with all its rollercoaster heights and dips, but largely avoided the really hard stuff, particularly AIDS. in 1999 and was quickly followed by an American version in 2000, would continue in that vein. One might think that a reboot of the seminal gay series Queer as Folk, which debuted in the U.K. Recent hits like Fire Island and Heartstopper have focused on some personal woes, sure-but mostly they are swoony and optimistic, showing queer people stepping into their autonomous fullness rather than stuck under the weight of oppression and marginalization.
Just as the horror genre has recently found itself drawn toward the well of emotional trauma, films and TV shows covering the LGBTQ+ community have been struggling to pull themselves out of it.
