5.05 Excluding and Abstemiousness

We've reached the end! Every single episode of the original UK Queer as Folk and the US version of the show are in the bag. Join us for one last circuit around the gaybourhood as we compare and contrast the two shows to find out which one is the best. Patrick also challenges Matt to a Queer as Folk pub quiz with surprising results! Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com

Michael speaks at an anti-Prop-14 press conference, but deviates away from his prepared speech when Debbie and bunch of people we’ve never seen before show up. Ted’s new BF Tad get a bit obsessive and freaks out everyone in sight.  Brian and Justin call off their wedding, and Justin leaves for New York. Melanie and Lindsay also hit the road and pack up their Subaru for the drive to their new home in Toronto. It first aired in the US on August 7th, 2005. It was written by show runners Ron Cowan and Daniel Lipman. They wrote the finale of every season of the show.  We Will Survive! Was directed by Kelly Makin. A top tier director to wrap things up. He directed 11 episodes of Queer as Folk over the years.  Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com  

Brian and Justin keep barreling towards marriage even as Justin’s career as a painter awaits him in New York. Melanie and Lindsay ask for Brian and Michael’s blessing to take their children out of the country, with Michael agreeing, but Brian disagreeing and then finally agreeing after some pressure from Lindsay. Drew and Emmett break up after Emmett realizes that Drew needs to fuck around for a while before he will be capable of having a relationship. We meet Ted’s new boyfriend Tad, who immediately starts calling the shots in the relationship. “Mr Right (Never Broke and Promise) was directed by John Fawcett, his last of three episodes. His first was season 2’s “The Dangers of Sex and Drugs” where Justin becomes a gogo-boy at Babylon and Emmett and George Shickle start their world tour. Loved that episode, and not just because we got a scene of Justin in briefs. It first aired in the US on July 31st, 2005. It was written by Michael MacLennan, his last of 13 episodes. He wrote two episodes of Peter Paige’s show, The Fosters in season 3. Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com  

Everyone comes to terms with the bombing and what it means to their lives, in very different ways. Brian makes an improbable swing to marriage with Justin, Ben attacks proposition 14 supports, and Drew Boyd speaks at the vigil. Melanie and Lindsay consider a new future for themselves and their children that doesn’t include Pittsburgh or any of their long term friends and fathers and Ted continues to blame himself for Michael’s injuries and seeks out a form of punishment in a bathhouse.  It first aired in the US on July 24th, 2005. It was written by Brad Fraser, his final Queer as Folk teleplay. He wrote 8 episodes, produced 12, and was the story editor of 14 episodes. “Fucking Revenge” was directed by David Wellington. He directed one of our favorite episodes, called “Wherever That Dream May Lead You” which featured a drag king troupe bookending the stories.  Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com  

Today we’re talking about episode 10 of Season 5, and it’s called “I Love You." It first aired in the US on July 17th, 2005. It was written by Del Shores, his final episode. He wrote eight episodes, and produced 41 episodes.  “I Love You” was directed by Kelly Makin, his tenth of eleven episodes. He also directs the series finale. Here’s the synopsis of “I Love You.”  The lives of every character are rocked by anti-proposition 14 sentiment that culminates in a Babylon fundraiser being targeted with a bomb.  Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com  

Brian and Michael continue to quarrel over Michael’s new life, ending in Michael calling it quits and moving on from Brian. In a quasi related runner, Ben and Michael come to terms with what it means to publicly fight against Proposition 14. And we meet Jennifer Taylor’s new boyfriend, a hunky science teacher named Tuck who whisks her away on a motorcycle.  Tiring of fucking everything that moves, Ted’s search for a husband leads him to a Jewish mixer where he meets a hot as fuck urologist who while examine Ted’s penis discovers that Ted isn’t Jewish. Melanie and Lindsay beat the crap out of each other before Melanie appears to force herself on Lindsay. And finally, Drew Boyd comes out on live TV! “Anything in Common” was directed by Queer as Folk veteran David Wellington, his seventh of eight episodes. He directed season two’s “wherever that dream may lead you.” That was the episode that was musically bookended by the drag king troupe, and it’s also the moment that Michael decided to buy his comic shop.  It first aired in the US on July 10th, 2005. I was written by Brad Fraser, his seventh of eight episodes. He also produced 14 episodes of the show and was the story editor for another 14 episodes.  Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com  

Brian’s midlife crisis reaches a head when he wins his bet with Brandon, but opts not to collect his reward. Drew Boyd is outed in a tabloid and turns to Emmett for advice. When the paparazzi track him down, he hides out in Emmett’s bedroom.  Ben continues to stress over Hunter’s departure and clashes with Michael as he begins giving away Hunter’s possessions. Lindsay and Melanie begin their home-separation with mixed results, and Justin confronts his father over his supporting the anti-gay initiative Proposition 14 and ends up being arrested.  It first aired in the US on July 3rd, 2005 and was written by Michael MacLennan, his 13th of 14 episodes. He would later go on to write two episodes of Peter Paige’s show, The Fosters.  “Honest to Yourself” was directed by Kevin Inch, his 8th of 8 episodes. He directed one of our favorite episodes, of course from Season 1, “Ted’s not Dead” Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com  

Justin dumps Brian and moves in with Ben and Michael, much to the consternation of Brian who pays them a late night drunken visit. After banning Random Hot Guy Brandon from Babylon, Brian launches a contest with him to top the ten hottest guys in Pittsburgh.  Ben is still depressed over Hunter running away from home, and it took Homer and Achilles to snap him out of it and join Michael in protest of Proposition 14, a seemingly impossible anti-gay rights ballot initiative.  Lindsay decides to move in with her parents, which doesn’t last a single night when they try to set her up with a hunky male lawyer at the dinner table. In the last runner of the night, Ted exacts his revenge on the hot-as-fuck Troy that he’s been stringing along for hours and hours of hot bottoming. “Hope Against Hope” was directed by Thom Best. He only directed three episodes of Queer as Folk, but his more important role was as director of photography for 43 episodes.   It first aired in the US on June 26th, 2005. I was written by Shawn Postoff. This is his last work on Queer as Folk. Over the years he wrote 7 episodes and served as story editor for 26 episodes. Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com  

Today we’re talking about episode 6 of Season 5, and it’s called “Bored out of Ya Fucking Mind”  It first aired in the US on June 19th, 2005. I was written by Del Shores, his seventh of eight teleplays. He also produced 41 episodes, or half of the series.  “Bored out of Ya Fucking Mind” was directed by Alex Chapple. He directed 8 episodes and this is his last one. Alex Chapple is probably the most accomplished director post-Queer as Folk, working on shows like The Americans, every flavor of Law and Order, Stargate Universe, Chicago Fire, Blue Bloods, Elementary, and Chicago PD to name just a few.  Synopsis: A newcomer on the scene appears and challenges Brian’s dominance of Liberty Avenue by rejecting him!  Justin continues to yearn for a relationship with Brian that is more like Ben and Michael’s.  Hunter’s mostly unseen struggle with his classmates knowing that he’s HIV positive and a retired hooker comes to a head, and he runs away from home. Emmett goes a bit too far as Queer Guy and scandalously shows off underwear on live television. Debbie realizes that she’s bored and returns to work at the Diner with Carl’s blessing, and Ted starts a revenge game with the guy that pity-fucked him two years ago at Pride.  Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com  

Today we’re talking about episode 5 of Season 5, and it’s called “Excluding and Abstemiousness” It first aired in the US on Jun 12th, 2005. It was written by Shawn Postoff, his sixth of seven episodes, and he also served as story editor for 14 episodes.  “Excluding and Abstemiousness” was directed by Chris Grismer, who only directed three episodes of Queer as Folk. He went on to direct episodes of Kyle XY, Orphan Black and the the Keifer Sutherland vehicle, Designated Surviror. Here’s the synopsis of “Excluding and Abstemiousness” The fight over baby JR intensifies when Michael and Ben leave her with Justin and Daphne and she promptly suffers from a fever and ear infection causing Melanie, Lindsay, Michael and Ben to confront the situation at the hospital. We’re left with Lindsay and Michael saying that they are withdrawing from the three way custody agreement. Hunter’s troubles at school continue after a car crash of a parents meeting. Callie seems on his side at first but then wanders off with a boyfriend that we never knew existed. Ted’s plastic surgery story comes to an end when he appears at the bar looking exactly like he did before he had plastic surgery. And finally, Loretta’s awkward injection into Queer as Folk comes to an end after Debbie at long last tells her that she’s straight and not interested in her. Check out Still Queer as Folk US, Still Queer as Folk UK and our other great shows at slightlyunbalanced.com