queer as folk recap post, season one, episode eleven.

[musicandme]

I know you thought that I'd probably just stop doing these but you'd be wrong. What can I say? Sometimes life gets in the way of fandom activities. I hate it when that happens. Ha. But, I think that I'm ready to get back rolling in on this thing and since I disappeared for months then it's only air that sakesushimaki gives you the next recap whenever she feels like it. Right, bb? Right.

Last time on Queer as Folk ...

BRIAN AND JUSTIN HAD HOT HOTEL SEX!

I mean, that's all that happened in 110. Right? Okay. Just thought that I'd refresh your memory. Now on to Episode 11.

It's Michael's 30th birthday! You know what that means. Brian basically says that it's the kiss of death. Oh, Brian. Your 30th isn't that far away. We find also find out that Ted is 33. I think that this first scene emphasizes the theme of the episode: friendships. I really missed these group scenes in the later episodes because they were really strangely suited for one another. But, back to this episode, we pair of Brian and Michael and Ted and Emmett.

In the diner, we discover that Justin is paying Brian back for the charges on the credit card. He also sucks at being a waiter and a bus boy. Who puts their fingers into the glasses after putting away dirty dishes? Oh yeah. He's from the country club set so he hasn't worked and probably doesn't know these things. Still. Common sense. Michael and David have also broken up so that Michael can bounce around the clubs and such. He never says those words with conviction.

Emmett and Ted have to stop by a drugstore to get some Emmett some Tums because he clapped like a retarded seal when Debbie brought his pancakes (see my user icons to see retarded seal reaction). Ted finds out that the guy he had sex with is HIV positive. Yes. I intentionally left out that awkward looking sex scene in my recap photos. This is also the first time that one of the main characters (not counting Vic here) has a storyline involving HIV.

Michael has a birthday party at work and they get to eat delicious looking chocolate cupcakes. Tracy kisses Michael in front of everyone. That sums up that scene.

Sign of Impending Doom #1: We can't follow each other around for the rest of our lives. O rly? Then two mediocre tricks follow Brian into god knows where to have sex in public because Brian is hot.

Emmett dances with a skeleton and it's hilarious. Hysterical Ted line: "... great so you're the safe sex poster boy and I'm the happy hooker." It really is the ironies of ironies. Here is Ted this completely straight-laced, uptight accountant and he's the one who's fretting about a positive HIV test. Yet we've just left a scene where Brian Kinney goes to have sex with two complete strangers and we've never seen him near a hospital. Yes, it is mentioned (Ep. 102) but in name only.

I thought that I'd throw in a Groosalugg picture. Yes from Angel. Here he's "Steve" and he draws blood from Ted and Emmett for the HIV test.

I'd like to point out that Justin is taking two large boxes of Kleenex to his room. I never noticed it until I did the screencaps for that scene. If there was an entire discussion about this and I'd missed it? Link me. Debbie doesn't seem to care why Michael and David broke up but she seems to be blaming Brian (BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHE DOES) and wants Michael to get back together with his ex ASAP. David cared for Michael! Stop pining for Brian, Michael! He'll never fuck you! Settle for David! I know the dude is turning 30 but I thought that Debbie was pushing that relationship a little too hard. As far as we know she's only met him once.

Oh and since Brian's always at fault, we see the first, "I'm going to blame you for everything bad that's happened to my kid" scene with Debbie and Brian. I included Brian's annoyed face because this is the face that I put on as I watched this scene. It always makes me cringe.

I love this scene in the park between Ted and Emmett. I've always loved them as best friends. It seemed like an odd match so often but moments like these are the reasons why their relationship worked. Emmett's ridiculously happy that Ted's not negative and then a few minutes later Emmett receives a phone call from the Doctor's office and he assumes that there's a problem with his HIV test. Ted immediately goes to comfort him (albeit while looking around at everyone in the park).

Sign of Impending Doom #2: Brian being civil to David. Out of the kindness of his heart? At this point? Unlikely.

Ted comforts Emmett about the test results and then ruins Michael's surprise for the surprise party. Brian is definitely not amused but Michael gets a great surprise anyway!

Brian is turning up the stringing Michael along plan by kissing him on his birthday.

Justin was barely in this episode meaning that he didn't have much of a storyline but he certainly popped up all over that party! There is he in the corner reacting to Debbie's impersonation of herself 30 years prior to that moment. There he is again serving margaritas and being the perfect WASP. There he is again behind Emmett to see what Michael got for his birthday. This episode was a very Where's Waldo except it was Where's Justin?

Emmett got Michael an Easy CAKE Oven play on the Easy Bake Oven and Ted got Michael some embarrassing underwear that the truck of the elephant goes up when Michael gets an erection. Ted is the only person who found this funny which made the moment hilarious.

David got Michael a ... watch. You know Michael! Always wants to be on time. Brian got him something WAY better! It was Captain Astro and the first comic where Captain Astro was ever in print! Michael sported wood at the sight of the comic/Captain Astro/and Brian standing there all together like that. David could not compete with the comic/Brian and Debbie consoles him while glaring daggers at Brian.

Yet another revelation that Ted's in love with Michael but does nothing about it. Sign of Impending Doom #3: Ted's warning to Brian to let go of him because he's 30.

Emmett has a conversation with someone over the age of 40 aka Vic, discussing his drug regime because he thinks that he's got "it" and Vic assures him that being HIV positive is not what it used to be. That doesn't lift Emmett's spirits and understandably so. I think that anyone would be freaked out about the possibility of having a serious disease. Vic's stride in this conversation is only because of his own positive status and that he actually has it and it's not a guessing game for him anymore. You see the two sides here. You have someone who's lived through it, been through it all, experiences it every day and Emmett thinks that he sees his future in Vic.

The lesbians are starting their breakdown. Mel gets drunk, Lindsay is breastfeeding, and Debbie bonds with Lindsay because Gus is from her loins. The only hint that Mel's dropped throughout the episode is that she isn't getting any sex from Lindsay anymore and then somehow that resulted in this drunken, bitter behavior. Someone enlighten me.

Emmett prays that if he doesn't have HIV then ... Melanie comes in and throws up in the toilet!

Ted basically tells Michael to stop following Brian because he isn't going to give him what he wants but David probably will. Again, I need to see more of David to be convinced that he loves him and that he isn't as pushy as he appears to be. Everyone is pushing Michael in David's direction.

This is where all hell breaks loose. Brian invites Tracy to the party and introduces her to Michael's ex-boyfriend. David punches Brian. Calamity ensues! Brian has just outed Michael and hurt both Michael and Tracy and I guess David too. Tracy's anger in that last scene always seemed a little juvenile. I think it was just the way that it was played. It also made me see how she and "Mike" would've been a great pair had she been a man.

Brian then deals with the parade of people who are disappointed in him and insult him. There's Emmett, Ted, Debbie, Vic, Melanie, Lindsay and finally there's Justin. Randy said that he didn't believe that Justin would've just stuck around since he's always sticking around for Brian but I think that it was played well. It wasn't played in a way that said, "Wow! Maybe I'm going to get fucked tonight too!" He said someone needed to clean up the mess and Justin's perfectly capable of helping in that capacity.

The bad incident brought David and Michael closer together. David reiterated that he didn't want to be a consolation prize ... even though he kinda was.

Justin sleeps his hangover away comfortably in Brian's bed while Brian miserably walks around the loft. Debbie's guessed it. Brian pushed Michael away for his own good otherwise he'd be following Brian around forever. He did what Debbie wanted in his way and he looks absolutely miserable.

Does that look like the face of a man who wanted to push his best friend away?

Emmett and Ted find out that Emmett's check bounced and that was the news that was waiting for him at the doctor's office. He's not HIV positive but he did make a promise to God never to sleep with men again. I'd like to think that this happened because Emmett became HIV-phobic and not homophobic. Yes. I could be wrong (I am).

Brian stretches out with that first copy of Captain Astro, those photographs of Michael on the wall, remnants of the party, and basks in that one last celebration that he had with his best friend.

All caps provided by me at qafcaps.com! Working on them. Next few episodes finished. They just have to be posted. Until next time!

Comments

[shadownyc.livejournal.com]

Fabulous picsspam. I really found this an important turning point episode for S1.

I think Randy played Justin's final line at the party just right -- he knew there was more to the story (we learn in the next ep he's "on to" Brian).

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I completely agree. I hadn't watched it closely at first (the first dozen times I saw it) but I'm noticing much more than I have in previous viewings. This was such a sharp episode and you're right that it was absolutely a turning point.

I really liked the way that he played the line. The way that he spoke of Justin in that scene made me think that the writers had something else in mind more of a "I'm going to stay behind because I'm in love with this guy!" naivete but that changed due to the delivery of the line.

[gaedhal.livejournal.com]

These are great!

Thanks!

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! :)

[on-the-ground.livejournal.com]

I was going to sleep but I'll read it very soon.. love the caps!

*sends to memories* ;)

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Thank you, bb! :)

[verychimerical.livejournal.com]

I have nothing to add but to say what a lovely thing to see while scrolling through one's f-list :D

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Oh, joy! I'm glad that you liked it! Hee. :D

[friday82.livejournal.com]

I'm really happy to see another recap! *does Emmett's retarded seal clap* I enjoyed this. Episode 111 is one of my top favorites. :)

I know the dude is turning 30 but I thought that Debbie was pushing that relationship a little too hard. As far as we know she's only met him once.
But he's a doctor! And he's not Brian. That makes him perfect for Michael, right?

And I still want the jacket Brian wore at the party...

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

I'm happy that you're happy! In honor, I will use the Emmett retarded seal clap icon, haha.

Oh! You're right. He's a doctor. He isn't Brian. That does mean that he's perfect for Michael. I want to say that there's an unusual amount of hatred coming from Debbie in this episode but she's reacted to Brian with disdain since the first episode so this wasn't such a stretch.

I really had no idea about that jacket. I mean, I couldn't figure it out if it was like a pimp coat with a shirt underneath or that collar was part of the jacket? I wanted to mention it but I forgot about it. Hmm.