Gay characters on soaps

[DRW50]

B&B is too desperate for more viable romantic pairings to have any gay characters in leading roles. They've run so many Rick/Taylor/Nick/Brooke/Ridge/Eric offshoots into the ground. If a gay man or a lesbian arrived and was popular with fans, they'd almost have to put them into heterosexual relationships (since I don't think B&B would be controversial enough to put an existing character into a same-sex relationship) to help break up the claustrophobia with most of the other pairings.

I'm not sure why they've never had small roles for gay characters, like designers, or critics, but B&B has always been reluctant to even go there.

[bleedingroseca]

As someone who actually watches GL, I would have to disagree. GL is in fact doing the story far better than ATWT or AMC at the moment. And they are doing it without fanfare, hoopla or labels. GL should be applauded. I believe they have every intention of allowing these two women to enter into a romantic relationship and I'm content to allow the wonderful writing and acting take me there.

What exactly have you seen that leads you to believe they are stringing anyone along?

[Phoenix11]

ICAM.

[baller]

As someone who has watched long, long before it became trendy (blackouts anyone?) It was a lot of innuendoes and other Xena Warrior Princess looks building up to the "big kiss" so they could run around and tell everyone they are not gay, and this point gets made. And now we'll get more of the looks and the moments and the characters being accused of being gay but of course they arn't with the random Xena look thrown in--towing the line for everyone.

Carl, very good B&B point---a gay character couldn't go and sleep with everyone--and continue the family love.

[JackPeyton]

i wont complain about how much gay storylines suck.

because so do minority storylines.

hell so do storylines that are about str8 white rich people duck.

soaps in general suck.

[All My Shadows]

Basically, so that's why I find it funny when people act as if the gay storyline (coughNUKEcough) is the only one that's ever done right. LMAO. Holy biased agendas, Batman!

[bleedingroseca]

See...this makes no sense. You stated not too long ago in a different thread that you didn't watch GL very often and had only seen a handful of Otalia's scenes.

Up until the kiss there was no innuendo at all. NONE. And this Xean stuff is nonsense. I suspect you know that too. Liv has never said she has no feelings for Natalia nor has Natalia said that. They are clearly dealing with the fallout from the presentation and the kiss, both of them in their own way. Of course we will get more of the looks and the moments, it's a love story for crying out loud. And it's a love story that's being built slowly, in the classic soap tradition. It would be insulting to everyone if they just threw everything out the window and jumped into bed at the mere suggestion they are a couple. Please.

Perhaps more soap writers could take a cue from GL, especially AMC, and allow the audience to become invested in the characters and story before rushing too far forward too quickly. GL is doing this just right. I have not a single complaint. When they do get together, and I believe they will, it will be very satisfying for the audience.

I must also add about the kiss. It was not meant to be romantic in any way. It was meant to be uncomfortable, jarring; and it was. It was meant to move the story forward, jolt the characters out of their complacency; and it did. It was mean to set up the shift in their relationship; and it has, beautifully.

There is simply no comparison to anything that has ever been seen for a same-sex couple on televisoin before. GL should be commended for telling this story slowly, with care and attention to detail, and without hoopla or labels. Kudos to GL, Crystal Chappell, Jessica Leccia and the writing staff for a job well done.

[DRW50]

I'm not sure if anyone believes the entire Nuke storyline has been done right. I think some fans are happy to see a gay male couple onscreen who are relatively sane, happy, affectionate people, considering most of the crap TV gives for gay men.

I could point out all the flaws in the Nuke story, because there have been many, but I'd rather just focus on what has worked and what I like about the relationship before the inevitable day when the actors leave, or ATWT destroys the characters, whichever comes first.

I'd love to be in a position where I could demand high standards for a gay couple on a soap, or on any TV show, but sadly we're not there yet. And will not be there for some time. It's the level of fan support, along with some criticism along the way, which has helped to get even the scraps viewers have had with Nuke.

I don't think Pratt cares about the audience being invested in the story. He probably wanted a showcase for Tamara Braun, he wanted conflict for Zach and Kendall and Kendall and Bianca, and he wanted to try to shock people with the idea of a lesbian turning straight. If the audience hates the story he may even see this as a success.

I'm not sure where Otalia are going but I agree with you when you say that story has been written much more in mind with what an audience would want.

[Mitch]

I think the O and Nat storyline on GL IS groundbreaking in that it is NOT a gay storyline, its about people who have fallen in love despite their sexuality. I think that it is actually making people in the audience question their perceptions of sexuality (i.e. a lot of people on the boards are raising cain as Liv was a man eater and N has never made any indication that she could be gay) and how people can fall on a scale. I think that it is also good that its not just a Nuke storyline where they are gay on their own little island but their relationship is effecting other characters like Frank, Rick a reenergized and bad again Alan and the returning Phillip.

I am actually amazed that the soap that gave us the last four years of crap are doing this difficult and complex storyline and doing it right, with compassion, sexiness, and humor.

[nicknack]

Actually there are a lot of soaps that have done just that. Just none of them in the United States.

[DRW50]

Have any foreign soaps ever had two previously heterosexual characters fall for each other? I know Forbidden Love put previously straight Christian into a love story with Olli, but Olli was already gay.

I only know the British soaps, Forbidden Love, and All That Matters.

[baller]

I'd actually be curious to hear others thoughts too...I've only since bits of British soaps.

LOL glad to know my posting is followed so well--my break from frustrations over stoies on GL has moved into catching the clips I want to see on You Tube (and also left me excited for Phillip) but enough about me and the intense following of my postings.

I agree with what people have said that the "gay" or not gay but still gay storylines are being treated like other ones on daytime--I see the same issues in GL and ATWT and AMC.

[NorrthCafe]

Steve Frame I thoroughly enjoyed your comments and agree! I made the same point about the introduction of gay characters being similar to that of the introduction of African-American characters on the GL board last week. GMTA.

To be honest, as a person of color and having lived through this - I'm disappointed. I think it's silly that daytime writers think they have to 'ease' the audience into storylines about gays and lesbians. I think it's leading to incredibly bad choices by writers (Reese and Zach, for one- the fiance Binks knew nothing about, for another. Said fiance potentially sets Reese up as bisexual insteaad of lesbian to keep her and Zach as a possibility). Personally, I've wondered if Braun tested with Kaye and the writers liked what they saw enough to decide to make Zach the dad to forge a bond with the two characters.

Now there's the 'damage control' comment GL's Alan made about Otalia and Emma's report about her two mommies, today. The two women couldn't even use the word 'lesbian'.

The maybe-they're-not-really-gay characters make me think of the they're-not-really-black characters who were first introduced. Was it Ellen on Edge of Night who was passing for white in the (70's)?

Why haven't daytime writers learned?

[rangethatrover]

OLTL is the gayest soap on the air without having any gay characters.

Very campy and gay sense of humor.(Nobody does comedy better than OLTL) Gay headwriter, lesbian scriptwriters, gay executive producer....

Well to me, Rex has been gay since day one. He is just ready to explode.

But that being said, I think the lack of a frontburner gay character on OLTL is wrong.

But I think, based on OLTL's heavily gay production and writing team- the show's lack of a gay character, much less storyline, is from an a--hole who sits at the top.

So the show makes up for it with double entendres, blowjobs at La Boule, and David dressed as a Buddhist

[bleedingroseca]

I could have sworn Olivia had used the word lesbian several times already.

I think before we judge what GL is doing we need to step back and allow them to do it. You can't judge somethng that hasn't happened yet.