Breakfast at Tiffany's – Because I Do Not Know

QAF Series Finale

"Queer as Folk" ended its run on Showtime last night. Gay.com has a quick roundup of what happened, and Jason launches into his thoughts about how many in the gay community feel we should "play straight" to gain acceptance -- among other things.

Now, please know... I understand that, at times, the LGBT community needs to sometimes send the "We're just like you" message to the rest of the world.---It can be incredibly useful, appropriate, and powerful.

However, for many years now, I've become more and more a fan of the "We are NOT like you" message.---Many times, I just... I don't want others to try to "empathize." I am tired of trying to get others to "understand."

When did "understanding" become a prerequisite for respecting (or god forbid, loving) another human being?!?!

The fact is we ARE different,... and I'm sorry... but in many cases, we're even better.---I'm almost finished with wanting to be "tolerated."---I'm ready for us to be ADMIRED.

I, too, tire of the message mostly trotted out by the politicians looking to score some gay votes or "human-rights" groups looking to score more contributions. We are different. We don't necessarily fit in. But we are special. Isn't that what the diversity police always telling us about why we should be so accepting of other groups?

And as for the graphic sex "QAF" brought to cable TV ... what do we gain from having a neutered fuss-boy like Will Truman on the boob tube every Thursday night for the past eight years? Hello! Gay people do not watch "Will & Grace" because we associate ourselves with either Will or Jack. We watch because we love Karen! Sex is part of our lives, certainly more of a part that "The Sopranos" bloodlust.

Now the series finale itself, in my opinion, was rushed. Too many loose ends existed that could not be tied up in one show. For Emmett, one of the more colorful characters, we are left with the final image of him just "hooking up." I did like the surprise of again bringing back Blake for Ted, as perhaps his true love.

I did not like the writers following through on the lesbians migrating to Canada. I felt a more powerful message would have been for them to pack and prepare to leave -- only to change their minds and stay and fight. In fact, much of last night's message was one of defeat, until Michael's speech and the final scene. I would have preferred a more "upbeat" ending, with Brian reopening the club, the lesbians staying, the anti-gay proposition defeated and Emmett or someone saying, "We've come a long way, baby."

To me, that would have been a much better message to close out what has been a groundbreaking cultural experience. Still, season five was a vast improvement over the previous two years. I only wished "QAF" had gone out with the bang it came in with, not a whimper.

UPDATE 1: Cola Boy provides his take, which leaves me to believe that maybe I misunderstood the ending. Was the closing sequence a dream or reality? Maybe we aren't suppose to know.

UPDATE 2: Scotty shares a touching story of the impact "QAF" had on his life. And I never added a link in the blogroll for Scotty. I am still confused by all of the Scotts. I'm correcting that now.

4 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 5:54 PM
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4 Comments:

Thanks for the add, i am linking you too. I too felt that the ending was rushed and agree with so much you said INCLUDING that we watch Will and Grace for ONE reason...Karen!!! I also echo your statement that QAF, out there as it was, to me took the "we don't apologize for being different" approach. I am gay and proud to be. I don't want to be like my hetero counterparts. i want to be accepted for who I am.

One other thing...I felt like the end was NOT a dream but that it was sayign that Brian moved on...reopened and became himself again...just as Justin had to do. just my thoughts (or maybe what i wanted it to be).

By Joel, at 7:43 PM

I took the ending as being real, too. But I can see the dream sequence logic, as well. The whole season never worked into a lather, I felt. Unlike the last couple of seasons, it never infuriated me, but it also never hit the highs of those first two seasons, either.

Still, I am grateful for an America where QAF was even possible. And I'm grateful to the producers and Showtime for letting it fly.

By Jay Six, at 10:02 PM

Thanks for the shout out, sweetie!
Sorry you were't super-crazy about the last episode, but glad that you kinda agree with me. :-)

My favorite quotation from the finale: "You'll always be young! You'll always be beautiful! You're Brian Kinney, for f*ck's sake!"---Now, I just need someone to say that to me! ;-)

By jason, at 3:15 PM

"Will & Grace" was never about gay people. It's about three nutjobs and the straight (albeit gay) man who sets up their one-liners. I like the show, but not because it has gay characters.

As for "QAF," I was hoping after the sensational bombing episode that the momentum would continue. Instead, it just fell flat. I would guess other series ended the same way; it's just that I've never watched very many from start to finish.

By Jake McCafferty, at 5:28 PM