Six Feet Under - Need Input!

Kath · 07-13-2004, 11:39 AM

Had a "debate" with a friend of mine last night when we were discussing HBO's Six Feet Under. I said that I thought the characters David & Keith were really positive, because it showed this gay couple at home, working on relationship issues, talking frankly about sex and interacting within their families, communities, jobs, etc. - basically showing many different facets of their lives and being REAL people.

He says that all the people he knows are offended by the David/Keith relationship because it shows them to have too much of an open relationship - something he feels makes people look down on the gay community, like these guys can't be monogamous (sp) simply because they are gay or something. I dunno... his argument is "I'm gay and you're not so you won't understand."

That may be true... I'm not arguing that, but I want to understand.

I just wanted to pick some brains in here and see what you guys thought. I really like the David/Keith characters and now that they've worked out their relationship in therapy and together bucking that same therapy as a team and just working on things at home, I think they're even better as a couple... I mean it's a lot like all couples - the things we argue about, fears, worries, desires, issues, etc. So what if they have an open relationship - they are young guys, they aren't married and obviously they both agree that this is OK. So what's the big deal? Lots of couples have open relationships!

Anyway... short story long - would love some opinions on these characters and this show... thanks in advance!
:bow:

Jasun · 07-13-2004, 01:20 PM

I've only seen the first season, so really i can't comment too much, but what I always tell people about gay characters on TV is that nobody's mind is gonna be changed. A lot of people thought that Queer as Folk was gonna make gay people look like back-stabbing shallow perverts. It does, but nobody other than the people who watch the show care.

Dynasty made rich people look like back-stabbing shallow perverts, and did Dallas... Knots Landing made sub urban middle class people look like back-stabbing shallow perverts.

Hey, Friends made New Yorkers look like boring, lazy shallow people who drank too much coffee and never did anything.

It's TV. Your friend shouldn't take it too seriously.. nobody else does...

Kath · 07-13-2004, 01:41 PM

Thanks Jasun - excellent points - especially about not taking it too seriously.

The show kinda sucked last season, but I think this season it has come back into its own... MUCH better! And you're right... media doesn't really change peoples' minds about things.

I read a review on Fahrenheit 9/11 that said people who went to see the movie who believed it came out feeling even stronger about how they felt before they saw it, and that people who thought it was bull, felt even stronger about it after seeing it as well. I think I'd read something similar as well about The Passion. I guess media just sort of re-confirms your own thoughts about things... it's not as persuasive as we sometimes think.

Good points - I'll be sure to share them tonight. Thanks!

Xstr8guy · 07-13-2004, 05:00 PM

David and Keith's relationship is very typical as far as I know. I'm am in my first long term gay relationship and we set the ground rules early... no guests in the bedroom. My partner has been in several long term relationships and all were open relationships until this one. He says open relationships can be fun, but the negatives can be very detrimental to the survival of the relationship. Of the gay couples we know, I would estimate that 75% of them have open relationships (to some degree).

But having said all of that... I think we could have made an exception for that hairy hunk that David and Keith brought home last season!

**Lee** · 07-14-2004, 02:17 AM

Originally posted by Xstr8guy
But having said all of that... I think we could have made an exception for that hairy hunk that David and Keith brought home last season!

Or that kinky thing that woman who Nate used to be boinking is now screwing

He's cute :p

Regards,

Lee