Russell Davies' Cucumber/Banana Premiers (Queer as Folk/Dr Who reboot creator)

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 4:45am

As anyone who cares (and I doubt anyone does,) the original UK Queer as Folk had a big impact on my teenaged life and, while it seems a little quaint now (which says a lot for how things have changed,) I still think highly of the writing and acting.

(I'll refuse to let this turn into a rant about why the US/Canadian version was so inferior.)

Since then I've enjoyed most of Russell T Davies' writing, from Bob and Rose (which had many QAF upset because he "dared" to have a show about a gay man falling for a woman,) to at least the first few years he wrote of Dr Who.

While I've seen him explain the titles for Cucumber/Banana (and the online Tofu,) and how they relate to some term somewhere for erections in different stages of life too many times, I still think they're awful titles. And the trailer seems to highlight, as trailers do, too many "cute" moments in its short duration, but I'm still extremely looking forward to this.

Starting Jan 22 (in the UK--so torrent sites had better not get shut down again anytime soon,) Cucumber will premier on Channel 4, where QAF aired. It's about a mixed group of primarily middle aged gay guys. After each episode, Channel 4's more youth oriented sister channel E4 will air Banana, about a young group of GLBTs (apparently,) that will be interconnected to some extent with Cucumber. (Tofu will then air on the online site and is a sorta series of documentaries with people talking about sexuality issues--think I'll not bother tracking that down.)

Each will air for 8 episodes with Cucumber being an hour, and Banana 30 minutes. Logo has bought the rights for the US but Logo severely censored and edited both versions of QAF, and there's zero doubt they'll do the same here.

A trailer and a clip of Russell yammering on can be found


HERE Updated On: 1/9/15 at 04:45 AM

[HorseTears]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 2:18pm

This looks intriguing. And, yes, those are terrible names, but a lot of British shows have odd names. Please bump this thread when they're available. Thank you kindly, Eric.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 1/8/15 at 2:29pm

Cucumber/Banana/Tofu

Thanks for the explanation Eric.

I'm somewhat relieved to learn it's a reference to member states.

I initially thought it was a salad from Kitchen Nightmares.

[VeraCharles3]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 3:19am

Thanks Eric

I think the titles are just daft and until seeing the trailers I wasn't too interested in the shows but will give them a go.

I take it you mean January 22 not Oct 22!!

The link below is Channel 4/E4's On Demand site where you can watch shows after they air and also a lot of Channel 4's back catalogue, but I don't know if the site works outside the UK? Hopefully it does.

http://www.channel4.com/on-demand

[HorseTears]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 4:00am

Vera (and anyone else who cares) - yes, you can access the Channel 4 On Demand site (or the BBC iPlayer) from outside the UK by downloading the "Hola" extension for Chrome or Firefox. Similarly, Vera, you can use Hola to watch geo-restricted online content from the US.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 11:44am

A few friends of mine are working on Cucumber and Banana (its shot in my city) and all i have heard is positive stuff. A low budget 3 part new gay drama should be out next year as well (online or via DVD) called Outings, also shot here in Manchester and created and directed by a great friend of mine. So lots of great new gay shows popping up

sneak peak of Outings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7QoXXYgkRQ

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 11:55am

I love the idea of related shows on different channels. It's like "House & Garden" but on the tee vee.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 11:56am

I think I already hate the lead from Cucumber. Funny that--it doesn't bother me a bit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7iP9gA4u9c Link fixed.

Updated On: 1/10/15 at 11:56 AM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 12:00pm

And Banana's:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afASM_sXbl4&hootPostID=8da271ec7feda05d25b1ebcf22f3d7a3

Davies has taken some elements, he says, from what Channel Four wanted him to do back in the QAF days, when they complained that they wanted a series, but he didn't know how he could link the lives of young out gay men with those who had just come out.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 12:16pm

Songanddance -- that actually looks really good! And VeraCharles thanks for the correction. These pneumonia pills have made me really bad with dates.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 2:39pm

Damn. Pneumonia pills? Take care of yourself, Pickle! Back in the UK, my grandmother had a friend named Pickle. That was her given name, not some silly nickname. Pickle. Pickle lived well into her late 90s. /storytime

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/9/15 at 3:25pm

You should be a writer for a tv show And why is Pickle not another euphemism for an erection?

(Thanks Horsey)

[HorseTears]

Posted: 1/10/15 at 5:10am

I think it could be... for an elderly gentleman? I mean, by it's nature, a pickle is something old and preserved.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 4:43am

Some early reviews are out. The Guardian is positive (in fact it's so glowing that it seems a little extreme...) http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jan/16/cucumber-banana-tofu-russell-t-davies-review

The List (whatever that is,) is more mitigated but liked them: https://www.list.co.uk/article/67737-tv-review-cucumber-banana-tofu-channel-4/

[HorseTears]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 7:06pm

Eric, please bump this thread when the first eps from the tool trio are available on demand. Peas and thanks.

Updated On: 1/21/15 at 07:06 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 11:00pm

I suspect they will be (or so a friend tells me) by tomorrow dinner time, for us Pacific Coasters. But I shall. I'm expecting a divided reaction from all I've seen, so I'm curious tohear responses (well, if anyone but us on here even watches them )

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 5:08am

Slightly related--BBC, in contrast to the largely positive reviews for this show, ran excerpts from the reviews when Queer as Folk premiered in 1999. I knew the show was very controversial, and a lot has changed on UK tv in 15 years, but I had no idea the reviews were so... homophobic. Especially since by the time it became a hit the critics seemed to change their minds.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/30908801?post_id=514962678_10153070415352679#_=_

[Scripps2]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 9:26am

I'll be watching and commenting Eric. QaF wasn't so much a big part of my life as a reflection of it, particularly as it was filmed in locations I frequented. I remember the buzz generating amongst friends before it screened ("There's a programme coming and it's about us."); an acquaintance was an extra in the gay-sauna sequence, though I'm still not sure which butt was his; and I knew of a marriage-of-convenience taking place to keep to stop someone from being deported.

Interesting to read the reviews. Homophobia from Bushell in The Sun and Lee-Potter in the Mail does not surprise me. I guess they reflect the times but, to me, 1997-2000 represented a time of significant change and huge optimism when it seemed that anything was going to be possible for gay men and that the shame we were expected to feel was going to ebb away.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 9:49pm

Scripps, I think you are right. I'm prejudiced because I lived in London (and Ireland) over a year period right after high school in 1999-2000 and even Dublin, but especially London seemed so accepting of gays to me compared to what I was used to. Some of that, though, I think was just how shocked I were that they loved such campy stuff (I mean Steps was mainstream at the time,)and i didn't realize that wasn't necessarily connected with gay the way it would be here.

Horse--they are up. Just got home and about to watch.

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 10:23pm

Cucumber is show up as a "naughty" version, as ________ likes to say. No Banana yet, though. Wonder if I should wait to watch them together?!

Update: OK, I watched it. Wow. One 45 minute episode, and more happens within that time than will occur in 5 seasons of Looking. Updated On: 1/22/15 at 10:23 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/23/15 at 12:51am

Well yeah, but Russell Davies writing is always on hyper drive--at least when he did QAF. It was nice to see a return to that style. You don't expect the same from the writer and director of Weekend... I mean you can dislike Looking for many reasons, but to compare two very different gay shows that have such different styles and point of views doesn't make much sense to me. OK, I'll quit with the Looking defense...

I loved it. And I it, and I felt Banana complemented it perfectly--will be interesting to see future episodes that deal with more peripheral characters and are written by different writers (ie a trans writer wrote a trans episode,) etc.

From the previews I thought I would hate Henry. I get why critics are calling him "unlikeable," (that term I hate so much,) but Vincent is so great in the role, I found him rather endearing, even when he was having his boyfriend arrested.

Tofu was kinda a wash. It was either hot or completely creepy to hear some of the actual actors (OK, mainly Freddie Fox who is known for being a "wild child" actor,) go on about how good they are in bed with men and women, and then the focus on 'real people' especially the one guy who loves prostitutes (not that I necessarily disapprove of the sex profession but, man, he creeped me out,) ruined some of my good will for the previous two shows.

I think this show will really divide people. Maybe it in a different way than the (UK) Queer as Folk did, because I see this dividing gay audiences specifically. Russell has never been a subtle writer--but his writing techniques *are* subtle and often brilliant.

I can't wait for next week.

Updated On: 1/23/15 at 12:51 AM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/23/15 at 1:22am

Terrific review from the actual TV critic of the Guardian (even if he has to make sure people know he's straight.) He liked Tofu more than I did--but I do agree with his last statement that the cucumber/banana/tofu terminology, I thought would work the other way around...

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/23/15 at 1:49am

I will say that the Brits have the comments under post thing down. The fierce debates and especially the hatred for these shows under some of the reviews (granted much of it from straight viewers who want to make sure you know they are straight,) make the polarizing view of Looking look like agreement.

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/23/15 at 1:56am

"I mean you can dislike Looking for many reasons, but to compare two very different gay shows that have such different styles and point of views doesn't make much sense to me. OK, I'll quit with the Looking defense..."

Well, they are the only two gay shows on TV right now... doesn't seem too outlandish. And one was very dense with story and one has very dense characters...

[VeraCharles3]

Posted: 1/23/15 at 2:50am

Eric - sorry to hear you have been unwell. I hope you are better now? And apologies for being all pedantic correcting the date!!

HorseTears - thank you for explaining the Hola thing. Great to be able access "catch up" outside the UK.

Cucumber - at the risk of sounding like BWW's very own Billy Crystal, I thought this was nothing but sex! Far too much. Maybe I am a closet prude!!! It just all seemed so shallow. I am unsure if I will watch next week.

Banana - so much better. This I will be watching. More of a lightness of touch.

Maybe it's me who is shallow as I found the cast of Banana so much more attractive, lol.

Look forward to reading everyone's thoughts!