More Queer as Folk (UK) talk...
Feb. 10th, 2005 05:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
butterflySo, I'm currently in love with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
killabeez's QaFUK vid to Little Brother. And I'm watching it for the nth time and... in the stuff from series two (which I haven't seen yet) Vince looks just like Ewan McGregor. Bizarre, yet sexy. Seriously. Especially in the one where Stuart is kissing that other guy and then the camera focuses on Vince in the background, watching nervously.
Stuart, of course, never looks like anyone but himself. He's unique and quite lovely, he'd tell you so himself.
Anyway, I broke down and ordered the second series. If they do redo the collector's for region 1, I'll just buy it again.
1. The bracelets are something that I find infinitely delightful on rewatch. I love that they never explain them, that the show just has this as part of their friendship. Stuart's is always fairly visible, while Vince's is hidden under his watch most of the time (I hear that he switches in the second series). And I'm not entirely sure that Vince sleeps with his on -- we do know that Stuart shags and sleeps without taking his off.
2. Another thing that I adore is that Stuart is generally not the tallest man in the room. He impresses by sheer force of personality. And that is why I would definitely take Stuart over Brian (if I were a hot gay man and were given the choice). Brian is beautiful. Stuart is magnetic.
3. Vince believes in Stuart. Stuart's innumerable shags don't bother Vince one bit (I especially love his fond smile as Stuart goes after the guy that Vince was admiring, as well as the one from earlier. The other guys express doubt that Stuart can pull it off, but Vince has faith in Stuart) because they really don't mean anything on the level that Stuart and Vince live. More than that, unlike Nathan, Vince doesn't want to be Stuart. There are things about Stuart that he admires and wishes that he could do, but he's remarkably comfortable in his complete geekiness.
If Stuart needs to be adored, Vince needs to adore. He's fannish, one of us, you see. Fans adore -- even when they tear what they love to pieces, they do it with every bit of emotion that they carry. Vince has two fandoms -- Doctor Who and Stuart Alan Jones. He's equally versed in the details of both -- he knows Stuart's house better than Stuart does himself.
So, it absolutely makes sense that Vince would rather stick with being Stuart's best friend. He doesn't want SAJ to jump the shark and stop being the quality piece of work that he's been following for sixteen years now. Where he stands, he has the best view. As Phil said, this way, Vince gets to look at Stuart all the time.
And Stuart doesn't want to rock the boat either. He's not out to his parents (as of the end of first series). At this point in time, when Stuart cares about a relationship, he doesn't want to do anything to shake it up.
Both Stuart and Vince depend on each other and they each get valuable things from their friendship.
But they're stuck in a holding pattern.
Then comes Nathan, then Alfred, then Cameron. Three huge changes, all very quickly. Vince and Stuart actually have to break out of their normal state of interaction. They both have to grow up in regards with how they act towards each other.
Do any of the episodes have titles? I should look it up.
But anyway, the episode with Martin Brooks and Vince's first date with Cameron is really the first time we see Stuart's devotion to Vince shine. He encourages Vince throughout the episode (may be subconsciously trying to 'make up' for Nathan in the earlier episode). And then there's the scene after Vince's date with Cameron, when Stuart asks, "Vince, is it so hard to believe that someone fancies you?" Stuart is so very low-key in that scene, very much about Vince. This is perhaps the first time that Stuart's really had to think about his effect on Vince. He starts looking really thoughtful when Vince derides the idea that a gay man could go on a date and not want a shag.
And Stuart's melancholy mood continues to the next day. He's almost morose as the scene with Martin Brooks starts, and he's fierce when he goes after Martin for being 'a tourist'. It's actually the beginning of a shift towards a more thoughtful Stuart. He goes over to bring Alfred back to Romey and Lisa, and it's all "at your age" from Nathan and teasing from the lesbians. And normally, Stuart bites back at least as hard as he's bitten. Here, he holds Alfred and stays fairly quiet. And poor Stuart looks so baffled when Lance takes Alfred right from his hands. And again, he has no biting comment after Lisa's insulted him again. The next time we see Stuart smile is when he sees Vince. He's also deeply out of it (an attempt to combat his uncharacteristic doubting of the day?). He hits on Cameron. Sorta. But the words that he uses -- there's always something better -- they really strike a chord with me. He's on this thoughtful bent. He knows that Cameron wants more than a shag from Vince. Oddly, it almost sounds like Stuart is trying to convince himself that his way is best. His tirade to Martin about living the life strikes me as almost bitter in places, disillusioned. And Vince says that he hasn't see Stuart that pissed in ages.
The amusing thing about the 'Cameron tattles on Stuart' scene is Vince's automatic assumption that Cameron isn't good enough for Stuart ("He wouldn't fancy you"). He doesn't say anything like "Oh, Stuart wouldn't try to shag a date of mine." And Cameron's determination to convince him just seems to puzzle him. That must be such a frustration to Cameron, that Vince's faith in Stuart is incapable of being budged by anything that Cameron says.
But Cameron's smart enough to figure out that the only way to beat Stuart in Vince's affections is to get Stuart to take a dive. But Cameron's wrong -- that's something that always strikes me. Stuart is not keeping Vince at twelve -- Cameron is making the mistake of equating passion for childishness. Because Vince cares for something that Cameron thinks is silly, Vince must not be a 'real' grown up. The problem with Cameron is that he's all 'whatever you want' and then he proceeds to slag what it is that Vince likes. And this isn't the last time he'll do it. He really only wants the show of doing what Vince likes. Stuart teases Vince about his love for Doctor Who, but he'd never expect Vince to suddenly stop liking it. Because that's just a part of who Vince is. Whereas Cameron sees it as a sign that Vince hasn't 'grown up'. Again, as a fan and the daughter of fans, you don't grow out of it. My mom was a fan back when the original Star Trek was airing, and I've recently pimped her into Stargate SG-1. It's not something that's needed to grow out of. Stuart gets it, he understands. He understands Vince. Vince is not a kid and Stuart doesn't control him. But Cameron wanted to believe that, maybe needed to. He really liked Vince, and if Vince's attachment to Stuart were some sort of sick adolescent obsession, then Vince could get over it and move on, with Cameron.
The way Stuart just rips his own heart out, when he thinks that he might be standing in the way of Vince having a happier life. And Stuart without Vince is a complete mess. Vince is the person who gives Stuart his unstoppable confidence -- no matter what, Stuart knows that he must be absolutely wonderful, because he couldn't manage without Vince and here Vince is, loving and adoring him completely. He's lovely, he has no doubts -- because he has someone who is always willing to show and tell him just how lovely he is. The only audience that Stuart cares about impressing is Vince, everyone else is just a bonus. Doesn't mean that he doesn't like shocking or impressing other people, but their reaction doesn't matter -- it's Vince's reaction that Stuart looks for.
Vince doesn't expect attention, not of any sort. He doesn't go looking for it and he's always surprised when he gets it (see: Cameron, meeting to car). And I adore that, no matter what, his first reaction to anything big happening is to tell Stuart. He depends on Stuart just as much as Stuart depends on him, but for different things. Stuart is a mildly attentive ear, which is something that I always appreciate -- he'll let Vince babble himself out. He may not actually be paying any attention, but that's not needed. Just that he could be paying attention if it were needed. I'm a lot like Vince, in that I can talk for days. I don't expect people to actually listen to most of what I say. I'm always vaguely surprised when they do.
They just have this wonderful, complex relationship that can be boiled down to the simplest thing in the world -- they each want the other to be happy. That's love. That's the ultimate expression of selfless love. Like Vince says at the end of series one -- unrequited love is fantastic. Love doesn't require reciprocation to be worthy. Of course, in this case, Vince is being an idiot, as Stuart completely adores him, but Vince does have a hard time seeing himself as important, as Hazel says.
I really need to see the second series, which'll take a few days to arrive (free shipping and all). So much. It's such a brilliant show.
killabeez's QaFUK vid to Little Brother. And I'm watching it for the nth time and... in the stuff from series two (which I haven't seen yet) Vince looks just like Ewan McGregor. Bizarre, yet sexy. Seriously. Especially in the one where Stuart is kissing that other guy and then the camera focuses on Vince in the background, watching nervously.Stuart, of course, never looks like anyone but himself. He's unique and quite lovely, he'd tell you so himself.
Anyway, I broke down and ordered the second series. If they do redo the collector's for region 1, I'll just buy it again.
1. The bracelets are something that I find infinitely delightful on rewatch. I love that they never explain them, that the show just has this as part of their friendship. Stuart's is always fairly visible, while Vince's is hidden under his watch most of the time (I hear that he switches in the second series). And I'm not entirely sure that Vince sleeps with his on -- we do know that Stuart shags and sleeps without taking his off.
2. Another thing that I adore is that Stuart is generally not the tallest man in the room. He impresses by sheer force of personality. And that is why I would definitely take Stuart over Brian (if I were a hot gay man and were given the choice). Brian is beautiful. Stuart is magnetic.
3. Vince believes in Stuart. Stuart's innumerable shags don't bother Vince one bit (I especially love his fond smile as Stuart goes after the guy that Vince was admiring, as well as the one from earlier. The other guys express doubt that Stuart can pull it off, but Vince has faith in Stuart) because they really don't mean anything on the level that Stuart and Vince live. More than that, unlike Nathan, Vince doesn't want to be Stuart. There are things about Stuart that he admires and wishes that he could do, but he's remarkably comfortable in his complete geekiness.
If Stuart needs to be adored, Vince needs to adore. He's fannish, one of us, you see. Fans adore -- even when they tear what they love to pieces, they do it with every bit of emotion that they carry. Vince has two fandoms -- Doctor Who and Stuart Alan Jones. He's equally versed in the details of both -- he knows Stuart's house better than Stuart does himself.
So, it absolutely makes sense that Vince would rather stick with being Stuart's best friend. He doesn't want SAJ to jump the shark and stop being the quality piece of work that he's been following for sixteen years now. Where he stands, he has the best view. As Phil said, this way, Vince gets to look at Stuart all the time.
And Stuart doesn't want to rock the boat either. He's not out to his parents (as of the end of first series). At this point in time, when Stuart cares about a relationship, he doesn't want to do anything to shake it up.
Both Stuart and Vince depend on each other and they each get valuable things from their friendship.
But they're stuck in a holding pattern.
Then comes Nathan, then Alfred, then Cameron. Three huge changes, all very quickly. Vince and Stuart actually have to break out of their normal state of interaction. They both have to grow up in regards with how they act towards each other.
Do any of the episodes have titles? I should look it up.
But anyway, the episode with Martin Brooks and Vince's first date with Cameron is really the first time we see Stuart's devotion to Vince shine. He encourages Vince throughout the episode (may be subconsciously trying to 'make up' for Nathan in the earlier episode). And then there's the scene after Vince's date with Cameron, when Stuart asks, "Vince, is it so hard to believe that someone fancies you?" Stuart is so very low-key in that scene, very much about Vince. This is perhaps the first time that Stuart's really had to think about his effect on Vince. He starts looking really thoughtful when Vince derides the idea that a gay man could go on a date and not want a shag.
And Stuart's melancholy mood continues to the next day. He's almost morose as the scene with Martin Brooks starts, and he's fierce when he goes after Martin for being 'a tourist'. It's actually the beginning of a shift towards a more thoughtful Stuart. He goes over to bring Alfred back to Romey and Lisa, and it's all "at your age" from Nathan and teasing from the lesbians. And normally, Stuart bites back at least as hard as he's bitten. Here, he holds Alfred and stays fairly quiet. And poor Stuart looks so baffled when Lance takes Alfred right from his hands. And again, he has no biting comment after Lisa's insulted him again. The next time we see Stuart smile is when he sees Vince. He's also deeply out of it (an attempt to combat his uncharacteristic doubting of the day?). He hits on Cameron. Sorta. But the words that he uses -- there's always something better -- they really strike a chord with me. He's on this thoughtful bent. He knows that Cameron wants more than a shag from Vince. Oddly, it almost sounds like Stuart is trying to convince himself that his way is best. His tirade to Martin about living the life strikes me as almost bitter in places, disillusioned. And Vince says that he hasn't see Stuart that pissed in ages.
The amusing thing about the 'Cameron tattles on Stuart' scene is Vince's automatic assumption that Cameron isn't good enough for Stuart ("He wouldn't fancy you"). He doesn't say anything like "Oh, Stuart wouldn't try to shag a date of mine." And Cameron's determination to convince him just seems to puzzle him. That must be such a frustration to Cameron, that Vince's faith in Stuart is incapable of being budged by anything that Cameron says.
But Cameron's smart enough to figure out that the only way to beat Stuart in Vince's affections is to get Stuart to take a dive. But Cameron's wrong -- that's something that always strikes me. Stuart is not keeping Vince at twelve -- Cameron is making the mistake of equating passion for childishness. Because Vince cares for something that Cameron thinks is silly, Vince must not be a 'real' grown up. The problem with Cameron is that he's all 'whatever you want' and then he proceeds to slag what it is that Vince likes. And this isn't the last time he'll do it. He really only wants the show of doing what Vince likes. Stuart teases Vince about his love for Doctor Who, but he'd never expect Vince to suddenly stop liking it. Because that's just a part of who Vince is. Whereas Cameron sees it as a sign that Vince hasn't 'grown up'. Again, as a fan and the daughter of fans, you don't grow out of it. My mom was a fan back when the original Star Trek was airing, and I've recently pimped her into Stargate SG-1. It's not something that's needed to grow out of. Stuart gets it, he understands. He understands Vince. Vince is not a kid and Stuart doesn't control him. But Cameron wanted to believe that, maybe needed to. He really liked Vince, and if Vince's attachment to Stuart were some sort of sick adolescent obsession, then Vince could get over it and move on, with Cameron.
The way Stuart just rips his own heart out, when he thinks that he might be standing in the way of Vince having a happier life. And Stuart without Vince is a complete mess. Vince is the person who gives Stuart his unstoppable confidence -- no matter what, Stuart knows that he must be absolutely wonderful, because he couldn't manage without Vince and here Vince is, loving and adoring him completely. He's lovely, he has no doubts -- because he has someone who is always willing to show and tell him just how lovely he is. The only audience that Stuart cares about impressing is Vince, everyone else is just a bonus. Doesn't mean that he doesn't like shocking or impressing other people, but their reaction doesn't matter -- it's Vince's reaction that Stuart looks for.
Vince doesn't expect attention, not of any sort. He doesn't go looking for it and he's always surprised when he gets it (see: Cameron, meeting to car). And I adore that, no matter what, his first reaction to anything big happening is to tell Stuart. He depends on Stuart just as much as Stuart depends on him, but for different things. Stuart is a mildly attentive ear, which is something that I always appreciate -- he'll let Vince babble himself out. He may not actually be paying any attention, but that's not needed. Just that he could be paying attention if it were needed. I'm a lot like Vince, in that I can talk for days. I don't expect people to actually listen to most of what I say. I'm always vaguely surprised when they do.
They just have this wonderful, complex relationship that can be boiled down to the simplest thing in the world -- they each want the other to be happy. That's love. That's the ultimate expression of selfless love. Like Vince says at the end of series one -- unrequited love is fantastic. Love doesn't require reciprocation to be worthy. Of course, in this case, Vince is being an idiot, as Stuart completely adores him, but Vince does have a hard time seeing himself as important, as Hazel says.
I really need to see the second series, which'll take a few days to arrive (free shipping and all). So much. It's such a brilliant show.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-10 01:19 pm (UTC)Just bought a region free DVD player.. and my qaf UK dvd is ON THE WAY!! Wheeeee!!!
God, I do love them. And Stuart is a predator!! That's what I see in him.. stalking.. pouncing... ravishing. That first night with he and nate? When he poured the water over his head?
Oh kill me now!
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-10 08:32 pm (UTC)I hope that you love the second series as much as I did. It's not as flawless as the first, and the last fifteen minutes are... well, be prepared for things to take a sharp left turn there at the very end, into something much more stylized than the rest of the show. Still, though, there's much to love there.
Thank you again! You made my day.
(no subject)
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From:(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-10 08:51 pm (UTC)That is the most concise yet spot on description of Vince I've ever heard. Great post all around. :-)
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-10 10:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:QAF UK
Date: 2005-02-11 04:07 pm (UTC)Vince has two fandoms -- Doctor Who and Stuart Alan Jones. [...] So, it absolutely makes sense that Vince would rather stick with being Stuart's best friend. He doesn't want SAJ to jump the shark and stop being the quality piece of work that he's been following for sixteen years now.
Yes, absolutely...as becomes inescapably clear in the second series.
Thanks for posting!
~?
Re: QAF UK
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