I really enjoyed this eppie, think it is getting better each week. Admittedly i'm a huge Edward MacLiam fan, and he was looking very hot! But yeah, i really enjoyed it.
I just about kept watching but I can understand what put you off, all the characters are so unlikeable. Everyone in Cucumber and Banana seems to be obsessed with sex and live in unfeasibly largest loft apartments, including she shop assistants. Dean has no manners whatsoever and could well provide my turning off moment next week.
Seems like we are the only ones who like it!!!
I prefer Cucumber to Banana mainly because it continues wth the storylines and characters. Banana is different each week. I don't think they are all unlikeable either. I like Lance and i warmed to Freddie this week. Cleo is awesome and i like her son.
I thought it was pretty funny last night. The scene where they were all piled on top of each other waiting for the guy to kick them was very funny and the scene with the two lads lip synching to Katy Perry was funny also.
I thought it was pretty funny last night. The scene where they were all piled on top of each other waiting for the guy to kick them was very funny and the scene with the two lads lip synching to Katy Perry was funny also.
Yeah i found it funny too, i think some people are taking it too seriously!
Yeah i found it funny too, i think some people are taking it too seriously!
I think its that and the comparisons to queer as folk. I think they may also not be RTD fans or see this as some representation of all gay life which it isn't and its just RTD's view and his experiences.
Couple of things bugged me about last night's Cucumber ....
- Henry pimping out his own nephew and friends was gross.
- Freddie and Gregory were similarly exploitative.
- Dean expecting Henry to pay his rent makes him seriously irritating.
- How is Cleo not seeing what her son is getting up to when he was practically admitting it to Freddie in front of her?
- Lance needs to back the hell away from Daniel and fast. That is going to end badly.
I did like that the episode did try to give Freddie some more depth as a character though, which helped matter. The last scene with him and Henry seemed like a nice turnaround in their overall dynamic.
Banana was a bit better though.
- Liked Violet and Sian as a couple. The curling in the supermarket was a bit funny.
- Sian's mother is a riot. I want to see more of her.
- Violet's place is actually pretty nice as well.
- At least Sian is willing to call out Dean for being an ass too.
Tofu covering asexuality and people who are celibate/not looking to have sex was well done too.
Interestingly, the consensus within the industry - or, at least that bit where I work - is that Cucumber is a misfire
The consensus everywhere is that it's a turkey. Only 500,000 watched the last episode. Appalling ratings. RTD must be wondering how he lost his Midas touch. Channel 4 must be wondering what they could've done instead with the budget they wasted on it.
I watched the first episode of cucumber and quite enjoyed it and was planning to continue watching but I just haven't bothered to catch up with any of it so I guess my interest has waned and I can't see myself chasing around for catch up episodes.
Couple of things bugged me about last night's Cucumber ....
- Henry pimping out his own nephew and friends was gross.
- Freddie and Gregory were similarly exploitative.
- Dean expecting Henry to pay his rent makes him seriously irritating.
- How is Cleo not seeing what her son is getting up to when he was practically admitting it to Freddie in front of her?
- Lance needs to back the hell away from Daniel and fast. That is going to end badly.
I did like that the episode did try to give Freddie some more depth as a character though, which helped matter. The last scene with him and Henry seemed like a nice turnaround in their overall dynamic.
Banana was a bit better though.
- Liked Violet and Sian as a couple. The curling in the supermarket was a bit funny.
- Sian's mother is a riot. I want to see more of her.
- Violet's place is actually pretty nice as well.
- At least Sian is willing to call out Dean for being an ass too.
Tofu covering asexuality and people who are celibate/not looking to have sex was well done too.
Agree with your comments on Cucumber, it came across so creepy that nephew and friend scene. (who does that?!)
I just get the feeling this is Russell T Davies getting his rocks off by writing stuff he gets to watch back on TV, pure fantasy
That wasn't very good last night. It's just a series of random scenes just thrown together. It looks like they are making it up as they go along. Is it actually scripted or improvised?
That wasn't very good last night. It's just a series of random scenes just thrown together. It looks like they are making it up as they go along. Is it actually scripted or improvised?
Scripted as far as I can tell. I liked both episodes of Looking last night.
I think it's fair to say Channel 4 can write off the Thursday 9pm slot for anything they've actually spent money on in future.
I think it was author and screenwriter Frederic Raphael who famously said "If I fancy an actress I simply write a screenplay with them in mind, make sure they get the role, then sit back and enjoy the nude scene I wrote for them."
I wonder if that's what RTD did with this garbage, that it's all just a vanity project?
It's not that bad. It's growing more and more with each episode (personally, I preferred Cucumber last night to Banana, which felt lacking in a story). Pretty much every character, bar Lance and Cleo are horrible. Which is fine, you can make a perfectly good show about horrible people and get away with it. As ever with Russell, the more you stick with it, the more you're rewarded and I reckon character motives and personalities will make a lot more sense as the series goes on.
It's not that bad. It's growing more and more with each episode (personally, I preferred Cucumber last night to Banana, which felt lacking in a story). Pretty much every character, bar Lance and Cleo are horrible. Which is fine, you can make a perfectly good show about horrible people and get away with it. As ever with Russell, the more you stick with it, the more you're rewarded and I reckon character motives and personalities will make a lot more sense as the series goes on.
BIB - yes, you can. When you give them depth and contradictions that intrigue us about who they are and what they want (see Nurse Jackie, The Sopranos, Mad Men).
Which Russell has failed to do. I'm sure more may well become clear as the series progresses, but having characters behave in a relentlessly vile way doesn't create any intrigue at all. It just makes them look one-dimensional and crass. Why should we care?
Enjoyed this week's episode a lot more than the previous 2. This might be because it gave us a little character development in the character of Freddie. Henry isn't at all likeable but his extended family are good characters. I'm quite interested to see how things develop with Daniel too.
The man getting horny with the baby on his lap made me feel sick. (Just catching up now).
Jesus!!! You make it sound he was horny because of the baby. I had to read your comment twice to even associate what you said with the episode...it did not even cross my mind.
I like this series. It's not perfect of course. But makes a refreshing change from this relentless pressure to present gay lifestyle exactly like straight lifestyle in a need for acceptance, like if hetero sets the standard. Russell is very at presenting without shame a lot of what a big section of the "gay community" is up. And my, what fun they have!
Jesus!!! You make it sound he was horny because of the baby. I had to read your comment twice to even associate what you said with the episode...it did not even cross my mind.
I like this series. It's not perfect of course. But makes a refreshing change from this relentless pressure to present gay lifestyle exactly like straight lifestyle in a need for acceptance, like if hetero sets the standard. Russell is very at presenting without shame a lot of what a big section of the "gay community" is up. And my, what fun they have!
Nonsense. It's a much bigger TV cliche these days to depict gay men as horny things who do nothing but indulge their hard-fought social freedoms.
The world has moved on massively from the days of Queer as Folk. These days, we actually expect interesting, rounded, flawed but likeable characters. Not two-dimensional ciphers or bitchy irritants.
Cucumber is pure midde-aged fantasy. Ridiculously large warehouse apartment (fantasy). 46 year old living with young lads (fantasy). Uncle helping nephew set up gay-bait vlogs (fantasy).
Nonsense. It's a much bigger TV cliche these days to depict gay men as horny things who do nothing but indulge their hard-fought social freedoms.
.
You just have to look at the " The New normal" and "Modern Family" to see that's not true at all.
No one is saying that the plot of the series is realistic or meant to be realistic. But as a true representation of what large sections of what the gay community are up to, it's very well done. Unless you think since QAF gay people stopped having outrageous fun.
What I think happened with episode 3 is that it was simply an under developed script. The first two episodes had various plot points laid down which I expect (or at least hope) to see come to fruition somewhere down the line as the series progresses. Last night, though, was the first time I felt there was something seriously wrong.
There was no actual story telling but a collection of ideas put into a sort of sequence with none going anywhere in particular. It was trying to do too many things at once and came across as a quickly made first draft that hadn't even been checked over. There were elements that, given more exploration, may have worked so much better had each been given a chance to breath. Henry's fear, Freddie's sudden loss of bravdo, Lance's desperation. It's like the ideas were there but either the inclination or time to develop them properly got lost along the way. I get the feeling, come the end of the series, you could probably take episode 3 out and lose nothing from the whole story arc.
The only thing the episode appeared to really be leading to was Freddie setting up a date for Henry right at the end, which we'll see next week. Everything else felt like filler just to reach that point.
I don't think the overnight viewing figures are as important as they used to be. I haven't watched a single episode live.
I think last night's episode humanised the main characters a bit more with the exception of Dean who comes across as some dumb teen queen up his own ass. Hopefully he will grow out of it.
I liked the lip synching and how the lads were really getting into it lol.
I'm reading Cucumber as an exploration of male sexuality and how some gay men get stuck into role playing (top, bottom, versatile ,,, ) and suffer as a result. I thought Freddy trying to flip Greg and Greg losing his erection as a result was indicative of this.
Lance is a good guy - who wouldn't snap him up? I think Henry has a few sexuality issues to work through and then should be all right. I think he's reluctant to admit that he might be a 'bottom' because somehow he thinks this means he is less of a man. Freddy thinks so, too, given that he has hooked him up with a 'top'. If I were a man I would definitely be versatile lol.
Loved Banana last night - really liking the women in that.
Comments
Seems like we are the only ones who like it!!!
I prefer Cucumber to Banana mainly because it continues wth the storylines and characters. Banana is different each week. I don't think they are all unlikeable either. I like Lance and i warmed to Freddie this week. Cleo is awesome and i like her son.
Yeah i found it funny too, i think some people are taking it too seriously!
I think its that and the comparisons to queer as folk. I think they may also not be RTD fans or see this as some representation of all gay life which it isn't and its just RTD's view and his experiences.
- Henry pimping out his own nephew and friends was gross.
- Freddie and Gregory were similarly exploitative.
- Dean expecting Henry to pay his rent makes him seriously irritating.
- How is Cleo not seeing what her son is getting up to when he was practically admitting it to Freddie in front of her?
- Lance needs to back the hell away from Daniel and fast. That is going to end badly.
I did like that the episode did try to give Freddie some more depth as a character though, which helped matter. The last scene with him and Henry seemed like a nice turnaround in their overall dynamic.
Banana was a bit better though.
- Liked Violet and Sian as a couple. The curling in the supermarket was a bit funny.
- Sian's mother is a riot. I want to see more of her.
- Violet's place is actually pretty nice as well.
- At least Sian is willing to call out Dean for being an ass too.
Tofu covering asexuality and people who are celibate/not looking to have sex was well done too.
The consensus everywhere is that it's a turkey. Only 500,000 watched the last episode. Appalling ratings. RTD must be wondering how he lost his Midas touch. Channel 4 must be wondering what they could've done instead with the budget they wasted on it.
Agree with your comments on Cucumber, it came across so creepy that nephew and friend scene. (who does that?!)
I just get the feeling this is Russell T Davies getting his rocks off by writing stuff he gets to watch back on TV, pure fantasy
That wasn't very good last night. It's just a series of random scenes just thrown together. It looks like they are making it up as they go along. Is it actually scripted or improvised?
Scripted as far as I can tell. I liked both episodes of Looking last night.
Nothing much happens. It feels like a rambling mess to me. Surprised it got a 2nd series as I don't think the first series was that well received.
I think it was author and screenwriter Frederic Raphael who famously said "If I fancy an actress I simply write a screenplay with them in mind, make sure they get the role, then sit back and enjoy the nude scene I wrote for them."
I wonder if that's what RTD did with this garbage, that it's all just a vanity project?
There is a thread for it on the US section but sadly nobody is commenting. I love Looking.
BIB - yes, you can. When you give them depth and contradictions that intrigue us about who they are and what they want (see Nurse Jackie, The Sopranos, Mad Men).
Which Russell has failed to do. I'm sure more may well become clear as the series progresses, but having characters behave in a relentlessly vile way doesn't create any intrigue at all. It just makes them look one-dimensional and crass. Why should we care?
Jesus!!! You make it sound he was horny because of the baby. I had to read your comment twice to even associate what you said with the episode...it did not even cross my mind.
I like this series. It's not perfect of course. But makes a refreshing change from this relentless pressure to present gay lifestyle exactly like straight lifestyle in a need for acceptance, like if hetero sets the standard. Russell is very at presenting without shame a lot of what a big section of the "gay community" is up. And my, what fun they have!
Nonsense. It's a much bigger TV cliche these days to depict gay men as horny things who do nothing but indulge their hard-fought social freedoms.
The world has moved on massively from the days of Queer as Folk. These days, we actually expect interesting, rounded, flawed but likeable characters. Not two-dimensional ciphers or bitchy irritants.
Cucumber is pure midde-aged fantasy. Ridiculously large warehouse apartment (fantasy). 46 year old living with young lads (fantasy). Uncle helping nephew set up gay-bait vlogs (fantasy).
You just have to look at the " The New normal" and "Modern Family" to see that's not true at all.
No one is saying that the plot of the series is realistic or meant to be realistic. But as a true representation of what large sections of what the gay community are up to, it's very well done. Unless you think since QAF gay people stopped having outrageous fun.
There was no actual story telling but a collection of ideas put into a sort of sequence with none going anywhere in particular. It was trying to do too many things at once and came across as a quickly made first draft that hadn't even been checked over. There were elements that, given more exploration, may have worked so much better had each been given a chance to breath. Henry's fear, Freddie's sudden loss of bravdo, Lance's desperation. It's like the ideas were there but either the inclination or time to develop them properly got lost along the way. I get the feeling, come the end of the series, you could probably take episode 3 out and lose nothing from the whole story arc.
The only thing the episode appeared to really be leading to was Freddie setting up a date for Henry right at the end, which we'll see next week. Everything else felt like filler just to reach that point.
I think last night's episode humanised the main characters a bit more with the exception of Dean who comes across as some dumb teen queen up his own ass. Hopefully he will grow out of it.
I liked the lip synching and how the lads were really getting into it lol.
I'm reading Cucumber as an exploration of male sexuality and how some gay men get stuck into role playing (top, bottom, versatile ,,, ) and suffer as a result. I thought Freddy trying to flip Greg and Greg losing his erection as a result was indicative of this.
Lance is a good guy - who wouldn't snap him up? I think Henry has a few sexuality issues to work through and then should be all right. I think he's reluctant to admit that he might be a 'bottom' because somehow he thinks this means he is less of a man. Freddy thinks so, too, given that he has hooked him up with a 'top'. If I were a man I would definitely be versatile lol.
Loved Banana last night - really liking the women in that.