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swimmerguydfw

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Well, I started to watch, hoping that given the star power involved we would get a much more realistic telling of a truly impactful gay story---one that really didn't need a lot of onscreen sexual activity to "sell" it. But after two episodes, I'm thinking of just passing on the rest. The acting is very good, which is to be expected with the actors involved---and the 1950s sets and props are great. But, too much of the story is far too unrealistic for it's time setting.

It would appear that neither the screenwriter nor the actors/director/producer had any real conception of the stark terror of actually living during those times...and, perhaps, they may not really have even cared as long as it didn't interfere with the overt sexual arc of the story between the two men. Having not read the original book on which this story is based, I've no idea what sort of research the author did. In fact, the book itself may be quite a bit more authentic...I can't say. However, for the screen they've only seemed to pick and choose certain historically documented situations, and then tried to project outward from there the underlying fears of the people involved---but only through the perfunctory and generic lens of today's more-liberal sensibilities. Having known governmental employees who lived through that time period in our history...and then growing up myself on the cusp of that period...so many of the actions and situations of the lead characters would never have happened, or have been so outwardly obvious (sexual or otherwise). Nor would they have probably even happened into the 1970s.

Granted, there are probably not a lot of men and women still living to whom the producers could have talked with to verify the authenticity of the story---how they had to hide their lives during those dark days, and live with the continuous feeling of terror in the pit of their stomach, along with the constant pressure of having to hide who you were and to be careful of what you said. A more realistic screenplay treatment would have gone a lot further to help our understanding and gain our sympathy as to what actually went on---physically and mentally, and on a personal level---for gay men and lesbians during the McCarthy years. And then, for a great deal of time afterwards.

I just found it very unsatisfying...too much like a gay version of a Danielle Steel novel. Overall, I think they really dropped the ball on this one. It could have been so much better...
 

BBCKing78

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Well, I started to watch, hoping that given the star power involved we would get a much more realistic telling of a truly impactful gay story---one that really didn't need a lot of onscreen sexual activity to "sell" it. But after two episodes, I'm thinking of just passing on the rest. The acting is very good, which is to be expected with the actors involved---and the 1950s sets and props are great. But, too much of the story is far too unrealistic for it's time setting.

It would appear that neither the screenwriter nor the actors/director/producer had any real conception of the stark terror of actually living during those times...and, perhaps, they may not really have even cared as long as it didn't interfere with the overt sexual arc of the story between the two men. Having not read the original book on which this story is based, I've no idea what sort of research the author did. In fact, the book itself may be quite a bit more authentic...I can't say. However, for the screen they've only seemed to pick and choose certain historically documented situations, and then tried to project outward from there the underlying fears of the people involved---but only through the perfunctory and generic lens of today's more-liberal sensibilities. Having known governmental employees who lived through that time period in our history...and then growing up myself on the cusp of that period...so many of the actions and situations of the lead characters would never have happened, or have been so outwardly obvious (sexual or otherwise). Nor would they have probably even happened into the 1970s.

Granted, there are probably not a lot of men and women still living to whom the producers could have talked with to verify the authenticity of the story---how they had to hide their lives during those dark days, and live with the continuous feeling of terror in the pit of their stomach, along with the constant pressure of having to hide who you were and to be careful of what you said. A more realistic screenplay treatment would have gone a lot further to help our understanding and gain our sympathy as to what actually went on---physically and mentally, and on a personal level---for gay men and lesbians during the McCarthy years. And then, for a great deal of time afterwards.

I just found it very unsatisfying...too much like a gay version of a Danielle Steel novel. Overall, I think they really dropped the ball on this one. It could have been so much better...
Oh wow...thank you for the information.

I agree - the show feels a little hypersexualized, and a lot of the scenes feel like something someone dreamed up or something that would be written in a more modern show. Which I guess this is, but I think what I said makes sense
 
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rbkwp

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in observation

australian'new zealander may nt be the most highly educated

but ww travel,yes a best

we tebd to work/save and make a/6the mammoth trip to see the world,and experiebce it/everything

wontsuggest,whats mre aluable
 

tabana

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I'm loving it (though yesterday's episode was a bit too slow for me). I'm happy that it's getting many people interested to learn about that part of queer history (how did Matt not know about it though, that part is baffling to me).
I also don't find that the sex scenes are gratuitous but that they are there to get the story moving forward. I do love them, don't get me wrong. I love how kinky they are (very much up my alley) and the power play drives me wild. I just wish it were limited to the bedroom. Mind games and unhealthy relationships aren't enjoyable but can also be very triggering.
 
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tabana

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Can someone post all the sex scenes here? The ones I saw are covert/not as explicit as I wanted it to be given the hot actors they have:tired_face:
Here are all the ones I've found. Mostly gifs but the last one has clips.


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#fellow travelers from rip gaybuckybarnes

#fellow travelers from rip gaybuckybarnes

#fellow travelers from rip gaybuckybarnes

#fellow travelers from rip gaybuckybarnes
 
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