I love the American version of Queer as Folk. I never saw the British version, though I'm interested to see if I can find a copy of it. I started watching the show because I was bored and I like Hal Sparks (Michael) from seeing him on VH1's I Love the 80s. But in this show, I discovered some things that a lot of television shows now seem to lack: interesting plots, three-dimensional characters, and most importantly, realism.
I like how the character's issues are never resolved in one episode, and how the actions of one have some effect on the other main characters of the series. The characters are all three-dimensional, and very strongly played by their respective actors. They have wide ranges of emotion, and though they at first appear to be stereotypes, it is soon very evident that each one has plenty of flaws. The story lines are extremely engaging as well, and I find myself disappointed at the end of every episode, because now I have to wait and see what happens.
Of course, it isn't a documentary of gay life in Pittsburgh, so of course there are over-exaggerations and the occasional predictable plot line or relationship. But that's okay, because this is television, and the writers are allowed to have creative license. Now into the fifth season, I am a dedicated fan of the show, and will be sorry to see it end.
