The stark opposite

Wow … what a difference!!!
Without any purposeful act from my side, I happened to stumble upon a TV series that had made the complete opposite of impression on me than the movie Pillion that I wrote my previous post about.

Some things are the same in these two productions.
Like „the actors were brilliant. Whatever was written for their characters, they had made the most of it. Amazing, very expressive, moving.
The camera work, lighting, costumes, props, atmosphere were great.”

But in the case of this TV series the praise continues.
The director had a perfect understanding of what he wanted to portray and led the cast with absolute brilliance, believability and humanity.
None of the actors, not for one second showed any sign of discomfort, though this series is steamy, pretty physical, full with sex and multi layered emotions.

The story is believable and relatable regardless of which team one plays in.
It is deeply human. With all the questions of fitting in, the desire to comply, the inner struggles, the keeping secrets, the stolen moments, the struggle with expectations, the awkward touches, the pain, the longing, the friendships, the love, all of it so very truly human.

All four characters of the two couples are developing through the series. There is a starting point, all go through a lot, and along the way they change, develop, come to terms with things, with themselves, as they fight for their own personal freedom.

The supporting characters are brilliant too. The parents (mainly) are parenting on a desirable level, friends are offering an actual support network, teammates are crazy as one would expect them to be.
All relatable, all feel real, probably everyone can substitute one or more characters with people from their own life; or for sure are wondering how would it feel if they could have them in their lives.
Yet it is not falling into a fairytale-ness, because as life would always have it, the “ugly” characters and the not so desirable events are present too and are also portrayed spectacularly.

All 6 episodes are heavily emotionally loaded.

And when it comes to sex there is communication, intimacy, consent and continuous checking in.
Gloriously done!
Massive respect for the many “should be taught” moments.

Between the airing of the first and last episode viewership increased tenfold, and is rapidly growing by the day, around the world.
So it wasn’t a literal overnight sensation, but within weeks it grew into a pop culture icon status.

Many are asking the question, why, how did this happen?
Talk shows, articles, podcasts, psychologists, social media content creators, everybody, everywhere are talking about it, are analysing it.
Including me here and now.

My answer, or analysis if you please, is that it portrays emotions, intimacy, sexuality and sex on such a natural way as many are only craving it, are missing it from their own lives.
Not to mention that all of it is showed without fluff or any kind of mystification, but with raw honesty.
The “I don’t know”, the “I am not sure”, the “I know what I want and I am saying it”, the “I am afraid” are all there without toxicity, without playing mind games, stupid pranks or any kind of hurtful crap.
It portrays what we all wish for ourselves.
Real, honest, brave communication; secure ways of finding and expanding boundaries; caring connections with deep, playful, loving intimacy; and steamy, erotic, satisfying sex.

Not to talk about those beautiful bodies, those unrealistically perfectly round butts 😉

One of the things this show proves is that toxicity, excommunication, hate are no human default settings.
All are learned and all are damned and stupid.
Because men, ex-hockey players, straight husbands and boyfriends, A list actors, straight women, white, yellow, brown, black, white collar, blue collar people had all fallen into fandom.
Because lust is not sexuality or race dependent but it is human.
Because longing is not sexuality or race dependent but it is human.
Because emotions are not sexuality or race dependent but are human.
Because pain is not sexuality or race dependent but is human.
Because sex is not sexuality or race dependent but it is human.
Because friendship is not sexuality or race dependent but it is human.
Because love is not sexuality or race dependent but it is human.

So, if you haven’t yet, just go, watch this show, let it help you find your truest version, let it help you understand that the world has many colours and all of them are gorgeous, and that we all can live next to one another in harmony, and that you deserve love too, just be yourself.

Because: “You deserve sunshine too!”

 

Heated Rivalry by Jacob Tierney
Starring: Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams, Francois Arnaud, Robbie Graham-Kuntz and many others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADi1iextoUM