Best. Gay. Week. Ever. (December 5, 2008)

Yes, I was indeed one of those gay kids who was really into magic, especially wizards, warlocks, etc. How could you not mention that seminal film for Gen-Xers, "Escape to Witch Mountain," and its sequel? (The sequel even had Ike Eisenmann shirtless, which was QUITE heady for a confused 12-year-old.) I'm also surprised that you didn't mention the Eartha Kitt "witch mix" from YouTube. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfx0W8Z06fg

And yay, I'm not the only one who thought young Kris in "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" was totally hot! (Definitely fed my redhead fetish...)

What's the point of using an iconic story like King Arthur if you're going to rewrite to much that it no longer makes sense? The entire point of the Merlin character is that he's Arthur's mentor and surrogate father. Being the same age as Arthur makes no sense. And Pendragon hanging around? What's up with that? Arthur is supposed to be raised in secret and unaware of his heritage, that's the entire point of the sword in the stone stuff. There's a ton of drama and subtext in the actual Arthur myths -- why invent things? I'd rather see a hot Arthur and Lancelot exchanging furtive glances while they both boff Gwen because they can't have each other! And it's canon!

Gayest bunch of witches ever? The Holroyds in "Bell, Book, and Candle." And I mean really gay. Check out the "witch bar" in Greenwich Village. Gillian (Kim Novak) is glamorous, evil, and has the best cat/familiar ever. And it's worth watching to see brother Nickie (Jack Lemmon) putting the moves on Ernie Kovacks -- and apparently succeeding!

Funny you should mention Xena and Merlin in the same sentence, because both Merlin and its older sibling, Robin Hood, both seem to take a Hercules: TLJ approach to storytelling: setting it in the past, with actors playing it campily in a straight-up modern manner, capped by a simplistic PC moral straight out of an episode of Blossom. 

Ah, "Hocus Pocus"...one of my all-time favorite movies. I cannot count the number of times I've seen it, but I've seen it at least once every Halloween since it came out, and numerous times other than that annual viewing. When it first came out, I was in middle school, and it actually scared me a bit. I wa stunned that they actually killed the little girl at the beginning. Now, I think the movie's hilarious. And even that opening scene has a very dark macabre humor to it. "I Put a Spell on You" is probably my all-time favorite scene ever put to film.

The fact that Morgana is played by some Keira Knightly knock-off makes me highly upset. I've been a Morgana fan for the longest time, and believe her to be one of the strongest characters in the legends.

And I swear, if I have to see Beyonce snatch the role of Wonder Woman from someone who would actually do a decent job acting, I am going to scream! I can barely stand her as it is!

I'm American, but I heard about the show because the slashers were buzzing about. Some of them claiming Merlin/Arthur is the new Janto, most of them also avid Torchwood fans. Honestly, the show is pure awesomeness.

The boys are young and very good looking, and as a young person I like it occasionally when the hot celebrities aren't 10 or 20 years older than me.The chemistry between Arthur and Merlin is so obvious. They're basically cannon soul mates.

As to people who are like WTF, this isn't cannon. Yeah it isn't, but it's interesting. Most people already know the legends, the stories have all been told in cartoons, movies, TV shows, books and comics again and again. Why retell the same thing? This is a new story. That's why it's interesting. Honestly, I'm glad to see some originality on TV.

Before watching the series, I was a but iffy on the whole young Merlin thing. But watch the show, and you'll probably find addicting and utterly enjoyable. It's an interesting what if scenario. What if Arther was raised by his actual father? Well the result seems to be that he's a total prat. Having Merlin as a young man being mentored makes the character human, someone you can relate to. His story in this series is interesting. And it's different, it hasn't been done before, and it's brilliant.

As for the color blind casting, I think it's great. Because this is a fantasy series, it's set in the past, but really it's set in a fantastical past the never was, so they take liberties. Girls who can fight with swords, racial diversity, and modern sensibilities. It reflects the time it was made in more than the time it's supposed to be set in, but that's fine. All together it works well.

I also thought the special effects were quite good, on par with Torchwood and Doctor Who if not better. Yeah some of the CGI isn't great, like the Dragon, but some of it's fantastic, like the Griffin featured in one episode.

I really hope NBC brings it over. I also hope they wouldn't let the fanvids deter them. Because, hello, doesn't the female audience count, they're the ones who make those videos for the most part and I honestly don't think anyone would have a problem with it. Yeah it's family programing, but it's family friendly.

Also, there are a ton of Sylar/Peter fanvids out there. Slashers slash anything and everything. True, with Merlin the subtext is a lot clearer, as in it's actually existent.

THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK!! I mean CHER was one of the witches. ItWitches of Eastwick doesn't get much gayer or bad ass than those three girls going after Jack Nicholson.

afhickman

"The mountain has wings."

I like all your witches, especially Willow and Pru, but you've forgotten Veronica Lake's Jennifer in "I Married a Witch," the inspiration, so-called, for TV's "Bewitched." In it, Lake is pretty tame, as Satan's minions go, until she runs up against a human witch, played by Hollywood ueber-bitch, Susan Hayward, and then the cat fur flies. Robert Benchley is around for comic relief.  Also, I've seen a couple of episodes of "Merlin," and, apart from the eye candy, it's a bit cutesy for adult tastes. The episodes I saw both involved characters who tried to "out" Merlin as a magician, but the kid held firm. Of course he's in love with Arthur, but there won't be any revisionist man-on-man action. This one's strictly for the lunchbox crowd.

Here's the Peak-a-boo Girl stirring up a pot of trouble (in Fredric March's pajama's, no less):

Merlin is fun.
It's entertaining fluff, with a good cast (the older actors are very good, but the younger ones aren't bad at all), and it's full of plot holes. But it's fun. And full of actors having played roles on Doctor Who, too.
The series I compare it to is Smallville. Superpowered teen must keep his secret, while helping his friends. And both play havoc with the best known versions of their stories (although Merlin more than Smallville). But Merlin is far better played than Smallville.
Slashiest moment: in the episode last weekend, Merlin talks to a childhood friend, sitting on a tree in the forest, with the childhood friend asking him all dewy-eyed "Why did you leave?". My partner and I looked at each other and laughed.

François
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My brother is a Buffy fanatic & every time we watched season 6 he would wait, if I wasn't there, so I could see the last 2 episodes. I *despise* Warren so I am always tickled when Willow skins him. We always call her "Wicked Bitch Willow". Anya, Giles, Riley, & Spike were my other favorites (Hate Xander!!!)

I actually feel like this weeks B.G.W.E was written for me or taken straight from my brain! I used to love all things magic as a kid (and even did weekly magic shows for all the kids and parents in my street - yes i was *that* gay as a kid!!) And I 100% support that Willow is the best character of buffy! She is the one who had the biggest journey and i feel the best ending to her arc when the show finished, as all the others still had journey's to make and stories to tell, Willow was 100% finished and was really ready for a brand new chapter in her life.

Terry and I haven't watched Merlin yet, but it's now out on DVD in the Uk, i think and seeing as Terry is just as into magic on tv he's going to be getting it for xmas, so I'll watch it then with him. In regard to Harry Potter and Dumbeldore (spelt so wrong I know) when I was reading the book I was kinda like..... that sounds kinda gay. Nah it's just me... it sounds like Dumbledore loves this guy....nah it's just me and when it was finally announced that he was gay i was a little like Oh good, so it wasn't me. I understand that it's a kids series and I really like that J.K put something in there for her clearly very adult (and probably gay - although that's just my opinion) following because as Harry Potter grew up the fan base seemed to get more and more adult.
Oh and massive props for Nancy in The Craft, and much like her, I to wish to throw Skeet out of a window!! I also think that Hocus Pocus is a fantastic movie and Bette Midler is just fantastic in it, I ADORE the "I'll Put a Spell On you" song, I actually have that on my computer at home and Terry forces me to watch Hocus Pocus all the time!!

I'm quite in to Beyonce at the moment so the idea of seeing her as Eta is actually quite cool for me and I heard a little rumour that she is performing with Alexandra in the X-factor Finale next saturday (althought DIANA TO WIN!!)

 I've not seen any of season 3 of B&S yet, but i'm a little nervous as it doesn't seem to be getting very good reviews so far and annoyingly i'm about to watch the season 2 finale tonight when I get home and i have to admit i am not loving season 2 so far. I also want to dig a hole in Walker Landing and throw Holly and her freakish boobs in there!!

Thank you for this B.G.W.E it has been AMAZING!!!

James x

I have to say a big thankyou for the Merlin reccomendation. I've just been and watched the first two episodes online and it is fantastic! It clearly springs from the Robin Hood school of television - the two series have a lot in common, not least of all the very campy feel - but as I am a big fan of Robin Hood that is a large plus for me. And all those youtube videos are quite right, the sexual tension is very much there (whether it was intended or not). Excellent stuff, this, I'm looking forward to finishing the series!

The problem with hoyay in BBC fantasy is that the audience knows 1) that the BBC will discuss male-male attraction in that timeslot, as they did (obliquely) in Doctor Who and 2) that the BBC is happy to disturb the original story in any convenient way, as in the execrable Robin Hood.

Which makes Merlin a bit mystifying. If they want us to think Merlin and Arthur are desperate to get in each other's pants, why don't the characters just say so? All this passionate friendship and unspoken longing seems a bit bizarre. For the first few episodes I could overlook the opposites-attract rom-com cliches - the geek-jock meet-cute, the UST bitchy sniping, and Merlin's quiet heartbreak when Arthur fell for a girl - but the last couple of episodes have been so gay it's getting ridiculous.

The episode where Merlin goes back to his village was about as gay as the similar Xena episode where Gabrielle's abandoned boyfriend throws jealous sulks and pouts at Xena - the sulking and pouting being done in Merlin by Joe Dempsie (the adorably useless Chris in Skins).The most recent (unicorn-murdering) episode (the source of the still used above) was so hoyay it was more of a ho-yawn. Summary: 'Please let me die to save you!'; 'No - let me die for you!' etc.etc.

In short: BBC, you aren't making Smallville here. Get 'em into bed already, or find some other source for your dramatic tension. Gay love not speaking its name is so 2006.

And it is so very gay. I'm an american, but I'm living in the UK right now, and I've been following it. I really couldn't stand Robin Hood, 'cause it was trying to be too dramatic while retaining a funky anachronistic vibe, and it just didn't work, but Merlin doesn't take itself too seriously. And really, Arthur and Merlin are practically an old married couple-- Arthur shamelessly takes advantage of Merlin (not in that way) and Merlin gripes about it, but the minute one is in trouble, the other will be all, "I must save him! He's my best friend in the whole world!" TPTB are sorta trying to push a Merlin/Gwen romance, but during a scene in which a traveller asks Merlin if he's in love and he gets this silly grin on his face and says "Noooo....." I immediately thought of Arthur. It's the same silly grin he got when Gwen told him he was clearly proud of Arthur. And then of course there was the scene where Merlin's sweatily rolling around in bed murmuring Arthur's name (admittedly he's having a fever dream of danger, but I mean, really...). The writers are clearly putting coded gay content into this show--there's no way they're oblivious to it. And I totally agree with your assessment of the actors, especially Gwen (who, for some reason, is getting flak for not being pretty enough; I am very attracted to her) and Morgana, who does look and (not)act just like Keira.

Apparently, in the last film (OotP), the writer initially had a reference to an ex-girlfriend of Dumbledore's, but dropped it when JKR asked him too. At least shows they're willing to keep themselves in line with her vision of the characters.

My sister's an ignorant bitch too!

Well, maybe you didn't say it quite like that, but it was "coded" throughout your article... ;)

 Speaking of Witches: 

- the Wicked Witch's most badass moment was actually when she appeared over Aunty Em in Dorothy's crystal ball, mocking her, sarcastically shrieking "Aunty Em! Aunty Em!!!"

- I also nominate Ursula from Disney's Little Mermaid.Also soooo sarcastically bitchy, and basically designed as a cartoon of Divine.

Finally: this was an Awesome BGWE!!! Thanks

I had the magic kit too, with the egg cup balls, And moved onto feather flowers and the velvet bag and the invertible scarves. But I really got started when, instead of candy, I'd buy those cheep tricks and gags on the spindle rack at the drug store (that's how they get you hooked). Anybody remember the snapping Spearmint gum gag? I bought the cheep drug store version, took it apart and put the built the snapping gimmick into a real Wrigley's package.

Dennis, the best best so far. This week I am totally going to ask all my friends who their favorite badass witch is (does Sarah Palin count? Most badass moment: fooled almost half the country into believing that she was in fact a sparkly, shinning, good witch like Glenda.)


If Merlin is a hero worship story written for 10 year old boys, it's gotta have a homophilic subtext, by definition. It's like the final line in "Stand by Me," which is a great short story, btw. Isn't the last line, "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"


As far the question goes, "is a character gay if the author says he is but doesn't explain it in the story?". Absolutely.

When I write a short story I pretend that I am possessed by the characters, who are only channelling through me what it is like to be in their world. And as a channeler, I get curious myself and sometimes ask them questions about their life that might not be important to the story, just because I want to know. In one story I had the nephew visit his uncle's lover. The uncle had died. The nephew is left alone in their living-room a moment and he starts to snoop around. The couple were antique dealers and had the coolest stuff, I spent a good 10 pages of describing the nephew picking up and inspecting every single pencil, push pin and postcard in that room. I ended up cutting that part down to one paragraph in the story, because that was all that was important. But I learned so much about the gay uncles that did inform me when I wrote the rest of the story, even though I didn't specifically state the character traits and experiences I was drawing from.

When Rowling says he is gay, I think what she really means is "he is gay."

 

Any mention of Hocus Pocus always makes me happy! I've loved that movie since I was seven years old. Those three witches (and actresses) are amazing.

I hope NBC airs Merlin at some point. It looks very good.

Excellent BGWE!!

Oh, how nice... I also had a magician dress and kit when I was a kid... except the tricks never worked! But I still believe in magic. Dumbledore's hair dress looks like that of one of my best dance teachers. Great! Nice BGWE!

...too bad no one cares anymore. Two seasons ago, I was right there, waiting, hoping...then all we got was Justin in bad Cher drag. The flame died for me then and there.

I was a magician geek too. But I actually wanted to do real magic - not tricks. I'd wave that wand and chant and shit - and that damn pet monkey would never appear!

Knowing how many literary works of the past have been left open to misinterpretation, bent to the perspective of whomever is defining it, I have long said that if the writer isn't explicit in writing it down in the book, what they say in post declaration is irrelevant. Historians have a way of omitting and white washing the past to suit agendas - it's happening in today's political realm. The Bible is but one notorious example of how a writer's intent has been twisted.

I consider authors to have a particular advantage in talking about their works in that they know them so well. They can point out subtleties they built into the work that readers may have missed. But yeah, while I think it's interesting to hear what authors intended but may not have included, I don't put much stock in it.

Everyone remember how in college, people in lit classes would pull these extravagent interpretations out of their ass? One of my favorite professors broke me of the habit because whenever we'd come up with a theory, she'd pick up the book and ask, "what page are you on?" and expect us to find textual evidence to back it up. I don't expect any less of authors than I do of college freshmen.