"Good Times, Bad Times" Video Update: “Dutch Treat”

It’s love (I guess) for Edwin and Lucas…

Hi and welcome to our look at the latest happenings on Dutch soap Good Times, Bad Times. Regular followers of Gays Of Our Lives know that I’ve long had a love-hate relationship with this glossy soap opera, praising it for introducing out and proud gay character Lucas Sanders, but deriding it for not coming forth and providing Lucas a viable love interest-- not to mention some lousy storytelling.

But after teasing viewers with two straight guys and a boyfriend who turned out to be a serial killer, the show finally gave Lucas a real boyfriend in the form of cutie-pie Edwin Bouwhuis.

As in every TV coming out drama, Edwin denied he was gay….

When Lucas and Edwin first met, Lucas was certain that Edwin was gay and brazenly went after him. After a few breakfast meetings, Lucas declared Edwin the love of his life.

Edwin, however, maintained that he was straight, even though he’d given Lucas a surprise kiss. He started dating and sleeping with Lucas’ gal pal and town nutjob Weit, but Lucas was not about to let that get in his way and doggedly pursued Edwin (with little thought to his supposed best friend), even going so far as to buy a date with Edwin when the town had a man auction.

To Weit’s surprise Edwin was all too eager to go on the date, which turned out to be the turning point in Edwin and Lucas’ relationship. After spending a romantic afternoon with Lucas, Edwin could no longer deny his feelings. Weit could sense that Edwin was pulling away from her and acted out, nearly overdosing on drugs and landing in in the hospital. After that, Edwin was reluctant to lay this bad news on Weit, but Lucas pressed Edwin to be honest and tell Weit the truth. That’s where we’ll start.

Let’s begin with the positive. I remember a few weeks ago when I discussed the Lucas/Edwin storyline in Gays of Our Lives. At that time I wondered if and when the couple hit the sheets, would they get the same bedroom treatment as Weit and Edwin? Or would the show chicken out when it came to depicting Lucas and Edwin’s love scene? I have to say, without question, that I was not disappointed.

The gay love scene, which is a first for this show, was no different than any other romantic scene, complete with plenty of kissing, undressing each other and basking in the romantic afterglow afterwards.

I have to commend the show for not shying away from letting viewers see the culmination of Lucas and Edwin’s love, and kudos also to the actors for not showing the slightest bit of discomfort during the gloriously romantic moments. It’s rather refreshing given that some actors playing gay characters on other shows are visibly uneasy about being even mildly affectionate towards their supposed love interest.

Edwin and Lucas didn’t waste any time hitting the sheets...

I chuckled when Lucas stopped to light some candles before he and Edwin went at it. It’s such a soapy convention, but I just have a hard time believing two horny teenage boys would be thinking about such things. But it's a minor quibble. At least we get to laugh at such things rather than having the physical interaction between two men in love remain a mystery. Ferry Doedens and Raynor Arkenbout have terrific chemistry and both are pretty talented actors and they are what make the storyline work.

However, while I think the actors have brought their best to the show and the storyline, I feel the writing has failed them miserably....