Cowlip's intentions about Brian and Justin

[nightvision55.livejournal.com]

Hi, this is the first time I've posted here so please forgive any mistakes ...

I was just wondering; in the UK original, the focus of the series was the Brian/Michael relationship, and they were the ones who ended up together. So, did Cowlip originally intend that in the US version, and did they just go with the Brian/Justin pairing because they realised how hot the chemistry between Gale and Randy was?

Does anybody know?

Comments

[bigdogz09.livejournal.com]

I don't know their original intend, but fans were so horrified by the ending that riots broke out all over the world... okay, maybe the riots didn't happen. ;)

BUT, there was an interview with Cowlip that was done last year (maybe 2 years ago). The producers said that they don't know why people thought that B/J weren't going to continue seeing each other. It was heavily implied in the interview that B/J were an unique, special couple and could possibly go the distance. Or so it seemed, to most that read the interview. I can't remember if they definitely said 'yes' that they would end up together or not.

A link to the interview was here on this website, but I can't who the interviewer was.

Manybe there's a link or someone's may remember who did the interview.

All the best.

[soulmatejunkee.livejournal.com]

Here's the interview: http://bjfic.livejournal.com/2528384.html?thread=16147584

I would love to know what the original plan was and why it was changed, because I'm sure that they had B/M in mind, since they totally copied the UK version.

[nightvision55.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link - I'll check it out

[nightvision55.livejournal.com]

Mmm. Not too sure I buy that ... I remember reading that the series finale was to have ended with another blond boy stepping off the pavement on Liberty like Justin did in the first episode, which to me would have implied that he was nothing special at all ...

I'm glad they didn't go with that, because the ending was crap enough as it was.

[balrogtweety.livejournal.com]

If you have the DVD's of Season 5, I think it shows that little episode in the Season Finale in the extended scenes. It's called "New Kid on the Block".

I'm glad they didn't put that in the show because the way Cowlip ended it made it feel like Justin would return.

[nightvision55.livejournal.com]

The DVD's I've got don't have any extra features at all ... not even the funny out-takes. (weeps and throws all of my toys out of the pram)

[balrogtweety.livejournal.com]

I found it on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfq8gbqHwww

[ipitydaf00l.livejournal.com]

I was told many different takes on that when I first got into QAF. (Way after the series ended.) Some thought that the "new" boy was supposed to show how everything sort of repeats, there's a new kid in town coming out just like Justin did all those years ago. Not that they were linking it to Brian, just that there will always been new comers, etc.

I watched the final episode once, and couldn't do it again. I can't even watch clips that people linked together that showcase parts of that episode. I'm weak in that way because I thought it was so stupid for Justin to just rush off to New York to start an art career especially when he never bothered to finish his degree. (Sort of like those that race off to California with hopes of becoming a star then doing nothing but working dead-end jobs for years before realizing it wasn't going to happen.)

I've also been told that I should start with that episode and work my way backwards and it would give me a different take. *shrugs* Either way, the ending is what drove me out to find fanfic because I couldn't live with it.

[highd.livejournal.com]

I watched 512 only once too, and I have a tough time even seeing icons made of that episode. I loath cowlip for using the music from season 1 to book end with the end of season 5, they completely changed the meaning of those songs. Good gravy how those two queens screwed up something wonderful. I think Cowlip broke my heart so much so I haven't been able to get into a show like that again.

[ipitydaf00l.livejournal.com]

Alright, it took me a bit to remember Justin's speech, but this here in 512 "...but I have been to Hollywood. They gushed too, remember? Made a bunch of bullshit promises. What makes you think that New York would be any different? The only one who never broke a promise was you." Made me so incredibly happy when I first watched it. I remember loving the end of this episode and was on such a high all day. (I watched this one at like 6 a.m. before work that day.)

That afternoon I came home to watch the final episode expecting so much after that great setup and it was like the writers decided to rip the heart out of my chest and stomp on it while going, "HAHA YOU WANTED BRIAN/JUSTIN FEEL GOOD MOMENTS, WELL TAKE THIS!"

D: Moments later I joined my first QAF community and found my first QAF post 513 series...and went from there.

Now I sort of avoid Season 5 when I rewatch the episodes. I have my favorite episodes from season 1 and 2, but I tend to watch more season 3 and 4 because that's the basis for most of my one-shots. I've only watched Season 5 twice total, and the second time I ended at 512 because it still gives me a "good feeling" unlike 513 when I felt completely heart broken....

I know others are quite content with the ending of the series, etc. However, like I said I'm weak there's so much that happened at the very end that I kept going 'omg why do this?!?!' but meh....I'll prevent myself from going meta about it. :)

[wouldbedorothy.livejournal.com]

Some thought that the "new" boy was supposed to show how everything sort of repeats, there's a new kid in town coming out just like Justin did all those years ago. Not that they were linking it to Brian, just that there will always been new comers, etc.

I totally agree with that. I think that scene was just meant to show another young gay boy arriving on Liberty, ready to discover himself.

I always imagined he was meant for Brandon, lol :)

[ipitydaf00l.livejournal.com]

I always imagined he was meant for Brandon, lol :)

Not that I was overly fond of Brandon, but that's great. :D I never considered that before.

[vlredreign.livejournal.com]

I'd heard that he was supposed to run into Brandon, thereby starting the cycle again.

WTFever.

I've watched S5 about 3 times, it took awhile, but it doesn't bother me. I kinda get why they had Brian revert to S1 Brian, so that was okay, but I will never be able to wrap my head around Mel and Linds moving to Canada. Maybe it was C/L's way of paying homage to the city that hosted them for 5 years, but it was a fucking copout of epic proportions. Why was Brian wrong to not want his son taken to another country!? Lindsay spent 5 years wanting Brian to be a dad to a kid that they ALSO made him give up rights to, only to say "You're mean for wanting him to stay, what about the BOMBS!?!?"

OMG, don't get me started on that fucked up storyline!

Still, I had no reason to believe that Brian and Justin weren't together at the end. They were. Justin had to go make his way, I get that. But the thought that he and Brian broke up...nope.

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Just a note that hindsight is 20/20 for Cowlip who absolutely made sure that everyone knew at the end of the series that they fully intended to break up Brian and Justin and deprive fans rooting for their happy ending. I have no idea why they said otherwise in this interview other than to appease the interviewer and the people who were hanging on to this notion. But by the end of the show (in another interview) and in another interview with one of the writers, they made it perfectly clear what their intention was both on screen and off.

Evidence and a discussion of this here (http://amelialourdes.livejournal.com/457283.html).

And to briefly answer your question -- yes! Not really about chemistry but popularity of the pairing, I imagine. QaF UK worked that story for them and QaF US translated into something else entirely.

[mmmorpheusq.livejournal.com]

I watched QAF from Day One in real time, and I also remember that Cowlip ORIGINALLY intended to break up Brian and Justin at the end. One theory (which I believe) is that Cowlip was disappointed that their biggest fanbase was hetero females, and they intended "one in the eye" to us, by setting up the fake marriage storyline.

They made it fairly clear in the very beginning that Hal/Michael was intended to be the star. I'm sure Hal thought so too, which could explain some of his later bitterness toward Gale.

Revisionist history is what I call Cowlips' later rationalizations.

[vlredreign.livejournal.com]

I don't know that I buy that interview, tbh. It's way too...pat, don't you think?

It wouldn't surprise me that that was the original intention, especially when paired with Shawn Postoff's interview. Which was also bullshit, not to mention the fact that he was pretty much saying, "Oh, all that stuff you saw? Figment of your imagination." So...yeah.

It's too bad they won't go on the record ON VIDEO OR TV and say what they intended, good or bad. We're always gonna believe that they were together at the end, even if they were in different cities.

[mmmorpheusq.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't believe a word Cowlip said at this point.

Postoff should have been stoned. With real rocks. Real big, heavy rocks.

[natkinnat.livejournal.com]

*their biggest fanbase was hetero females*

I can understand that Cowlip (being gay and not into women) could be disappointed of that fact. But, really, hetero females hold very much of subtle power in this men's world. They really can influence the general public opinion on the gay's acceptance subject.

And it's enough to see the pilot to know that in that script Michael/Brian are an obvious focus couple. It's not so in ep 103 already. I think after the pilot Cowlip took the turn to Brian/Justin centered story.

anything but Hal

[ljtilford.livejournal.com]

I was a day one fan couldn't stand Michael and his constant whining. From the begging it was obvious that Brian/Gale was sex on a stick. Justin/Randy quickly grew on me and I was cheering for the ballsy teen. The fact that Randy was a great actor and Hal showed no early hints of acting ability was part of the reason. The remaining cast was awesome.

Icon by Arness

[highd.livejournal.com]

QAF uk's story worked so well because Stuart's family wasn't the horror show that Brian's was. So he didn't need Vince the way that Brian needed Michael. It was quite clear that Stuart and Vince were pretty sewn up by the time we met them. Vince was entrenched in Stuart's life, in a very solid way. Not the way Brian and Michael where. Brian and Michael were brothers, not fated, waiting for the time to be right, lovers to be.

Cowlip had cameras and writers, if they wanted us to feel like Brian and Justin were still together they could have conveyed that instead of feeding us "it's only time" and fading Justin away like he never existed. I mean seriously how dumb do they think we are?

[delvalmom.livejournal.com]

Cowlip had cameras and writers, if they wanted us to feel like Brian and Justin were still together they could have conveyed that...

I don't have anything to add to the discussion because I basically agree that Cowlip fucked with the fans in a truly evil hissy-fit drama queen manner, but the way you worded this made me lol!!

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

I mean seriously how dumb do they think we are?

We're just idiots. What do we know?

[ryosato.livejournal.com]

<3

[natkinnat.livejournal.com]

I respect the decision Cowlip made as they are the authors. And I'm not that bitter about the ending in fact. It feels as real as the rest of the show.

[gaedhal.livejournal.com]

They have certainly changed their tune in the years
since the show ended, whether people want to believe
it or not. But the show is what it is and the ending
what it is. It's always up to debate and interpretation --
and fanfic.