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

[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.

[vlredreign.livejournal.com]

IKR!?!?!

Asshole.

[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

Re: anything but Hal

[natkinnat.livejournal.com]

I don't think that Hal is bad actor, I think that Gale/Hal wouldn't match much for the purposes of the romantic relationship on the show as a characters couple

Re: anything but Hal

[highd.livejournal.com]

Hal is a mediocre actor at best, but worse than that he is a for shit co-worker.

Re: anything but Hal

[eileen-donovan.livejournal.com]

he is a for shit co-worker.

Duly reflected in the fact that you almost never see him with the rest of the gang when they get together. Barbeque, anyone? :)

Re: anything but Hal

[ipitydaf00l.livejournal.com]

I've been sort of enjoying watching random clips of him in Celebracadabra (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSs9-xW5IA8) on youtube.... *coughs*

Then again, I didn't like Hal Sparks years before I ever saw QAF....

[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.

[highd.livejournal.com]

The only decision they made right was to have Ted and Blake get the timing right. If you're happy with what Cowlip did then more power to you, but seriously they ruined something wonderful with pointless soap boxing, being petty, and by allowing the network president to dictate to them the focus of the show.

They lost every bit of credibility with me when they allowed the characters to harp on Brian for having Stockwell as a client for all of season 3, but still allowed Ben and Melanie to become the new Philip and Tannis at the GLC for seasons 4 and 5, the same GLC that endorsed Stockwell. The hypocrisy is mind numbing.

[natkinnat.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry if my comment provoked some anger. I never said I'm happy with the ending and (you might know it) I spent much time discussing ending on qaffictalk. But I'm not disappointed at all. The show is great and the ending is as intense as it might not be (the other way). And no matter what is the meaning of "It's only time" the true love remains.

[highd.livejournal.com]

No anger really not at you, it's just this whole thing is maddening really crazy. The ending made no sense for anyone other then Ted and Michael. OY. I love this stupid show so much, and to have it end the way it did was annoying :(

[ipitydaf00l.livejournal.com]

The hypocrisy is mind numbing.

Silly highd didn't you learn from the show that Brian = the Anti-Christ and everyone else = awesome? :)

I'm joking, please don't take that seriously.

[highd.livejournal.com]

IKR? Jesus.

[highd.livejournal.com]

HA! your icon totally predicted the future!

[bilby10.livejournal.com]

Highd,

I hope you don't mind this comment:

Groups like the GLC are really important in the gay community and in society in general. They might contain some bad eggs from time to time, but that doesn't mean they should be written off. The better the membership the better the organisation, so I have no problem with Mel and Ben becoming more prominent.

I don't even blame Philip and Tannis very much. They were just a bit dumb, naive and timid, and it was quite justified for the other characters to criticise Brian for supporting Stockwell. He was in the wrong, and didn't have stupidity, naivity and timidity as excuses.

[highd.livejournal.com]

The GLC on QAF has been shown over and over to only care about it's image and seems to only want to cater to a certain type of gay person in the community. I don't see them as being stupid, naive, or timid. I see them as people who believed in Stockwell's platform and decided that he was their guy. Because of what he wanted to do to the city of Pittsburgh and because he wanted to make Liberty Ave family friendly, and while that platform worked for the GLC and others, it didn't work for a majority of the gay community that called Liberty Ave home.

Brian took Stockwell on for profit, for his company, and for his future. While it wasn't the most ethical thing he could have done, he did it and it wasn't because he wanted what Stockwell was selling or the life that Stockwell was promising and that is the BIG difference between the two.

So Ben judging Brian in front of everyone at the diner, in front of his family, and questioning Brian's ethics, over Stockwell, while taking up the mantel for the same organization that endorsed him is hypocritical.

[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.