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Post by ivaniv on Jul 31, 2009 5:54:43 GMT -5
But then she's not all that bad, she did not like that Syed showed no reaction when she told him about Christian. My problem with this story is (as other people said too) that all those emotions come from nowhere, one episode a little kiss, the next one I should believe they really care for each other. We get to see only small pieces of the whole picture. They skip any intimacies completely and I don't mean sex. It would make the whole story more relatable, I am just observing and not caring now.
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Post by harmonium on Jul 31, 2009 6:41:58 GMT -5
IvanIV: I do agree with you. The lack of intimacies do make this storyline pales in comparison with some other gay storylines. But I guess the writers are truly follow what they have mentioned, about Syed's struggles with his sexuality and religion. But it still somewhat lacking due to the lack how both characters build their relationship together. We don't exactly see how they have feeling for each other besides being mere colleagues. So that's why I guess viewers will not have strong attachment to the characters given that we didn't really see "togetherness" between Syed and Christian. But I do root for this couple and still follow the storyline faithfully because I enjoy the actors' acting and the great dialogues/conversations they have in the show. This is somewhat missing in most USA's soaps.
As for Syed's mom, sometimes I do find her a little hypocritical. I have a love-&-hate relationship with her.
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Post by ivaniv on Jul 31, 2009 10:13:06 GMT -5
I'd say Zainab is borderline normal ;D , nobody is 100% honest all the time. She must have her word about Christian's "alternative lifestyle", but that's about it, if homosexuality was such a problem for her she'd find a way to get rid of him. And also it's happening to somebody else not to her family. So it will be interesting to see her reaction once the secret is out. I think that Syed having it all and then destroying it will make things much worse. She will probably blame Christian for seducing her son from the right path.
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karina
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Post by karina on Jul 31, 2009 15:06:58 GMT -5
I have just watched tonights Eastenders and I must say it's very beautiful in a most unexpected way. I'll say no more but it's well worth waiting up to watch when Final81 posts the latest clip. OMG! OMG!  I thought we wouldn't get more clips of Christian and Syed this week! Thank you for making my night ;D  |
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karina
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Post by karina on Jul 31, 2009 15:45:03 GMT -5
Your night will be made when Final81 posts the latest clips. I'm have been purring for a couple of hours now.  *Squeals* I love you, people!!! ;D   |
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Post by final81 on Jul 31, 2009 16:43:02 GMT -5
Christian & Syed Part 17
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HQ75
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Post by HQ75 on Jul 31, 2009 16:58:51 GMT -5
I officially give up because I am a pitiful lemming when it comes to this story.
Apparently soap opera writers are under the impression that gay men can only come out of the closet in a sea of dishonestly and deceit mixed in with all the passion, desire, longing and falling love.
Love me some Christian and I completely adore Syed and Christian when they are lovey together (they are too, too pretty as a couple) which is what makes this story so hard to watch because there is no way for it to have a happy ending for either one of them.
Syed is like the master of magical thinking, deep denial and selective memory.
I'm completely hooked and it's doing my head in.
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karina
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Post by karina on Jul 31, 2009 17:33:34 GMT -5
OMG! I love them!  But I have a bad feeling about all of this  I don't think my heart can take anymore of Syed being an asshole towards Christian  Thank you for providing the clip |
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Post by ivaniv on Aug 1, 2009 5:18:17 GMT -5
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Post by ivaniv on Aug 1, 2009 6:23:22 GMT -5
Thank you Ivan for the caps. Wish they'd show some of Ryan below the navel. I can't get over how Christian didn't even stir an eyelid when Ryan was behind the bar. Surely he isn't so besotten with Syed to be completely blind! When they do I'll be there Ryan was probably in Christian's blind spot  |
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Post by yahoorain on Aug 3, 2009 1:46:40 GMT -5
so I sort of understood the ending as Syed wanted to hook up with Christian again...
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HQ75
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Post by HQ75 on Aug 3, 2009 14:48:56 GMT -5
so I sort of understood the ending as Syed wanted to hook up with Christian again... Yes, Syed was asking Christian to invite him over so they could sleep together. It didn't seem subtle to me but I guess since they haven't shown them together on screen being sexy folks could interpret it differently. But it seemed pretty clear to me that Syed was hitting on Christian. I think part of it is that Syed is in such deep denial that it's hard for him to even deal with it when he's doing it. |
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Post by ivaniv on Aug 4, 2009 13:58:37 GMT -5
Oh I am sure he just wanted a cup of coffee And when I had seen in yesterday's ep like Phil Mitchel (or whatever his name) was all over that woman like a rash and compared it with this, it made me sad. |
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HQ75
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Post by HQ75 on Aug 4, 2009 15:17:04 GMT -5
Oh I am sure he just wanted a cup of coffee And when I had seen in yesterday's ep like Phil Mitchel (or whatever his name) was all over that woman like a rash and compared it with this, it made me sad. True. But you know the scenes with Christian and Lee were a lot more revealing than anything I've seen on any US daytime soap with gay characters so it feels like the timidity has more to do with how the show wants to present Syed rather than just a desire to shy away from the sexual aspect of their relationship. The few scenes Christian and Lee had at the dance, in his bedroom were very hot (lots of flirty sexy talk) and they seemed to be making out all over town (in the park, at the vic, in the restaurant, in his apartment). Obviously Syed and Christian are doing things secretly and Syed is far too terrified to risk touching C hristian at the Unit (even if he wanted to) but the gentle, longing, loving way he went to touch Christian bruise was so full of passion that it just seems like a lot more of that could only do the story some good in conveying the depth of Syed's inner struggle. Granted Christian and Lee were not half-naked and dry humping (forgive my indelicacy) as some others have been on the show of late, but it was definitely spicy. I know they are being extra super special careful with Syed out of respect for Muslim viewers but it really does take away from our emotional investment in the "romance" of the story when you don't get to see a couple kiss and cuddle and embrace and BE romantic on the screen. The actors have done a brilliant job (I think) of conveying their passion for each other and I liked that this past episode showed very clearly for those who doubted it that Syed does have real, genuine feelings for Christian that go beyond just sexual attraction and that it isn't just Chrisitian "chasing" Syed (as some folks have suggested) The lack of physical intimacy on screen is particularly sad given that both actors seem so open to the love story and seem up for the physicality of it. It was killing me to see them in Christian's apartment, alone together and all they could do was fight (even though I understood why they were fighting) I would have settled them just sitting on the couch and Syed trying to comfort Christian even if he was resistant to it. |
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IvVi
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Post by IvVi on Aug 4, 2009 15:55:54 GMT -5
I don't know how other gay relationships have been handled on EastEnders or have they ever but it seems that this one is not so much about the relationship itself but more about issues what come along being gay and being accepted by others and for mostly by yourself. How to cope when everything you believe in is saying it's wrong. I'm not a religious person myself (and not gay either) but in some point in life we all seeking acceptance and trying to fit in and it always takes time to realize that being different is not a bad or a wrong thing. First you have to find yourself and then it's easier to face the world.'
OK, that was maybe all out of topic but it just some thoughts I had watching these clips.
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HQ75
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Post by HQ75 on Aug 4, 2009 17:26:13 GMT -5
Were Queer as Folk and SKINS (both of which I LOVED!) considered to be daily soaps? There does seem to be a difference in the level of "racy" between soaps and regular prime time shows or mini-series.
I remember with AS IF there was definitely a lot more skin shown on a regular basis than on Hollyoaks which are shows that would be targeted toward a similar demographic (even though one is a soap and the other is a weekly prime time series)
Also the Hollyoaks special late night mini series were like Caligula compared to the regular Hollyoaks daily soap.
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Post by ivaniv on Aug 5, 2009 1:17:04 GMT -5
QAF was shown at 10pm or even 11pm. UK soaps have quite a conservative audience, things could turn ugly if they showed "too much".
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HQ75
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Post by HQ75 on Aug 8, 2009 16:16:20 GMT -5
I'm positing interviews and press about the Christian and Syed storyline in the new Christian & Syed - Press and Interviews thread. Might be interesting to hear where Marc and John thing the characters' motivations are and what they mean to convey, etc. I adore Christian so I hope the trajectory of this storyline bodes well for him as a character (no matter how it ultimately resolves itself) Beware there might be spoilers if you haven't seen all of the episodes up to this past week (or whenever they last appeared) Also, some SUPER CUTE photos of the cast from a publicity event (I can't post them here but you should go check them out) www.rexfeatures.com/live/2009/06/24/leap_anywhere_launch_party_at_33_portland_place,_london |
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Post by ivaniv on Aug 12, 2009 13:44:11 GMT -5
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karina
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Post by karina on Aug 16, 2009 16:10:14 GMT -5
Oh, I can't wait for tomorrow to come! ;D
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Post by flippa on Aug 17, 2009 18:37:44 GMT -5
Were Queer as Folk and SKINS (both of which I LOVED!) considered to be daily soaps? There does seem to be a difference in the level of "racy" between soaps and regular prime time shows or mini-series. I remember with AS IF there was definitely a lot more skin shown on a regular basis than on Hollyoaks which are shows that would be targeted toward a similar demographic (even though one is a soap and the other is a weekly prime time series) Also the Hollyoaks special late night mini series were like Caligula compared to the regular Hollyoaks daily soap. Ivan is quite right, QAF was shown after the 9pm watershed 9I think it was shown at 10pm) and Skins was also shown late at night. Both were considered dramas rather than soaps (and as such had more leeway to show stuff/ have strong language etc) But more than that, both were the product of Channel 4. Eastenders is on BBC... I have a lot of friends who work at the BBC and- particularly over the last few years with all the grief that has been flung at the BBC, first with the charter renewal, then political scandals, then internal issues- the BBC is probably more cautious now than it has ever been, sadly. If it shows anything that Middle England doesn't want to see, particularly in prime time, then a thunderous chorus is heard of "we don't pay our TV license for this/ the BBC shouldn't be government-funded if this is what it's giving our children" blah blah, etc etc. Boring but true, BBC1 is still the most watched channel, and a gay kiss on their big prime-time soap causes much more of an issue than it does on say Hollyoaks (which is significantly lower in the ratings)... sad sad sad  This is why I think, in this storyline, they're very much playing the angle of fighting against eternal forces (eg Christian getting beaten, Syed battling his demons about what constituents a perfect son, religious prejudices and social prejudices...) (One positive note, I do remember watching EE avidly in its early years in the 80s, and they were I think the first UK soap to feature a gay couple, Colin and BArry I think they were called, who were pretty good simply because they were really boring! It was the first time that I'd seen gay characters shown as not some flamboyant screaming queen  ) BTW if this has all already been said (I've not looked back much) please feel free to delete mods! |
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HQ75
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Post by HQ75 on Aug 17, 2009 19:22:20 GMT -5
Christian & Syed Part 18
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jnn111
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Post by jnn111 on Aug 18, 2009 2:57:11 GMT -5
Thank you kradamantium2525!! ;D I'm definitely hooked on this story line and both actors are doing a great job. Poor Christian and I loved Roxy's speech. Very well written! I've heard that they are not on til Thursday  |
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jnn111
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Post by jnn111 on Aug 18, 2009 2:58:07 GMT -5
Thank you Ivan. Nothing shallow about these pics ;D |
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karina
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Post by karina on Aug 18, 2009 5:10:41 GMT -5
OMG! I love Christian so much!!! Thank you for the clip |
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I thought we wouldn't get more clips of Christian and Syed this week! Thank you for making my night ;D 
But I have a bad feeling about all of this 
I don't think my heart can take anymore of Syed being an asshole towards Christian 
Thank you for providing the clip 
This is why I think, in this storyline, they're very much playing the angle of fighting against eternal forces (eg Christian getting beaten, Syed battling his demons about what constituents a perfect son, religious prejudices and social prejudices...) 
)
