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Saturday, Nov 21, 2009
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The Reel Spin: The DL Chronicles: Smart, sexy and seductive |
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| The Reel Spin: The DL Chronicles: Smart, sexy and seductive | ||
| by Ron Anders SGN A&E Writer In recent months, I seem to have been inundated with the here! Channel's large quota of entertaining guilty-pleasure DVDs: the skin-soaked soaps Dante's Cove and The Lair, among others - all intentionally campy spectacles. So, when I began watching The DL Chronicles, I didn't know what to expect. Would this be another eye-rolling adventure in gothic promiscuity? Don't get me wrong; I like junk food as much as the next guy, but The DL Chronicles provided a very welcome surprise and an immensely bracing breath of fresh air. Intelligently written, acted and directed, this series breaks new ground in exploring the way homophobia (both external and internal) affects the lives of Gay African American men, their families and friends. Four episodes make up the first season (now available on DVD), each focusing on a man who tries to navigate the dangerous waters of leading a double life. For those not in the know (and that included me), "DL" is short for "on the down low." The phrase refers to men who have sex with men, but who identify as straight - and have ongoing relationships with women. Not a totally new concept, but one which is explored smartly and sensually in the series. Series creators Quincy LeNear and Deondray Gosset have crafted memorable vignettes that explore the tyranny of the closet. The first episode, "Wes," introduces us to a handsome, married (and very uptight) banker whose brother-in-law successfully makes a play for him. Darren Schnase conjures a precise portrait of a man overwhelmed by his desire for men while trying to keep a shaky marriage together. "Robert" (played expertly by the impossibly handsome Terrell Tilford) is a man peering out of the closet when a hot internet connection (an equally steamy Kareem Ferguson) turns into something serious. In "Boo," a street thug whose identity as a tough guy and sex god has to face the consequences of doing whatever (and whomever) he wants. The season ends on a lighter note with "Mark," who hides his three-year relationship when a family member visits unexpectedly - with comic consequences. In four half-hour episodes, the series manages to cover a lot of ground, challenging a wide range of stereotypes. The DL Chronicles is populated with an inordinate number of beautiful men whose superb acting chops match their exquisite looks. The sex scenes, unlike most TV couplings (especially Gay duos) are not awkward or self-conscious, but have a potent erotic charge. This may be the sexiest show to ever grace the tube. The producers also know how to pick their women, who are as stunning as their male counterparts. The creators' commentary is informative and fun, and makes it clear that the series was made on a shoestring, though you'd never know it from the richly woven stories that emerge onscreen. The DL Chronicles was a hit at last year's Seattle Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and won the 2008 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Television Anthology, an honor richly deserved. This greatly satisfying and entertaining show leaves us wanting more, which we will get when it returns for a second season early next year. The Logo Channel gives us The Big Gay Sketch Show, Seasons One and Two, a very funny show cast in the mold of Saturday Night Live and In Living Color. While the writing is hit-and-miss - and too many skits stay well past their welcome - there are enough comic bits to make this well worth a look. The series' scribes often falter while skewing Gay and straight stereotypes, but the superb cast keeps the pace lively and the jokes funny. The casting directors have clearly done their homework, gathering a bunch of sharp, skilled, idiosyncratic comic actors who inhabit some classic characters. Hands down, the standout is Erica Ash, whose foulmouthed octogenarian creation, Grandma Belle, is the funniest character to appear on TV in years. Her stint as a guest speaker at the Harvey Milk school will have you on the floor laughing (or running away screaming if you shrink from profanity). Ash also appears as a yoga teacher with an incendiary dose of attitude in a skit about Chicago-style yoga. The heartthrob of the cast is Paolo Andino, who is hunky and hilarious as recurring character Naldo, a legendarily seductive guy who makes believe he is totally clueless about the men (and women) who fawn over his hot, sweaty body. Also contributing to the fun are Nicole Paone, who does a dead-on Elaine Stritch impression. (The real Stritch makes an appearance as well). Speaking of divas, there's Super Liza (Julie Goldman), who leaps from tall buildings to save Gays and is fueled by one-too-many vodka tonics, and Colman Domingo's wicked skewering of Maya Angelou. Rosie O'Donnell is one of the executive producers of the show. She and pal Chastity Bono appear at the end of some episodes, jokingly commenting on the show's shortcomings. Unfortunately, their criticisms ring too true. That said, The Big Gay Sketch Show is still a lot of fun and a showcase for some exciting new talent. |
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