Christmas & New Year

Hello, hope you had a Merry Christmas and that you're enjoying 2009 so far. I've got to be honest, so far, it feels very similar to 2008!

So I had a lovely Christmas. Just me and my parents with lovely food, surprisingly good TV (I watched a lot of Christmas specials) and some lovely gifts. 'Santa' got me a cushion, a Banksy print, a calendar, a Russell Howard DVD (in which you can see our faces over and over again) among many other things. Charlotte got me a pop-up toaster (I love it, but where shall it live?) and a lovely Julian Opie style print of me, Charlotte and Emma which is totally getting framed! Emma got me a money-box, Karimah gave me Amazon vouchers and I got a lovely bag from my mum's friend Elaine (among many others!).

Loved Doctor Who, loved Gavin and Stacey, loved The Royle Family... in fact, every Christmas special I watched I liked (it was a classic Midsummer Murders). So once the festivities were over, I did absolutely nothing for several days. Saw Charlotte a lot after that: we watched Moonlight all the way through the night until 6:15 in the morning, went to the Royal Festival Hall and saw people waltzing to Harry Potter themes and watched Religulous at Alex's.

New Year's Eve was equally jokes, we saw Emma and had THE BIGGEST BREAKFAST EVER in Jack's. Then I spent the rest of the night at Charlotte's chatting, drinking champagne, iChatting and listening to Charlotte's brother talk about the amateur fireworks display happening outside (There's a guy with no education setting off fireworks outside! He owns a chip shop, he can handle stuff!) So all in all, a very good night.

New Year's Day was equally joyous: went over to Acton to see Keith and his family, Ilo is so big and so sweet I thought I might steal him. Had a nice meal and got my usual speech from Keith about how much he loves me and my parents. Lovely. And Rana gave my a lovely bangle I'm sure I'll be wearing all year long! So this is quite short because I'm saving the space for the mega edition of...

GAY UPDATE: Why so epic? I'll be passing judgment on all my programmes from this year (I know, more important than the Oscars this). But first... it's easy to give the Christmas prize, but I think it would have won even with competition. As the only thing airing, NUKE wins. I have really enjoyed these episodes: shamelessly romantic, dramatic and setting up for what should be a very interesting start to the year. Fixed and broke my heart in consecutive weeks. I enjoyed HollyOaks but unfortunately, not because of any gay content: and until Olli comes back Ollian will not be winning.

So let's start with Ollian. It was a late edition to my repertoire, but valued none the less. The great thing about Ollian is not even the epic scenes, as heart-rending as the kisses and arguments are, but the subtle things that set them up as such a strong and loving couple even when they are not the main focus. And for that, they are clearly the best representation of gay reltionships I have seen this year.

Nuke... *sigh*. There are so many reasons why I should hate it: the unrealistic stories, the cock-blocking, the lack of physical contact but... when Nuke is good, it is up there. I admire them for taking Luke and Noah in a different direction: they're in love, it's not all about sex. And as much as it frustrates me, I am still completely hooked. Maybe it's the acting or maybe it's the characters. Either way, I'm not giving up and for me, they have the highest expectations for 2009.

Torchwood is probably my favourite BBC program of the year, and there have been many. For me, it is good in it more than just the relationship between Jack and Ianto, as much as I love them both as individual characters and a couple. It's a show about so many things: love, humanity, leadership, greed. For that, it is certainly best all-round show of 2008; hope a change of format in 2009 will not change that.

Roman and Deniz... when they are together there is such chemistry, and splitting them up was clearly a mistake. But one no one seems to be rushing to fix so for that, they are simply the best almost couple of the year. A shame what could have been so good was not allowed to develop...

Brothers and Sisters has had a good year: I liked Jason, love Scotty and am so proud of their marriage. For one thing, it gives all those Prop 8 supporters something to think about, and for that I think the deserve best statement of the year. Nora's speech made me cry and they're the most functioning couple in the show!

I have made my thoughts on QaF clear, and while it may not be this year in real time it is in mine, and I am the first to admit I was wrong. QaFUSA is good: Brian and Justin up there amoung my favourites, and while Micheal will never be Vince, I can accept the change.

So, the overall winner? It wasn't to be anything else. HOLLYOAKS wins, for so many reasons. I had been waiting for a year for the Sunset Ending, and while it was rushed, I think it did the characters justice. And the hole John Paul has left in the soap for me is frightening! They are the perfect couple for me, in their imperfections and flaws they honestly love each other. Whatever insecurities, whatever problems there is love. And the speed of the Sunset Ending was a testament to that: nothing else matters. It was an end of an era for me and so many others: not only saying good bye to the couple and amazingly talented actors but to Bryan Kirkwood who has truly regenerated the soap into something I am proud to call myself a fan of. It's light when it needs to be, serious when it needs to be and has given the internet the best gay couple in the land. For that, I thank everyone involved. And promise, with BlogSpot as my witness, I will never stop loving John Paul & Craig, and never stop believing in their happy live in Dublin. Forever may it last.

So, that's it. But tomorrow I will be posting another not real post about my thoughts on... THE NEW DOCTOR WHO! The announcment is being made at 17:35 GMT, so expect a verdict at around 18:00. Hope to see you then...

xXx

Hollyoaks Of The Year!

'Sunset Ending' beginning! I've been waiting for months, and it's finally here. I know it's sad but this probably the most exciting thing to happen to me all summer. So, was at Charlotte's when the HOLLYOAKS episode of the aired on e4 at 7.00 today. Now, this meant I couldn't write the Live-blog of my thoughts as I intended. So... here it is. To understand most of these points, you will have to watch the videos. But trust me: that is no punishment!

Part 1



0.31: What the hell is that T-Shirt, JP?
0.43: OMG; it's a taxi!!
0.48: Shoes...
0.55: Face!!
1.00: Return of prodigal son? Forgiveness? Nice tie-in!! Thought don't think Jack'll be pleased to see him...
1.15: Knew this was a dream, but is exactly what I thought a out the whole proposal!
1.35: Coward? Meaning anyone, writers?
1.55: Go away Niall!
2.00: John Paul's face cracks me up!
2.19: Doesn't John Paul look enthusiastic?
2.36: 'I said no.' Good on you Steph!
2.46: Please, Steph, stick her head in the blender.
3.12: Yeah, he didn't. And hasn't. He just loves how Kieron loves him rather than actually him...
3.25: Walking through the random new state park, OMG!
3.47: And the only meaningful relationship I've ever had is with THIS storyline!
3.58: 'It's not about him' No, it's about Craig.
4.14: Meeting the one feels like... wanting to avoid their calls?
4.30: I do love her, hope she doesn't die...
4.50: They don't let us wonder home to 'get our books'
5.18: I love Newt! 'Everything's that wrong with me...'
5.44: Missed that smile.
5.50: From Dublin? Oh, right, travelling...
5.57: She looks guilty, and so she should. Making Craig feel bad, but then she did bring him back so can't complain.
6.13: New people who aren't just in his head...
6.29: Darren helping out? That is enough to arose suspicion?
6.59: You'd know if you picked up my calls! But Kieron's too nice to say that...
7.14: Sly way of saying 'Can we wait?'
7.23: Niall as best man?! I hate him...
7.32: Why would he not invite all his sisters?!
7.50: 'You're so nice'; hardly passionate feelings, is it?
7.52: 'It drives me mad' and not in the good way!
7.57: Yeah, you should be having fun. Being with Kieron SHOULD be fun!
8.05: I feel really bad for Kieron though...
8.08: No-one gets married at 19! Except Nathan and Haley...
8.14: But you could have said 'No' Kieron...
8.27: Time... with Craig?
8.34: That's not fair Kieron; he never asked you to give up the Church!
8.42: I can recite this scene by heart!
8.57: I love his face!
9.08: Loving the eye-sex!
9.10: Craig ident! He is officially back people!

Part 2



0.13: I don't care about Kieron! Back to my boys!
0.25: What a weird picture of John Paul to have: he's not even smiling...
0.32: That's a stupid question. You know about the family stuff...
0.50: Aw, sad Craig.
1.02: Awkward!
1.10: AWKWARD!
1.22: Those smiles are so... I love them.
1.29: Didn't take long answering that one Craig!
1.42: Bit presumptuous Niall, she did say no!
2.01: That's a huge lunch to come with dessert as well...
2:21: Don't say adopt in front of Niall: he may explode.
2.48: I hate Cindy!
2.52: and leave Tom alone? Idiot guy!
3.05: 'Not with you' The man who killed my husband...
3.23: Bad timing? Tell that to Craig...
3.26: 'You can't even see when your own (relationship) is falling apart!' I hate Niall but he makes a fair point.
3.31: You don't feel bad enough to NOT kill Kieron though...
3.39: Aw, rambling JP. He still loves him.
3.47: Like, the 'Lost' line from before. They are giving us everything we want here!
3.49: 'Tall?' I think nice was more passionate...
3.57: Can't look at Craig when you are describing him though, can you?
4.01: 'Is he a saint?' LOL.
4.06: But didn't mention he was her priest??
4.13: Love that he says his name!
4.20: Poor Craig! Trying to make light of it... but you can tell. That is good acting.
4.39: Very true, we appreciate the irony.
4.37: Love that he says please! He's begging...
4.47: No, he's upstairs on the sofa
4.55: Oh, touching...
5.03: John Paul's remembering that now... the making up I mean :P
5.18: Craig's face when Darren hugs him... CLASSIC!
5.20: Wouldn't it just be easier to go upstairs and tell Jack to hide?!
5.29: Awkward! Classic face...
5.39: AWKWARD!
5.51: 'It's none of my business' But it will be...
5.54: He hadn't left the Church at the beginning John Paul, only when you got caught...
5.57: Very true, Craig.
6.04: Yeah, he hasn't forgotten about you even now!
6.23: He wants to ask 'Boy or girl?', you can see it in his eyes!
6.35: 'You do love him, right?' That is the question, my friend.
6.48: That lingering look... so many memories of that! The chemistry is still alive!
6.52: Jack is an idiot! He deserves to be found out. At least sit in a room that no one would just walk into...
6.56: But failed, Darren. Like you fail at life.
7.04: Running after him... you should have done that the first time!
7.11: Yeah, answer the question John Paul!
7.14: Took to long! Wrong answer! And you know it...
7.16: Poor Craig!
7.19: I'm sorry too!!
7.24: Only that face tells me you are sorry, John Paul. That you ever meet Kieron maybe...
7.28: That face... that face John Paul pulls when he hugs Craig. That is the difference between McPriest and McDean. I love it!
7.30: And Craig is pulling it too!
7.37: Still can't pull away right away though, can he?
7.41: How does he know that is Craig?! Poor Kieron though; I do love him. I just know that John Paul doesn't...
7.44: Good catch!
7.47: Love the short breath John Paul gives out... he doesn't want to hurt Kieron. But let's face it, he will not be able to help it. And that look...
7.56: Craig wants to hold John Paul so much! I see change! And John Paul just can't look at him. Again. It's a theme already... and the opposite of the theme last year!
8.05: I feel so sorry for Kieron!
8.18: Wish that meant Niall was dying and not Kieron!

Verdict: AMAZING! A week of this and my heart will give out!