nuDynasty Episode Chat S01E01: I Hardly Recognized You

[Snarky Oracle!]

Steven is also better than I had expected, and it is refreshing to see him actually be gay. I mean Al Corley's tortured portrayal from season one was beautiful but realistically it just couldn't work now without seeming archaic. And Steven is gay, so I don't want any hints of Jack Coleman and his uptight clenched anus, sexuality flip flopping here

But his being out-and-out gay in nuDYNASTY may be why he was cast more stereotypic. I'm not saying nuSteven is a super-stereotype, and he certainly exists in nature, but he is indeed a little retro. Although he's likeable enough.

And (don't you dare seeing anything homophobic in this) he's somewhat cliché... The gay men in Empire, for instance, are very masculine, hunks, machos. Al Corley was great and introduced a new vision of gay men in a TV show : very male looking if sensitive. The new Steven looks very... english, fancy, nearly snobbish

Basically, yeah .... but... nuSteven is english??

Someone somewhere in some thread (I forget who and where) said they actually preferred Steven a little more stereotypic because they were tired of all the straight-i-fied gay male characters seen on TV in the present.... I mean, I guess I know what they're saying, but after decades of homo-invisibilty except when the gay character was limp-wristed (or something else equally pandering) or just shown as creepy and weird if not mentally ill in some other way, I haven't gotten tired yet of masculine gay male characters (although I see little of those modern shows, so I'm not as bombarded with it -- and I tend to resist overt sexual scenes, be they hetero or homo, almost as a rule).

And while we need to remember, or be told, that most homosexual activity which goes on behind closed doors isn't occurring with recognizable stereotypes, the ones who tend to proclaim and 'come out' (even today), like nuSteven, do tend to align a bit much with that cliche. Although not everybody who comes out, of course.

In other words, I'm not really sure what I think of nuSteven's gayosity casting. I'll wait, I guess.

 

[Alexis]

I'm not saying nuSteven is a super-stereotype, and he certainly exists in nature, but he is indeed a little retro. Although he's likeable enough.

I think from what we have seen of nuSteven he is very much a representation of what a lot gay men his age are. They have many facets, they aren't all these media made up 24hr bitchy sidekicks who like to go shopping with their galpals. They all aren't straight acting masc for masc gym douches either. Some gay men are a little camp, not all gay men are camp, not all gay men are camp all the time. No all gay guys are effeminate, not all gays are ultra macho, not all gays are funny all the time, not all gay guys are extroverts. I think or at least hope that this Steven could be interesting and probably even inspiring. I like him more than I expected to. I just hope that just like Fallon they tone down the funny. I can watch the Will & Grace continuation to get my funny.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I just hope that just like Fallon they tone down the funny. I can watch the Will & Grace continuation to get my funny.

Uh oh --- that's what I liked best!

 

[Alexis]

Uh oh --- that's what I liked best!

I like it now, where he is seems right for me. I just don't want them to think this is what he does best and keep writing to that. I don't want him to turn into the stock quippy gay guy.

 

[Alexis]

nuSteven is english??

Australian isn't he?

 

[Willie Oleson]

I just hope that just like Fallon they tone down the funny

Yes, the wit-cannonade was a bit too much in ep 2. And there are many ways to act funny, the best stuff usually comes from the character, not his or her lines.
Either way, it shouldn't become their priority, like you said, there are more suitable shows for that.

Regarding Steven's looks, it suddenly dawns on me that none of the CW Dynasty actors are extremely pretty or sexy (at least not to me).
Especially compared the non-stop hotness parade on TNT Dallas, including one of the Mexican thugs (Fernando).

Isn't that strange?
Isn't it strange that a beauty soap like NuDynasty doesn't have a Josh Henderson or Lorenzo Lamas or Heather Locklear or Mary Crosby?

 

[Alexis]

Yes, the wit-cannonade was a bit too much in ep 2. And there are many ways to act funny, the best stuff usually comes from the character, not his or her lines.
Either way, it shouldn't become their priority, like you said, there are more suitable shows for that.

Regarding Steven's looks, it suddenly dawns on me that none of the CW Dynasty actors are extremely pretty or sexy (at least not to me).
Especially compared the non-stop hotness parade on TNT Dallas, including one of the Mexican thugs (Fernando).

Isn't that strange?
Isn't it strange that a beauty soap like NuDynasty doesn't have a Josh Henderson or Lorenzo Lamas or Heather Locklear or Mary Crosby?

I think nuSammy Jo is unbelievably pretty. Even when he was on Empire without the stubble.

 

[Matthew Blaisdel]

Yeah well, i've had more than enough "Sammy Jo"s im my life already, and they more or less all sucked or bored me to hell, so today i'd definitely chose nuSteven.
Wisdom comes with age.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I think nuSammy Jo is unbelievably pretty

He's definitely the hottest of the bunch.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I don't want him to turn into the stock quippy gay guy.

But he is a stock gay guy. I thought that's what you meant by "I think from what we have seen of nuSteven he is very much a representation of what a lot gay men his age are." Or are the quips the only thing 'stock' about nuSteven?

Frankly, and maybe this is because I'm older (I tend to forget I'm not still 24, which is kinda funny) but I'm quite happy to have TV shows continue to veer away from the stereotype. OldSteven veered away from it too, to some degree, so I guess I find it slightly disconcerting that nuDYNASTY re-embraced the cliche now that Steven's no longer conflicted (not that nuSteven is all that stereotypic -- he's not mincing down the foyer steps in a pink skirt).

it suddenly dawns on me that none of the CW Dynasty actors are extremely pretty or sexy (at least not to me).
Especially compared the non-stop hotness parade on TNT Dallas, including one of the Mexican thugs (Fernando).

And perhaps that's why both new shows didn't stand a chance.

NuDALLAS tried being too pretty and nuDYNASTY doesn't.

Yeah well, i've had more than enough "Sammy Jo"s im my life already, and they more or less all sucked or bored me to hell, so today i'd definitely chose nuSteven.

But that's a problem: now that Steven is just gay without any denial, he's slipped back into being slightly queenish.

It's seems a bit retro.

And are we taking about nuSteven? Or NunuSteven? Because I forget about Stevenbot.

 

[Alexis]

Yeah well, i've had more than enough "Sammy Jo"s im my life already, and they more or less all sucked or bored me to hell, so today i'd definitely chose nuSteven.
Wisdom comes with age.

Of course the money didn't effect your choice at all.

 

[Matthew Blaisdel]

In fact it didn't. That's no attraction to me. I've had that as well and it bored me too.
I find him cute, he's a little rascal and playful, i really like him.

 

[Alexis]

But he is a stock gay guy. I thought that's what you meant by "I think from what we have seen of nuSteven he is very much a representation of what a lot gay men his age are." Or are the quips the only thing 'stock' about nuSteven?

He's not so much a stock gay man I think. He seems real enough to me. I get him for now. To me the quips are really are the only "Stock" things about him. When I think stock gay guy I think gay guy from a Ryan Murphy show. That ultra quippy, sissified, sideshaded, bowtie wearing, all singing all dancing, pretty boy.

 

[Willie Oleson]

NuDALLAS tried being too pretty

Josh Henderson was pretty and good, Emma Bell too.

Also, the human race has evolved. The present-young-generation is far more prettier than my-young-generation. Sometimes I'm amazed how outrageously beautiful young people are these days, and that's not even in a sexual context.

Well of course they're not all actors.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

He's not so much a stock gay man I think. He seems real enough to me. I get him for now. To me the quips are really are the only "Stock" things about him. When I think stock gay guy I think gay guy from a Ryan Murphy show. That ultra quippy, sissified, sideshaded, bowtie wearing, all singing all dancing, pretty boy.

But does he have to be that effeminate to qualify as stock?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Josh Henderson was pretty and good

Yes, but he was Texas-y enough, and very appealing enough, to be totally acceptable. In fact, I'm still a bit smitten -- which is another reason I'm angry that nuDALLAS shot itself in the head.

But a lot of oldDALLAS fans turned away because they found nuDALLAS to be a show that seemed too directed "at women and gay men".

 

[Alexis]

Frankly, and maybe this is because I'm older (I tend to forget I'm not still 24, which is kinda funny) but I'm quite happy to have TV shows continue to veer away from the stereotype. OldSteven veered away from it too, to some degree, so I guess I find it slightly disconcerting that nuDYNASTY re-embraced the cliche now that Steven's no longer conflicted (not that nuSteven is all that stereotypic -- he's not mincing down the foyer steps in a pink skirt).

I think a lot of gay people are a bit too worried/sensitive about stereotypes. I had a chat with a few friends about this the other week. Most of us (gays) are somewhat stereotypical I think. I talked to a lesbian chef, and a gay hairdresser who balked at me saying they were somewhat stereotypical. I also said I myself were a stereotype. They at first seemed annoyed and offended. Then I pointed out that my lesbian chef friend had chosen to work in a male dominated hard profession and that she enjoys being treated as "one of the guys" and that she enjoys throwing up that image and that lifestyle. I similarly pointed out to the male hairdresser about the career choice, the lifestyle he aspires to and his high fashion all black aesthetic. These were two of the more classic stereotypical friends that had that sensitivity. Another friend who wasn't as campy and who's job wasn't thought of as a clichéd profession for his sexuality didn't have a problem with being thought of as a little camp or stereotypical.

 

[Alexis]

But does he have to be that effeminate to qualify as stock?

No there are also gay male slut gym bunny stock characters who are bizarrely macho and most likely the dream creation of the writer but what I am saying is that nuSteven is far from both of those versions. He's somewhere in the middle. And that middle is somewhere I myself see myself as opposed to either end of that spectrum.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

. Another friend who wasn't as campy and who's job wasn't thought of as a clichéd profession for his sexuality didn't have a problem with being thought of as a little camp or stereotypical.

Now isn't that funny..??

No there are also gay male slut gym bunny stock characters who are bizarrely macho and most likely the dream creation of the writer but what I am saying is that nuSteven is far from both of those version. He's somewhere in the middle. And that middle is somewhere I myself see myself as opposed to either end of that spectrum.

I guess I think of oldSteven (Al Corley) as being in the middle: sensitive and polished, but a guy.

 

[Matthew Blaisdel]

Most of us (gays) are somewhat stereotypical I think.

That's the one big problem of my life.