I’m late to the party too. I just happened upon this, and just can’t help but comment.
Thanks for your Manifesto. Unfortunately I disagree with a lot of it. I have no problem with fans reading/writing Michael/Brian slash. Afterall they at least are both gay, unlike a number of the film/tv character pairings I’ve read. I also have no problem with fans liking the two together in a romantic sense or hoping that they’ll be together one day ... however ... there is little canon support for this. Your manifesto highlights great Brian/Michael scenes, but they’re scenes of friendship rather than romance (though Michael does have romantic inclinations in the earlier seasons).
The writers say that their story is about boys becoming men. For Michael, part of this is recognising that he and Brian will never have a romantic relationship, but that what they do have is very special. He also gradually learns to look for romantic love elsewhere. At the beginning of S1 Brian relies on Michael too much, leads him on (unfairly gives him hope), and interferes with M’s other relationships. Brian gradually learns to accept love from other people, Justin most notably. By the end of S5, they both still love one another, but now it’s no longer an unhealthy love, plus they both have romantic relationships with other people.
“Michael and Justin hate each other from the get-go. Justin can’t understand why Michael still follows Brian around after so many years, and Michael can't figure out why the fuck of the night is still there the next morning. “ Justin DOES know why (“you’re still waiting for him to finish jerking you off” or words to that effect). Justin doesn’t hate Michael, despite Michael’s jealousy.
“Most of Justin’s beef with Michael is due to his desire to be Brian’s one-and-only, and he knows he can never have the connection with Brian that Michael does. But Michael’s jealousy, OTOH, is based upon the fact that his own mother supports Justin’s relationship with Brian, which is based solely on sex, but will not support his and Brian’s relationship, based on friendship and loyalty.” Wrong in so many ways: Justin knows how important Michael is to Brian but doesn’t see him as a threat. The real challenge is not Michael, but that Brian doesn’t do bfs. Michael is jealous of B and J’s sexual/later romantic relationship, though I’m sure he’s not too happy about his mother’s views either.
As for “base solely on sex”: no one has a relationship for FIVE years only based on sex !
Turnpike scene: I’m afraid Brian is leading Michael on a bit here. He doesn’t want Dr Dave to take Michael away, so he gives him a big smoochy kiss. I’m astounded that you totally disregard the B/J hotel scene which follows shortly afterwards.
301 platform dance: Brian is lonely without Justin, and a bit wistful about the old days when it was just M and him. It’s part genuine emotion, part leading M on. You totally disregard the later scene where Brian punches Michael for the nasty thing he says about Justin. “He didn’t want to survive for himself, but for his best friend”: another lope sided interpretation. Brian changes his mind not just because of M, but because of Gus, M and J. You totally disregard the B/J scene at B’s office, or the one at the loft with Lindsay and Gus.
“the wonderful 18 years of history”: some people describe their friendship as a “remember when” friendship. I think it’s a whole lot more than that, but it is not a romance. Justin is just as important to Brian, if not more. You of course, have completely disregarded the scene where Brian frantically searches bombed out Babylon for Justin (Justin, not Michael – of course he cares for Michael very much, but that’s not who Brian thinks of first) , the ILY B/J scene, their final scene and many other B/J scenes which were so much more than sex.
You may not even be a QAF fan anymore, but I just couldn’t help commenting.
no subject
Thanks for your Manifesto. Unfortunately I disagree with a lot of it. I have no problem with fans reading/writing Michael/Brian slash. Afterall they at least are both gay, unlike a number of the film/tv character pairings I’ve read. I also have no problem with fans liking the two together in a romantic sense or hoping that they’ll be together one day ... however ... there is little canon support for this. Your manifesto highlights great Brian/Michael scenes, but they’re scenes of friendship rather than romance (though Michael does have romantic inclinations in the earlier seasons).
The writers say that their story is about boys becoming men. For Michael, part of this is recognising that he and Brian will never have a romantic relationship, but that what they do have is very special. He also gradually learns to look for romantic love elsewhere. At the beginning of S1 Brian relies on Michael too much, leads him on (unfairly gives him hope), and interferes with M’s other relationships. Brian gradually learns to accept love from other people, Justin most notably. By the end of S5, they both still love one another, but now it’s no longer an unhealthy love, plus they both have romantic relationships with other people.
“Michael and Justin hate each other from the get-go. Justin can’t understand why Michael still follows Brian around after so many years, and Michael can't figure out why the fuck of the night is still there the next morning. “
Justin DOES know why (“you’re still waiting for him to finish jerking you off” or words to that effect). Justin doesn’t hate Michael, despite Michael’s jealousy.
“Most of Justin’s beef with Michael is due to his desire to be Brian’s one-and-only, and he knows he can never have the connection with Brian that Michael does. But Michael’s jealousy, OTOH, is based upon the fact that his own mother supports Justin’s relationship with Brian, which is based solely on sex, but will not support his and Brian’s relationship, based on friendship and loyalty.”
Wrong in so many ways: Justin knows how important Michael is to Brian but doesn’t see him as a threat. The real challenge is not Michael, but that Brian doesn’t do bfs. Michael is jealous of B and J’s sexual/later romantic relationship, though I’m sure he’s not too happy about his mother’s views either.
As for “base solely on sex”: no one has a relationship for FIVE years only based on sex !
Turnpike scene: I’m afraid Brian is leading Michael on a bit here. He doesn’t want Dr Dave to take Michael away, so he gives him a big smoochy kiss. I’m astounded that you totally disregard the B/J hotel scene which follows shortly afterwards.
301 platform dance: Brian is lonely without Justin, and a bit wistful about the old days when it was just M and him. It’s part genuine emotion, part leading M on. You totally disregard the later scene where Brian punches Michael for the nasty thing he says about Justin.
“He didn’t want to survive for himself, but for his best friend”: another lope sided interpretation. Brian changes his mind not just because of M, but because of Gus, M and J. You totally disregard the B/J scene at B’s office, or the one at the loft with Lindsay and Gus.
“the wonderful 18 years of history”: some people describe their friendship as a “remember when” friendship. I think it’s a whole lot more than that, but it is not a romance. Justin is just as important to Brian, if not more. You of course, have completely disregarded the scene where Brian frantically searches bombed out Babylon for Justin (Justin, not Michael – of course he cares for Michael very much, but that’s not who Brian thinks of first) , the ILY B/J scene, their final scene and many other B/J scenes which were so much more than sex.
You may not even be a QAF fan anymore, but I just couldn’t help commenting.