[Picture above thanks to AfterElton.com]So far Season 3 is proving to do no wrongs and just be overly entertaining. The two-parter opener was awesome, with a great spirited performance from Ben Foster, as a prisoner screwed by Earl as a kid and then had a poor outlook about himself. The episode on last Thursday October 4th episode, "The Gangs of Candem County" had a full-on male on male kiss, I think more than just one. Earl is sent to make two gang leaders kiss and make up, little did he know they already did... Hector and Jamal, leaders of respective race-themed gangs. Straight-ass IGN.com talks about what kind of storylines can be considered shocking these days. While AfterElton.com gages if the jokes were offensive or juvenile.
IGN.com reviews it:
It's difficult to gauge how outrageous a gay storyline is these days. Some still might find two men kissing a shock at 8pm, but it all depends on your level of tolerance. In this instance, the kiss and the plot in general didn't seem like a ratings stunt (unlike 30 Rock's "Seinfeldvision") but rather as part of a logical story that was told with both respect, and more importantly, humor.
AfterElton.com says:
What stands out about "Gangs of Camden County" is that Hector and Jamal's relationship is based on the two making a personal connection, not from a lack of options from being imprisoned. Earl has a history of treating its oddballs with respect and, along those lines, it avoided making Hector and Jamal's affection fodder for gross-out humor.
I think it was well done. I personally forgot it was network television watching it. Going in to it, seeing the relationship, I was thought it just would end there. I was hoping for it to show more and they did, they certainly were honest. When Earl advises the gang leaders to go public with their relationship, Hector refuses, leaving Jamal the spurned lover and thus causing violence to escalate further. Earl's plan to get the guys back together with Jamal eating a popsicle suggestively and the slow-motion hose-down of Jamal's tight white t-shirt. The funny part isn't that 'ooh, they are gay and this stuff women usually do and a gay guy doing it is stupid' but 'Hector really thinks this is hot and Jamal has a beer belly.'
Of course, Earl being in Jail now, we expect men on men action but the gang did it in a creative way and did a whole storyline revolving around it. And as AfterElton blog writer says, it isn't because of lack of options but that they genuinely love each other. That even in jail, they couldn't be together because of social phobias and not just because of them being gay. IGN.com calls it 'West Side Story,' which I find just funny because technically it isn't. Because that would have to be one gang member in love with the sibling of the other gang member.
You can watch the episode here on NBC.com!
