Queer As Folk Trailer: The Heart Of Club Babylon Continues Beating

The reimagining of "Queer as Folk" will hit Peacock in a few short weeks, and we've finally been blessed with a trailer that gives us a better look at our soon-to-be favorites, giving us a stronger idea of just what these new folks will be tackling this season. The original series began in 1999 in the U.K., followed by a two-season U.S. series in 2000, both of which were seminal programs for queer people across the globe, debuting in a world where marriage equality didn't exist, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was firmly in place, and transgenderism was still classified as a mental illness. Two decades later, the world looks a lot different for the LGBTQIA+ community in many ways, but in others, things are unfortunately as dangerous as ever. Pivoting from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, the new "Queer as Folk" focuses on "an electric ensemble of fresh characters that mirror the modern global audience," according to the series creator, executive producer, writer, and director Stephen Dunn.

Russell T. Davies, the original creator of the British series said, "I'm very proud of what we achieved in 1999, but in queer years, that was a millennium ago!" 

Look, he's not wrong. I'm only 31 and that makes me a "queer elder" in some circles. "As a community, we've radicalized, explored, opened up, and found new worlds — with new enemies and new allies — and there was so much to be said," Davies continued. "Stephen pitched a brand new version of 'Queer as Folk' with so much imagination, insight, and crucially, joy, that I simply couldn't resist."

Executive producer, writer, (and full disclosure, my dear friend) Jaclyn Moore emphasized that the show is about queer characters who are allowed to live in the "messy middle," as LGBTQIA+ characters are often relegated to extreme ends of the spectrum, and she's absolutely right. Think of the most well-known films that feature queer characters and you're either going to get some depressing Oscar bait about queer tragedy that paints us as otherworldly inspirations or else we're monsters who will surely be the downfall of all humanity. Oh, and our stories are predominantly told by cis-straight people for cis-straight audiences and starring cis-straight actors. 

"Queer as Folk" 2022 is not that show.

Davies also said that he thought it was the right time for the "Queer as Folk" name to pass on to a new generation, stating the new show is more diverse, wilder, freer, angrier, and "everything a queer show should be." Based on this new trailer, we'd be wise to believe him. Club Babylon has always been a safe haven for queer joy, but as we see in the first few moments, the reality is that despite our joy, there are still people in this world who want nothing more than to exterminate us. "In the true spirit of the original, our show doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of our community, but above all else, the series is about people who live vibrant, vital, unapologetically queer lives," said Dunn.

"Queer as Folk" will be available on Peacock starting June 9, 2022.