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An Archive of the Representation of LGBTQ Characters Within UK Fictional Television Programmes in the Last 20 Years.

Behind the scenes

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Misfits 6 image_header 2017-04-19T20:12:58-07:00
E4 (2009 - 2013)

Writer/Director

Created by Howard Overman. He wanted to write something that didn't have perfect characters. A British spin on the superhero genre, but something that would also appeal to people that watched Skins. The programme won the 2010 BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series.

Setting

Science fiction comedy set in London, featuring a group of young adults who are sentenced to do community service. A weird electrical storm hits their area of London, and they all get supernatural powers as a consequence. Their powers relate to parts of their personalities, or deepest fears and wants - I think that you could really read into each power that each character gets and it would tell you a lot about that character that they may not have admitted. Deals with issues of race, class and gender, however not much has really been written about the show's LGBTQ characters. Being LGBTQ is not a huge part of the show, but there are some characters that require some discussion. Most of the time their sexuality is just part of who they are. Definitely had the potential to focus a little more on having more LGBTQ characters, or could have delved deeper into the lives of the few that are in the programme.

Characters
- James: Season 4. Transgender man. His super power is body part swapping. He stole the penis of another character, Alex. James eventually returns the penis after Alex hunted him down and threatened to kill himself because he couldn't live without his penis. James' power reflects his personality in that he had a deep desire to be male.
- Curtis/Melissa: Season 3. Curtis has the power to switch genders. He is supposedly straight, but perhaps he has longed to be a women, or maybe even gender-fluid. He uses the power to try out for the women's track team, as he is banned from the men's track team. But whilst he is in the form of Melissa, he falls in love with a woman, Emma, who only loves him as a woman. He has sex with her as Melissa. At one point the probation worker gropes him as Melissa, when Melissa retaliates the probation worker calls him a 'lesbian' - shows how some guys really think they own women and if a woman isn't interested then she must be a lesbian. Explores what it means to be a woman.
- Emma: Season 3. No power. Sexuality is not certain, as she is interested in Curtis when he is both Curtis and Melissa. She likes him as Melissa most, but uses Curtis to get back at Melissa - confusing, but she is unaware that Curtis and Melissa are the same person. Emma has slept with Curtis as himself and as Melissa.
- Hayley: Season 5. Power of cursing. Her sexuality is not a major part of her storyline, but she is a lesbian. The fact she is a lesbian is just part of who she is, as opposed to being made a deal of.
- Laura: Season 5. Sexuality not certain. Power to create imaginary constructs. Begins a relationship with Abbey, who was actually her imaginary friend from her childhood who she had made a reality but was unaware that she had done so. When asked if she was a lesbian now by her ex-boyfriend, she said 'it's just her' (Abbey).
- Abbey: Season 4 & 5. Laura's imaginary creation - but doesn't know this at first, she just thinks that she lost her memory in the storm. She is discovering all of herself, as well as her sexuality. Abbey doesn't enjoy having sex with men. After Laura and Abbey realise how she was created, they stop their relationship because it became too weird, however they do remain friends.
- Greg: Season 4 &5. No power. Gay, but closeted. Seems to be a bit of a sociopath. Has a thing for Finn, one of the offenders doing community service. A number of times during the series where his sexuality is revealed. At the very end, we find him naked with another gay probation worker and announces he is gay - and seems to be very happy about it.
- Stuart: Season 5. Gay. Has the power of closet-portation (meaning that he gets transported to a closet whenever he is lying about his sexuality). His father doesn't accept him because of his sexuality, and is clearly very afraid of letting people know about his sexuality, demonstrated by his power.