We’ve watched the first three episodes so far, not read the books so no idea how ‘accurate’ they are.
Firstly its nice to see normal looking people, natural teeth, no botox or lip filler, stretch marks, no airbrushed flawless fake skin, normal bodies and a mum played by an age appropriate actress not someone five years older than their on stage child.
The subtle non-verbal communication is very good, like the tiny foot tap in the gym water bottle scene from Shane. Hudson portrays Shane failing to read body language very well (ASD?), some actors can really over do that.
I don’t see it as porny, you don’t see anything beyond the odd flash of bum, the sex scenes we’ve so far seen in three episodes do all carry a vital part of the story, especially love language and an inability to be intimate beyond sex and struggling with that. Illya is also the king of enthusiastic consent. The sex scenes were very realistic too, often on tv sex lasts 12 seconds and happens fully clothed and their genitals would need to be in a really weird place on their body. Plus its just dipicting normal sex, nothing swinging from the chandeliersy. The intimacy coordinator must be very good, they’ve certainly done their homework.
Its funny seeing the old mobile phones, seeing as phones then didn’t really have passcodes the characters were brave leaving them laying around.
Its very well produced considering how small the budget was, and the fact it was only filmed in about five weeks.
Some really good and realistic queer representation so far.
There are lots of sports people like both ilya and shane, and scott too. I know a few, and I know a few who had very very short professional careers as waiting to come out would be too long to wait after retirement. We’ve only just had an Australian footballer who was forced to leave his club after being bullied out by homophobic staff.