“Trauma and shootings can be difficult to portray on screen, especially during a time period that reckons with the impact mass shootings have on society. The new Peacock series, Queer as Folk, tells the story of a group of queer and trans friends as they navigate a shooting at a local nightclub (reminiscent of the Pulse shooting). The plot loosely follows the story of its American forerunner. Brodie (Devin Way) returns home from dropping out of medical school and reaches out to friends and family (Ryan O’Connell or “Julian”. Some of friends are having children (Jessie James Keitel or “Ruthie,” CG or “Shar”). Others (Johnny Sibilly or “Noah”) are in relationships with each other. Brodie also meets others, such as Mingus (portrayed by Fin Argus), a non-binary coded, high school student that loves drag. Their paths converge at Babylon (a call back to the American series) where a mass shooter opens fire on the bar. The story then focuses on how the characters navigate the aftermath of the shooting. However, compared to the original, Peacock’s treatment of trauma needs to be unpacked…”
