It's hard to describe just how betrayed I felt as a queer viewer by Kate's death. What a brave and wonderful thing to have a main character, especially a middle-aged one, come out on a TV show the way Caroline did. It is not a topic we see that often if it's not the focus of the show. It demonstrates that gay people come out at different ages, and that we are just part of the larger family.
What a betrayal, then, when that one non-heterosexual relationship out of all the ones in the show is snuffed out so summarily, so callously. When queer people see themselves on screen, we are seeing something that is rare and wonderful. And then to find out that our identification is so expendable is crushing.
I will also point out that the same thing can be said for people of colour seeing their stories told. Last Tango is now two-for-two with flushing non-white characters. It must be a relief to conservative people tuning in to see that everyone is now white and heterosexual again.
What a betrayal, then, when that one non-heterosexual relationship out of all the ones in the show is snuffed out so summarily, so callously. When queer people see themselves on screen, we are seeing something that is rare and wonderful. And then to find out that our identification is so expendable is crushing.
I will also point out that the same thing can be said for people of colour seeing their stories told. Last Tango is now two-for-two with flushing non-white characters. It must be a relief to conservative people tuning in to see that everyone is now white and heterosexual again.
