Review – Banana/Cucumber (2005)

Making two shows that air at the same time and take place in the same universe is not an easy task. Russell T Davis‘ first work since Torchwood is an undeniably ambitious move- make not one, not two but THREE shows that interplay with each other. Now I’ve only seen two of those shows, as one of those shows is just an online supplemental documentary, but making two shows at the same time that take place in the same universe but are done in different styles has proven to have some interesting results for Davies. Banana and Cucumber are 8 episodes long and take place in Manchester, and focus on gay life. There’s also a nod to the original UK version of Queer as Folk, as Hazel (the British version of Debbie) makes a cameo in an episode of Cucumber. Cucumber is one linear storyline, whereas Banana is an anthology series. And it makes sense that they don’t need to be watched in any one particular order- they can be watched one after the other, or the same time. Additionally, Banana is aimed at younger audiences, and Cucumber is aimed at older audiences, but the cool thing is that anyone can watch the show and not feel alienated. They also have tons of sex- not surprising as this show does tie in loosely with Queer as Folk.

WARNING: Spoilers lie ahead.

Hey, remember that time I played a zombie? I think my hair was much worse back then.

Banana is an anthology series that focuses on the sex lives of gay young adults in Manchester. The first episode is meant to tie the series in with Cucumber: it focuses on Freddie and Dean, two gay roommates with very little in common and seemingly waning sex lives (as much as Freddie doesn’t like to admit it). Dean has a premature ejaculation problem (which results in a Grindr hookup disaster) and is forced to come up with enough money to pay overdue rent. He’s also just generally an asshole and lies about his loving parents. Episode 2 focuses on Vivienne, a lesbian who develops a stalkerish crush on a woman she meets in a supermarket. She stalks her only to find out she’s in an abusive marriage. Episode 3 focuses on Sian and Violet, a lesbian couple who move in… almost to immediately have problems and need the help of Sian’s lesbian mother Vanessa. Episode 4 is a huge change in pace and tone, and is arguably the darkest episode of the series- Helen, a transsexual managress at a restaurant, has her life ruined by an online sex video posted on Facebook by her boyfriend. Episode 5 has In the Flesh’s Luke Newberry star as Josh, a man who hooks up with Freddie and is in love with him, desperate to be with him forever. But he also has a dilemma he must face- stop his best friend Sophie from marrying too young, as he believes she is throwing her life away. Episode 6 focuses on Amy, a smart and determined woman who is simultaneously neurotic and worries about literally everything, who meets up with Kay, a police woman and goes on a blind date, only for her neurotic behavior to ruin everything. Episode 7, possibly the best episode yet, follows Aiden, a hot hunk who has a threesome with the less-good looking Frank, who falls in love with Frank and refuses to let him go. The last episode is the most intense one- Vanessa, the lesbian mum, gives a group of refugees who barely speak english cleaning jobs, only to discover dark secrets lay where they live.

Anthology shows are usually never my thing, but it goes without saying that each and every episode of this series is surprisingly captivating and well written. Each epsiode has you hooked right from the get go, and the performances are believable as well- Luke Newberry certainly is not a one-trick pony, if his performances in In The Flesh and now this were any indication. Dino Fetscher and Alex Frost are the absolute best performers here- there’s tons of sexual tension between them and the scenes in the cafe near the end of episode 7 are among some of the best this year in TV for their acting alone. Their sex scenes are believable too, and the scene near the end where Aiden finally tells Frank that he’s not interested using some of the most brutally honest words possible is poignant and sad- but at the same time you feel for both characters. And while maybe not the 100% best, Bethany Black is also a powerful performer- she manages to nail every aspect of someon both suffering pressures as a trans person in a cis-normative society, and someone whose life has been sullied as result of a sex tape uploaded online for all to see. There really isn’t a bad moment to be found here- and even the few tie-ins to Cucumber are well done and don’t seem excessive even in the slightest.

The cute couple that never was meant to be.

Cucumber is easier to summarize, and sadly more of a chore to watch. Its central focus is gay couple Henry (The Thick of It’s Vincent Franklin) and Lance (Cyril Nri), a gay couple living in Manchester who are, putting it lightly, having some problems. They haven’t had sex in nine years, and a disastrous attempt at a threesome results in Henry moving in with Dean and Freddie. Lance, on the other hand, keeps pining after Daniel, a colleague who is handsome, but both heterosexual and unforunately, very homophobic. Henry realizes, aftr a while, that everyone around him is right: he’s a pretty fucking boring person. From his workaholic tendencies to his seeming fear of sex, and even his creepy sexual tension between him and Freddie, Henry tries to be more interesting, but just can’t seem to break out of his routine.

Cucumber is enjoyable, but one frustrating as fuck show. Basically, the idea is “what if Ted and Emmett from the American version of QAF became a long term couple? and all seems to go well for the first seven episodes, but the finale comes along and fucks it all up. Thankfully the finale isn’t Dexter levels of bad, but the show doesn’t seem to end with much closure and the ending we do get is frustrating as fuck, to say the least. Which is a shame, because the interplay between Henry’s three lives- the youngsters, his job and Dean, is all very interesting. The performances are great too, even if it is hard to not think of Henry as a gay version of The Thick of It‘s Glenn (the whole time I kept expecting him to say “solid bed of cunts” at the top of his lungs). Freddie Fox is the true standout, however- alright, he’s basically a younger Stuart from QAF UK, but it’s believable. He is truly handsome and you do believe that everybody wants to shag him. It’s not just that, though- like Stuart, he’s got extremely low self esteem that sex seems to be an escape for him in more ways than one. In addition, the editing is well done- with Henry’s narration and the flash-cut shots of phallic symbols, we do get a pretty good sense of what goes on in Henry’s mind. It’s just a shame the show had to end the way it did, and its last line doesn’t help matters either.

Overall, Cucumber and Banana is an interesting, if not completely successful experiment. Both shows are watchable and enjoyable, even if their view of LGBT culture comes off as rather stereotypical at times. It’s competently acted and mostly well written, and both shows can be enjoyed on their own merits. While Davies has confirmed that Cucumber is over, he is open to continuing Banana, and I’d be interetested in seeing where it goes- provided it’s not the same thing every episode.