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Queer As Folk

The Leper (Hath the Babe Not Eyes?)

Season 2, Episode 7, Aired Feb 17, 2002

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Debbie abandons her usual liberal rhetoric when she learns that Michael's new boyfriend, Ben, has HIV. She tells Michael to stop dating Ben, and her harsh attitude causes a rift between Debbie and Uncle Vic. Michael continues his relationship with Ben despite the pleas of his mother and friends. But when the moment arrives for Ben and Michael to consummate their relationship, Michael has a change of heart after seeing the multitude of prescription bottles in Ben's medicine cabinet.

Meanwhile, Lindsay's parents, the Petersons, refuse to contribute financially to Lindsay and Melanie's wedding because it's "not real." Invited to brunch by Lindsay and Melanie, the Petersons cancel at the last minute. Brian transforms the depressing brunch into a swinging party by spiking the punch with the drug Ecstasy, and Lindsay finally decides she does not need her parents' acceptance of her life Emmett and Ted quarrel about who is responsible for the success of Ted's porno Web site.

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
Don Allison

Mr. Ron Peterson
GUEST STAR
Pixie Bigelow

Mrs. Nancy Peterson
GUEST STAR
Liz Tansey

Tasha

Sharon Gless

Deborah 'Debbie' Jane Grassi Novotny
Robert Gant

Professor Benjamin 'Ben' Bruckner
Michelle Clunie

Melanie 'Mel' Marcus
Peter Paige

Emmett "Em" Honeycutt
Scott Lowell

Theodore 'Ted' Schmidt
Gale Harold

Brian Kinney

Fan Episode Reviews (3)

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The boys and Mike's family find out about Ben being HIV positive and everyone is trying to deal with it. Mel and Linze as Linze's parents for some financial help with the wedding and try to gain their acceptance. Ted takes Emmett for granted.moreless

10

"Perfect"

By breezy2281, Sep 15, 2008

Emmett continues to help Ted out with his business and is quickly gaining recognition all over the place. However, when Brian puts the bug in his ear about why Ted has all the money and nice things, Emmett starts to think. He comes up with some demands he wants met in order to keep working for Ted. Ted gets cocky and refuses, and says he can replace Emmett. The two wind up arguing and being snippy with each other for a while, but in the end they make up. Ted meets Emmett's demands as well. So, Mike shows up at Babylon with Ben and Ted tells the boys about Ben having HIV. They all have breakfast at the diner and are discussing this, and Ted is being a little hard on Mike about it. Deb walks in on the conversation and tells them all how she feels about dating someone with HIV, which she is very positive about. However, when she finds out Mike is dating someone with it, she goes off on Vic about it, and Mike hears it. She hurts Vic's feelings and Mike tells her off. Finally, the only one Mike ever listens to, Brian, tells Mike basically to have is fun but don't fall in love, and better to forget Ben. Ben and Mike have an intimate moment and Mike goes to get some condoms from Ben's bathroom. However, he sees all the pills that Ben has to take and tells Ben that he thought he could do this but he can't. The look on Ben's face was really sad to see. Justin asks Brian to ride him bare back and Brian tells him no, not as nicely put though. He then tells Justin not to ever let anyone sleep with him without protection. When Justin says that Brian's not just anyone, Brian says Ben probably thought the same thing about the guy that infected him. The way Brian was acting made me wonder for a second if maybe he might have something. In the meantime, Lita is back hanging around Mel and Linze, i wonder if she's going to be a new friend that hangs around often. She tells the girls that the repairs for their vehicle will be expensive. Linze decides to ask her parents for some financial help with the wedding, since they paid for multiple weddings for Linze's sister. When her parents say no because Linze and Mel's wedding wouldn't be "real", the girls make more of an effort. They organize a dinner party for Linze's parents to try to show them they can be accepted and that they live responsibly. Her parents call up with some lame excuse about Linze's father throwing his back out. Everyone knows it's a lie so when Mel goes to their house to confront them, she finds Linze's dad getting ready for a big tennis game. She tells them off and goes back to her house. Everyone is bored at the party, until Brian breaks out some "candy." Also i have to say Lita and Brian seem to like each other. She's almost like the female version of him. Brian spikes the punch with E and the party really starts to pick up. The scene with Lita and Justin with the imaginary bj and the strap on was funny. Everyone is having a good time and one girl is even dancing around topless. I thought to myself "watch her parents feel guilty and show up with all this." No sooner did i say that and that is what happened. However, Linze basically told them she doesn't need their acceptance anymore. I laughed at the whole situation. Great episode!moreless
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What will Michael do?

9.5

"Superb"

By luv4brian, Jul 08, 2007

Michael must decide wheter to go ahead at the risk of getting HIV, or hault his growing relationship with Ben, who he truly likes. Debbie may support other HIV victims, including Vic, but not one that will risk infecting her own son. With all of the persuasions and warnings of his family and friends, he stands by his decision that he will go ahead with it. Until the time comes, then Michael gets freaked out and questions if he can do it. Eventually, he turns Ben down, appoligizing that he's too fearful of the possible outcome. Everyone is relieved that he didn't go through with it except Michael. Brian throws a party at Mel and Lind's house, after her parents rejected their invitation to brunch. Her parents eventually do show, and are in complete horor to find topless women and sexual activities going on. Although the expressions on their faces are completely priceless, and for them to show was the last thing that Lindsay expected. She was almost in as much shock as her parents.moreless
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Positive

7.8

"Good"

By SMGslayer97, Dec 19, 2006

HIV positive, this phrase seems to have a massive impact on the liberty avenue crew when it comes to the safety of Michael. His new love is positive and though most times it seems as though all would be more then fine concerning this matter no one is less fine about it then Michael. After harsh words from his mother and qualms and quarrels of all kinds from his friends Michael shows no sign of breaking of with Ben. Until one moment, when Michael opens Ben's medicine cabinet, that the reality of the disease really hits him.

Though in Michael's case there isn't a bad guy to blame in Lindsey's case there is, her homophobic parents. After every effort to show them that she and Melanie are a loving and fantastic couple who will have a real marriage, just as real as all three wedding of Lindey's sister, they still can not bring themselves to show their daughter one tiny little piece of acceptance of even try after they walk into a Brian Kinney style revamped party.moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- Goof: After having their discussion about having sex raw, Justin (Randy Harrison) goes to put a condom on Brian (Gale Harold). But when his hand comes back, you can see Randy tossing the condom behind Gale's thigh.
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- As Deb and Vic rake leaves in their backyard, you can see all the surrounding trees are in bloom and there are no barren trees for the leaves to have fallen from.
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QUOTES (6)
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- Lindsay: You know, the whole point of this party was to prove that we're just like you. So that you'd accept us the way that I've tried to accept you.
  Nancy: I didn't realize that I needed to be accepted.
  Lindsay: You're right, Mom, you don't. Neither do we.
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- Brian: (To Justin) I want you safe. I want you around for a long time.
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- Michael: Right after my mother told me I was gay she gave me this big safe sex lecture. I knew how to put a condom on a cucumber before I knew how to drive. Ben: Yeah, well, I was going to ask you out tonight, but now I'm not so sure. Michael: Why not? Ben: Well, Michael, a cucumber is a lot to live up to.
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- Michael: I should warn you, my friends can be a little... Ben: Judgmental? Vicious? Condescending? Michael: So you've met them.
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- Lindsay: Thanks to you putting E in the punch...loose women...and the B-52s. Brian: Those who don't learn their lessons are condemned to repeat their courses. (Downstairs, the B-52's "Love Shack" starts to play.)
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- Leda: Hi, I'm Leda.
  Brian: (grabbing the hors d'oeuvres out of her hands) Uh...Melanie's evil ex.
  Leda: And you must be the Anti-Christ. Big fan.
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NOTES (2)
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- It's confirmed in this episode that Brian and Justin have never had sex without a condom. Up until now, it's been highly questionable.
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- Michael's situation with newfound love, Ben, is reminiscent of Becca Thatcher and her boyfriend Jesse McKenna on the TV series, Life Goes On.
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ALLUSIONS (3)
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- Lindsay's Republican conservative parents are named "Ron" and "Nancy." This is most likely an allusion to former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy. In this episode, they were supposed to play tennis with "George" and "Barbara," which is an allusion to Former President George Bush (who served as Vice-President under Reagan) and his wife Barbara.
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- Emmett: I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Schmidt. This is paraphrasing the famous quote "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up" from the 1950 movie "Sunset Boulevard"
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- Brian: He's a professor. Ted: What does that make you, Mary Ann or Ginger? Mary Ann, Ginger and "Professor" Roy Hinkley Jr. are all characters on the 1964-1967 television series Gilligan's Island.
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