Gay Aliens and Queer Folk: How Russell T Davies Changed TV

(Hardback)

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Directly explores the queer narratives present throughout Russell T Davies' extensive work in television and how he broke down barriers to show the truth and joy of queer identities.

The television writing of Russell T Davies defies easy categorization, ranging from children's programs, Shakespeare, historical drama, and comedy, to the landmark series that have made him a household name: Queer As Folk, Doctor Who, and It's a Sin. Gay Aliens and Queer Folk takes a deep dive into the queer narratives Davies has brought to our screens, exploring how each work created new space for LGBTQ+ stories to enter our living rooms and looks at their impact on the people who saw themselves reflected on mainstream television, often for the first time. Covering Davies' career from his earliest work to his highly anticipated return to the TARDIS for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary, and highlighting key themes such as politics, sex, AIDS, and the role of Wales in his writing, Emily Garside reveals how Davies broke down barriers, showing gay characters unapologetically living their lives to the fullest and celebrating the complexity and joy of queer identities.

Reviews

"A marvellous love letter to the many brilliant TV works of Russell T Davies, this book is smartly entertaining, always accessible, and unafraid to reflect on evolving cultural norms. Embracing the subversive and the difficult alongside the glorious and the groundbreaking, Emily Garside is your thought-provoking guide to an array of topics -- the asexual Doctor in Doctor Who, nerds, politics, TV drama of its time and ahead of its time, Welshness, sex, even Margaret Thatcher as the ultimate unseen villain. Yes, it's all in here. And just as fabulously queer as you'd imagine, faithful reader."-- "Professor Matt Hills, author of Triumph of a Time Lord and Doctor Who: The Unfolding Event"

Author Bio

Emily Garside is a writer and professional nerd based in Cardiff. She writes for journals such as the Queer Review, American Theatre, and Wales Art Review and is the author of Love That Journey For Me: The Queer Revolution of Schitt's Creek.