This apparently came from @my-rose-tinted-glasses, although I couldn't find the post there and got it as a tag from @hyeoni-comb:
What are 6 of your fav queer fiction works that don’t center a romance arc? They can be explicitly queer or subtextual; books, comics, tv, or film. Then tag 6 friends (or frenemies) to queer it up with.
By subtextual, I guess that'd include bromance. Actually, thinking back to my closeted days of the 70s (yes, I'm an old dude) we had to look for a lot of subtext. And by "not centered" it would probably include works that fans have argued are not QL; I'm at a disadvantage there because I tend to be more inclusive.
But I'd say my favorite work that I think of as QL but many seem not, and which I'd agree that the romance is not at the center and doesn't drive the outcome, would be...
Very queer. Very political. The romances are there, two of them, Sean and White as the mains with Yok and Dan as the sides, but it's not the focus of the series even as it drives some of the characters' decisions. And then there's the frenemy bromance of Black and Tod. But the main driver of the plot from beginning to end is the gang's political focus, the impact of their actions, the relationship between Black and White, and Tod's scheme to manipulate it.
Chef's kiss of a drama by a trans director.
A seriously unhinged story of an unjust death and a quest for justice and possibly revenge. A romance is in there but it is unquestionably not the center of the story. Much as I loved this series, for some reason I've never had much to write about it and that remains the case here.
55:15 Never Too Late (Songpol's story line)
This series has five interweaved story lines, each involving a 55 year old who faces a life crisis and wakes up in their 15 year old body but in the present. They meet each other through their love and knowledge of one of the character's songs and have to deal with their situations. The main drivers are what sent them back to their 15 year old bodies with their 55 year old memories, what can they do to resolve their issues, and how can they get back to being their 55 year old selves having had this fantastical experience.
One of the five, a restaurateur, Songpol, is queer. He's had the feels for his piano player for some time. He was about to come out about his feelings, only to have the piano player tell him about impending marriage. In his 15 year old body, the piano players son falls for him. But 55 year old Songpol is appalled at this and has to navigate his feelings as someone who has never known romantic love.
Spoiler alert, they don't wind up together. But it's refreshing to see a character wrestle with being much older than they appear, something that doesn't get enough attention in time travel stories. Even if the two characters are adult, and have the agency to make a choice (full disclosure: I briefly dated a 21 year old in my late 40s) the older character who has the knowledge of their true self still needs to address the mismatch in some manner that is respectful to the younger partner.
If you don't have to have your content be 100% queer 100% percent of the time, this series is well worth a watch.
The Miracle of Teddy Bear
A teddy bear comes to life and learns how to be human, including falling in love with his own human. But there's a catch in the form of a hospitalized activist who seems to have a mysterious link to the teddy bear.
While there is romance, the series is more focused on the impact of homophobia and some violent secrets. Mix of light humor and intense danger.
The series is also firmly in the lakorn camp, which some may find an acquired taste. (I tolerate it if the series is good, which this is.)
It's well done and worth spending 24 hours of your life with, in my opinion.
Two HIV positive guys accidentally wind up on the lam after one of them accidentally kills a policeman. It's a wild road trip.
By Asian American film director Gregg Araki, probably the only one of his films that I liked, and I absolutely loved it.
Content warning for killings and noncon sex. Did I mention it's a dark comedy? Not sure how I'd react if I ever saw it again but it was a punch in the gut (in a good way) when I saw it many years ago.
Dystopia in which people are tried on live TV and the Korean citizens decide their guilt. The leading judge goes after corrupt rich people, stirring up trouble with the president and an all powerful nonprofit agency who are hatching a cruel and deadly scheme.
The focus seems to be on the judge's second in command, with clear bromance energy between the two of them, facing off the #2's idealism against #1's whatever it takes to win attitude.
Content warning for violence and cruelty.
Midnight Museum - Thai TV series - bromantic energy
Leap Day - Thai TV series - ditto
My Brother's Husband - Japanese manga - found family
The Warp Effect - Thai TV series - sex positive, some queer content
Tagging @telomeke @heretherebedork @respectthepetty @lurkingteapot @lurkingshan @morathicain No pressure!
