EastSiders

Originally begun as a two webisode production which I saw, this series progressed to 9 total webisodes which I also saw online. I just saw the entire series full screen on DVD. The result left me with a different feeling. I was more impressed when I first saw it online. Now it seems more fragmented and discontinuous. On the positive side, the acting is excellent and the inclusion of Van Hansis for me was the primary draw. VH's breakthrough work on As The World Turns over a 5 year period was nothing less than superb as was that of Eric Sheffer Stevens over the last 9 months of that show. The chemistry between them was palpable, something lacking in EastSiders between the main characters and others. VH's earlier performance set a new standard and template for Daytime Soaps. Yet, EastSiders so far has not been able to build upon that new base. Indeed, after viewing EastSiders in a more continuous format, I found the total sum to be less than the parts. The flitting back and forth between years did not help and, from Day One, I always felt that Episode One should have been Episode Two since E2 actually took place the day and night BEFORE E1. It made things unnecessarily confusing from the start and made one feel that you had walked into a private situation a bit too early as some kind of voyeur. As the story begins and unfolds, we become eyewitnesses to a potentially crumbling relationship. Unfortunately, it is not until much later that we even learn how the two main characters - Tom and Cal - got together in the first place and why. Even that is done in a cursory manner. Also, from the outset, enters the obligatory BFF Kathy (Cal's friend) who is more of a distraction than anything else. She is also rather loud and, as the story progresses, she is more and more disruptive and a negative factor when it comes to the strained relationship of the two primary characters. She comes across as not only being self-centered but jealous of Cal's relationship with Tom. She is never encouraging and trashes Tom even though it is he who responds when she has to call someone to give her a ride home from a medical clinic. What is also disconcerting is the appearance that Cal and some of the other characters are borderline alcoholics. In one scene, Kathy even arrives in the morning at C&T's home with a bottle of booze just as Cal and Tom are going out for breakfast. Kathy, however, insists that they stay and have an alcoholic brunch together. Never mind that C&T had just moved into their new domicile and were entitled to have some free time alone with each other. Between the drinking, smoking, the sexual square dancing, and the continuous overanalyzing of just about everything, one does not come away with a positive image of gay life. That's not to say that life is really a bowl of cherries and that straight people never have romantic problems. However, we never really get into any depth where our major characters are concerned. We get a very brief glimpse of Tom as a bartender but is that really his job? Cal works in a retail art gallery who is clueless about the personal life of his boss (deliciously played by Sean Maher) until after they have sex. What a revelation follows that situation! And at a time that Cal is concerned about Tom's "indiscretions" no less. Even before that, in a particularly incredulous moment, Cal locates Tom's "sideline affair partner" Jeremy and then proceeds to have sex with him! Later, Tom discovers that Jeremy "knows" Cal. Nothing is properly hidden if it should be at all and no one is truly discreet. In the end, we are left with a semi-cliffhanger. Cal and Tom are breaking up. But is it for good? Will Tom go back to Jeremy or get back with Cal? Who will Cal get involved with? Season Two is on the horizon. I would give Season One an A for effort. It was, after all, only a beginning whose future was uncertain for a lengthy period of time. This series does have considerable promise; and with its fine cast of actors, a bit more fine-tuning to the storyline, script, and characters (please let's have less of Kathy), could go far. Here's hoping.

From this series , seasons 1, 2 & 3, the viewer would think that all the gay community were alcoholics, sex and drug addicts, looking for the answer for their lives even at 30 years old. This is far from the truth in the major part of the gay community today. The LBGT community are people who work, raise families and do not party all the time. The community is a contributing party to the American way of life: love, family and hard work.That said, the first two seasons were more enjoyable than the third season. I have not seen the fourth, not being available on dvd.In the first season, the principal characters Cal and Thom are fresh and interesting, falling in love not without problems, especially sleeping around. They are trying to get their lives and careers together.In the second season, the principal characters are less fresh, but still interesting as they continue in their quest to make something of their lives. The series should have ended at this point because at the end of the season, the viewer is left with the idea that all the characters will come together in their lives and careers.Unfortunately, I found season 3 to be a depressing same old same old. I kept fast forwarding. Unlike the first two seasons, I felt no sympathy for the two main characters. They fall flat at the end. The only character who has it together throughout the series is the straight guy, even when he is mistreated. I did feel for him.I would like to see the 4th season but because of its unavailability on DVD, I will have to stream it. Perhaps everything will come together with a positive outcome.To sum it up, I found the 3 seasons I saw nothing more than a fantasyland of sex, alcohol, drugs and futility, stereotypical of what the LBGT community is NOT.

I have seen many series with very emotional events, but this one takes the audience to places unforeseen in so many human emotional interactions. Just totally hypnotic in its presentation. Hope I can survive season 2 & 3!!! Don't miss this one as you will probably never get so emotionally involved in a series as this one!!! NJMJr!!!

Some interesting aspects to this three season gay melodrama. First, the acting throughout is first rate. And some of the characters are very interesting . Also, the music and location,in Silver Lake also good. It's also kind of addictive. You want to continue seeing the series to see what happens to the principals and their relationships.Where the problem comes in to play, however, is that in way too many ways , alcoholism plays a major role in the series, and really interferes with the possibilities that the actors have in getting their lives together. There is nothing even the slightest bit funny about the addiction to alcohol ,and it has been the ruin of way too many lives. Probably the worst example is the very unnecessary role Cal's sister plays in the series. Her addiction, immaturity, and inability to function in general serves no useful function to the series or the relationships with the major players in the drama. It used to be, especially with young men, that the choices were to finish school, go to college, go into the military, get a job or start a family. With today's millennials, however, youth, indecision,insecurity ,and just plan laziness come into play for way too many years, and a great deal of time is wasted deciding what to do with your life. Thus, the self medication, perhaps.You do find yourself rooting for the actors in the series to get it together, be successful in their careers, have good relationships that are stable, and succeed dropping relationships that are not useful to their success. And to be free of STD's that can really ruin your day.

I just watched this film last night and I thought it was pretty good. I especially like the ending how Cal and Thom ended up not really knowing what was next in their lives, but you could still see the love they had for each other. Good story line.