Greg Wolf | Open to It / 2022-2024 [TV series]

opening up

by Douglas Messerli

 

Frank Arthur Smith (screenplays) Greg Wolf (director) Open to It / 2022-2024 [TV series]

 

This series ran on TV (although I have no knowledge of what channels or stations) from 2022-2024, with one more episode, no. 7, devoted to the drag queens gathering to read to children in a public library, not yet available for streaming. Given the current attitudes towards these kinds of readings in the South these days (although the series is located in liberal Los Angeles), it would have been interesting to see the reactions of the parents and children, some of them evidently disapproving.

   In many ways this series is quite outspoken and visually adventuresome for US TV. Both gay and lesbian sex are portrayed and issues such as threesomes, gay sexual infidelity, drag, and other topics generally not previously discussed on TV are openly aired. If the couple’s relationship is not quite believable, it certainly presents issues which a great many gay couples have had to deal with, including my own now 54-year marriage to Howard.

     Yet, several critics felt it was retrograde, Letterboxd commentator Fabian Hebestreit arguing that it reminded him of the “Eating Out” era of gay cinema, a reference to the early 21st century film series of sex comedies, Eating Out (2004), Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds (2006), Eating Out: All You Can Eat (2009), Eating Out: Drama Camp (2011), Eating Out: The Open Weekend (2011), and there is something a bit strained and tired about the tropes of the Open to It issues, which very little political or social concern other than its nod to the philosophy studies of its gayest character Princeton. And the narrative is neither terribly witty or that carefully crafted. Yet it’s well-meaning, full of energy, and at moments is a great deal of fun.

 

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Frank Arthur Smith (screenplay), Greg Wolf (director) Open to It, “Open to Threesomes” / 2022 [Episode 1]

 

In this series, episode 1 of the limited television series Open to Threesomes Greg (Frank Arthur Smith) and Cam (Tim Wardell), a seemingly happy gay couple, decide to invite a sexy friend, Princeton (Jason Caseres) over for what might be the beginning of a hot gay “throuple.”

     There are problems, however, as Greg keeps questioning what they should do if, for example, one of them has to leave the room and the other is still sexually engaged. Or, even if their new friend sneezes, how to deal with the response.

 

    We obviously already know this is going to be a problematic situation. But in the midst of their apprehensions, their two lesbian friends, Reggie (Elizabeth M. Boone) and Elsa (Kimberly Pace-Nieva) appear with their newest concoction of ceviche, demanding they take a taste it just to tell them what might be missing in the recipe which they’ve just prepared for their “Dykes and Bites Night.” Something, in this thinly scripted gay comedy, we immediately realize, is already so to speak “up,” as Cam finally takes a bite, suggesting they use less lime and more spice.

      Pretty boy Princton almost immediately arrives thereafter, comically revealing his pubes and other assets.

      The happy couple is quite easily sold on their new “friend” as he kisses both and they quickly get down to business. And both Greg and Cam realize just hot their new friend perceives himself to be, and probably truly is.

     Their sex begins to get hot as well, until Cam has digestive problems and retreats to the bathroom. But he soon realizes that it’s not that teeth need brushing, but that his entire digestive system has gone haywirte—a result of Reggie and Elsa’s ceviche, which has perhaps been marinating far too long without refrigeration.

       While Greg is totally enjoying his new sexual partner, Cam is suffering in the bathroom, and in the midst of the hot sexual action, Greg realizes that perhaps something is amiss. Even in the midst a delightful fuck, Greg admits that he really needs to check on the missing Cam.

       A checkup reveals that Greg is suffering form a bit of food poisoning, but still insists his lover go on with the fun. But when Cam sees Greg sitting in the shower naked, the room smelling of shit, his love and protection of his true love kicks in as he joins him in the shower.

 

Los Angeles, March 2, 2024

 

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Frank Arthur Smith (screenplay), Greg Wolf (director) Open to It, “Open to Polyamora” / 2022 [Episode 2]

 

In this episode Cam is willing to continue their relationship—although clearly not yet his fully his desire—with their new friend Princeton. But Greg wonders whether or not it might, in fact, be a kind of trap. Is he testing his lover of two years? Cam assures him he is not.

    So on the two go on another adventure into exploring open threesome sex. In this instance, however, it appears that Greg is hooking up with their “throuple” partner when Cam is out of town, an occasion which his lesbian friends haven’t missed, and come to his door to comment upon.

    But actually, we quickly discover, that Greg has made an online date for a completely new figure, Trey, whom, when he arrives at his apartment, is disgusted by his gathering of toys and other ephemera, stuffed dolls, etc. that makes him want to spray the entire area with disinfectant.

   Before long, however, they both become drunk, Greg fucking his new friend. But it soon becomes even more complex when Trey demands that he fuck him again, Greg insisting that it’s truly not possible, but soon realizing that the hot date makes even that happen.

   Cam calls from Vegas wondering what’s going on with his lover. This clearly promises a new possibility in their relationship.

 

Los Angeles, March 2, 2024

 

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Frank Arthur Smith (screenplay), Greg Wolf (director) Open to It “Open to Break-up Sex” / 2022

[Episode 3]

 

In this episode, finally Cam realizes that his idea of sharing other men with sex has been benefiting only his lover, Greg. Somehow, in all of this polysexual play-acting only Cam, the less attractive of the two, has been truly enjoying the pleasure of outside sex. So, we might wonder, what is the problem? Why is the stud Cam not finding what he must have been seeking in an open sexual relationship?

     Strangely, even an experiment with Trey, in which they have mutual sex, results in the outsider in their relationship clearly preferring sex with Greg. I’d go for Cam any time, but these fictional figures seem to find Greg far more attractive, which finally becomes one of the mysteries of the film series.

     But in this episode it suddenly becomes clear that Cam is also involved in drag, appearing at a local event to which he invites the always interested and intrusive lesbian couple Reggie and Elsa. Why these two should be so utterly interested in their gay friend’s sexual life is never quite explained, but they’re always at the front door awaiting the two gay boy’s appearances, so we have to guess, if nothing else, they’re totally intrigued by their relationship, which, in fact, is a sexual fascination seldom discussed in gay films. Gay male sexuality or lesbian identified films seldom seem truly interested in one another’s sexuality, which this TV film series hints at even if it doesn’t entirely embrace. Frankly, I too have gradually come to be interested in my fellow sexual outsider lesbian’s lives.

     In this instance, however, Greg again meeting up, supposedly by accident with Princeton at a party where Cam is performing in drag. Greg attempts to ignore the intruder, but suddenly finds himself fucking him in the bathroom, a shock of which we are not involved. He misses, of course, his true lover’s performance—and so do we in this silly presentation of a green-lip-sticked Cam we might never previously have imagined. 

    Frankly, the whole thing, lesbians in curious attention, is an absurd vision of what two gay individual’s life might consist of. There has previously been no insinuations of the macho Cam’s involvement with drag, nor with Greg’s infatuation with Princeton. We seem to have met a TV movie version of the two of them that isn’t, frankly, a gay iteration that is truly believable.

     And although Greg’s attraction to the young Princeton is perfectly understandable, why does he suddenly feel it necessary to abandon his life-time lover? Even the most sex-driven gay men might realize that fucking another young man with whom his partner had not been involved with, might be a problem. Even given the sexual urge, moreover, these very issues were precisely those discussed in the earlier episodes, the fears that Greg himself expressed in the first of episodes. This is, after all, we recognize, a TV series with no deep recognition of what a gay relationship is truly about.

 

Los Angeles, March 2, 2024

 

 

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Frank Arthur Smith (screenplay), Greg Wolf (director) Open to It “Open to Voyeurism” / 2024 [Episode 4]

 

In this episode, in part to make up for Greg having missed Cam’s drag performance, they invite another partner in which to engage in a threesome, Kenny, a hot Asian. Kenny immediately engages with Cam, pushing Greg away, and throughout the evening makes it quite clear that this isn’t exactly going to be a threesome.

   Although Greg keeps attempting to enter in the fun, Kenny keeps him at a far distance, sending him out for water and literally pushing him off as he continues to engage in sex with Cam. Finally, Cam and Kenny end up in bed with Cam fucking him and Greg sitting at the end of the bed as a total voyeur.

   When Cam asks, somewhat superciliously, if Greg is having fun, he replies that he most certainly not enjoying the evening. Cam offers Greg replace him in the fuck, but this time Kenny pushes him off so roughly that he falls to the floor, Cam rushing to see if his lover is okay. Kenny is finally sent packing, but Kenny, closing his eyes, says he might be able to give Greg a hand job. Greg is about to step up to the paltry offer, but Cam sends him on his way, chastising his friend for having been willing to sell himself so short.

   Meanwhile, next door, Elsa has been attempting to listen to the boy’s actions through the walls, much to the distress of Reggie. And Princeton, who has now been blocked on all media, is determined to visit the boys in person and talk. As he rings the bell to get into the complex, however, Elsa intercedes, pulling him into their apartment, determined to find someone to join a threesome with her and Reggie, again to Reggie’s disdain. The fragile Princeton admits that he once was “pegged,” artificially fucked by a woman. That’s all it takes for Elsa to attempt to seduce him, getting him drunk.

     But finally, Reggie puts her foot down and demands he leave. But now far too drunk to leave, while admitting that he has only come by to talk to Cam and Greg, they now have no choice but to put him up for the night.

      Both have learned that it’s a disaster to be a voyeur in a threesome. And Cam and Greg add one new rule to their growing list of learned lessons, while Greg apologizes for having missed out on Cam’s drag performance, promising never again to not put him first in his life. Both agree that they wouldn’t mind sharing a hand job, and proceed to jack each other off, filling their mouths with cookies with their free hands.

 

Los Angeles, August 1, 2024

 

 

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Frank Arthur Smith (screenplay), Greg Wolf (director) Open to It “Open to Dirty Talk” / 2024 [Episode 5]

 

Princeton, a philosophy student, attends a philosophy faculty-student party wherein everyone tries to be wittier than the other or at least more profound about philosophical issues. In fact, Princeton is a hit with the faculty wife who’s busy pouring out the wine and several of her other acolytes. He escapes to the bathroom, screaming out to himself about how “fucking” bored he is.

     Meanwhile, Cam is planning for another drag show. His fellow teacher at Fairfax High Jones (DeShaude Barner) comes on to him in the costume room.

     Greg is busy at his job as a psychological therapist on the computer consulting with a patient, who talks about her lover suddenly beginning to talk “dirty” as she describes it. At that very moment, Cam rushes in before he realizes Greg is on-line, telling him they need to get ready for their new fuck buddy, presumably this fellow gay school-teacher Jones. His patient is not only intrigued but jealous.

      So begins a rather complex episode that keeps shifting between Princeton, his new relationship with Elsa, and several other major concerns, including Princeton’s temporary erectile dysfunction, the boys’ encounter with Jones, and their neighbor lesbian’s determination to find someone to add to their sexual fun.

 

     The evening with Jones and our couple goes well sexually, but the fact that he keeps asking for consent before proceeding with any and all actions—quite the opposite of Princeton—takes away the magic of the sexual act, the fact of which Greg complains about with his own therapist. Even while he’s cumming, Jones shouts out, “Do I have your permission?”

     Greg visits Jones, without consent, in the school costume shop, but the new friend cuts him off, declaring that without consent there’s no way he can continue seeing the two of them. But when Cam suddenly appears, he gives them both a lovely goodbye hug.

     Elsa, in the meantime, is able to convince Reggie to share a girl who might provide them with sexy talk; but when Reggie puts out a full spread of oeur d'oeuvres, the guest quickly changes her method of communication to sexy eating, swallowing down a strawberry as if she were slowly dining on a vagina. Reggie becomes truly excited, as sweat pours down her face.

      Greg reopens communication to Princeton who is immediately on-line, ready to find a cure for his penis problem.

 

Los Angeles, August 1, 2024

 

 

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Frank Arthur Smith (screenplay), Greg Wolf (director) Open to It “Open to Make-Up Sex” / 2024 [Episode 6]

 

In Episode 6, Greg finally talks again to Princeton only because Princeton has pretended to be a potential patient named Chad. In short, he has cat-fished Greg. But at least he can now apologize, and he begs to meet up with them again.

 

    Cam is not at all open to the possibility, which Greg suggests to him while providing fellatio. The scene ends in perhaps the first TV film with a character’s face completely covered over with cum.

      The two decide to consult with Elsa and Reggie, although Elsa admits she’s somewhat prejudiced, having now established a friendship with Princeton herself. Nonetheless, they convince their neighbors to meet up again with Princeton in Elsa’s restaurant.

      From here on things begin to slip loose from the hands of the creators, as a kind of fantasy drag world takes over and logical meaning gives way to absurdity.

 

   Princeton does show up, all apologies again. But Cam and Greg are still unconvinced of his convictions. Suddenly Cam’s phone rings; it’s his drag queen mother Lois Carmen Denominator (“RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Laganja Estranja), but because he is busy talking with Princeton, he doesn’t answer. Magically, Lois sends other drag queens Pandora Boxx and Honey Davenport (both also of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”) in her place. Pandora argues that Cam is still not being fully honest with himself, blaming Princeton, in fact, for his own actions.

    Coming finally to the recognition that it was he that sought out sex with Princeton, he apologizes to them all, and Princeton is taken back into their good graces. The results are the immediate resurrection of his cock. He begs them to take him and give him a good fuck, but the last scene shows simply the two of them arriving back in their apartment and having passionate sex the likes of which (although still softcore) probably also have not before been witnessed on TV. Both declare their love for one another. The end.

 

Los Angeles, August 1, 2024

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (August 2024).