Douglas Messerli | Sex and the City of Singapore [Introduction]

sex and the city of singapore

by Douglas Messerli

 

Leon Cheo (screenwriter and director) People Like Us / 2016 [TV Series, Season 1]

 

Created by Leon Cheo, People Like Us is a Singapore-based TV series centered around the lives of several gay men exploring sex, relationships, and life in general.

     Singapore’s first gay web series, it was named after the pioneering LGBT advocacy group that had become so popular that by the mid-2000s, that the term PLU had become common slang in Singapore and neighboring Malaysia for LGBT.

    So that the producers, crew, and audiences would not have to grapple with the severe Media Development Authority’s censorship and film classifications, the series was intentionally conceived as being viewed on Internet, each episode running about 8 minutes in length.

      The series, launched through the Gayhealth.sg site, a subsidiary of the Action for AIDS group, was uploaded to AfA’s YouTube channel, and people wishing to view the series were required to fill out a password request form before the series would appear as a pop-up, which would then re-direct them to the videos themselves.

      The original synopsis read:

      

"Based on the true-to-life characters, gayhealth.sg proudly presents ‘People Like Us’. Following the lives of four gay men in Singapore, the web series is a poignant reflection and insightful look at being gay in Singapore. In addition to the sexual escapades and relationships that unfold between them, the show explores critical health issues

     So, it’s Friday night, possibly the most important day on the #gayagenda. Rai, Joel, Ridzwan and Issac are prepping themselves before heading out. Rai is trying to score a date with Joel, while Joel is finishing up his routine at the gym. Ridzwan is at a sauna, hunting for his next hookup and Issac settles in, popping a Viagra pill. Four men. Lust, love, life. People Like Us." [I have slightly re-edited this to standardize the English.]

 

      The characters include (according to the site’s descriptions) Rai (Hemant Ashoka), a 20-year-old NS [National Service] boy, Indian, who just came out and is new to the scene. He is an idealistic, young gay man who goes on dates searching for Mr. Right. His cynical gay friends tease him about his earnestness. Unfortunately, his dates tend to end tragic-comically and he loses faith in finding love in a world where sex is on everyone’s mind.

       Joel (Josh Crowe) is a 26-year-old, Chinese, yuppie-looking gym bunny type who works in a design/marketing firm. He is out to everyone who cares to know. His parents, whom he lives with, know but do not talk about his sexuality. Attractive, smart but impatient, Joel hasn’t had a relationship that lasts longer than 3 months. He is someone who has sex on the first date and thinks he has a handle on sex and love. One night after clubbing at Taboo, he meets Ridzwan.

       Ridzwan (Irfan Kasban) is a 30-year-old department store manager who is not out to anyone except his best friend. He is your typical “straight acting, discreet, fun only, top here, no place” gay man. He frequents saunas, and meets guys for hookups on Grindr and Jack’d. He meets Joel, falls in love, and has to negotiate the prospect of coming out and being in a relationship.

       Isaac (Steven Lim) is a 45-year-old Chinese senior banker. He is quite buff and salt-and-pepper handsome. Isaac is in a long-term open relationship with Tommy and they often host chemsex home parties, where condoms can be optional, at his luxury condo apartment on weekends.

       The first season consisted of 6 episodes. I have not yet seen the second season, consisting of 6 further episodes.