The Best TV Series You'll Probably Never See

THE BEST TV SERIES YOU'LL PROBABLY NEVER SEE

Queer As Folk

Had any U.S. network had the guts to air it, Queer as Folk would be at No. 2 on my top 10 list. But the fact that this ribald, witty, unexpectedly moving British miniseries featured, in its first hour, a rakish antihero (the roguishly beguiling Aidan Gillen) having sex with a 15-year-old boy was enough to consign it to gay film festivals and bootlegged Internet video sales over here. Created by Russell T. Davies, Folk is a tale of gay men's lives in all their complexity -- sex being just one aspect explored. Joel Schumacher is planning a version for Showtime with the youngest character upped to legal age, but excuse me if I doubt that anyone could ever improve upon the original.