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New Channel 4 series “Dates” features gorgeous, complex lesbian couple

Skins creator Bryan Elsley has partnered with the UK’s Channel 4, on a new series called Dates. Dates centers around the dating lives of a group of 20-30 something Londoners. Not unlike Skins, the new show is an ensemble piece with each episode focusing on a (potential) couple, whose stories eventually intertwine with other characters.

Episode Four, “Erica and Kate,” centers on a lesbian pairing and delivers a sexy, and thought-provoking storyline. The episode opens at a molecular gastronomy bar, bass thumping in the background as one of our leading ladies, Erica (Gemma Chan) saunters through the crowd. She’s the kind of gorgeous that would normally cause record players to scratch, and waiters to spill drinks.

She walks up to the bar, where she is greeted by her date, Kate. Kate (Katie McGrath) looks like she could be the result of a loving union between Keira Knightley and Rachel Weiss. (Quick, someone, write that movie!)

In other words, both ladies are stunning and appear quite pleased at their luck. Kate, who seems at home at this bar, orders her usual, a Backwards Bellini. Le sigh. Erica, who wants to seem edgy and maybe a bit out of her comfort zone, goes for the Salmon Jerky Martini. I have nothing to add on that subject.

Kate suggests they find a cozier spot upstairs, and they settle into one of the clubs couches to better size one another up. The chemistry between them is off the charts. Bryan Elsey has a talent for pairing up actors with tremendous chemistry, which is one of the reasons his shows are so engaging. Speaking of engaging, Kate and Erica can barely keep their hands off of each other and the date is only five minutes in. Kate, a girl close to my heart suggests they order some food, to which Erica adorably responds, “Oh are we…doing things?” Oh, Erica, just you wait darling.

Kate steps in and orders them a whole mess of nibbly things. Kate does her best to read Erica’s reaction to her boldness.

Kate: You like being told what to do.

Erica: I find it easier, yeah.

Gulp. Kate takes Erica’s cue and has the waiter remove the fish martini and replaces it with a Backwards Bellini. Erica asks her how many other women has she introduced “The Backwards Bellini” to. Oh snap. Kate tells her, not as many as she thinks, and its clear that Kate is utterly smitten with Erica. Erica’s phone rings and she is reluctant to answer it. It’s her brother and he’s kind of a twat but you know family, she says. It turns out Kate only sees her family twice a year, if that, and you sense a tension that likely stems from her being an open lesbian. The women can’t seem to talk about anything for too long without needing to touch each other, so Kate runs her finger along Erica’s arm. She stops to ask if its OK, and Erica purrs back that yes, it is aces.

Kate asks about Erica’s bracelet, and Erica tells a sweet story of how she picked up in Tuscany. Kate’s pants are charmed right off. Actually, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they were literally off at this point. The women talk about how quickly everything moves these days, and Kate leans in and kisses Erica. It’s a small kiss, but one that promises of much more to come.

That is until Erica starts talking about her breakup. Leave it to a lesbian to talk about an ex on the first date. It turns out that Erica’s ex is a man, which Kate responds to frostily. She starts giving Erica some hell about dating men, and frankly comes across as biphobic. She tells Erica, “Maybe you are just straight and bored.” Whoa, Kate McGrabbyhands, you need a time out! Erica in turn tells Kate that she’s rude and gets up to leave. Kate stops her however, because they have a crazy connection and that doesn’t come along everyday.

Cut to a few Backwards Bellinis later, and the tension is thick, sexual and otherwise. Erica’s twat of a brother calls again and it sets everyone’s teeth on edge. Kate says that Erica’s brother sure does seem to call a lot. Erica explains that her brother just wants her to be happy. We get the sense that “happy” is sadly not the right choice of words. Erica gets her stones and asks Kate why she’s such an angry lesbian with a dick complex. Kate tells her she’s “not the one worried about dick.”

Jeez, even I’m starting to get uncomfortable. To up the ante, Kate asks Erica how many women she’s slept with. Tacky much? The waiter mercifully interrupts them to drop off a bottle of wine that was sent over by two blokes in the corner. Kate is annoyed but Erica smiles at the men and tells Kate not to be so damn rude. Kate says fine, and marches herself and Erica up to the men to thank them, all proper like.

The guys say that the girls looked lonely over there. Yes, thank heavens you noticed, menfolk! Look at you two, saving women from their crushing loneliness, one bottle of Malbec at a time. When the women go to leave, one of the guys says, “that’s it?” Kate however slaps on her best fake smile and asks what can she do for them. They want to dance, and the one guy tells Kate that she in particular looks like she could use a dance. What a tosser! Kate says fine and leads him to the dance floor. Erica, annoyed now, rolls her eyes and takes the other guy to the dancefloor.

Erica sees Kate dancing with the guy, but her eyes are firmly fixed on Erica. The anger has melted away into desire and the women are drawn to each other like magnets. They dance and kiss and the rest of the room fades away.

The next scene is Erica and Kate in bed together. Kate is watching Erica sleep, and it’s a little awkward but sexy at the same time.

Kate tells Erica that they have another two hours to check out if she wants to sleep some more. She doesn’t, Erica wants more of Kate. Kate however gets squirmy, and feels the need to bolt. Erica in an effort to get her to stay, tells Kate to ask her anything. Kate asks her, what she hates most about herself. An odd question. I would have gone for favorite Adele song, but that’s just me. Erica admits to lying a lot. To herself, her family, everyone. Kate wants to know why she’d bother telling her the truth. Erica says, “It might be different with you.”

Kate asks if Erica’s family knows about her sexuality, and Erica’s silence answers her question. Kate can’t deal and starts to get dressed and tells Erica that she doesn’t need to be under her family’s or anyone else’s thumb. Erica admits to Kate, that she’s been with three women. The first was years ago, and she was mad for the girl. The second was last year at the gym. And the third, well, the third is standing in front of her now, ready to walk out the door. This admission touches Kate and she kisses Erica passionately.

Their impeding love making is interrupted by Erica’s phone. (Gurl, put that thing on vibrate!) It’s Erica’s brother again, and as Kate listens to Erica lie her way through the call, she’s decides she’s had enough. Erica ends the call quickly, and tries to convince Kate to understand. Kate doesn’t want to deal with someone in the closet, and Erica counters with Kate’s distance from her own family. “Don’t tell me you don’t know what this is about,” she says and Kate’s face registers the painful admission that she does. Kate tells Erica to just say the words, to leave all the lies and shame behind in the hotel room. So she does.

Erica: I’m gay.

Kate: Yes. Big deal. And?

Erica: I see guys to make my family happy. To make them think I’m not a disgrace. To make them think I don’t love women.

Kate: Anything else?

Erica: I rationalize it all and it makes me feel like shit.

Wow, this is a lot of lesbian processing for a first date. I’m exhausted. I can only imagine how they feel. Well, apparently Kate feels pretty good about it because she tells Erica to get dressed, because they are going to get brunch. Perhaps unlimited Backwards Bellinis?

However, when Kate looks down at the bed, she realizes that Erica’s phone call from her brother was not disconnected. (THIS IS MY NIGHTMARE!) Erica’s heart drops as she picks up the phone. You can hear her brother faintly calling her name. She puts the phone to her ear as her brother says, “You can’t do this. I’m sorry, but you can’t.” Tears fall from Erica’s cheeks as she faces a crossroads. On one end, her traditional Chinese family, whom she loves but fears shaming. Kate on the other, offering passion and possibly the love she’s longed for. What will she choose?

In the upcoming episode six, Erica (and hopefully Kate) makes an appearance, set up on a blind date by her brother. Teasers hint that it will be a bit of a disaster, so maybe this means Erica will finally choose the life she wants for herself.

The Dates page on Channel4.com has some fun bonus material for fans, including dating profiles of the characters and even downloadable expanded, background stories. In this behind the scenes video, episode writer Jamie Chan and the actresses who play Erica and Kate give a little insight into the characters and story.

Overall, I found Dates to be a well-written, smart, sexy, show. Have you seen Dates? What do you think about it?

Dates airs at 10 p.m. on Channel 4 in the UK. Check your local listings.

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