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Foreign Affairs: Worldwide Sapphic Soaps

You guys, we traveled far and wide, but the inevitable day has come. It is time we discuss the soap. Just remember: Soap isn’t necessarily about the length of run, or frequency-it’s about a vibe. The soapy vibe. And those unmistakable camera angles. You know what I’m talking about.

I hope you brought tissues and careful around the wild spoilers!

Hungary’s Társas Játék (Social Games) is based on the Israeli series When Shall We Kiss? and produced by HBO East Europe. Both the original show and its Hungarian counterpart have queer characters. In Hungary, we have Judit (lead) and Doroka (recurring).

In the first season, Judit, who’s going through marital problems with her husband, Ivan, embarks on an affair with Doroka, a masseuse. The affair ends by the end of the season. Doroka wasn’t seen during Season 2, but if the show returns, who knows what might happen?

Two seasons aired in Hungary starting in 2012. Status of a third season is TBD, but, you can watch Judit and Doroka’s entire story, with English subtitles, right here. Thanks frenisback! Don’t forget to turn the captions on!

Thanks to you guys, we know that there was a Czech adaptation for the show as well. It was called A?¥ po u?i, and it only ended recently.

Alright, travelers, we haven’t been to Asia yet. It’s a long overdue visit.

Last Friends (or Rasuto Furenzu) was a season long drama which had a 12 episodes run in Japan in 2008. The show focuses on the friendship between three characters. Michiru, who returns to Tokyo after a four year absence and becomes abused by her boyfriend, Ruka, her closeted lesbian best friend who’s a part time mechanic and a skilled motocross racer, and Takeru, a hair and makeup artist and a bartender.

Each character has some sort of a dark secret that they can’t share with the other two. It just so happens that in Ruka’s case, that secret is her sexuality and her feelings for her best friend.

The whole story is actually a flashback. When the show starts, we first see a pregnant Michiru at a port, thinking about a death that just occurred and her betrayal of Ruka. We don’t know the exact details, but then the flashback starts (and basically lasts 11 episodes).

The series had a happy(ish) ending, but the way to said happy ending is worthy of a trigger warning.

The show was pretty popular and got a manga prequel. There was also a talk about a movie but I couldn’t conclude if it ever happened. Help, Japanese friends!

Here’s a fanmade video of Ruka and Michiru. DVDs can be bought here (though English subtitles aren’t guaranteed.) You can also get episode 12 (which was technically a special, happening story wise a year after the events of the rest of the show) right here, with English subtitles.

Also in Asia (though many people don’t know that,) is Israel’s Who gave you a driving license? (Literal translation. Do forgive.)

The show revolves around three friends who are in the transportation business. (Basically, they’re all doing something that is driving related for a living.) Each one of these main characters is limited by her own reality, and the show explores their lives as they break through on their way to freedom and independence.

Riki, one of the leads, is expecting a child with her girlfriend, Chava. When a wild activist called “The Blue” (named after the color in her hair) enters her car, Riki’s life changes. The two embark on an affair, but later on, Riki, Chava and The Blue decide to live as a threesome. Intriguing? I think so too.

Good news is the network put all the episodes online right here. The bad news is there are no subtitles just yet, so this can prove to be quite the challenge for you, non Hebrew speaking readers. Feel free to write in the YouTube channel comments that you’d love English subtitles. Who knows what might happen!

In this short clip, Riki and The Blue are talking after a driving lesson (in Israel you have to hire someone to train you), and The Blue realizes Riki was her Girl Scout counselor. She confesses to have had a crush on Riki when she was younger.

The show ended its first season and any decision regarding a second one is TBD.

We’ll cross our fingers for its colorful return!

Speaking of colorful, we’re headed to the country of carnivals!

Brazil’s Felizes Para Sempre isn’t exactly a soap. It’s a more of a drama/thriller/romance mini-series… oh, wait, now when I’m writing all these genres down together, it sounds like a soap! Never mind!

The show, which just ended its run on February 6, follows the lives of five couples within the same family. The lead couple of the show, Marilia and Claudius are having marital problems. They lost a son years before, but they can’t move on with their lives.

During therapy, Claudius seems to think that the solution is to bring in a high class prostitute for a threesome. Because of course that’s what he thinks. Enter Denise, the bisexual companion (have we seen one of those since Firefly?)

Marilia is like “I can’t,” Claudius is like, “But you said you would!” and Denise? Denise would have none of it and starts to do whatever she can to become a part of the couple’s life and earn some money. Of course, Marilia and Denise end up falling in love.

Denise (who goes by Danny) also sleeps with the husband for money, and, did I mention she has a girlfriend whom she lives with and who doesn’t know Danny is a hooker? Drama! But at least it’s gay drama!

A massive spoiler ahead: The show had a big murder story line, with polls throughout the season a la Pretty Little Liars. Sadly, I can now report that the deceased character is Denise. If that’s not annoying enough, Mailia is one of the suspects. And, yeah, that’s how the show ends. Womp womp.

Here‘s a short video which introduces Danny’s character. Thanks to all the people who sent tips about this!

Now you know what’s coming. Notepad time for our extra tidbits!

As a notable mention, I’d like to say that UK’s Brookside had the first lesbian kiss on British television, brought you by a personal favorite, Anna Friel!

I know that when we think Scotland we think Lip Service but there’s also River City. While the characters of Alice and Christina aren’t on the show anymore, you can still watch some of their story.

UK’s Emmerdale‘s bisexual character Jasmine Thomas, was portrayed by Jenna Coleman, whom you might know as Clara Oswald of Doctor Who.

Goede tijden, slechte tijden, in the Netherlands, is the first Dutch daily soap. It’s a Dutch version of the famous German Gute Zeiten schlechte Zeiten (GZSZ), and actually aired before its German sister. Both are based on the Australian soap The Restless Years. You might wanna check out the forum of the German sister right here.

Also In Germany, Verbotene Liebe provided us with the first lesbian wedding on German TV back in 2006.

If you like The Fosters you might wanna check out France’s Famille d’accueil, which also provided viewers with a lesbian wedding (ish. It’s complicated.)

Israel’s 30 NIS Per Hour, introduced a relationship between Arab cleaning lady Amal, and Shira, a creative manager in one of the companies in the building Amal is cleaning. Actresses Samira Saray and Liron Ben-Shalush both starred in films that brought them separately to the Cannes Film Festival last year.

This concludes our worldwide TV. But fear not, because right before we dive into our weekly recap fun, we’ll transfer from worldwide TV, to worldwide web.

I owe you some updates about last week’s international gayness.

Right before Poland’s Cisza nad rozlewiskiem ended its run, Magda decided to quit her job and move out of Warsaw with her “new someone” (her choice of words) who is still nameless. If you remember, her nameless someone was found naked with her last week. Quitting a job and moving away after a night together? Ultimate U-Hauling, I say. We didn’t get to enjoy this for too long, but it was fun while it lasted.

South Korea surprised us on February 25 when the show Seonam Girls High School Investigators featured a kiss between two female students. Don’t be too shocked, though, for there’s ongoing investigation regarding the episode. We have a whole article about it here.

Alright folks, see you next time, and remember, if you have any tips on a weekly basis, please, email me at [email protected]

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