"French Fried" is the sixteenth episode in the first season of the Showtime drama series Queer as Folk. It aired for the first time on the eighth of April in 2001.
Synopsis[]
Michael and Dr. David disagree about finances; a strange Frenchman moves in with Lindsay and Gus causing a stir; Justin is suspended from school.
Plot[]
The episode starts with a scene montage showing David and Michael going out to dinner, shopping for groceries, etc., with David refusing to let Michael pay for anything. Michael confronts him about this and giving him a check.
At the same time it’s “Dyke Night” at Babylon. Emmett and Ted are uncomfortable and slightly disgusted. Mel is there too but can’t get Lindsay out of her head. The boys tell her she should go tell Lindsay how she feels and try to make up.
The next day Brian is taking Justin to school. Justin tells him to stop drinking coffee because it can, between other things, cause poor sexual performance. After a little banter he slips in that without the need for coffee and having youth on his side he can stay up all night having sex and still score 1500 on his SATs. Brian is impressed and points out that he could get in any school he wanted. Justin tells him he’s already applied to Dartmouth, Brown and Brian interrupts him, surprised to hear he might be planning to go out of state. Justin asks why the interest and Justin starts teasing him because it sounds like Brian actually gives a shit. Brian takes advantage of the fact that they’ve arrived to Justin’s school to tell him to get out (and to go fuck himself because for a moment there he sounded like he cared, and he can’t have that). Justin meets Daphne outside, who notes he looks very happy (while showing her high SAT score on verbal). Daphne asks what Brian said (to make him so happy), Justin replies “It’s what he didn’t say”.
Inside the school, Chris Hobbs is bullying a defenceless student (with homophobic slurs). Daphne shows her disgust and Justin confronts him. They start shoving each other and the teacher comes in and blames Justin for the commotion. Daphne defends him and the teacher, Mr. Dixon, ignores her. As he’s calling the roll he gets to Justin’s name and Hobbs calls him queer. Some of the class laughs and the teacher ignores the name-calling. Justin points out what Hobbs just did and the teacher acts like he didn’t hear. Justin expresses he wants Hobbs to apologise and the teacher tells him to sit down, even threatens to send him to the principal’s office again. Justin is fed up and announces he’s leaving, referring to himself as queer. Dixon reprimands him for using that word and Justin loses it and tells him “Fuck you” with both middle fingers in the air. He leaves the classroom.
Brian and Michael visit the bank because Michael has noticed there is more money than it should in his checking account. Brian manages to give the bank clerk his cellphone number barely 2 minutes in and Michael asks him to wait until he’s solved his problem to make his move. Michael learns that the checks he wrote to David aren’t being cashed in. As they are leaving the bank clerk basically tells Brian he’ll call him later.
At night Mel goes to the house to see Lindsay. She opens the door surprised (and with puppy eyes). They make up and as they’re making out Mel wakes up from her fantasy. A random French guy opens the door and tells her Lindsay is teaching a class. They introduce themselves (his name is Guillaume). She learns that he knows about the infidelity. She asks to see Gus and he refuses because it’s feeding time. She tries to go in and he stops her. Mel gets angry (Who the fuck is he anyway???) and he closes the door on her face.
The next scene shows Michael, Ted, Emmett and Brian at the gym locker room discussing why David might not be cashing his checks he is accepting from Michael. Brian suggests the only reason he’s taking them is to humor Michael and Michael is not pleased with this because “he can pay his own way”. Em tells him he’s being stupid, he should enjoy it. Mel walks in and all the boys start panicking until they learn she’s a lesbian. Mel asks what they know about the French guy and nobody was aware. She explains what happened and how he refused to let her see Gus. Brian calls Linds house and they all hear the message in the answering machine, recorded by Guillaume. Mel is upset.
Debbie enters Michael’s childhood room to bring Justin a snack while he’s drawing. We learn that the homophobic teacher suspended him for 2 days. Justin expresses his desire to punch them both (the teacher and Hobbs). Debbie tells him then he would be just like them. Justin argues that they deserve them and she agrees but says there are better ways to handle it. Debbie shares with Justin how some people acted horribly when Mikey came out, and gives the example of her sister not letting her children play with Michael because he might molest them. She tells him people need to be educated and gives him the idea to start a GSA at his school. It would also help other gay kids at his school realise they have a safe space to talk.
At the diner, David explains to Michael he doesn’t need the money from his checks. Michael knows he couldn’t pay for half of their monthly expenses but would like to contribute as much as he can. David tells him that the benefits of their relationship mean more than the money. Michael feels like he’s being kept as some boy toy, to which David takes offense. Michael decidedly pays for their dinner. David tells him he wants Michael to be happy and Michael says he would like to pay for things. David offers to only do things they can both afford but reveals that before this pact he had already paid for a trip to Paris to surprise Michael, which includes first class tickets, a fancy hotel suite, etc. Michael is shocked. David tells him he can cancel it and they can stay home watching a movie.
Mel, Brian, Em and Ted go to Linds house. She tells them they’re imposing but they go in anyway. Lindsay makes the introductions and tries once again to get rid of them. Guillaume offers them to stay for rabbit stew. Ted agrees and Em follows. Mel and Brian confront Lindsay and she gets defensive but finally reveals that the guy teaches French at the university. They both needed help so she offered him to move in. Mel feels completely left out and replaced. Brian asks how long he’s staying and Lindsay reveals they’re getting married so he can get his green card and she has someone to help with the baby.
The next scene shows them all at Woody’s complaining about how Guillaume was acting like it was his house and how Mel and Brian were a couple of strangers. Mel blames her cheating for it and points out that for the scheme to work he will probably have to stay for a couple of years. She is going to lose Lindsay for her wrong actions. Brian tells her to stop blaming herself. Justin shows up, Brian points out it’s a school night. Justin tells them about the suspension and how he told the homophobic teacher to fuck off. They cheer for that and start reminiscing about their years being bullied in school. Brian retells how he got back at a football player.
Fast forward to later, Justin and Brian are naked in bed. Justin is explaining his plan for the student alliance and asks Brian how to sell the club and get people interested. Brian wants to fuck, not to talk about marketing, but Justin says “please” all soft (and Brian can’t refuse because he might hide it but he cares about Justin). He suggests Justin to hand out condoms to get them to come.
The next day Michael reveals to Em and Ted how David wants to take him to Paris but he’s not going because HE can’t afford it. Emmett calls him crazy tells him to stop being proud and accept the trip. Michael explains how David already pays for everything. Ted tells him that refusing the trip will cause him more relationship trouble. He also argues that Michael will probably never be able to afford going to Paris so it’s a unique opportunity. Em quotes Hello Dolly! Michael starts thinking about it.
Back at St. James, Justin and Daphne are handing out condoms and flyers. Daphne prays Brian for his brilliant idea. Hobbs appears to cause trouble. Justin hints at the time he gave him a handjob and Hobbs shoves him into a wall. The flashback to that scene plays and Hobbs threatens him not to talk about it again.
Lindsay and Brian are taking a stroll in the snow-covered park. She admits she knows it’s crazy but she needs money. Brian offers and she refuses because she needs to start taking care of things herself instead of relying on Brian and Mel. Brian asks if the marriage part is necessary and she counter argues that is not real and that the system is unfair to him because he’s gay. Brian praises her nobility. He starts to explain what he and Mel have been thinking and Lindsay interrupts him because she’s annoyed at the unexpected alliance after trying to get them to be civil for years. She tells him she has to think about her son, not them and leaves upset.
Daphne and Justin are holding their first GSA meeting, she’s annoyed that a lot of the many people took condoms didn’t show. Debbie arrives in full PFLAG gear to offer a surprised Justin moral support (and to hand out cookies). Daphne starts explaining what they’ll be discussing in the following weeks and one boy interrupts her because he was expecting the group to be about sex. Justin tries to explain further but the crowd starts to leave. To stop them he shouts out slurs he’s been called to draw attention to the cause. He’s talking about acceptance when Dixon walks in to interrupt the meeting because Justin didn’t go to the proper channels to petition the club. Debbie tries to help but the teacher shuts down the meeting. As they all leave Justin sees Chris Hobbs outside smiling at him, revealing that he alerted the teacher.
Michael and David in bed. Michael confesses to David he feels selfish and asks what David wants. David answers he’d be happy to take him to Paris. Michael agrees to go to Paris as long as David lets him pay for something. They start “””“practising their French””””.
Lindsay and the French guy are choosing pictures to put around the house. He tells her he can tell her friends don’t like it and expresses his gratitude to her letting him stay. Mel shows up, Guillaume excuses himself. Mel sees the pictures and Lindsay explains they are putting them around the house in case Immigration comes. Mel disapproves the charade and tells her she misses her. Lindsay doesn’t believe her at first but then confesses she misses her as well. Mel asks why they’re not together then but Lindsay brings back some things Melanie said in the past. Melanie apologises for those and admits her own faults. It looks like they’re going to make up but Guillaume walks in. Lindsay goes tend to Gus.
Michael is trying out his new video recorder. Brian, Justin, Ted and Emmett are there. As the new camera records, the boys start noticing that the video camera is not the only expensive new thing Michael has accepted. The boys, minus Michael, leave for Woody’s.
They are getting to the door of the bar when Justin sees Chris Hobbs on the street. He shows Brian and he doesn’t care but Justin says he has no right to be there. Brian tells him to forget it but Justin confronts him. Justin is offended at the injustice. Hobbs pushes him while he calls him a f----- and Brian jumps. Justin holds him back but Brian looks at Hobbs in an intimidating way. It seems that Brian is going to make the guys head inside Woody’s but Justin calls the attention of the passers-by. He announces Hobbs just called him a slur. Hobbs warns him to be quiet but Justin announces to the whole street (including the people Hobbs came with) that he gave him a handjob and Hobbs loved it. A lot of people praise him. Hobbs tells him he’s fucked. Emmett praises him, Ted is shocked. Justin turns to see Brian. Brian congratulates him for making a real enemy and heads inside. The camera starts to zoom out as Justin ponders Brian’s words. He finally heads back in with Em and Ted.
Cast[]
Starring[]
Guest Starring[]
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Music[]
Trivia[]
Gallery[]
