#I just know Justin’s nyc art friends would have been throwing fits about his rich capatilistic boyfriend

[wellcomeoneileen]

A queer as folk season 3 what-if I like to imagine is what if the season hasn’t started with Justin off with Ethan (just ignore the S2 implications for a second) and Brian is still working for Stockwell.

I think Brian would have still done it, because of his pre-series priorities that he’s battling the whole show, of getting the hell out of Pittsburg, being financially successful, and crafting top-tier campaigns.

He would just be fighting with Justin about it, who I think in this version of Ethan-less events would have not only his personal political beliefs as anti-Stockwell but also his PIFA friends would be appalled by the whole situation (not to mention Daphne!) so he’d also have some discomfort and embarrassment about his two worlds clashing. (Ironically, I see him repeatedly being a bit hands off when “the family” is haranguing Brian for his choices, so I think his in-group peer pressure would be a new and disquieting experience for him.)

To be clear, Justin very obviously accepts Brian, with just momentary and plot-needed lapses of trust. The way he handled this situation in canon S3 was great. This "what-if" is very focused on this conflict not as Justin wanting Brian to change, but as a means for Justin to explore what he really thinks about himself.

And this conflict would be a wonderful place to highlight Britin's class and political divide - Justin grew up wealthy and is benefitting now from his wealthy boyfriend, his liberal beliefs are somewhat protected. Meanwhile, Brian has this innate competitive drive from his own upbringing that lends itself to an Ayn Rand sort of philosophy, which is also at conflict with how he wants to live his personal life.

Them learning from each other that they are both holding convictions that don’t really account for the nuanced life they lead and that of their friends, would have been a really cool relationship conflict whilst also pushing the maturation of their individual characters.

And, it gets at the heart of their eternal issue: two people who are growing up throughout the series figuring out what they want out of life and believe.

Like the Ethan plot DID address “what do you want/how do you see yourself” but I like this thought experiment since it gets to their individual core characteristics instead of purely relationship philosophies, and then puts those core characteristics into a relationship conflict so we can have both!

Plus! This also leads into my dream S5 where instead of Justin wanting babies at 22 years old he's having to process the incessant artistic disappointments he faced throughout the show, and struggled with the universal crisis of do I have to sellout to be an adult or can I realistically pursue my dreams.