Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of Reid Oliver’s on-screen demise. Hard to believe it’s been a whole year.
Though September 7 marks the anniversary of Reid’s death, it also marks the anniversary of Van Hansis’s tour de force of acting. I know many of you refused to watch the episode, and some have not seen it at all, but the range of emotion he runs through is remarkable. The more I watch it (a few times now, including just a few minutes ago…I have the tears and sniffles to prove it), the more I’m convinced that Luke is pretty much perfect in this episode – both Van’s portrayal and the writing for the character.
Although there is way too much I hate about this episode starting with the obvious down to the strawberry toaster strudel all over Reid’s hair), Luke’s responses struck me as so true to character, and so believable. I love this Luke – he really does show so much of the growth, maturity and grace (from recognizing he was blaming himself, to being strong and trying to take control rather than being a victim, and keeping his sense of humor in the worst of situations) that I wished for him, but as he says “I just wish it wasn’t this (that brought it about).”
Once I got over hating the rest of the episode and the endgame, I really came to appreciate Luke and Van’s performance (definitely his best crying scene, IMNSHO), so I now I pretty much ignore everyone else (as much as possible, while watching, else I might need to buy myself a new laptop…grrr…) and focus solely on Luke.
(Click on the picture above or this link for other postcard designs).
If (Luke and) Reid are still in your heart, I hope you’ll stop by and make an (additional) entry on either the Reid Oliver Tribute Page or the Celebrating Luke and Reid, Van and Eric page, or stop by and enjoy what others have said.
I have to share with you one of my favorite comments from these two pages (if not my favorite comment to date). It was left just over a month ago by a poster named “Linda” and began:
I am a conservative Republican who worked tirelessly for Mike Huckabee during the last presidential campaign and I have always been “on the fence” about same sex relationships. This storyline had a profound, life altering affect on me and the way I view same sex couples. The love story of LuRe was NOT about a same sex couple at all. It was about two people who were so right for each other than nothing could keep them apart. They worked magic together and made us all see that love is love and when two people are right for each other they should be together….
The main reason I set this blog up with moderated comments is to make sure no homophobic bile is spread on it. As it turns out, I have had very little to fear – aside from one narrow-minded commenter, anyone who has accidentally wandered onto this site and not liked what they have seen (and I’m sure there have been a decent number, given some of the search terms that have found this blog!) has had the decency to keep their comments to themselves.
So, when I read the first part of the comment (in bold), my heart instinctively filled with dread. But when I was so excited as I continued to read – the commenter echoed many of the thoughts I’ve noted in the past about how this as “just” a “love story,” not a “gay love story.” I think this storyline has affected many people – sometimes surprising people, and in surprising ways – a big testimony to the talent of the actors involved.
To read the rest of Linda’s comment, click here.
As always, thanks for your comments, and thanks for sharing this journey with me!
