Can't get enough

And speaking of Tom and Ulli, who I have a little crush on right now, here's a fanvid! I haven't found any else, so this might be the only one. I actually think that Tulli are a bit underrated. Ok, it's been more than ten years, about 15 years actually, but I think it's a really great lovestory! And it's still relevant! The way Ulli (Andreas Stenschke) reason when his brother Nick want's him to deside if he's gay or straight is very 2016. That kind of reasoning you could see in a soap opera in 2016. But Verbotene Liebe has always been quite forward in LGBT subjects. If there were any worth tha name, that is... Anyway, I love it! To bad that the love story between Tom (Kay Böger) and Olli (Jo Weil) was not as good. Maybe because Olli is no Ulli and Tom is no Christian. And speaking of the fanvid, I think it's quite funny that the music is If it's all I ever do with Andreas Johansson from the swedish dokusoap Fame Factury! I followed that season slavishly!

Happy new year!

So, how did you spend your new years eve? I was at home in my sweatpants wtaching this:

And it was awesome! This is actually the best New Years Eve in a soap opera ever! I can watch it as many times as you want! I don't think I ever will get tired of it! Tom and Ulli at the millennium is one of the most beautiful love/sex scenes ever! And every time I watch it I realize that more and more.

Kay Böger and Andreas Stenschke.

I really think Verbotene Liebe should do a spin off with all the gay characters. I would love to see more of Tulli, to see Chrolli back together and I would also like to see how Gero's doing today. So, a German Looking maybe, starring, Kay Böger, Andreas Stenschke, Jo Weil, Tore Schölermann and Broder B. Hendrix! Wouldn't you?

Hotshots

There are some gay characters in soap operas that have, how to say it... quite fancy occupations! Or at least occupations where I guess being gay is not a walk in the park. Police as an example. I imagine that it is not that easy to come out as a police officer. The story of Oliver Fish in One life to live tells us that, and I do believe that it is not just fiction.

Oliver Fish.

Oliver Fish (Scott Evans) had a really hard time coming out after years and years of denial, and as he feared, his parent were not supportive at all. But as far as I can remember his collegues were alright. And he also had the support of his beloved Kyle.

Menno Kuiper.

And then we have Menno Kuiper (Dave Mantel) in Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden. He was the lover of the regular Lucas Sanders, and they even got married. But I read somewhere that Menno did beat Lucas up and then he disappeared from the series. I still haven't started with this Dutch soap, but it is my summer project, so I have to get back to you on that.

Nicolas Barrel.

And here's my sweetie Nicolas Barrel (Nicolas Herman) from Plus Belle La Vie. I just adore him! Both the character and the actor! A sweeter guy is really hard to find! He started out as a cop, and also had a hard time with his family. His collegues appreciated him a lot, but his father was a real homophobe, and we understand that Nicolas became a cop to prove his manliness to his father. Poor Nicolas. But it seems he enjoyed it anyway. Until he had to fake his death and work undercover. And then he became a lawyer instead! And after he came back to life and chocked the hell of his boyfriend Thomas, he continued working as a lawyer. I like the new Nicolas, but I kind of miss the old police-Nicolas anyway...

Florian Estève.

And speaking of men of the law, Thomas' new boyfriend after Nicolas, Florian (Franck Borde), was even a judge! But I don't really get how judges work in France. I think that he worked more as a prosecutor. He was very much out on the fields. But he was also a cutie and you can't really dislike him, even if you are Thomas/Nicolas-shipper. Florian was a really lovely guy. And also, a little bird whispered that Thomas is going to date a doctor after Florian. But I have to get back to you on that to.

Kieron Hobbs.

The most controversial character has to be Kieron Hobbs (Jake Hendriks) in Hollyoaks who was a priest. A catholic such. And as you know, they have a chastity vow. He broke that a lot of times with Jon Paul, deservedly, because later he got murdered by John Paul's half brother. At least he got some shagging before he died! And love, of course!

Kalle Laitela.

And we do have a lot of doctors. My favourite are Kalle Laitela (Pete Lattu) in Salatut Elmät. He is just such a lovely character. And he also got promoted to some kind of head physician lately. And he has got his fair share of homophobia through the years. His father, Ismo, was a real homophome back in the days and his collegues seem to be assholes! There's a lot of gossip and bullshit talk about him and his boyfriend Lari, just because Lari is a little bit younger. But that is no biggie, really!

Kai Seebach.

Another favourite is Kai Seebach (Alexander Gier) in Alles Was Zählt. He was working as a sports physician in the Steinkamp Sport and Wellness Centre and had a love story with the very closetered football player Joscha. He was just a really nice character and I do miss both him and Joscha very much! When will AWZ have a new gay storyline?!

Tom Seifert.

Another German doctor is Tom Seifert (Kay Böger) in Verbotene Liebe who used to date lli, and then dated Olli and then went back to Ulli, but after the character left the show. But we know that because we got a little sneak peak into Tom and Ulli's lives when VL had their 10th anniversery. Tom was also a really nice character who always wanted all well. From that point, I think he and Olli was very suibtable for eachother. But I am a Tulli shipper. Totally!

Dr Jo Helmke (and Olli).

And it seems like Olli has a thing for doctors, because after things went nasty with Christian Olli had a relationship with Dr Jo Helmke (Mickey Hardt). The sleazebag. I am sying that without knowing anything about him. But he looks sleazy and everyone who takes Christian's place is a sleazebag. And that's how it is.

Lucas Jones.

Last but not least we have Dr Lucas Jones (Ryan Carnes) i General Hospital. Well, he was a bit of a unnapproachable doctor, and it took a while for him to start working as one. He was whining something about not being able to be such a god a doctor as his adoptive father. Whiner. But now it's just as he has never done anything other than working as a doctor When he is not making out with Brad. Then it's just he has never done anything but that. But we don't get nough deama from this couple, I have to say. A slower storyline you have to look hard for!

John Paul McQueen.

And you also get a bonus. It might not be any status working as a teacher in Sweden (hich it should be!), but it seems that it's a little bit better in he UK. So therefor I give you John Paul McQueen (James Sutton). The teacher. And also one of my favourites. I think that John Paul has a very important occupation!

Some New Years specials

There have been som nice New Years episodes through the years. Not all soaps are on a break over Christmas, New Years and summer, thank gods. Here are some of my favourites.

Syed, Amira and Christian.

First of all we have the New Years kiss between Christian and Syed (Eastenders) from 2009. There are just rubbish pictures (even my own screenshots) so you'll have to settle with one of Syed kissing Amira instead, while Christian is watching. Awful. But the Chryed kiss was great! Just before the Masood wedding Christian (John Partridge) leaves Walford because of a broken heart, but comes home just for the midnight to give Syed (Marc Elliott) a kiss. It is so romantic, and there is so much pain. I love it!

Tom & Ulli.

Another favourite is actually from the millennium when Tom and Ulli (Verbotene Liebe) got together. And yet another rubbish picture. Tom (Kay Böger) and Ulli (Andreas Stenschke) had been tangled here and there for a while (well, Ulli had a girlfriend, of course) but in New Years eve Ulli finally had the guts to tell Tom his true feelings and from there there was no turning back. The coupled shared a cozy moment in front of the fireplace, and it is a classical scene indeed. To watch it follow the link.

Deniz and Roman on New Years eve.

The Germans know how to do it. Another cute New Years kiss is actually one of DeRo's (Alles Was Zählt) cutest. And yay, a great picture! Well, all of their kisses were cute. But this was special. It was playful and happy, which was not the case of their relationship at this time. Roman (Dennis Grabosch) was unemployed and Deniz (Igor Dolgatschew) was a model. But it was a happy time if you compare to what was to come... And there was also another New Years eve when Deniz dpent it with Vanessa instead of Roman but let's not talk about that!

Those were my favourites. And they were only three! So here is a bonus. Will and Sonny (Days of our lives) from last New Years eve.

Will (Chandler Massey) and Sonny (Freddie Smith).

I need to collect some more favourites I think... Any suggestions?

The End

Just about the time when Verbotene Liebe had their 4500 episode aired it was also announced that the series has got cencelled. The viewers has gone down and I guess it is no point of carrying on.

Jo Weil and the cast.

Jo Weil, who really seem to love his job, despite quite shitty storylines for his character Olli lately, announced on his facebook page that the series has been cancelled and that it will come to an end early next year. Well, I can't say that I'm surpriced or even that upset about it. The series really became blaha, and no interesting storylines for anyone. Just same old same old. Of course it is sad that Verbotene Liebe will come to an end, because it was an Ok soap which delivered very memorable scenes, especially with Chrolli, but I think this is really the only right thing to do. Nothing can last forever.

Oliver and Christian.

And really, no writers, there is nothing to keep you from bringing Chrolli back together! When the series is cancelled I really hope that Thore Schölermann is up for coming back to the show so we can have our sunset ending for Christian and Oliver. Really, the storylines for Olli after Christian is nothing to hang in the christmas tree. Even though the Chrolli story got a little bit mudded by yet another divorce, there is no other ending than a Chrolli ending. That would really be a scandal.

And I really hope the writers will give us a real boombastic ending, because in January, Verbotene Liebe will have a 20 years celebration, and they really have their chance to do something really good with it. I want lot's of old characters returns (just as when the show trurned 10 years) and I want lot's of happiness. I imagine a great storyline would be that my other favourites Tom and Ulli returning to Düsseldorf to get married where they meat Olli (who is Tom's ex) who invite both him and Christian (who Olli met in the supermarket or something) to their wedding and when they see all the happiness and love they get carried away and can't help falling into eachothers arms and saken är biff! Perfect ending! Who do I contact about this great idea?

Tom and Ulli

As told before Christian and Oliver, Chrolli, is not the first same sex couple in the German soap opera Verbotene Liebe. They are not even the second, or the third. In fact, Verbotene Liebe have had lots and lots of same sex couples through the series, both male and female. For me, Chrolli are a favourite couple, alongside Tom and Ulli.

Ulli and Tom.

In 1999 the character Ulrich "Ulli" Prozeski (Andreas Stenscke) met Tom Seifert (Kay Böger) and he didn't like him. He really despised him until Tom, who of course was the really really nice gay guy saved him from a bit of kerfuffel and the became good friends. Ulli has a bit of a problem with Tom being gay of course, like any aother closeted gay guy. But in the end they end up snogging a couple of times before a little bit of a denial and then they end up as a couple in New Years Eve. And there are sparks! The snogging in front of the fire place really deserves and Oscar in my oppinion. Thore Schölermann and Jo Weil have gotten a lot of praise for their natural and passionate kissing as Christian and Oliver, but in my opinion Andreas Stenscke and Kay Böger are doing their job as good as the Chrolli actors. I can watch the episode with the fire place at New Years Eve over and over again.

Kay Böger as Tom and Andreas Stenscke as Ulli.

Unfortunately the love story is good but short. in 2000 Ulli moves to München and leaves Tom with a broken heart. The break up is really heart wrecking in the train station where Tom breaks up with Ulli just as he boards the train. So the broken heart ought to be mutual. Tom then has a hard time to commit again before he meets Olli. Thats right, it's the same Olivers Sabel that Christian marries later in the series.

Tom and Olli.

But in my opinion, and I can have an opinion because it's my blog, Tom and Olli is not a couple with sparks. I never really liked them together. No real passion and I can feel that Tom never really got over Ulli. The proof of that we got when Ulli came back to Düsseldorff for a couple of weeks and Tom cheats on Olli in a hotel room. And really Tom, Ulli and Olli? Couldn't yoy meet a guy with a little bit less similar name?

Andreas Stenscke and Kay Böger together with Dominic Saleh-Zaki who plays Andi.

Well, yet another time Ullis heart is broken and he has to return to München empty handed. Tom later breaks up with Olli who ends up heart broken (lots of broken hearts in this storyline. Ulli even leaves a heartbroken girlfriend when he first got together with Tom) and eventually both Tom and Olli leaves Düsseldorff and the series. But the storyline doesn't end there because some years later, in 2005 when Verbotene Liebe have it's 10 years anniversary Tom and Ulli reaccures in a couple of short scenes where we learn that the couple was reunited and both lived in München together. Yay! Another happy ending!

To watch the whole Tom and Ulli and Tom and Olli storyline, visit the youtube channel of mimi1985d. And she has more good stuff! Just saying.

Spoiler alert: OMG Chrolli!

Thore Schölermann as Christian Mann and Jo Weil as Oliver Sabel

Here i one of my absolute favourite couples: Chrolli. Christian Mann and Oliver Sabel started their beautiful love story in 2007 in Verbotene Liebe and it has been magical since then. And now I've red that the couple will split up. Outrageous. Well, Christian and Oliver has had their ups-and-downs and their on-and-offs of course, but a more beautiful and interacting couple is very hard to find. I will tell you a little bit about their beauty.

Jo Weil.

Oliver "Olli" Sabel first appeared in Verbotene Liebe in 1999 and played a supporting roll until he hooked up with Tom Seifert in 2001. They had a (according to me) quite boring love story that ended in 2002 and Olli also left the series. My opinion is that the love story between Tom and Ulli had more of a spark. But in 2007 Olli returned because the writers had found him a new love interest. That is Christian Mann.

Thore Schölermann.

Thore Schölermann had since 2006 played the character of Christian Mann, the boxing younger brother of Gregor Mann who is a great character that we miss very much. Christian were straight and only had girlfriends before and Olli are bisexual, but in the later years of Verbotene Liebe, he only swung the manly way. Anyway, Oliver fell in love with Christian, and Christian had to fight it a lot until he allowed himself to confess that he had fallen in love with a man. And what a man he fell for! When he at last admited to Olli that he had fallen in love, I think one of the most, if not even the absolutley most beautiful love scenes were took place for the TV-viewers. The tenderness in the acting and the dialog combined with Sia's Breathe Me is just pure magic and beauty. If you haven't seen it, just take time for it. You will not regret it. The scene starts 2.15 in to the clip.

I love love love that scene! And I just never becomes tired of it.

The love story then continues with a lot of hiding, a big coming out, some gay bashing, severe illness, jealousy, AIDS-fright, a wedding, a foster child, infidelity, divorce, a heart attack, another wedding, a long distance relationship, more infedility, more long distance and now finally; a break up. And that will happen in may. But let's rewind the tape a bit and dwell upon this a bit:

Christian and Olli at their first wedding.

The first wedding was amazing. In a church, with a gay priest and all of their friends present. But the happiness weren't that long. Christian slept with Jessica and everything was ruined. But the couple managed to repair their relationship when Christian almost died by a heart attack. Here was also one of the most beautifel scenes when Olli realized that Christian weren't dead and proclaimed his love for Christian at the hospital. Not just Christian sighed with relief back then, all of the Chrolli fans did.

Olli's and Christian's big reunion.

But it was never really the same again. After that, it felt like the guys never got to kiss again. And we want to see the kisses. No other couple kiss with such a feeling. The storylines were quite boring and the spark was gone. Then Christian got a dream job in London and moved there in indefinitely time. At first, we were told it was just for some months, but then he never came back again. And we feared that Christian never would come back again. But then in September in 2013 he came back, and he did it with a bang!

Christian Mann as a police.

He does it with a striptease. It is really hilarious. Christian and Oliver has their magical moments and we can see the spark again. But the happiness is short and we are told that Christian cheated again. And again with a woman! In Christian's and Oliver's relationship Christian had sex with three women and snogged with two. Oliver also snogged with an woman, and had a younger male lover, but anyway, I think this is a quite clear indication that Christian really is straight, but his biggest love is a man. And what a man! But anyway again, now it will end. We all suspected that it would come to an end. I mean, how long can a relationship go on when they never meet? But did it have to happen like this? Thore Schölermann wrote on facebook that both he and Jo Weil really do want a Chrolli reunion but he is not willing to return to the series without an interesting storyline for his character. I understand that. You don't want to become a supporting role when you deserve to be the leading lady! Even Oliver has become supporting role in periods, but that character has another charisma and survives that. Christian is actually quite boring without Olli. But I love them both. And I am really mouring right now. I have to admit that after the last leave I haven't watched the show. I really like it, there are lots of interesting characters that is easy to love like Andi, Jessica, Ricardo, Dana among others, but without any boy-on-boy action I have to prioritize watching other shows. I mean, the day only has 24 hours and I work in some of them. But I will watch all the Olli scenes in my vacation. I have eight weeks. And I think, I really think that when Jo Weil leaves the series, I mean, he has to some time (or they will cancel it), I really think that there will be a Chrolli reunion. The actors seem to like each other so much that they will make it happen. Let Olli have som fun and to finally get some sex before the most popular gay supercouple of all times finally end up together!

Gay-bashing

Kai, Joscha and Nick.

In mondays episode of Alles was zählt Joscha was brutally gay-bashed. Yesterday we learned that it is so serious that he had to be operated and that they have to drill a whole in his scull to ease the pressure. Unpleasant indeed. But I have also read som spoilers that tell that Joscha will be alright. Today I also was reached by the news that both Joscha and Kai (and also Joschas brother Lukas and his father David) will leave the series in May. That is such a shame and I am upset! But I hope that it will be the happy ending we all are hoping for with a profi-Vontrag und ein neues jobb. My tip is that the guy to the right has something to do with the bashing...

Tom and Ulli.

But gay-bashing is not a new pehonomenon in the soap operas around the world. In Germany it has happened more than once before. Back in the year 2000 Tom and Ulli from Verbotene Liebe was attacked by two homophobes on their way to the cinema. Tom had a punch in the stomach and Ulli almost got beaten when his brother Nick came to the rescue. No serious enjurys that time.

Olli and Christian in the hospital.

It was worse for Olli some years later when Christians extremely homophobic boxing club pals, Axel, got hold of him. After the big outing in the boxing ring Axel just had to beat Olli almost to death. It is interesting how you can be so provoked by mutual love that is not directed to you. Olli was relatively alright that time, but later on it was discovered that he had cot brain injurys and he almost died. Unpleasant indeed.

Ringo and Yannick in a tense moment.

Also in Unter Uns there has been som gay-bashing, but this time, Yannick was gay-bashed by another gay, that is Ringo, his kind of boyfriend. The only homophobe I have seen in Unter Uns is Ringo. Stop beating Yannick almost to death. Their relationship ended after that. Surprise!

Syed and Christian after the bashing.

There ha salso been som gay-bashing in Great Britain. In 2009 Christian Clarke was brutally gay-bashed by a man he brought home from the pub after som flirting. He was expecting sex but got bashed instead. Well it is simple, if you don't want to have sex with the person, don't follow him/her home! I can't understand what is so provoking with what gays do in their bedroom? Though, this led to a very cute moment when Syed forced Christian to go to the police and waited outside the whole time and the invited himself home to Christian and they had sex for the second time. I think.

There are a lot of more examples of gay-bashing in soaps, but these are the ones that comes to mind right now. It is understandable that gay-bashing is a important and dramatic subject to illuminate. But I think that it is important also to show the utopia of a world where there is no gay-bashing and where gays are naturally accepted and to. There is a lot of homophobia in this world and soap operas are sometimes realistic and sometimes not, and that's why I think it is important to prescribe a world where it is OK to be gay. Because it is. I hope there will be a world where you don't have to "come out" you can just tell everyone that you are in love. And that soon. Both in soaps and in the real world.