"Kalele" - Knocking on The Celluloid Closet

[eumelia]

This meta is an analysis of the opening sequence in Kalele, because I don’t think there has been such a desire oriented scene since episode 2.01 Hai’i’ole which I reviewed way back when in October – “Toeing The Line of Love” on LJ or DW.

The opening sequence of Kalele was the most homoerotic sequence I have ever seen in a non-specifically gay oriented show.

The social (semi-)nudity, the mutual snark and the holding of phallic objects in each other’s company were clear signals of homoerotic desire.



I know, obvious. But honestly, I can’t help but analyse this whole episode with that prism in mind. Because when you have the camera focus on Danny’s crotch…



…And ass as he drags his board along the beach…



…Something is a foot.

I’d like to mention that the queer dynamic was present throughout the episode, the way Danny and Steve interacted, the way Mary spoke about the woman who double crossed her pinged me as “more than friendship”. That Angela is Mary’s “only friend” is significant when it comes to that kind of relationship.

Also, pixie hair!



The more short haired women on television the better I say! I’ve said this before, this show is very good at giving us short hand clues when it come to the queer nature of the characters and their dynamic – all that with the plausible deniability of a few episodes back, with Catherine and Gabby – each making an appearance, each re-establishing the heterosexual default of Danny and Steve, even though they clearly enjoy spending their free time with each other, more than anyone else.

Rewinding back to the opening sequence, can I just say that I love the way Danny mocks Steve’s masculinity? It made me belly laugh for far longer than it should have and it told me so, so much about Danny’s perception of Steve’s gender presentation.

That he’s full of shit, of course.



I find Steve’s hesitation is giving his and Danny’s relationship a name very telling, as well as Danny’s insulted reaction at the “kinda” that Steve uses to deflect the conversation from the nature of their relationship in light of Mary being a witness to their time together.

Danny: Excuse me
Steve: Yeah?
Danny: So, we are kinda “surf buddies” now?

The euphemistic “air quotes” are clear in Danny’s voice, you can almost see him make them with his fingers as he challenges Steve in his presentation of their relationship to Mary.

Steve, per usual, deflects.

Steve: You sensitive right now?
Danny: Yeah, a little bit

Basically, Danny doesn’t want to be a dirty little secret, which this whole exchange suggests.

Danny’s open emotionalism as opposed to Steve’s reserve in this scene is a clear marker for their differing expectations from each other when it comes to their relationship, which at this point, I must point out, clearly has an emotional and erotic nature – one that makes Steve uncomfortable in front of his sister, who he “knows”.

*ahem* Not. No, I don’t think Steve knows Mary as he claims (and which Danny calls him on), considering how awkward he was in her presence together with Danny.

It was so rich and full of layers with regards to Danny (Scott, you owned this ep, I’m sorry about the circumstances that led to you carrying the episode, but gah, you rocked!) and Steve and the way they do their gender – which, ha, is what I look at when watching this show!

I wish I had more time to expand and analyse the entire episode, but I think the above is enough for now. Seeing as we now have a hiatus of three weeks, I may write some more meta about this really gorgeous episode!

Comments

[jazzybabe56]

I hope you DO write more about this - its fascinating to me.....and I love your views...thanx for this! :)

[silveradept]

Your perspective is valuable to me - for one thing, it helps me notice the totally rich subtext and secondary narrative of getting as close as one can to having a bro-buddy-cop story that involves two men who are more than bros and buddies.