This Is Why You Should Be Watching LGBT Drama "Banana", As Well As "Cucumber"

You've probably heard a lot about new gay drama Cucumber, which debuted on Channel 4 this week. But its sister show Banana following younger LGBT guys is well worth a look too.

You might have heard of Russell T Davis' Cucumber on Channel 4, but its E4 sister show is just as good.

Banana / Channel 4 / Red

In fact, arguably, it is better. The show is called Banana, and it's a drama that follows the lives of young gay, lesbian, and transgender people who also appear briefly in Cucumber shown directly before on Channel 4. Why is it so good?

1. There are no coming-out stories on Banana.

Cucumber / Channel 4 / Red

Don’t get me wrong, coming out is an important issue. It has been documented before on TV and will be documented again, but on Banana the coming-out issue is not addressed, because here everyone is already out, confident and comfortable with their sexuality. There is no more explaining to do here.

This makes Banana refreshing.

Banana / Channel 4 / Red

It feels as if they've got time to tackle a lot other subjects that LGBT people can relate to, as well as all the other unique circumstantial stuff. And it seems wise too, considering that they've only got 30 minutes a week to pack it all in.

2. The sex doesn't feel overly dramatic either.

Banana / Channel 4 / Red

The sex just happens. There's no dramatic music during it, so you are not made to believe that it is only being shown to you because it is part of some sort of scandal or upcoming controversial plot twist. There's also none of that "cut away to a nearby curtain as you hear passionate grunting" crap either.

The sex is shot in the same way as it would be between straight people. It feels reassuringly normal.

Banana / Channel 4 / Red

And this makes you feel good/jealous/very good/very jealous of them.

3. Freddie Baxter (Freddie Fox) doesn’t label his sexuality at all in Banana, and that's pretty awesome.

Banana / Channel 4 / Red

In some bits he talks about shagging guys, and in others, women. He doesn’t explain it; it doesn’t need to be explained. In fact, it’s great that he doesn’t have to.

4. Freddie is also like every unobtainable guy ever.

Banana / Channel 4 / Red

Every single guy you've ever had a crush on, every guy you've wanted to get with, and the guy that has everything that you think you don't have. He's smug, arrogant, full of himself and makes you do stuff by saying stuff like, "We could even hook up now and again, I don't mind. It's better than having a wank, certainly faster."

You absolutely love hating him. He's a bit like Tony Stonem from Skins.

5. Both Cucumber and Banana work together.

Cucumber / Channel 4 / Red

In the fourth series of US comedy Arrested Development, each episode is based on the perspective of one of the main characters and each episode starts at the same moment, so you see storylines merge during the series.

Banana tries a similar method here, where each episode is based on the perspective of a different character, scenes that start on Cucumber are related to scenes on Banana, and all characters of both shows bump into one another.

On Arrested Development this style of storytelling got confusing and weird, but on Banana it just works.

Cucumber / Channel 4 / Red

Much of this is due to the fact that you've just seen Cucumber on a different channel directly before, so the scenes in which the characters bump into one another is still fresh in your mind. Seeing this makes both dramas feel smarter.

6. You also see hints of future episodes of Banana.

Banana / Channel 4 / Red

This is Scotty (Letitia Wright). She's featured in another episode, hinting in the first episode about her doomed crush on Yvonne. A DOOMED CRUSH ON YVONNE.

7. And finally, Andrew Hayden Smith gets sexy.

Banana / Channel 4 / Red

It’s a weird seeing an ex-CBBC presenter who used to introduce kids shows like Round the Twist now on Banana saying stuff like, “I thought that with this view I want to fuck with the whole of Manchester watching” — directly after copping off with Dean (Fisayo Akinade) and unbuckling each other's pants.

But if you ever wondered what it would look like to cop off with a TV presenter, your dreams have come true.

Banana / Channel 4 / Red

Banana airs Thursdays at 10pm on E4.

It directly follows Cucumber, which airs at 9pm on Channel 4.