“I used to walk into a room and just go ‘ta-da!’ Now, I tiptoe.” This is a line I’ve directly quoted from episode 1 of Russell T Davies‘ blistering new Channel 4 drama Tip Toe, but it’s also the sentiment of any LGBTQIA+ person living in the UK over the last few years.
As Western politics continues to shift to the right, being out and proud is something that’s starting to have a brand-new set of consequences — and instead of shying away from it, Davies presents us with an alarming vision of the future.
Channel 4 explains, “Tip Toe chronicles the escalating, deadly feud between two Manchester neighbors: Leo (Alan Cumming), a vivacious gay bar owner on Canal Street, and Clive (David Morrissey), a conservative electrician with two teenage sons.
“As modern prejudices and radicalized opinions creep into their community, everyday friction spirals into shocking violence.”
Except, this isn’t actually the future at all. As a lesbian woman who could easily disguise herself as ‘straight passing’ if I was walking down the street, I watched Tip Toe with a horrific realization that in five years time, if Reform UK really does make good on its prediction of forming a government majority, Davies’ vision could be reality TV.
But speaking to Davies and Cumming, it’s clear that I’ve been naive about what’s happening around the country right now — even if I did need an entire screen-free weekend to get over the trauma of watching these five episodes.
‘Hopefully, this is a wake-up call’
“I very much was inspired by the spirit of both of those things,” Davies responds when I ask if defining Tip Toe as “Queer as Folk getting the Years and Years treatment” is too reductive.
“If it was focused in any other way, it wouldn’t be a timely project… it would be an old-fashioned project. This is literally happening to us now. Women can tell us that. Look at the laws on rape statistics and how many rapists are convicted. It’s like every corner of society is shutting this out and yet the establishment just keeps marching on.”
With this analogy, Davies isn’t referring to a blatant sex crime, but the implication that one has happened. Through Leo and Clive’s increasingly hostile encounters, the age-old rhetoric that equates gay men to child abusers comes back into the foreground. This is a thematic cornerstone of Tip Toe, but look around online, and you’ll likely see similar happening there too.
Cumming continues, “This is definitely not a five years time thing, this is happening right now. My hope is that it will be impactful… it sort of feels like it is already in the way that people are reacting to the trailers and promo.
“Hopefully, it will be a wake-up call. I really think that’s what the purpose of this is, to sort of say, ‘look what the f**k is happening and let’s have a chat.'”
My advice for this must-see TV? Stream Tip Toe at your own risk — and be ready for it to sit in your consciousness for every day after.
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