Sixteen years after his seminal success Queer as Folk, Russell T Davies has created Banana and Cucumber, two original drama series exploring the trials and tribulations of gay men living in the 21st century. Never one to shy away from graphic depictions of sexuality, Banana and Cucumber, from their titles alone (taken from terms employed by sexologists for distinguishing the strengths of penile erection) promise a frank and all-encompassing depiction that continues to push the boundaries of television.

Cucumber follows the midlife meltdown of Henry (Vincent Franklin) whose life seems to be trudging along in typical middle-class suburban domesticity. Stifled by the stagnation in his life and the undercurrent of tension in his long-term relationship with partner Lance, with whom he has never been physically intimate, Henry’s life changes following a particularly disastrous date night. Not only does Henry receive a marriage proposal, but he also becomes embroiled in an attempted threesome and implicated in a death, each of which mark a turning point for Henry who decides to embark on a voyage of self-discovery. This is in fact, aided and abetted by nineteen-year-old Dean, whom Henry has befriended at the office and his roommate Freddie, the latter is a blonde Adonis for whom Henry is willing to recklessly abandon a life that for so long he believed worth maintaining. While the characters are at times unlikeable, they remain identifiable, and, more importantly credible, a far cry from the clichéd cardboard cutouts they could have easily become in less capable hands.

Whilst Cucumber follows a narrative arch, its counterpart Banana is a series of eight stand-alone vignettes exploring the lives of people whom Henry has met, namely twenty-somethings who depict the multifaceted lives of those within the LGBT community. Refreshingly Banana does not limit the stories of young gays, bisexuals and lesbians to their coming out experience, and highlights the neuroses and struggles that both young and old experience in the sexual minefield of modern life, be it unrequited love, premature ejaculation and fear of commitment. Although the shows are stand alone, they are also interlinked, with scenes from one show being seen from an alternative perspective in the other, which highlights simultaneously the differences and similarities of the LGBT community’s experience in modern society, be it as a middle-aged man or a millennial.

Although both shows are light-hearted in their approach, they touch upon serious issues of intimacy, sexuality and alienation, such as mixed and lost messages in an age of instant connection and rapid communication, that at times can be devoid of any human intimacy.

Cucumber can be seen on Channel 4 on Thursdays at 9pm and Banana can be seen on E4 on Thursdays at 10pm.