When a shy student somehow attracts the attention of the most popular guy at school, it’s pretty much the stuff of plenty of straight teenage romcoms. Get Real is this, but gay, but there’s a tenderness to the way these teenage archetypes are portrayed, and simply placing Steven and John’s closeted relationship side-by-side with the usual straight sexual shenanigans of the classic teen genre immediately challenges the double standard. It’s a simple and straightforward approach (heh), but at the same time, it’s ahead of its time, yet oh-so-very 90s. It’s surprising that Get Real hasn’t garnered the cult status it deserves.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Andy Rashleigh, Ben Silverstone, Brad Gorton, Charlotte Brittain, David Lumsden, Ian Brimble, Jacquetta May, Judy Buxton, Kate McEnery, Morgan Jones, Richard Hawley, Stacy Hart, Steven Elder, Tim Harris

Director: Simon Shore

Rating: R