When I reviewed the Disney Channel's long, tediously careful coming-out story Diary of a Future President, I didn't recognize the M&M guy, Brendan Scannell. But he starred in a Netflix tv series that I reviewed, Bonding (2018, 2021), one of those semi-autobiographical series featuring the early experiences of a gay comedian (Rightor Doyle, not Brendan).
The bonding on my other website means male bonding, gay-subtext friendships. This bonding is BDSM.
Psychology student Tiff gets a job as a dominatrix (heterosexual BDSM top), and talks her friend, aspiring comedian Pete (Brendan), into becoming her assistant. Well, he gets to touch hot guys' willies, and most heterosexual BDSM scenes don't involve vanilla sex. Besides, he's sort of bi.
Episodes involve learning the ropes of BDSM (har har), quirky clients, Pete introducing his BDSM experiences into his comedy act, and both of them facing the problem of how to tell romantic partners about their job. Pete dates Josh (Theo Stockman), and Tiff Doug (Micah Stock, left).
Alex Hurt, left, plays Pete's wacky roommate, who is sort of straight.
I found it a bit too cliched, depending on silly stereotypes, especially of clients. Plus a bit too heterosexual for a gay coming out story: Pete is sort of in love with Tiff.
Brendan has 25 acting credits listed on the IMDB, beginning with heterosexual roles like a disgruntled husband in Limp and Crunchy (2015) and disgruntled prank victim bait in Kill Game (2016).
But he got to be gay, or rather queer (wearing feminine outfits and use they/them pronouns) as Heather Duke in the 2018 tv version of Heathers. In case you haven't seen the 1988 movie or 2010 musical, it's not a comedy. There are multiple murders and suicides, plus blowing up the prom.
More after the break