The Legacy Of Noah’s Arc: A First Time Watch

It is the last day of Black History Month, and, to send us out, I want to talk about and highlight Noah’s ARC. It is 2003, and Patrik-Ian Polk attended a kickoff party for LA Black Gay Pride. He was overwhelmed by the Black LGBT people, and he thought to himself, where is the TV representation for this?! After an on-the-spot idea and two years, Noah’s Arc premiered on LOGO TV. It aired for one year, with 17 episodes airing over two seasons and one film set after the second season post-cancellation. While short-lived, it left quite a mark. It tackled social issues still prevalent in the Queer community today: same-sex dating, marriage, parenthood, HIV-AIDS awareness, infidelity, promiscuity, homophobia, and gay bashing. The show was the first scripted television series to center on a group of Black gay men. It featured representation of not only Black gay men but LGBTQ across the board. And yet I did not fully watch it until 2023; please do not drag me. It has been a slow and steady gay awakening for me. Watching it, I felt a sense of nostalgia for my former self. What he would have done to see this on TV or even been told it existed, I am sure my trajectory into my identity would have been different.

We meet Noah, who I will affectionately and rightfully nickname That Girl, and his friends: unapologetic and gossipy Alex, territorial playboy Ricky, and academic and uptight Chance (ARC), on a rollerblading date. Within moments, we get an honest look into all of their personalities. Shortly after, we meet Wade, our B-Boy Prince Charming or, as I affectionately called him during my watch, “Miss Butch Queen.” Getting to know these five characters and their shenanigans brought me back to how I felt watching Looking on HBO or later binging Girlfriends on Netflix, but it felt so much more personal this time. I couldn’t precisely empathize with the white Queers on Looking’s whole experience or the women of Girlfriends. This time I could scream, “OMG me too,” When Chance agonizes over being second choice to his eventual husband’s indiscretions. I can see where Ricky is coming from wanting to explore promiscuity and shield himself from emotional ties taking over; he’s still a trash character, but I get it. I can live when Alex is always right, reading his friends and having fantastic love scenes with his buff himbo husband. I can see my sexual journey in Wade coming into his own and where I am heading in the confidence and self-worth in Noah.

As I binged, watched, yelled at the screen, and cried, I talked to some friends about their thoughts on their series and what it was like to be fortunate enough to grow up with it.

New York native and recording artist, Je’Vel spoke about not recognizing its impact, “I didn’t realize just how revolutionary the show was when I was 17, but I knew that when I watched, I felt safe. I, later on, realized it was because I felt seen. It gave me something to look forward to: black queer love and community.”

Professionals and friends Diante Webb and Alex Martinez talked about what seeing Queers on TV like this meant for their futures, “Noah’s Arc, at the time, was the only show depicting a full scope of Black Queer life in a major city. As a kid, it helped me paint a picture of what is out there besides porn, in which lust and fetishism were the only consumable mediums.”

“Noah’s Arc presented another avenue, along with The Real World: Philadelphia, where Queerness is normalcy outside of stigma and religiosity. Queerness as a positive, normal way of living for men of color, a way of living life.”

Aaron Bullock, a Health Administrative professional from New Jersey, spoke about its legacy, “From my perspective, it was the first time I saw Black Queer representation on a television show. Back then, it was challenging to be openly gay, and this show broke many barriers. It will forever be iconic.”

Take one last ride on the Arc with me as I highlight some of my favorite moments of the show:

Noah as a fashion icon! The only one! Number one!

When Alex knew good and goddamn well that Guy wanted his husband and the plot point riding most of the series. Trey is really a himbo, my favorite one, though.

Chance driving his SUV into the house of the guy Eddie was cheating on him with. I screamed! I yelled what an absolute icon.

The Drag competition episodes where the gang rallied behind Alex and slayed the stage.

Chance’s cute little relationship with T-Money, I was rooting for them.

When Wade fully leans into his relationship with Noah and that beautiful birthday episode.

Ricky just reinforcing every episode why I did not like him at all.

The handling of the Catholic religion and being gay, growing up Catholic, hit a lot of avenues.

Even though I hated this, how they handled Noah’s indiscretions and then just caught the men left and right. Lil Wayne said, “miss one, next 15 one is coming” OKAY, MISS NOAH!

The disastrous finale left us wondering if Wade lived or died; I commend y’all who watched it live. The agony is just like the ending of Girlfriends but worse.

Right now, there aren’t many queer sitcoms that depict everyday life, but Harlem on Amazon Prime gives us Queer representation; fans await the return of the YouTube series For at the Boys and other Youtube shows that showcase POC Queers in everyday life, here’s hoping more are on the way because we love to see ourselves, 'cause nothing matter more than representation. Happy Black History Month.

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