Soap Opera Weekly - February 5, 2002 (page 33). Review by Robert Schork.

Queer As Folk's Gale Harold has crafted such a convincing picture of an aloof and robotic sex-and-drug machine that to see his character, Brian, finally approach emotional availability is both unnerving and compelling.

Still true to his character, Harold hasn't resorted to any melodramatic 180s in portraying Brian's admission of feelings and concern for boytoy-turned-love Justin. Instead, he has depicted the concession of Brian's emotions with a decidedly understated, almost anticlimatic resignation; the subtlety is infinitely more effective than any hit-you-over-the-head epiphanous response. E.g., the scenes with Justin's mom, when she asked Brian to take in her son and "touch him," in the hope that his emotional wounds from the beating might heal. Or the quiet tenderness he showed toward Justin when Justin halted their first post-attack attempt at lovemaking because he wasn't ready to be that vulnerable to another person again, even the one he loves.

At the end of this season's second episode, Brian finally lets Justin comfort him, and they made love. It was sweet and tender, just like Harold's astonishing, revelatory performance.