Season 4 of Awkward brought us several new characters, including the wise-cracking, trouble-making, vaguely anarchist duo Theo & Cole (Evan Crooks & Monty Geer). Much like Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum from Lewis Carroll’s Through The Looking Glass, Cole and Theo pop up unexpectedly, fuel each other’s mischief, and make things more complicated for those around them.
What makes Theo and Cole all the more interesting is that fact that both of them are gay, are not a couple, and have much more going on for themselves besides the fact that they are gay, which can be an all too easy trap for gay TV characters to fall into, such as the flamboyant Nick (Miguel Pinzon) on ABC Family’s recently cancelled Mystery Girls. The two are interested in filmmaking, art, culture, and social chaos, not the typical extra-curriculars for TV gay characters.
Theo and Cole’s troublemaking starts right on the first episode of Season 4. Theo and Cole are introduced as a pair of maverick filmmakers, whose most recent short film, Being Gay is Gay, has received critical acclaim. The two switch out Tamara’s rom-com pick at outdoor movie night with the 1972 John Waters comedy-shocker Pink Flamingos. Order is disrupted, chaos ensues–mission accomplished for Cole and Theo.
If ever there is social order that needs to be disrupted, we can count on Cole and Theo to stir things up. Welcome to Palos Hills, troublemakers.