Page - 107 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 02/02

Losers, Food, and Sex | 107www.jrfm.eu 2016, 2/2, 99–122 archdeacon visits Adam, he dismissively pours the coffee Adam offers him into the sink. Adam and Robert both inhabit a position of power: Adam as the vic- ar of St Saviour’s, and Robert in his role as archdeacon. And yet they are not equals; one is clearly subordinate to the other, not just in terms of church hier- archy but also in terms of performance. Coffee, what is done with coffee and what is said about it, becomes an expression of the power relations between those two very different embodiments of masculinity and shows that masculin- ity always has to be thought of in the plural, as masculinities. Towards the end of the show, however, food is also used to symbolically express a transformation in power relationships. When Robert fails to be appointed bishop because of his gay relationship, he is outed by a member of the commit- tee, but he also stands up for his sexual orientation and his love for his partner, as we later learn. Being able, finally, to be true to himself causes a change in the archdeacon and the way he performs power as well as his masculinities. In the last episode, S02/E07, Adam and his parish host a Christmas meal in the church. Robert stops by at the parish on his way back home; he had missed his flight into the holidays due to bad weather and was stuck in the departure lounge for 18 hours. As he wishes Adam a Merry Christmas, pays back a few pounds he owed, and is about to leave, Robert is invited by Adam to stay for the Christmas meal. Rather than making a dismissive comment as we might expect from his earlier pattern of behavior, Robert thankfully accepts: Adam: Stay with us, please! C’mon! We’d be honored. Robert (nods and seems to be quite moved by the invitation): Thank you, Adam. With the invitation, Adam reclaims his masculinity and dignity; one could even argue that in inviting Robert, Adam inhabits a position of power, albeit a form of power not rooted in having power over others but in the ability to establish relationships and create community. Rather than begging the archdeacon or Fig 1: Film still, Christmas Meal, Rev. (2010–2014), S02/E07.