Steven Canals, co-creator of Pose, breaks down the historic Pray Tell and Ricky love scene from Season 2, Episode 8, "Revelations." Two intimacy coordinators discuss.

This Pride Month, we're joined by Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning creator and showrunner Steven Canals to break down one of the most intimate scenes from POSE.

Together, we discuss how the scene evolved from script to screen, the challenges of directing intimacy before the role of intimacy coordinator was fully established, and why portraying queer love with tenderness, not spectacle, mattered so deeply.

In this episode:

• The collaborative process between director, actors, and intimacy coordinator
• Balancing choreography with actor freedom and authenticity
• How intimacy coordination has evolved over the past decade
• Why queer intimacy deserves the same emotional depth as any love story
• The importance of consent, vulnerability, and trust in intimate storytelling

A filmmaker's lens on queer intimacy

Plus, Steven shares behind-the-scenes stories from making POSE, reflects on the show's lasting cultural impact, and tells us exactly how he'd ruin his own scene if he had to.

Scene discussed: POSE Season 2, Episode 8 ("Revelations"), approximately 3:38–5:47.

Subscribe for weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

POSE (Season 2, Episode 8: "Revelations") | Creators: Steven Canals, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy | FX (2019)

Hashtags

#PoseFX #StevenCanals #QueerIntimacy #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

Sense8's cluster orgy from the finale special is one of the most ambitious intimacy sequences ever filmed. Two intimacy coordinators break down the choreography, consent, and craft.

This week, we have a BONUS EPISODE! Ariel and Morgan dive into the legendary cluster orgy from the Sense8 finale special and unpack why it remains one of the most ambitious intimacy sequences ever filmed.

From choreography and consent practices to lighting, camera movement, and the challenge of coordinating a massive ensemble scene, we break down how the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski created a sequence that feels emotional, sensual, and deeply connected rather than purely explicit.

In this episode:

• Why foreplay matters for the audience, not just the characters
• The logistics of coordinating large-scale intimacy scenes
• Boundary-setting techniques, including touch mapping and traffic-light systems
• Why productions of this scale require multiple intimacy coordinators
• The importance of diversity, representation, and body variety in intimate storytelling

A filmmaker's lens on ensemble intimacy

Then, as always, we hand out our Spice Scale scores before completely ruining the scene with some truly terrible creative notes.

Scene discussed: Sense8 finale special, approximately 2:21:00 – 2:26:00.

Subscribe for weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Sense8 (Season 2, Episode 12: "Amor Vincit Omnia") | Creators: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, J. Michael Straczynski | Netflix (2018)

Hashtags

#Sense8 #Wachowski #ClusterScene #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

This episode we're breaking down one of the most ambitious sex scenes ever put on television. We're diving into Sens8, the Wachowskis' globe-spanning Sci-Fi drama that somehow turns a psychic orgy into one of the most sensual scenes we've ever covered.

From gym workouts and hot tubs to morning cuddles and group intimacy across continents, we're unpacking what makes this sequence so memorable and why it still feels unlike anything else on TV.

We get into it all:

• The surprisingly complicated consent questions that come with sharing other people's experiences
• The challenge of choreographing a massive multi-location orgy without rehearsal
• The actor's experiences behind the scenes and how an intimacy coordinator could have helped

Plus: German bathhouses, intimacy coordinator wedding hacks, Britney Spears throwbacks, and an extended discussion about what happens if someone in your cluster decides to have sex during your grandmother's funeral.

Want to watch along? 

Our reaction covers the orgy scene in Season 1 Episode 6 (Demons): 32:08-39:32. 

-----------------------------------------

CREDITS — SENS8 (S1E6 "Demons")
Creators: Lana Wachowski; Lilly Wachowski; J. Michael StraczynskiDirectors: Lana Wachowski; Lilly WachowskiWriters: Lana Wachowski; Lilly Wachowski; J. Michael StraczynskiProducers: Grant Hill; J. Michael Straczynski; Lana Wachowski; Lilly Wachowski
Actors (featured in discussed scenes): Jamie Clayton; Freema Agyeman; Miguel Ángel Silvestre; Alfonso Herrera; Brian J. Smith; Max Riemelt; Tina Desai; Doona Bae; Tuppence Middleton
© 2015 Netflix / Studio JMS / Anarchos Productions / Georgeville Television. All rights reserved.

-----------------------------------------

It's Pride Month! Give back to your community this month by donating to some of our favorite organizations:

The Trevor Project

LA LGBT Center

Advocates for Trans Equality

Subscribe for weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

Dicks: The Musical has a twin incest sex scene scored like an opera. Two intimacy coordinators break down the unhinged A24 musical.

Full description:

Megan Thee Stallion. Nathan Lane. Puppet penises. A gay sex scene between twins that somehow becomes a camp masterpiece.

Dicks: The Musical is absurd, offensive, and genuinely hilarious. We go behind the scenes that are not safe for work, unless your work is really cool.

In this episode:

• Why unrealistic sex can be funnier than realistic sex
• Walking 69s and spit takes
• LGBTQ+ representation on screen
• Puppet intimacy in theater

This episode is for you if:

• You love A24's weirdest movies
• You want to hear intimacy coordinators lose their minds
• You need queer comedy that isn't serious for once

Watch along timestamps:

• Opening scene: 0:50
• Sleepover scene: 1:10:00

Subscribe for weekly breakdowns of film and TV's wildest intimate scenes.

Credits

Dicks: The Musical (2023) | Director: Larry Charles | A24

Hashtags

#DicksTheMusical #A24 #IntimacyCoordinator #QueerComedy #FilmBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

Secretary (2002) has the sexiest no-contact scene in film history. Two intimacy coordinators break down the BDSM cult classic that still sparks debate.

Full description:

Maggie Gyllenhaal. James Spader. A desk. And a worm that somehow becomes the hottest moment in the movie.

Secretary changed how Hollywood talked about kink on screen. But does it hold up? Ariel and Morgan break down the iconic, controversial, and deeply weird BDSM film that people are still arguing about 20 years later.

In this episode:

• The worm scene — why anticipation and eye contact are sexier than touch
• The Peter problem: she's asking for domination. He's giving nothing.
• Why "no safeword, no conversation" is doing a LOT of heavy lifting
• Kink as emotional connection vs. kink as self-harm replacement
• Breath work that deserves awards and hand spasms that steal the show

The verdict: No notes. (Okay... some notes.)

Watch along timestamps:
• Peter scene: 1:08:00
• Worm scene: 1:10:00
• Aftercare/gardening scene: 1:41:00

This video is for you if:
• You love cult classics from the early 2000s
• You want to understand why Secretary is still discussed
• You're curious about BDSM representation on film
• You're a fan of Maggie Gyllenhaal or James Spader

Subscribe for bi-weekly breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic intimate scenes.

Credits

Secretary (2002) | Director: Steven Shainberg | Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Spader | Lionsgate

Hashtags

#SecretaryMovie #BDSMfilm #IntimacyCoordinator #CultClassic #FilmBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

Brokeback Mountain changed queer cinema forever. Two intimacy coordinators break down the tent scene, the reunion, and what works.

Full description:

Brokeback Mountain changed queer representation forever. It also left us with a lot of questions about how these scenes actually function.

From the infamous first tent scene to the long-awaited reunion, we break down what's working, what's not, and why these moments feel so tense without ever fully landing.

In this episode:

• The reality of prep, lubrication, and pacing for anal penetration
• How tension overtakes intimacy and why that leaves scenes feeling incomplete
• The difference between awkwardness that serves the story vs awkwardness from unclear choreography
• How the intimacy goes from zero to 100 and stays there

Plus: beans, spit logistics, near broken noses, and a very real conversation about how an intimacy coordinator would approach these scenes today.

A storyteller's lens on queer cinema

We zoom out to talk about Brokeback Mountain's massive cultural impact, the historical context it exists in, and why representation matters, even when the intimacy itself needs room for growth.

Justice for lube. That's all we're saying.

Watch along timestamps:

• Tent scene: 27:30
• Rasslin' scene: 32:51
• Reunion scene: 1:03:07

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Brokeback Mountain (2005) | Director: Ang Lee | Focus Features

Hashtags

#BrokebackMountain #AngLee #IntimacyCoordinator #QueerCinema #FilmBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

PEN15 captures the chaos of discovering desire with no roadmap. Two intimacy coordinators break down the painfully accurate first arousal scene.

Full description:

PEN15 (Season 1, Episode 3: "Ojichan") is one of the most honest depictions of first arousal ever put on screen.

From the very first moment of "wait... what is happening to my body?" to the full spiral of can't-stop-won't-stop self-discovery, this episode captures the chaos, confusion, and intensity of discovering desire with absolutely no roadmap.

In this episode:

• The painfully accurate portrayal of first arousal: awkward, obsessive, and completely all-consuming
• Why casting adult actors as teens allows the show to explore this safely without crossing ethical lines
• How PEN15 captures the feeling of "I must be the only one experiencing this"
• How shame, secrecy, and silence around sex education shape those early experiences

A masterclass in storytelling through cringe

It's cringey. It's deeply familiar. And it turns one of the most private human experiences into comedy gold. We break down why this episode works and how it handles adolescent sexuality with both honesty and humor.

Watch along timestamps:

• Maya's first discovery: 0:41
• Classroom montage: 4:14
• The Closet/Walkman scene: 9:22

Yes, Ariel mispronounced Maya Erskine's last name. We know. We're sorry. We love her.

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most honest intimacy.

Credits

PEN15 (Season 1, Episode 3: "Ojichan") | Creators: Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Sam Zvibleman | Hulu (2019)

Hashtags

#PEN15 #MayaErskine #AnnaKonkle #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

Buffy and Spike's season 6 sex scenes are messy, chaotic, and logistically confusing. Two intimacy coordinators break down the iconic "Smashed" house scene.

Full description:

The Buffy reboot isn't happening. We're devastated. So naturally, we need to talk about Buffy and Spike in season 6 — where things are darker, messier, and include a whole lot more property damage.

From literally breaking a house down during sex to invisible hookups to whatever is happening on that balcony, we have thoughts.

Big old spoilers ahead. You've been warned.

In this episode:

• The iconic Buffy/Spike "Smashed" scene: why it's so hot and makes zero logistical sense
• How the show tries to portray Buffy's rock bottom through sex (and where it succeeds vs. fails)
• The invisibility scene as a surprisingly perfect example of how simulated sex actually works on set
• Why the show keeps saying Buffy and Spike are kinky while showing the most vanilla execution imaginable
• The difference between toxic intimacy vs. BDSM, and why those are not the same thing

Plus: pants continuity crimes, mystery penetration logistics, and a full breakdown of our personal histories with Spuffy.

A masterclass in storytelling through chaos

We break down why these scenes still resonate, where they fall short, and what they reveal about Buffy's emotional state. It's a behind the scenes look at one of TV's most iconic toxic relationships.

Watch along timestamps:

• "Smashed" (House scene): 39:39
• "Gone" (Invisibility scene): 28:08
• "Dead Things" (Balcony scene): 20:25

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Season 6) | Created by Joss Whedon | 20th Century Fox Television

Hashtags

#BuffyTheVampireSlayer #SpikeAndBuffy #IntimacyCoordinator #TVBreakdown #BuffyAnalysis

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

Barbarella is a sci-fi cult classic where Jane Fonda defeats a villain using an orgasm machine. Two intimacy coordinators break down the chaos.

Full description:

Jane Fonda strips out of a spacesuit in zero gravity. Later, she defeats a villain using an orgasm machine. Yes. Really.

Barbarella (1968) is one of the most bizarre and brazen films of a generation. Two intimacy coordinators break down how the film uses erotic spectacle, camp, and absurdity to create scenes that are both wildly objectifying and oddly revolutionary for their time.

In this episode:

• How the zero-gravity striptease opening uses choreography, framing, and floating credits to tease and shock the audience
• Why the "Excessive Machine" scene was extremely bold for mainstream cinema in 1968
• The weaponization of pleasure
• Why early Hollywood treated sex as visual spectacle first and human experience second

A filmmaker's lens on 1960s sci-fi spectacle

We break down what Barbarella got right, what it got wrong, and why it's still iconic. It's campy. It's chaotic. And it's worth studying through an intimacy coordinator's lens.

Watch along timestamps:

• Opening striptease: 0:00
• Excessive Machine scene: 1:15:00

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Barbarella (1968) | Director: Roger Vadim | Paramount Pictures

Hashtags

#Barbarella #JaneFonda #IntimacyCoordinator #CultClassic #SciFiMovies

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

Booksmart proves awkward queer intimacy doesn't need to be polished to be powerful. Two intimacy coordinators and author Brooke M. Haney break it down.

Full description:

This one's about awkward first times. Skinny jeans. Bad geometry. Zero game.

Ariel and Morgan sit down with intimacy coordinator and author Brooke M. Haney to break down the chaotic, vulnerable, and surprisingly tender hookup scenes from Booksmart — a film that proves intimacy on screen doesn't have to be polished to be powerful.

In this episode:

• Why awkward intimacy can still be choreographed and is not an excuse to skip process
• The storytelling power of wardrobe choices, body language, and the messy logistics of skinny jeans and Converses
• Why representation of imperfect queer intimacy matters when so many people learn about sex from movies
• The real production challenges of filming intimacy on beaches, in pools, and under rapidly disappearing sunlight

A storyteller's lens on queer intimacy

We get into shop talk: kit items, choreography language, and what it actually takes to make awkward intimacy read as tender rather than cringe.

Guest: Brooke M. Haney

• Buy her book: A History of Intimacy Professionals in Entertainment
• Buy her book: The Intimacy Coordinator's Guidebook
• Listen to us guest on the podcast Happier in Hollywood

Watch along timestamps:

• Pool sequence: 1:04:00
• Bathroom hookup scene: 1:14:42 – 1:18:00

Subscribe for bi-weekly behind the scenes breakdowns of film and TV's most iconic sex scenes.

Credits

Booksmart (2019) | Director: Olivia Wilde | Annapurna Pictures / Gloria Sanchez Productions

Hashtags

#Booksmart #IntimacyCoordinator #BrookeMHaney #QueerIntimacy #FilmBreakdown

Support the show

Connect & Support the Show

Watch the Video Version on Spotify and YouTube.
Suggest a Scene & Get Bonus Content: Join our Patreon to request scenes for us to break down and access exclusive bonus episodes.
Follow Us: Get behind-the-scenes content and updates on Instagram and TikTok @FakingItThePod
Visit Our Website: FakingItThePod.com
Theme Song: "Faking It" by Mike Goetz

Subscribe & Review

Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Love the show? Leave a 5-star rating. It helps other listeners find us.

Stay real, Fakers.

Credits

Episode credits listed above. All rights reserved.

Legal Disclaimer

The views expressed are our own. For entertainment and educational purposes only. Not intended to defame or infringe. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.