Political pressure and a new epidemic turn up the heat
What a difference a few years make.
The 70s are ending, and with them, so are the good times.
The truth is, were not done yet.
Credit: ABC/Phil Bray
(Check out that Roma Rides for the Revolution shirt.
Then eat your heart out, Forrest Gump, you fictional character.)
If theres anything Part II makes clear, its that the undercurrent of the movement hasnt really changed.
This is definitely better than Cleve had things.
Diane is going to get herself some sperm.
We still have a lot of work to do.
), but Diane explains the obvious: you might workandlove, dummy.
She doesnt call her dummy, but its certainly in the subtext.
I just cant see myself ever being a mother, she tells Cleve.
Or having a family.
He attempts to assuage her fears by suggesting that maybe were here for something bigger than ourselves.
Not until we have a place to call home.
And that fight is far from over.
1981, of course, proves just how far that fight is from over.
They bought me a Caesar salad!
which sounds exactly like the Roma we know.
Again, Diane already knew that (we all already knew that), so she takes Roma back.
Again,When We Risecant be all sadness, and this is Part IIs happy ending.
Its a happy beginning to a very sad story.
It doesnt work at first, but its certainly an adorable scene.
Luckily, the larger-than-life figure known as Harvey Milk helps them out and gets them to lease.
So as Cleve says, Were family now.
Their platonic relationship is really a shock here.)
Hours after the joke of a verdict come in, Cleve leads people in protest.
Do what he taught you to do, Scott tells Cleve.
And then it becomes 1981.
Three years later and Cleve is working for State Assemblyman Art Agnos in Sacramento.
But a lot can happen in those three years, and they do.
Enter Bobbi Campbell (Kevin McHale), a friend of Cleves from Seattle whos now in San Francisco.
(Gay-Related Immune Deficiency).But whoisBobbi?
And what emotional connection are we supposed to have for him?
We know Scott and Marvin, after all.
infections 100 percent overlap with the gay population of San Francisco.
Hes still alive, but hes not doing well.
By the time the epidemic spreads to women and newborn babies and the C.D.C.
calls it A.I.D.S., the damage had still been done to the gay community with the branding of A.I.D.S.
as that disease that kills fags.
Years have passed since Part I, but the Ken who was in turmoil is nearly nonexistent here.
(Sorry, Cleve.)
We just lay low, Richard tells Ken.
And wait for the world to catch up to us.
Nothing can touch us here.
Again, luckily things worked out in this instance.
The reserved Ken who opened up at the end of Part I almost wouldnt recognize himself in 1981.
On the one hand, Ken is in a good place, working with kids at a teen center.
But we dont know how long thats gonna take.
But Ken refuses to be silent anymore, as their friends are dying.
Thats a lot to take in, but such is the case forWhen We Riseso far.
Each of these individuals have such sweeping stories that they either dont get enough focus or they rush things.
Some people say were all gonna die.
I say theyre wrong.
Were gonna fight this.
And were going to live.
We are going to live.
