Men Up spoilers to follow.
Set in 1994, Men Up's Meurig (Game of Thrones' Iwan Rheon) got the happy ending he yearned for when his impotency woes were cured by a new trial drug that would later be known as Viagra.
While a stiff breeze may have returned to his sails, the 'happy' part of his journey came from the rekindled connection with his wife Ffion (Alexandra Roach) and the stripping away of his impotence-associated shame.
For this, a different kind of intimacy was needed. A platonic kind, found in his new band of brothers all going through the same thing, each finding ways to navigate their own impotence struggles.
Male friendships (new and old) and the trust that came along with them allowed Meurig to feel more comfortable about opening up about his medical problems, which in turn rewarded him with the bravery he needed to make positive changes in his life.
Meurig's story may have been one of success, but others in their cohort of men weren't so lucky.
What to Read Next
Eddie (Mark Lewis Jones) found no joy with the new miracle drug and though Peetham (Phaldut Sharma) regained his erection, his joy was dampened by the breakdown of his marriage.
Perhaps one of the most devastating stories in Men Up lies with Paul Rhys' character Tommy Cadogan, a gay man who posed as straight to get onto a clinical trial explicitly accessible only to heterosexual men.
He was later kicked off the trial when his sexuality was revealed, leaving him high and dry.
Tommy was only able to enjoy one night of passion (we assume, though it was never shown) with his partner of 20 years Reece (Nathan Sussex), before all hopes of a thriving sex life were snatched away.
One of the most gut-punching scenes in Men Up witnessed Tommy refusing to beg for his place on the trial before having to hand back his remaining pills. Sheer heartbreak.
The only sliver of hope he was given was that there would be other trials and if they too were successful, then there would be an opportunity to buy the drug on the open market… in an unknown number of years to come.
Tommy left that doctor's office broken. Thankfully, though, he was received by Reece, who reassured him that ultimately it didn't matter.
"All that matters is you and me," Reece told him. "You're the love of my life and if I could marry you I would."
So what happened to Tommy in the end? Did he find himself on another trial? And did his relationship with Reece survive?
Men Up: What happened to the real Tommy Cadogan?
Men Up is a fictionalised drama inspired by the real-life trials that took place in Swansea in 1994.
The show's writer Matthew Barry worked closely with doctor David Price, who ran the original trial.
However, because of the confidential nature of the medical trial, there is no way of telling if Tommy Cadogan was in fact real, let alone whether or not he got the happy ending he deserved.
The telling of Tommy's story (real or otherwise) is still an important narrative to explore. Unlike his straight counterparts, he had a different set of hardships to endure.
Rhys told the BBC: "I think it's important to tell Tommy's story as a gay man, because 1994 was not very long ago, but it was a very long time ago in terms of attitudes, prejudice and small-mindedness.
"It's important to remind people that the freedoms we have now were not easily won, and we should guard them with our lives."
He also went on to discuss the importance of men being able to talk about their feelings, saying: "It's completely vital that men open up about their feelings. Male suicide is a global epidemic particularly with young men and boys.
"We all have to learn to talk to each other, to realise we're not alone and to find compassion."
Men Up is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
You Might Like...
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
