POSE PosEbly the Best Series on TV Lest Forgetting the AIDS Epidemic in the 80s

POSE is a glamorous & painful look at the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s has killed so many people particularly those in the LGBT population.  POSE created by Ryan Murphy & Brad Falchuk (co-creators of "GLEE" and "American Horror Stories."  POSE is a pastiche of styles and people living during to the 80s epoch in NYC & surrounding areas.  POSE refers to the Glamour Ball competitions where drag queens dressed up to the 9s & strutted their stuff hoping to get all scores of 10 to take home the trophy for best looking in various designated categories.  The costume festival atmosphere is the place where gays & transgenders could express themselves freely.  The competitions are orchestrated by Pray Tell (Tony winning Broadway veteran, Billy Porter).  His running commentary, acting & singing are in a winning class all by itself.  But, how do you supPOSE a show that truthfully & painfully shows the horrors of AIDS and delves behind the facade of transvestite/gay fashion frippery shapes itself into a gratifying, compassionate & consequential drama?  There are numerous dimensions that contribute to making this a phenomenal series.  It's fueled by a stellar cast lead by the exceptionally talented Porter are all transfixing in their roles.  The cinematography is spellbinding.  The show centers on self-made families, friends & foes who are utterly fascinating.  The diva of amongst the drag queens is Elektra (Dominique Jackson). She leads with haughty disdain that puts Diane Carroll of "Dynasty" to shame.  Elektra is the "mother" of a motley family she participates with on the runway Balls.  Elektra is in it to win it.  Her durable facade masks her innate compassion. Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) has fallen from Elektra's grace & and forms her own family where she is the caring responsible "mother" to Angel (a luminous Indya Moore) and 2 young gay dancers.  She nurtures her wards with a firm but loving hand.  The show crosses over to a married couple Patty (Kate Mara) & Stan (Evan Peters).  Steely Stan has the avarice & cunning to land a job with Trump's organization.   Stan and other characters are on a shifting spectrum of sexual attraction.  Stan is drawn to the Angel and sets her up as his mistress.  Stan grapples with his own sexual leanings.  Other characters are clearly out and comfortable in their own skin and some feel trapped within the wrong gender.  As outlandish & freaky as this show gets, it also gets gritty showing the reality of the persecution & rejection of gays & transvestites and the suffering & deaths caused by AIDS.  We see the brutal life living off the streets and we're brought the beautiful world of ballet and dance.  Many are flagrantly opPOSED to the gay community.  But, from within a world filled with hatred, avarice, vanity & cruelty extraordinary acts of empathy, dignity and love arise like a Phoenix.