Oct 18 2008
Will, Grace, Jack & Karen Hit 10
Sean Hayes, Megan Mullally, Eric McCormack and Debra Messing hit the air a decade ago on NBC’s gay-themed Will & Grace. (image courtesy of NBC-TV)
One of the big daddies of gay sitcoms recently celebrated its 10th anniversary- and undoubtedly, Karen Walker hit the bubbly as only she can.
NBC’s Will & Grace hit the small screen in September 1998, and the premise was a new one for prime-time television- a series centering on a gay man (Will Truman) and his best friend, who happened to be straight and female (Grace Adler). There’s no doubt that Ellen DeGeneres’ much-ballyhooed prime-time coming out the prior year helped Will & Grace get on the air. But while ABC’s Ellen gave TV its first gay lead, Ellen Morgan’s sexuality wasn’t revealed until late in season four.
From Will & Grace’s start, gayness was at the forefront, especially in the form of Will’s best gay friend Jack McFarland. Some complained that the show reinforced stereotypes with the Jack character (he was campy, displayed feminine mannerisms, etc.), but it did nothing to deter from the show’s popularity.
After a so-so first two seasons, Will & Grace moved to NBC’s Must-See Thursday lineup and shot to the top 20 in its third season, picking up an additional 5 million-plus viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. The series climbed to the top 10 in its fourth season and enjoyed an additional two seasons in the top 20. However, once Friends left the air in 2004, NBC’s Thursday night lineup took a major hit, and Will & Grace’s viewership dropped dramatically in its final two seasons.
A lousy lead-in (in the form of Friends spin-off Joey) probably isn’t the only reason the show lost ratings luster. By the time season seven arrived, as what often happens with long-running series, the show lost some of its zing. Part of the show’s initial charm was in its lead characters’ bond- how they were unlucky at romance, but always had each other to fall back on for comfort and reassurance (other characters often described them as husband and wife). Both eventually found love, and viewers eventually lost interest.
And while supporting characters Jack and Karen often stole the show right out from under Will and Grace, their antics and running gags (self-centeredness, her nonchalant booze and drugs addiction, his promiscuity) grew stale.
But when it was at its peak, Will & Gracewas one of the most entertaining series on television. Sure, it may not have been as politically correct or relevant as some may have wanted it to be- but, it showed that a series focusing on the gay lifestyle could succeed in prime time, on its own terms. Writers continually reinforced stereotypes, and the audience (apparently) loved every deliciously gay moment.
The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences also showed its love, awarding Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally each with at least one acting Emmy. Only twice before had all the principal characters from a series snagged Emmys- All in the Family and The Golden Girls, both also with four.
Never mind Will & Grace’sgradual decline in its last few years; we expect that as viewers. With prime-time TV currently lacking a gay-themed series, pop in some DVDs or turn to Lifetime to enjoy the best of our irreverent friends from New York City. You want a vanilla show about friends, head to the Central Perk- but, if you want a ballsy, risque, unabashed set of characters- look no further than Will & Grace… and Jack & Karen.
