Will & Grace debuted with a controversial splash
because one of its two lead characters is gay--but smart writing and topnotch
performances, not politics, have made the show a hit. Two neurotic and
sharp-tongued urbanites--gay lawyer Will (Eric McCormack) and straight interior
designer Grace (Debra Messing)--delight in their volatile but enduring
friendship as they share a sumptuous New York apartment. Sweeping into the mix
are Will's unapologetically queeny friend Jack (Sean Hayes) and Grace's wildly
eccentric assistant Karen (Megan Mullally). Will & Grace's plots routinely center around scenarios that could
feature a married couple or two same-sex roommates: Will and Grace bicker over
buying a dog, find their relationship tested by apartment renovations, or
discover they're both pursuing the same guy--standard sitcom material that the
gay factor gives a clever spin. Though their relationship gets in the way of
their sex lives, the two take so much pleasure in each other's company that they
can't help but stick together--a surprisingly chaste theme for such a culturally
groundbreaking show, but one that Will & Grace's addicted audience
undoubtedly appreciates. |