Network TV Shows: August 2006 Archives

We know there won't be very many gay characters on any of the broadcast network shows this fall so over the next few weeks, we'll spotlight the few that there are. First up: Sean Maguire, who plays gay 20-something Kyle Lando on the CBS sitcom "The Class" about a group of third-grade classmates who reunite years later.

"All the other characters are in a state of crisis," Maguire says in the current issue of "Out" magazine. "Me and my boyfriend have a happy, solid relationship. That's what I think is cool because it's a more honext portrayal of the gay fans I have."

Maguire, straight off-screen, is from a London suburb and racked up several acting credits including a part of the classic British show "EastEnders." Of his on-screen boyfriend, portrayed by Cristian de la Fuente, Maguire said: "(He) is really handsome. So by comparison, I decided I'm just going to be the quirky, funny one."

The show was created by real-life partners David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik who said of Maguire: "It was important to us that Kyle be this endearing, funny guy who anyone would want to spend time with. We totally found that in Sean."

If you want to see gay characters on television this fall, you better turn to cable.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) released its annual study today, “Where We Are On TV,� reported exclusively in my story in today's Daily News.
If not for scheming teen Andrew Van De Camp (pictured above with boyfriend) on ABC’s megahit “Desperate Housewives� and Dr. Kerry Weaver on the long-running “ER� on NBC, the only regular gay or lesbian character on a returning broadcast network show this fall would be a closeted accountant named Oscar on NBC’s “The Office.�

Of all the series regulars on the networks’ 2006-07 prime-time schedules, there are only the returning three as well as six on new shows - all in supporting roles. That makes for only 1.3 percent of all the regular characters on
scripted network shows during a year when portrayals of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered characters have gotten unprecedented exposure in such films as “Brokeback Mountain,� “Capote,� and “Transamerica.�

GLAAD analyzed the 95 comedies and dramas announced for the new season by CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, The CW and MyNetworkTV. Of the 679 lead or supporting characters on those shows, there are eight gay male characters and one lesbian. There are an additional five semi-regular gay or lesbian characters but no bisexual or transgendered characters on any of the shows.

Of the new network shows set to bow in the coming months, the ABC drama “Brothers & Sisters� features a gay man as a supporting character, the CBS comedy “The Class� has one of the only gay leading
characters on any show, the ABC comedy “Help Me Help You� (pictured, right) features a closeted gay man, and MyNetworkTV’s “Fashion House� has two gay supporting characters.�

Last fall, the networks had 10 regulars including Andrew, representing 1.4 percent of all characters on television as well as six recurring characters. The end of the eight-year run of “Will & Grace� meant the elimination of two of broadcast television’s highest-profile gay men: Will Truman (Eric McCormack) and Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes).

Cable is a different story completely with 25 series regulars gay or lesbian in addition to many recurring characters on such shows as “The Sopranos,� “The L Word,� “The Wire,� “South of Nowhere,� “Degrassi: The Next Generation� and “Rescue Me.� The addition of MTV’s Logo channel and its drama “Noah’s Arc� has helped numbers with a cast exclusively featuring gay African-American characters while the LGBT digital cable channel here! TV has the soap opera “Dante’s Cove� that centers around gay and lesbian relationships.

Cliick HERE to read the entire GLAAD study!
Click HERE for a list of LGBT characters in broadcast networks!
Click HERE for a list of LGBT characters on cable!