Much Ado About Everything

Just when least expected, someone in a mainstream medium comes along and does something creative and valid in the depiction of gay men loving . Much ado was made about Rescue Me and Nip/Tuck making forays into the very same realm. Column was not the least among much adoers. Perhaps it was Brokeback withdrawal that brought so many to that hope party. Rescue Me was a tease that quickly turned into a locker room joke. Julian and company on Nip/Tuck were much better at teasing and even provided some wonderful sights. But it is Ken Olin and Jon Robin Baitz, the creative team behind ABC's prime time Soap Opera, Brothers & Sisters, that gave us a realistic and fearless portrayal of a gay super couple in the making. Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and Scotty (Luke MacFarlane) not only went on a date, as did the rest of the Walker clan, and not only kissed, as well as thoroughly misunderstood one another but had an immediate rapprochement with an even better kiss that seemed to lead to something more. They related to one another much the same way their heterosexual counterparts on this impeccably acted and well written drama.

It's on ABC. Will someone make sure that BrianFrons and all of his head writers either watch every episode or attend a seminar with Messrs Olin and Baitz, who happens to be gay and learn how to write and produce good serial drama?

Back to Ken Olin's gem of a show. The pilot reunited Tom Skerrit and Sally Field as husband and wife with Skerrit's character passing away by the end of the hour. This is a flawed caring family picking up the pieces following death and also attempting to resolve the conflicts that preceded it and those intensified following it.

An integral part of this family is Kevin Walker, a somewhat favoured son, brother, family lawyer and homosexual into whose life Scotty Wandell walks.

Much ado should be made about this show. It ignores nothing about the complexities of life for the upper white middle class. Yes, it is a well to do family with a family business -- an element common to many of its predecessors in the genre. However, this is no Dynasty and sure as hell ain't no Melrose Place.

Kevin may come from a comfortable background, but his telepersona is tangible. All his parts work. Perhaps Mr. Olin, who, by the way played a priest on Falcon Crest must have learned from the big deal made about Thirtysomething's man to man affection which was announced in the press before it didn't quite happen on the show and talked even more afterwards when sponsors and affiliates threatened to pull the plug.

The good news was that no one was warned about Kevin and Scotty doing what everybody else on the show does, i.e. being themselves with all their parts working. Thank you, Mr. Olin who has been responsible for very good televiewing on more than one occasion. Your gay brothers salute you, Mr. Baitz, who seem to be a creative force to be reckoned with. Even Wikipedia seems to know that.