
He's not exploring that awkward territory for the first time, as Ellen did. NBC was positive about the project, but there was still some concern that the homosexual subject matter would cause alarm. Ellen DeGeneres's sitcom Ellen, which aired on ABC, was canceled the year before Will & Grace premiered because ratings had plummeted after the show became "too gay." Despite the criticism ABC received for DeGeneres's coming out episode, "The Puppy Episode," Kohan said, "there's no question that show made it easier for Will & Grace to make it on the air." He added: " Will & Grace had a better shot at succeeding where Ellen failed, however, because Will has known about his homosexuality for 20 years. While Kohan practiced his shuttle diplomacy, he and Mutchnick began developing sitcom ideas, which prompted the pair to start writing as a duo. They eventually landed staff jobs on HBO's adult-themed sitcom Dream On and executive produced the short-lived NBC sitcom Boston Common. In 1997, they developed an ensemble comedy about six friends, two of them based on Mutchnick and Eisenberg. At the same time, Warren Littlefield, the then-president of NBC Entertainment, was seeking another relationship comedy for the network as Mad About You was going off the air. When Kohan and Mutchnick pitched their idea, which centered on three couples, one of which was a gay man living with a straight woman, Littlefield was not excited about the first two couples, but wanted to learn more about the gay and straight couple, so Mutchnick and Kohan were sent to create a pilot script centering on those two characters. While Kohan and Mutchnick elaborated on the pilot script, they spent four tense months faxing Littlefield the box office grosses from hit films with gay characters such as The Birdcage and My Best Friend's Wedding. It was a shocking revelation for her, so I kind of functioned as a liaison between the two of them, because they both still really loved each other." And Max comes out of the closet, springs it on her-and she was stunned. "They went out for a couple of years, then they went off to different colleges. "Max and Janet seemed to have a lovely rapport, but the romantic element confused me, and it confused them as well," Kohan later recalled. About three years later, she introduced him to Kohan, the son of comedy writer Alan Kohan, in the drama department at Beverly Hills High School. He was the main star of the Hebrew school musical, while she was a student in the drama department. Mutchnick, who is openly gay, met Eisenberg while rehearsing a play at Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills, California, at age of 13. Known for abusing alcohol and pills, she can be quite insensitive, but is close to Grace and Jack, and occasionally Will.Ĭreators of Will & Grace and real-life friends Max Mutchnick and David Kohan modeled the show after Mutchnick's relationship with childhood friend Janet Eisenberg, a New York City voice-over casting agent. She "works" as Grace's assistant making "Grace Adler Designs" more popular among her social contacts. The wife of the wealthy (but never seen) Stan Walker. Early on in the show he establishes a close friendship with Karen. Jack drifts from boyfriend to boyfriend and job to job, including struggling actor, retail associate and student nurse. He plays a more stereotypical gay role than Will. One of Will's best friends, he is flamboyant and superficial. Selfish, messy and neurotic, she often plays as a counter-balance for Will's more uptight nature. Several characters have commented that his relationship with Grace is more like that of a romantic couple than of two friends.Īn interior designer with an apparent obsession with food, who has been Will's best friend since college. He has a very neurotic side, especially when it comes to cleaning. Main characters Will Truman ( Eric McCormack)Ī gay lawyer, he studied at Columbia University, where he met Grace. Also featured are their friends Karen Walker, a rich socialite, and Jack McFarland, a struggling actor. The show takes place in New York City and focuses on Will Truman, a gay lawyer, and his best friend Grace Adler, a straight Jewish woman who runs her own interior design firm.
Will and grace season 1 episode 7 streaming series#
Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters. 231 Will & Grace is an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from Septemto (8 seasons) and a revival run from Septemto Ap(3 seasons).
