Part 1: Research Paper
Introduction
Sometimes it becomes essential to bring social and political issues to the public attention. For this purpose, television channels can come forward and play their roles. They are responsible for providing the audience non-stop entertainment and to keep them updated regarding what’s going on in the world. With a large number of ways of watching television, we can now access a plethora of inappropriate and quality shows. In today’s fast-paced and competitive environment, it becomes necessary for all of us to escape worries and get rid of tensions temporarily. We love spending time with our family to fresh our minds or read books and novels before going to bed. Besides these ordinary activities, we love watching our favorite shows or movies on the television screen, and this experience has no alternative. Television enables us to share our cultural experiences and social problems with the world and acts as a catalyst to get children reading. Shows like Will & Grace can transform our lives to an extent and make us realize how important it is to respect everyone without any discrimination (Abwanzo 13). The television show I am going to talk about in my research paper is Will & Grace, and my research question is why Will & Grace is the best sitcom?
Literature Review
Developed by David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, Will & Grace is one of the most popular American sitcoms to date. It was set in New York and primarily focused on the relationship between a gay attorney and an interior decorator. Debra Messing played the character of Grace Adler and Eric McCormack appeared as Will Truman. According to Benjamin N. Abwanzo, the show was aired on NBC from 1998 to 2006. Its brand new season was started on the same channel in September 2017. When the show was being aired, a lot of people criticized it due to its portrayal of homosexual characters, but the author claims that the show was informative and had a lot to learn from. The society we live in hardly accepts same-sex marriages. Gays and lesbians are often pushed behind the competition and ignored in all walks of life. Once the final episode of Will & Grace was aired, this show was credited for helping people understand the value of life. We have learned a lot of lessons from Will & Grace, the best being how to give respect to the LGBT community. Former President Joe Biden claimed that Will & Grace had educated people about the LGBT issues and was a far better move than any social media campaign or television advertisement (Abwanzo 42).
Why Will & Grace is the best sitcom? According to Ewa Jaska, Will & Grace is one of those few shows that staked their claims as important comedic voices. The sitcom’s portrayal of a gay was slightly out of context, but the expert feels that Will & Grace helped me understand the problems of lesbians and gays. These are among the most disrespected people in the world. They are injured, harmed and killed by heterosexuals who consider them a threat to the society. But the fact is that homosexuals are ordinary people. Their only mistake is that they fall in love with the same gender’s person (Jaska 24).
Charlotte Bühl-Gramer writes in their article titled Antique Shows on TV – History as a Commodity that when Will & Grace was premiered, the then-daring show became the first to define social issues openly, without any hesitation. Over the course of its seasons, Will & Grace helped tackle multiple LGBT issues and was praised for its content quality and uniqueness. Will & Grace’s main characters were gay white men who developed a strong relationship with time and did not care much about what people think or say about them. Generally, television channels avoid airing such shows, and the production houses do not cover such issues in their series, but the makers of Will & Grace took a bold move and dared to speak of their mind. In addition to Will & Grace, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Superstore and Modern Family were the shows in which a solid message was delivered in a happy mood (Bühl-Gramer 65).
It is a common observation that lesbians and gays are not provided with proper healthcare facilities. They are kept away from availing education facilities and insurance policies. According to Eleonora Benecchi, a large number of gays and lesbians are killed on the name of religion, race, class, and gender, and it is not only the problem of the United States but also of other countries. After watching Will & Grace, we can understand that how important it is to provide lesbians and gays with timely medical assistance and other facilities. The state and federal governments should implement strategies that could ensure their wellbeing, prosperity, and health. If we will continue ignoring them and prevent them from raising their voices, then we may never be able to understand the real meanings of humanity. As a human, it is your responsibility to give respect to everyone around, regardless of what their gender, age, class, religion or values are (Benecchi 312).
As a pioneer for the LGBT community, Will & Grace took the responsibility to let the world know about how sensitive the issue of same-sex marriage is. Michael M. Kocet and Jennifer Curry mention in their article titled Finding the Spirit Within Spirituality Issues in the LGBT Community that the show did not devote itself to the privileged white Americans at the expense of inclusivity. Instead, it depicted its story from an entirely different, unique angle, and that’s why Will & Grace gained significant media and public attention. In this program, Karen Walker’s political or social point of view was simply admirable. She appeared as an upper-class woman who accepted the fact that she had married someone for the sake of money and that she had run her company with no ounce of integrity (Kocet & Curry 160).
In 2013, Ronald L. Attrell published an article titled Death and Intimacy Issues in the LGBT Community: A Gay Perspective Death and Intimacy Issues in the LGBT Community in which it was mentioned that Will & Grace has beautifully depicted the issues related to dating, divorce, wedding and casual sex. It looks like the future of the LGBT community is dark as the lesbians and gays are mostly left helpless or are forced to live a miserable life. In the United States, according to the author, more than 60 percent of the population calls itself liberal, meaning they have nothing to do with the religion, caste, age, gender and race of a person, and they believe that respect and value should be given to every human being. However, the way the LGBT community or lesbians and gays are treated raises a lot of questions. Are they not a part of this society? Do not they have a right to live their lives as per their desires? Just because they have chosen their life partners from the same sex does not mean they are not humans and should be treated oddly. It has also been argued that policies in their favor need to be implemented. They should be provided with jobs, and be given as much freedom as is given to other people. Will & Grace depicts the issue in an impressive way and is the first show that dares to create awareness among people regarding one of the most sensitive issues in the society. The entire team worked really hard and did justice with their particular roles or characters (Attrell 75).
A similar article was published by Jack Drescher in 2005 in which it was mentioned that Eric McCormack who played the character of Will Truman in this show appeared to be the most prominent and impressive person. This guy is living a successful life and works as a corporate lawyer. He comes across Grace who is a freshman, and they become best friends. Will is shown as the person who is concerned about the decoration of his house, selects his outfits carefully, and wants the environment to be clean and hygienic. However, he does not show politeness to most of the people who surround him all the time. Throughout his life, Will admits his sexual orientation, and this is where the issues originate. Several people believe that he is in a relationship with his friend Grace and that’s why he does not show interest in women around him. At a point, it is believed that the two have a baby together. Will eventually emerges as a tolerant and mature character and helps Grace in all the tough times (Drescher 206).
Discussion
In a country where no one likes to talk to lesbians or gays, Will & Grace raised the issue and helped people understand that there is nothing wrong with talking to them or developing friendships with them. Lesbians and gays are just like you and me; the only difference is the way they take their personal lives. Just because they choose their partners from the same gender does not mean they should be devalued, degraded or disrespected. By developing more programs like Will & Grace, our television channels can bring different issues to the media and public’s attention. The world we live in is full of problems: some of which are personal while the others are professional. Every person who is sent to this world has the right to live his life as per his desires. Even when he wants to spend the rest of his life with a male, he should be allowed to do that. Unfortunately, the society does not permit or accept such relationships. Does it mean they should be given tough times or pushed behind the competition? No, it is against the ethics and moral values, and no human has the right to create problems for others thinking that he is correct and the other person is wrong. Undoubtedly, Will & Grace exceeded our expectations, and the audience must be waiting for its new season, which will probably air on the same channel in 2019, but there is no official announcement in this regard (Jaska 56).
Shows like Will & Grace should be regularly aired; in fact, there are a lot of other issues we can talk about; for instance, the issue of domestic violence, aging population, mass shootings, and others. There is a strong need to find actors and actresses who can play the characters of terrorists and victims in different television programs so that awareness is created among people regarding how the problem of mass shooting has taken a serious form. Similarly, the problems of the elderly need immediate media, government, and public attention. They are thrown out of the houses by their own children, and just like the maker of Will & Grace, someone should dare to cover this issue in his/her show and let the world know what is going on in the society. It’s safe to say that Will & Grace leaves various questions behind, and we, the members of a so-called liberal society, need to find the answers of those questions and the solutions to all lesbian and gay-related problems. The LGBT community members must be provided with jobs based on their qualifications and experience. There is no reason not to let them survive and live happily because it is their personal choice of whom they want to live with. We have no right to stop them from enjoying their lives, doing jobs, or accessing all the comforts and luxuries of life (Bühl-Gramer 206).
Conclusion
Will & Grace dared to reach there where no other show could ever go. Its story might be slightly out of context, but the message delivered was outstanding and unforgettable. I feel that shows like Will & Grace must be made and aired on a regular basis. They educate us in one way or the other and help us understand the worth of life. A large number of NGOs are actively working in the United States to help gays and lesbians get out of their uncertain situations. They donate a lot of money to the LGBT community on a monthly basis, but these moves and efforts are still not enough. The local, state and federal governments should take initiatives and support the lesbians and gays in all parts of the world. It is the only way we can be assured of our success as a nation in the long run and can fulfill the requirements of all humans irrespective of their personal lives or the relationships they have had developed (Benecchi 134).
Part 2: Annotated Bibliography
Abwanzo, Benjamin N. “Contention with Reality TV Show: Should Reality TV Educate as Much as Entertain: Case Study the X-Factor.” SSRN Electronic Journal, 2016, doi:10.2139/ssrn.2773629.
According to Benjamin Abwanzo, TV programs like Will & Grace are enough to create awareness among people regarding different social problems. Most often, the issues of the LGBT community are kept away from the limelight considering that the lesbians and gays do not deserve respect as they opted for the wrong ways of living their life.
Jaska, Ewa. “TV Show Budgeting.” Social Sciences, vol. 85, no. 3, 2014, doi:10.5755/j01.ss.85.3.8410.
Ewa Jaska writes in this article that the federal, state and local governments should implement policies and strategies that are favorable for both homosexuals and heterosexuals. Will & Grace is one of those very few television programs that have raised a sensitive issue and dared to bring it to the light in an interesting and impressive way.
Bühl-Gramer, Charlotte. “Antiques Shows on TV – History as a Commodity.” Public History Weekly, vol. 2016, no. 24, 2016, doi:10.1515/phw-2016-6424.
Charlotte Bühl-Gramer argues that Will & Grace is one of the best antique shows ever broadcast on television. It raises different questions in our minds regarding the respect, worth, and rights of the LGBT community. It makes us understand that the lesbians and gays deserve to be valued and respected.
Benecchi, Eleonora. “Online Italian Fandoms of American TV Shows.” Transformative Works and Cultures, vol. 19, Oct. 2014, doi:10.3983/twc.2015.0586.
Eleonora Benecchi mentions in their article that Will & Grace is one of those few television shows that need to be aired years after years because of its outstanding story and the portrayal of several gays and lesbians who are left helpless and pushed behind the competition by their own friends and families.
Kocet, Michael M., and Jennifer Curry. “Finding the Spirit Within: Spirituality Issues in the LGBT Community.” Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, vol. 5, no. 3-4, 2011, pp. 160–162., doi:10.1080/15538605.2011.629165.
Michael M. Kocet claims that the LGBT community faces a lot of spirituality and moral issues and that it is the responsibility of the government to help them get out of all uncertain situations. They should be provided with well-paying jobs as well as proper and high-quality healthcare facilities.
Attrell, Ronald L. “Death and Intimacy Issues in the LGBT Community: A Gay Perspective Death and Intimacy Issues in the LGBT Community: A Gay Perspective Ronald L. Attrell.” Living, Loving and Loss: The Interplay of Intimacy, Sexuality,and Grief, 2013, doi:10.2190/lllc1.
Ronald L. Attrell sheds light on the life’s story of a gay who had to face multiple problems both in his personal and professional lives. Will & Grace’s story makes us realize that the gays and lesbians’ rights must be given to them.
Drescher, Jack. “Handbook of LGBT Issues in Community Mental Health.” 2005, doi:10.4324/9781498719391.
Jack Drescher argues that the LGBT community members have to face a lot of mental problems especially stress, anxiety, and depression. They are not given respect and prevented from doing their jobs. It is a matter of serious concern, and we all should come forward to help them raise their standards of living.
Part 3: Reflective Essay
The principal characters of Will & Grace are Eric McCormack as Will Truman and Debra Messing as Grace Adler. The society they live in does not accept their relationship, and people often think that Will Truman is the gay who has no interest in getting married and having his own family. Honestly speaking, this show has raised various questions in my mind: do we have the right to interfere with others’ matters or personal lives? Is it not possible to respect people equally and value them without caring about their homosexuality or heterosexuality? I feel that the lesbians and gays are an undeniable part of our society. Pushing them behind the competition means we are keeping the entire nation from progressing and moving forward. For example, if 40 percent of the population consists of gays and lesbians, and they are not given their rights, it will mean we are not letting the state progress. There is a strong need to allow them to do jobs and play their roles in the betterment and prosperity of the nation as this is the only way we can live happily and survive in the competitive global environment. Religious scholars who have issues with the relationships of lesbians and gays should amend their ways. Rather than seeing what others are doing we should try to improve our own lifestyles.
