Has any TV show ever accurately portrayed gay/lesbian life?

Question

Even if it was only a glimpse in one episode, has a gay or lesbian character ever been realistically portrayed? If not, how to do they get it wrong and why?

Not just whole series. Especially not comedies. How about story arcs in drama shows? Several have had gay characters, usually being beaten up, like Judging Amy or L&O SVU. Anything leave an impression, good or bad?

Answer 1

There are such a broad range of people who ar homosexual, they are not all one way or another. It would be like asking if an any tv show has accurately portrayed a heterosexual's life....it depends on the heterosexual.

Answer 2

The movies seem to have gotten it more accurately than on television. Brokeback Mountain, Longtime Companion, and Parting Glances all come to mind as far as an accurate portrayal of gay life and the angst/fear/trials that gay men face daily. Desert Hearts for lesbians. As far as television maybe on Thirty-something or "Jack" on Dawson's Creek. That was sort of honest about what gay youth go through in the coming out process. I also think that the gay story line in "Doing Time on Maple Drive" was well done with the family's reaction to the son's being gay.

Answer 3

I don't think there's a teen-drama that is a 100% accurate representation of what high school is like. They're all pretty unrealistic imo. (Degrassi, Skins, Slide, PLL). If anything, I'd probably go with Awkward, although the show tends to portray adults as man-children, ássholes or complete idiots.

Answer 4

the drama series My So-Called Life (ABC, 1994) has a gay character, Ricky, who is latin and sexually abused by his uncle, when that uncle found oout that Ricky was gay, he kicked him out of the house, he lived on the streets till he found some help.

That show was so realistic!! and that is probably the best gay character ever (My So-Called Life's main character was Angela, portrayed by Claire Danes). You can see all the episodes of My So-Called Life in Youtube


Also The L Word, very realisitc, Queer As Folks Uk

In the ABC show Once & Again, there was a main character that was discovering her sexuality, that character was played by Evan Rache Wood, her girlfriend in the show was Mischa Barton

Answer 5

I don't think any tv show accurately portrays life - no matter the sexual persuation. But I am enjoying the reruns of 6 Feet Under on Bravo's Monday night line up. The gay character's family has accepted his sexual preference just as my family has accepted my brother's.

Look in and see what you think.

Answer 6

Well Will and Grace was a terrific show in the beginning (especially the one with Cher) and it did portray alot of the culture accurately but sometimes it was a little overboard -but it's a comedy show so that's expected--Queer as folk was a really good show too

Answer 7

Queer As Folk has a lot of different characters that represent different aspects of the Gay and Lesbian community quite accurately.Just like everyone else, the LGTG community is wide and varried with many groups living different types of lifestyles.What I loved about Queer is that it showed that in its characters.

Answer 8

No. Television networks are paranoid about actually portraying gay/lesbian relationships on t.v. as anything other than humorous. It's because of the sensors mostly.

Answer 9

The L Word, would be about the closest, it airs on Show Case Thursday nights 10:00 PM. EST.

Answer 10

If TV accurately portrayed any group it would be sooooo boring. Would you be willing to sit through a half hour of Dr. House filling out HMO paperwork?