The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV by Stephen Tropiano Page A
Authors: Stephen Tropiano
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Ivanek), is dying. James asks his mother to convince Donald’s mother (Ann-Margret), a gum-chewing barmaid who thinks homosexuality is a sin, to see her son before he dies. This sappy, well-intentioned film tries hard to say something about love, compassion, and acceptance, but despite a stellar cast, it misses the mark.
“Incident on Main”
Life Goes On (ABC-TV)
January 10, 1993
Written by Scott Frost
Directed by R.W. Goodwin
Chad Lowe won a much-deserved Emmy for his portrayal of Jesse McKenna, an HIV positive teenager. During the show’s fourth season, Jesse’s health begins to decline steadily and both he and his girlfriend Becca (Kellie Martin) are forced to come to terms with his inevitable death. In this episode, Jesse is beaten up outside of a hospice by a group of Neo-Nazis who assume he’s gay. When Becca tries to help him, she gets his blood on her hands, though thankfully her HIV test comes up negative. This underrated series broke new ground in its dramatization of a teenager living with AIDS.
Roommates (NBC-TV)
May 30, 1994
Written by Robert W. Lenski
Directed by Alan Metzger
Eric Stoltz and Randy Quaid are a mismatched pair of AIDS patients. Stoltz is an educated, privileged gay man, while Quaid is a straight, homophobic ex-convict who contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion. Despite their differences, they develop a close friendship.
“A Mate For Life”
Beverly Hills 90210 (Fox Network)
September 4, 1995
Written by John Whelpley
Directed by Burt Brinckerhoff
In a storyline similar to Sisters, Kelly (Jennie Garth) is sentenced to community service at an AIDS Hospice, where she befriends a gay man, Jimmy (Michael Stoyanov), who has only a few days to live. Not as effective as the Sisters storyline, but Stoyanov is terrific.
“A Sudden Change of Heart”
Sisters (NBC-TV)
January 6, 1996
The first episode of a storyline in which Reed (Noelle Parker) is sentenced to community service at an AIDS Hospice, where she befriends a transvestite named Chardonnay (K. Todd Freeman). Reed later asks her Aunt Teddy (Sela Ward), Chardonnay’s favorite designer, to design her burial dress. When Reed reluctantly returns to the Hospice after Chardonnay’s death, she finds comfort in speaking to her ghost. A well-executed storyline with some terrific moments between Parker and Freeman.
“The Violin Lesson”
Touched By An Angel (CBS-TV)
December 22, 1996
Written by Glenn Berenbeim
Directed by Peter Hunt
Angel Monica (Roma Downey) serves as an apprentice to a violin maker, Jordan (Peter Michael Goetz), whose son, Tony (Lawrence Monoson) returns home for the holidays to tell his family he’s gay and has AIDS. Fortunately, Monica and fellow Angel, Tess (Della Reese), are able to reunite father and son before Andrew, the Angel of Death (John Dye) whisks Tony away. The highlight of this moving episode is Tony’s encounter with Angel Tess. He thinks God hates him because he’s gay and has AIDS. “What you’ve heard has been someone else’s words,” Tess explains, “words of hate and confusion. God is not the source of confusion. God’s love is perfect.”
The episode breaks new ground because, unlike the blatantly homophobic characters on Medical Center and The Bold Ones, Dr. Cavanero is a series regular. Nor is she painted, like Medical Center’s Dr. Garson, as a villain. Instead, Dr. Cavanero is someone who has believed a certain way about homosexuality her whole life. Now, through her friendship with Dr. Holtz, those beliefs are being challenged and possibly re-evaluated.
Like most lesbians on television, Dr. Holtz checked into St. Elsewhere for only two episodes. It would take five more years before the first lesbian would be introduced on a prime time series as a regular. In 1989, ABC’s medical drama Heartbeat included a lesbian, nurse-practitioner Marilyn McGrath (Gail Strickland), among its ensemble cast. Divorced and estranged from her daughter,
“Incident on Main”
Life Goes On (ABC-TV)
January 10, 1993
Written by Scott Frost
Directed by R.W. Goodwin
Chad Lowe won a much-deserved Emmy for his portrayal of Jesse McKenna, an HIV positive teenager. During the show’s fourth season, Jesse’s health begins to decline steadily and both he and his girlfriend Becca (Kellie Martin) are forced to come to terms with his inevitable death. In this episode, Jesse is beaten up outside of a hospice by a group of Neo-Nazis who assume he’s gay. When Becca tries to help him, she gets his blood on her hands, though thankfully her HIV test comes up negative. This underrated series broke new ground in its dramatization of a teenager living with AIDS.
Roommates (NBC-TV)
May 30, 1994
Written by Robert W. Lenski
Directed by Alan Metzger
Eric Stoltz and Randy Quaid are a mismatched pair of AIDS patients. Stoltz is an educated, privileged gay man, while Quaid is a straight, homophobic ex-convict who contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion. Despite their differences, they develop a close friendship.
“A Mate For Life”
Beverly Hills 90210 (Fox Network)
September 4, 1995
Written by John Whelpley
Directed by Burt Brinckerhoff
In a storyline similar to Sisters, Kelly (Jennie Garth) is sentenced to community service at an AIDS Hospice, where she befriends a gay man, Jimmy (Michael Stoyanov), who has only a few days to live. Not as effective as the Sisters storyline, but Stoyanov is terrific.
“A Sudden Change of Heart”
Sisters (NBC-TV)
January 6, 1996
The first episode of a storyline in which Reed (Noelle Parker) is sentenced to community service at an AIDS Hospice, where she befriends a transvestite named Chardonnay (K. Todd Freeman). Reed later asks her Aunt Teddy (Sela Ward), Chardonnay’s favorite designer, to design her burial dress. When Reed reluctantly returns to the Hospice after Chardonnay’s death, she finds comfort in speaking to her ghost. A well-executed storyline with some terrific moments between Parker and Freeman.
“The Violin Lesson”
Touched By An Angel (CBS-TV)
December 22, 1996
Written by Glenn Berenbeim
Directed by Peter Hunt
Angel Monica (Roma Downey) serves as an apprentice to a violin maker, Jordan (Peter Michael Goetz), whose son, Tony (Lawrence Monoson) returns home for the holidays to tell his family he’s gay and has AIDS. Fortunately, Monica and fellow Angel, Tess (Della Reese), are able to reunite father and son before Andrew, the Angel of Death (John Dye) whisks Tony away. The highlight of this moving episode is Tony’s encounter with Angel Tess. He thinks God hates him because he’s gay and has AIDS. “What you’ve heard has been someone else’s words,” Tess explains, “words of hate and confusion. God is not the source of confusion. God’s love is perfect.”
The episode breaks new ground because, unlike the blatantly homophobic characters on Medical Center and The Bold Ones, Dr. Cavanero is a series regular. Nor is she painted, like Medical Center’s Dr. Garson, as a villain. Instead, Dr. Cavanero is someone who has believed a certain way about homosexuality her whole life. Now, through her friendship with Dr. Holtz, those beliefs are being challenged and possibly re-evaluated.
Like most lesbians on television, Dr. Holtz checked into St. Elsewhere for only two episodes. It would take five more years before the first lesbian would be introduced on a prime time series as a regular. In 1989, ABC’s medical drama Heartbeat included a lesbian, nurse-practitioner Marilyn McGrath (Gail Strickland), among its ensemble cast. Divorced and estranged from her daughter,
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