If there is a show on television
that could be said to have contributed to the normalization of the portrayal of
LGBT persons on pop media, and eventually in real life, a strong case can be
made for NBC’s “Will & Grace.” Premiering in 1998 and airing on that
network until 2006, the remarkably hilarious home lives of a cohabiting gay
lawyer and straight interior designer, along with their friends, was a big
enough hit that a one-off 2017 revival did not take much to be expanded into more
seasons, with one announced before the follow-up even aired. But that extra
season also turns out to be the second finale.
E! News Online tells us that the third season of the revival run
for “Will & Grace” will be the last of the series. Said season, slated for
release on NBC in 2020, will be the eleventh total of the sitcom’s entire run,
along with the eight previous seasons in the previous decades. The official
announcement was made by NBC itself on Thursday, July 25, along with thanks for
the creators, cast, and crew of the show. The decision to end however was not
on the network but the production.
According to an Instagram message
from co-lead star Debra Messing, who plays Grace Adler, the revival of “Will
& Grace” has simply reached the right time to close the curtains once more.
She noted that the ninth season return of the show, inspired by positive
reception to a 2016 10-minute reunion special PSA about the US Presidential Elections
that year, was only supposed to run 10 to 12 episodes within a year, only to be
expanded by NBC to 16, along with the announcement of a follow-up season 10. "What
a miracle. We are all committed to making this season the best ever, and to
wrap up the story of Will, Grace, Jack and Karen in a way that feels meaningful
and right," says Messing.
NBC Entertainment co-chairs Paul
Delegdy and George Cheeks noted that the network jumped at an opening to
reunite the creators and actors for another go at “Will & Grace.” The
impact and legacy of Will & Grace simply can't be overstated,” they said, “both
as a true game-changer in the portrayal of the LGBTQ community and as one of
the finest comedies in television history."
Creators Max Mutchnick and David
Kohan do note the appropriateness of ending now, saying, "We think of the ‘Will
& Grace’ reboot episodes the way Karen Walker thinks of martinis – 51 is
not enough, 53 is too many. That is why, after consulting with the cast, we all
have decided this will be the final season of Will & Grace."
“Will & Grace” also stars
Eric McCormack as gay attorney Will Truman, Megan Mullaly as Grace’s socialite “assistant”
Karen Mullaly, and Sean Hayes as Will’s flamboyant actor friend Jack McFarland.
The most recent season (10th overall) premiered October 4 last year
and ended April 4 with 18 episodes, with the 11th season coming in 2020.
Well, we’re taking this one out like we brought it in: with love, laughs, gratitude... and on our own terms. Season 3 of #WillandGrace (well, season 11!) will be our grand finale... and it’s gonna be FANTASTIC. @WillAndGrace @DebraMessing @SeanHayes @MeganMullally @MaxMutchnick pic.twitter.com/UTcXv2gByO— Eric McCormack (@EricMcCormack) July 25, 2019
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