Entertainment*

Five Shows Gay Men (Should) Love

By Andrew Belonsky June 23, 2008 at 4:30pm · Updated on June 24, 2008
picture-51.png We have a confession to make. You know MVP, the cliché ridden Soapnet series? Well, we’re already total fans. Yes, it’s terribly overacted, trite and a blatantly low budget imitation of Footballer’s Wives, but those faults make it all the more fun. What’s more, it’s positively brimming with attractive men. Thus, like other series before it, MVP seems poised to become a gay favorite. This got us thinking – what are some other gay favorites that aren’t necessarily “gay shows?” Thus, we’ve wracked our television loving brains – and pink pals – for currently airing series the gays love – or could, at least. Our one rule: no major gay characters, which very nearly ruled out ABC.
Nip/Tuck Shower scenes featuring Mario Lopez’s ass. Threeways. Lesbian trysts. Fantasy dreams between the show’s two smokin’ hot middle-aged male leads. Is this show actually trying to come out of the closet? The focus on sex notwithstanding, The central premise (beauty is only skin deep) is an obvious way to grab the gays for FX’s Nip/Tuck. Plug in some soap opera-level drama, from son Matt (who looks like Michael Jackson) gay-bashing a transexual to the daughter experimenting with an eating disorder, plus Christian and Sean’s not-so-easy coming to grips with aging, and Nip/Tuck is perfect fag fodder. Aforementioned Lopez shower scene, above.
Samantha Who? This silly little sitcom concerns one Samantha Newly, who has amnesia after being hit by a car. Why do we love this particular televisual adventure? Well, we have nothing but fond memories of Christina Applegate, whose turn as Married, With Children‘s Kelly Bundy cemented her sex pot status, not to mention the actress’ comedic charm. Though no longer vamping up, what gay can resist a pretty girl who can make us laugh? Plus, this ABC series also features Jeanne Smart, whom we’ve loved since Designing Women. Above, Applegate griping about one of our favorite subjects: unfair life.
The Bad Girls Club Gay guys love strong, bitchy, perhaps a bit imbalanced, hence our flame for this show, which places six professed “bad girls” in a house and tape the harried results. Above you’ll see our favorite girl, Tanisha, hearing some “psycho shit” while sitting poolside.
Legally Blonde: The Search For The Next Elle Woods Kind of like The Bad Girls Club, only the girls are nice – or pretend to be nice – as they compete for a slot in Broadway’s Legally Blonde. Even if you’re not a drama-rama, you’ll love the punch line ready shenanigans, which The Soup‘s Joel McHale readily highlights.
Lipstick Jungle Alright. Yes, we know it’s a sanitized version of Sex and The City, which should come as no surprise because both Cashmere and Sex come from the feminine mind of Candace Bushnell. While Sex and The City‘s male characters often came and went – ha – we love Lipstick because of its resident sex bomb, Robert Buckley. Watch this interview with the actor, which will only make you love him more. And, no, he’s not shirtless. Surely we missed a few gay faves, so why don’t you kids comment and let us know what you’re watching. Maybe we’ll have a sequel!

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17 Comments*

  • parisinla

    Buckley’s interview truly endearing.

  • fredo777

    I never followed Nip/Tuck, but I’ve taken a liking to Samantha Who? (based on the few season-ending eps I’ve watched) + I used to watch Bad Girls Club, but haven’t tuned in to any of the more recent season.

    I stopped bothering with The Soup ever since Joel’s commentary on Thomas Beatie’s pregnancy (ending with a reference to Beatie as “Optimus Prime”). I know, I know. “Stop being so PC, Fredo.” Meh.

    It just didn’t sit well with me.

  • Michael Duquette

    Brothers and Sisters and of course, Boston Legal!

  • kumquatboy

    Definitely Boston Legal for the bitchiness and the man-love between William Shatner and James Spader.

    The Simpsons has shown a lot of homo love over the years, and continues to be as witty as ever. I’ll never forget Homer’s classic line to Bart from 1997: “Did he give you gay?!”

  • Gregoire

    Since you’re listing shows with some iota of gay sensibility, why not BBC’s Robin Hood?

  • Jojo

    I would say “Alias” for the fabulous wigs and dresses alone, not to mention yummy Michael Vartan.

    Of shows that are on the air currently, is no one going to speak up for the bulging-muscle-spandex-fest that is American Gladiators?

  • Chris

    Queer As Folk ftw.

    I actually quite like Supernatural myself, smexy Jensen and Jared fighting the forces of evil =P

  • Alice

    While I agree with most of the above (esp Nip/Tuck), you should have included shows that span beyond your home tv set. There are 2 shows in particular that you should check out at Gayborhood TV — Urban Safari and Ben: The Ugly Homo. They are amazing! Have you heard of it .. http://www.gayborhood.tv … ?!?

  • PJ

    Are we talking shows that are currently on air or of all time?

    Currently on air would have to include “Gossip Girl” and then there is “Smallville.” Smallville has no major characters but it has a lot of homoerotic tension as well as hot guys.
    Then, we begin to look at the way-back machine. There have been a number of shows which fall into the category of ‘gay favorite,’ from “Peyton Place” to “Clueless.”

  • Bob R

    Boston Legal, Brothers and Sisters, and Two and a Half Men. Alan Harper is a gay spirit trapped inside a heterosexual body. It’s well written and I love Berta who has been known to swing both ways. Plus, and this is purely personal, Charlie Sheen is not bad on the eyes.

  • Motard

    Torchwood:

    1) Admit it, you’re a big nerd.

    2) BBC = the jazz hands of television gayness

    3) Hot gay nookie on primetime; none of this chaste ‘All My Children’ BS

    4) The lead is an unaging showtune queen, ’nuff said

  • fredo777

    Mo, I think Bravo is the “jazz hands” of TV gayness.

  • blackiemiko

    “family guy” 🙂

  • James

    “The Wire”

  • Graham

    The only shows I watch are Ugly Betty, Project Runway, and America’s Next Top Model (mainly to laugh at Tyra and the absurd sound editing)

  • Jd

    MVP is actually a Canadian show from the CBC. Hot guys for sure eh! Unfortunately last I heard it was cancelled after the first season.

  • Shawn

    The new DOCTOR WHO has a recurring character, the mysterious and handsome Captain Jack Harkness who hits on everyone and was given his own show called TORCHWOOD.

    I like TORCHWOOD but I LOVE the new DOCTOR WHO.

    And, whoever it was above who said that Charlie Sheen is easy on the eyes, dude, you must have different eyes than the rest of us because CHARLIE SHEEN is about as far from HOT as one can get. His face always looks drawn and haggard and his body is NOTHING special.

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