The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV
(Applause Books). Television history was made on April 30, 1997, when comedian Ellen DeGeneres and her sitcom alter-ego Ellen Morgan, "came out" to her close friends and 36 million viewers. This groundbreaking episode represented a significant milestone in Amerian television. For the first time, a TV series centered around a lesbian character who was portrayed by an openly gay actor. The millions of viewers who tuned in that historic night were witnesses to a new era in television. THE PRIME...
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Entertaining and revealing, The Prime Time Closet is a comprehensive study of homosexuality on television from the 1950s to the present day. Through an analysis of over 300 television episodes, made for TV movies, and mini-series, this fascinating account of the evolution of the portrayal of gay men and lesbians offers an in-depth look at how four major television genres medical series, police/detective shows, drama, and situation comedies approached the subject of homosexuality.The Prime Time Closet reveals how television's treatment of homosexuality has reflected and reinforced society's ignorance and fear of gay men, lesbians, and transgender people. At the same time, it celebrates the programs that broke new ground in their sensitive, enlightened approach to homosexuality and gay-related themes and issues, such as homophobia, gay-bashing, and AIDS.From 1950s talk shows that tackled the problem of homosexuality to Ellen DeGeneres's historical coming out in 1997 and beyond, The Prime Time Closet takes an insightful and illuminating look at the characters, the plots, and the controversy that opened television's closet door. About the Author Stephen Tropiano is the author of the book TV Towns and is a film/TV critic for popmatters.com, a popular culture web site. He is the director of the Ithaca College Communications Program in Los Angeles, where he teaches courses in film and television history and theory.
IntroductionPrime Time Closet ChronologyCh. 1Diagnosis: Homosexual: Homosexuality and the Prime Time Medical Drama1Ch. 2"Just the Facts, Ma'am" Homosexuality and the Law and Order Drama55Ch. 3Drama Queens Homosexuality and Dramatic Series, Mini-Series, and Movies of the Week109Ch. 4"Not That There's Anything Wrong With It" Homosexuality and Television Comedy185Afterword: Keeping the Closet Door Open259AppGay/Lesbian/Bisexual/TransgenderAppTV Episode Guide261AppBibliography312AppThe Best of the Prime Time Closet313Endnotes318Index333
