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Despite being out, Kevin seems entirely devoid of stereotypically gay mannerisms. You might chalk this up to a straight actor being cast in the role, but Welsh actor Matthew Rhys has played gay before. In fact, in the 2001 movie Very Annie Mary, Rhys camps it up with fey gusto.

Kevin's “straight-acting” demeanor isn't simply a quirk of casting. Instead, it seems deliberate — meant to convey an aspect (or symptom) of his identity. For Kevin, “straight-acting” is something he values in himself. He also seems to value it in others, judging by his noticeable discomfort around flamboyant gay men and his aversion to public displays of affection.

After six episodes, the impression one gets of Kevin Walker is that, for him, to a certain extent being gay is a weakness, a vulnerability that needs walling off from the rest of his life. It is internalized homophobia, and Kevin probably doesn't even recognize it in himself. His intellect, liberal politics and supportive family disguise the problem and help him to rationalize it away. He's not closeted; he's merely reserved.

This is a nuanced and complicated gay character: intellectually out, yet emotionally closeted. To explore this paradox, the show has introduced a romantic interest for Kevin. The recurring character, Scotty Wandell, makes a great foil because he is almost the exact opposite of Kevin. Where Kevin is reserved, Scotty is flamboyant and overtly gay.

When they first meet, Kevin is extremely uncomfortable in Scotty's presence, which isn't surprising since Scotty represents the very qualities Kevin may fear in himself. Scotty immediately pegs Kevin for a potential closet case.

Kevin: I'm not in the closet at all. I'm open and proud.
Scotty: You're not proud. You're trying to pass.

Scotty's snap assessment is at least partially accurate. He recognizes a flaw in Kevin that no one else on the show has yet to pick up on, including Kevin's supportive family and even Kevin himself.

Kevin and Scotty's diametrically opposed personalities make it tricky to plausibly bring them together as a couple. To its credit, the show doesn't simply throw them together. Kevin and Scotty interact only socially in Episodes 3 and 4, scenes that lay the groundwork for their romance. It's a slow build but, despite their differences, we begin to see chemistry between the two.

In Episode 5, Kevin and Scotty first kiss. The tender moment comes without fanfare or warning. Yet when Scotty leans over the table at an Indian restaurant and plants one on Kevin, it seems entirely plausible and natural. Alas, Kevin's negative reaction is equally plausible.

Uncomfortable at being outed in a public place, he bristles and pulls away. The two reconcile by the end of the episode, rewarding viewers with the second gay kiss of the evening. But the underlying issue — Kevin's internalized homophobia — has not been resolved. It will surely be the central conflict in the Kevin/Scotty relationship.

Gay male romantic relationships have been explored in depth on cable television on shows such as HBO's Six Feet Under, Showtime's Queer as Folk and Logo's Noah's Arc. And gay relationships have existed elsewhere on network television. Will & Grace is the obvious example, but Will did not develop an ongoing, serious relationship until the end of its run. Even then, the focus of Will & Grace remained on, well, Will and Grace.

Never has such a prominent gay character's relationship received so much screen time on a primetime drama. And in that respect, Brothers & Sisters represents something of a television landmark. Given that the show is only six episodes in to its first season, the future for gay representation on network television looks a little brighter — if only for one hour on Sunday nights.

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