It’s the Winter Gay TV Guide!

It’s winter, it’s cold outside, and you want to stay home and watch some gay TV. But what to watch?

It’s true that there’s been a wintery chill in the air lately when it comes to gays on TV. AfterElton.com has been quick to lament the plethora of “barely there” regular gay characters on shows such as Privileged, Lipstick Jungle and others, as well as the plunge in the number of gay characters on the broadcast networks.

But television’s hot chocolate mug is still at least half full with rich and creamy gay goodness.

Where can that television be found? And more important, should it be watched?

Let the Great Gay help you decide!

What’s the Great Gay, you ask? That’s the collective wisdom of all who toil here at AfterElton.com, the sum total of years of thoughtful criticism and endless, stupefying television viewing.

Well, okay, it’s mostly just me blathering on, with the others yelling at me whenever I get something wrong.

Ten Items or Less (TBS)

Why It’s Gay: This late-night comedy show set in a real, working grocery store is loosely plotted, but mostly improvised. The supporting cast includes Christopher Liam Moore, who is openly gay, as Richard Mednick, a gay cashier who dreams of being a professional figure skater.

The cast of 10 Items or Less (Christopher Liam Moore second from right)

When It’s On: Tuesdays, 11 PM, on TBS, with new episodes resuming January 6^th.

The Great Gay Says: Improvisational comedy doesn’t always translate well to television, but this show has its moments. It’s co-creator John Lehr’s show all the way, but Moore manages to drum up some laughs, usually playing the straight man (so to speak) to the group of incompetent wackos who surround him. The characters have delved into Richard’s personal life before, and they’ll do so again, most notably on the February 10^th episode when Lehr’s clueless, bumbling Leslie decides to play matchmaker for Richard.

The Real World: Brooklyn (MTV)

Why It’s Gay: The show is back for its 21^st season with its 21,000^th hot gay character, J.D., a former high school swimmer and now a dolphin trainer. The season also includes a MTF transgender participant, Katelynn.

The Real World: Brooklyn's cast
includes J.D. (top left) and Katelynn (bottom left)

When It’s On: Wednesdays, 10 PM, on MTV, with the season premiere on January 7^th.

The Great Gay Says: Is there anything new to be done with this never-ending series? Probably not, but the show does include Chet and Devyn, two participants who don’t believe in “premarital sex,” so maybe that’ll keep the drunken debauchery to a minimum. But let’s face it: the producers are probably just setting us up to watch these two make a serious descent into depravity.