CBS' The Class, which premieres tonight, has been drawing positive notices for its serialized character development, which is more typical of hour-long-dramas. But this half-hour sitcom may be of special interest to gay TV viewers because it's the most gay-friendly of this season's new shows.

According to GLAAD, The Class features the only gay lead character of any show on TV this season: Kyle Lando (Sean Maguire), a sweet-natured, cultured teacher in a stable relationship with his boyfriend, Aaron (Cristián de la Fuente). Kyle is one of the eight central characters who are reunited when Ethan (Jason Ritter) throws a party to commemorate the first day of third grade, which also happens to be the day he met the woman who is now his fiancée.

But the cast of The Class is not limited to just the eight former classmates. Among the large number of regulars is openly gay actor Sam Harris who plays Perry Pearl, the immaculately dressed husband of one of the classmates, Holly (who just so happened to have gone to the prom with Kyle).

Though Perry's mannerisms suggest to the other characters — and anyone with eyes and ears, really — that he might be gay, the character is ostensibly straight. The Class seems to build from one episode to the next, however, so viewers may find that Perry's sexuality changes as the season progresses.

Both Maguire and Harris told AfterElton that they are grateful for the opportunity to add variety to the fall lineup, which is otherwise largely barren of gay characters, through their performances on The Class. “I think it's important to see that kind of diversity,” says Maguire, whose performance as a gay American belies his true status as a straight Briton. “You don't have to be gay or black or whatever minority to appreciate seeing a character on TV who's that minority. It's nice to see the real world reflected in what we watch for entertainment.”

Harris says he is particularly happy to be playing a character like Perry, who defies viewers' expectations about what is appropriate behavior for gay and straight men. He also says, however, that the manner in which gay characters are portrayed in the media is more important than whether gay characters are merely there. “It's nice to have this presence on TV, but you have to ask what they are saying about gay people when you see it,” Harris says. He adds, “I am thrilled that they're developing a character like this.” In other words, quality counts.

Perhaps what most stands out about Sean Maguire's performance as Kyle is that a straight Englishman can so easily simulate what a gay American might be like. Aside from getting his foot in the door of a new sitcom helmed by comedy writing powerhouses and real-life partners David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik, who count Friends and Mad About You among their success stories, Maguire says he is just happy to play a gay character because doing so provides more of a professional challenge than his previous acting roles.

“Primarily, I wanted to play a gay character; to play American was a second,” Maguire says. “On [my previous show, Eve], I basically played an extension of myself, so it was really nice to have a fresh challenge, to basically build this person up from the ground.”

Maguire starred in the three-year run of UPN's Eve as Donovan Brink. According to the actor, he performed the character with the idea that he might actually be gay, but the limits of the show never let the character be more than just metrosexual. “I was a little disappointed,” Maguire says. “It would have been more fun to play a more interesting character.”

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