Best. Gay. Week. Ever. (May 16, 2008)

Another highlight of the season finale is surely the sight of Michael Urie in orange shorts and sporting a cheerleader's megaphone.

Photo Credit: Karen Neal/ABC

Oh yeah, and one last tidbit: Lindsay Lohan makes her first appearance on the show. Say what you will about Lohan, she's a pretty good little comedic actress. Let's hope she doesn't wind up back in rehab over the summer and spoil plans for a multi-episode guest stint.

Photo Credit: Karen Neal/ABC

So You Think You Can Dance premieres May 22^nd

I’ve never really understood the Dancing with the Stars phenomenon. I mean, why watch B-list celebs butcher a waltz when you could be watching real dancers working with professional choreographers tear up any number of dance styles (ballroom, latin, hip hop, krumping, you name it)?

So while I've never been able to sit though an episode of Dancing with the Stars, I find FOX’s summer hit So You Think You Can Dance must-see viewing.

Season 3 finalists (from left to right):
Danny Tidwell, Lacey Schwimmer, Neil Haskell & Sabra Johnson

The show begins its 4th season on May 22nd and is produced by the same folks responsible for American Idol. But don't let that scare you away — Dance is a much superior show.

For starters, it's a whole lot gayer than Idol. Previous seasons have offered a decent amount of queer visibility amongst the contestants and the choreographers, and that's not surprising considering how well-represented gays are in the dance world. In fact, on a few occasions the contestants have even been paired up for same-sex dances.

The show also has a really likeable host in Cat Deeley. If Ryan Seacrest ever leaves Idol (and I'm guessing they'd have to pry it from his cold, dead hands) they should replace him with Deeley. She is wonderful.

Judge Nigel Lythgoe (left) & host Cat Deeley

Admittedly, the show is not without its flaws. The biggest problem is that the judging panel is headed by executive producer Nigel Lythgoe. Lythgoe also produces Idol and one assumes he was jealous of Simon Cowell's role on that show, so he thought he'd jump in here. Too bad, because the man has a Mr. Burnsish creepiness to him. He's also infuriated me in past seasons for criticizing certain male dancers for not being "manly" enough.

Also on the judging panel is Mary Murphy, a ballroom dance expert with a nails-on-chalkboard, hyena-like laugh. When I first started watching she drove me crazy, but somehow she's grown on me.

The third spot on the judging panel rotates among the many renowned choreographers who work on the show, including Mia Michaels, Tyce Diorio, and Jean Marc Generaux, all of whom seem to be competing amongst themselves to deliver the most exciting choreography each week.

To get a taste of this show, check out the clip below: