Best. Gay. Week. Ever. (September 26, 2008)

IMHO

Greek: More Michael Rady and Max Greenfield, please! Here’s an idea for ABC Family: why don’t you have the two of them dump their partners and start dating each other?! And then why don’t you spin them off into their own series?! And why don’t you have the two actors go on a door-to-door press tour to perform live and in person for critics like me?! Do this and I guarantee up arrows for life!

Ugly Betty: Is it just me or did last night’s season premiere of Ugly Betty seem kind of lackluster? The resolution to every single plot element — Betty’s apartment, Betty’s encounter with former bully Lindsay Lohan, Daniel’s problems with his son — just seemed incredibly obvious and totally telegraphed. I love this show, but I have a sinking feeling that they’re going to go a boring, cautious direction this season.

Dancing with the Stars: First Cloris Leachman kills at Bob Saget’s comedy roast, now this! She flashes leg, she sits on the judge’s lap, she corrects their math — all in a gloriously unhinged way! Nine Emmys and an Oscar aren’t enough for the hilarious octogenarian. True, she can’t dance worth beans, but please vote for her anyway. Live television needs more people like Cloris!

Cloris shakes her coconuts for Bruno

Shirts & Skins: Loving the guys and non-stereotypical concept. Meanwhile, John Amaechi just exudes class. But sometimes the show veers dangerously close to a gay public service announcement. Hopefully future episodes will be a little less earnest.

My Name is Earl: Gay Kenny is back! Well, okay, it was basically a cameo, but it gives me an excuse to mention this show, which I think is the best comedy on television. And the season premiere, where Earl gives guest star Seth Green a chance to finally star in his own movie, was one of the series’ best episodes ever. The scene where Ethan Suplee’s Randy tries to teach the others to act — “it puts the lotion on its skin” — was the single funniest thing I’ve seen all year. Why the hell wasn’t this guy nominated for an Emmy?

Seth Green guest stars on My Name is Earl

As the World Turns: Is it just me, or does Van Hansis have a new haircut every week? Still, cool sideburns or no, with only a cameo from Van and no Noah, the show gets a down arrow this week.

Forbidden Love: I’m loving the edgy, hand-held camera thing they’re doing to illustrate Christian’s frantic, Ollie-deprived state of mind. And that swirling camera thing at the gym when Christian confronted Axel was just cool. Then the camera calms down whenever Christian goes to visit Ollie in the hospital. All very pretty impressive for a soap. But I do think it’s time to move on from the woe-is-us-gays storylines. It is, after all, a post-gay world, especially in Germany.

  Next Page! A gay comic strip in mainstream newspapers?