TCA Update: "Virtuality" gays won't be lost in space, says Kevin Reilly

Virtuality's Jose Pablo Cantillo and Gene Farber

Our editor Michael Jensen is still slaving out in Los Angeles, where the Television Critics Association train keeps rollin' on. Hot off the electropress is Michael's chat with FOX head Kevin Reilly, whose net is bringing gays into American sci fi with the upcoming show Virtuality.

When reports surfaced that the net (not exactly known for its gay visibility track record to begin with) was retooling the series to make it more "mainstream", many gay fans were concerned that this meant that primetime's first orbiting gay couple might find itself on the cutting room floor.

But we might not have to worry — check out Michael's brief chat with Reilly, after the jump!

AfterElton.com: At last year's TCA we talked about how GLAAD had given FOX a failing grade when it comes to GLBT visibility on your network. One of the show's you mentioned when we talked as raising your GLBT visilblity was Ron Moore's new sci fi show Virtuality. Since then there have been reports that pilot has been sent back for reworking to make it "mainstream" —
Kevin Reilly: They're re-editing it.

AE: Can you tell me if the gay characters are still on the show?
KR: Oh, yeah. Yeah. When you say mainstream, Ron Moore has really got a fascinating mind. We could air it right now and there is a certain segment of the audience that would flip over it. But it is right now a little bit too dense ... they shot a two-hour pilot and I think the storytelling would have been served by a one hour. So they are reediting and they are going to go in and look at it.

So it sounds like the astrogays are safe and sound, for now. We'll let you know more when we hear it!