Marc & Lee channel Agatha Christie's greatest literary detectives in order investigate recent Doctor Who episodes, as well as unwrap the mysteries of the Battlestar Galactica mid-season finale.

Also, Marc, still giddy that no one correctly answered the latest Mystery Geek Challenge, shares the geek highlights of NewFest and questions Beth Grant's true commitment to Sparkle Motion. Also in this episode, the boys of Angry Puppy review The Beast with a Billion Backs, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Polar Opposites.

Check it out after the break!

In a continued effort to bring you all that is important in the world of gay entertainment and ensure that you are being spoon-fed images of gorgeous, commoditized manflesh, we present the newly-minted AfterElton Briefs. Following the usual assortment of carefully-selected news items, interested readers can find a refreshing pic of a hot man in underwear after the jump. Yes, we're serious.

• The "inspiring", "family-friendly" movie Tru Loved, which tells the story of queer youths in high school, has been selected as the opening night film of this year's Newfest and will play LA's Outfest as well. The flick stars Bruce Vilanch, Jasmine Guy, Alec Mapa, Cynda Williams, Jane Lynch, and more.

• Gay wizard lovers rejoice! Sir Ian McKellen has said that he will be playing Galdalf in the Hobbit films for recently-signed director Guillermo del Toro.

• Actor Jason Lewis (who played Kevin's closeted boyfriend on Brothers & Sisters and will soon be seen as Samantha's mancandy in the Sex and the City movie) chatted about playing gay at the recent Los Angeles GLAAD awards ceremony.

• James Franco isn't afraid to cry on camera, and he isn't afraid to show you how he does it (above). I wonder what kind of "sense memory" he'll utilize when he plays Harvey Milk's lover, Scott Smith, in Milk? (Warning, a little NSFW language in the clip)

• Check out these snaps from the recent Easter Bonnet competition (a fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS), featuring out stars David Hyde Pierce, Harvey Fierstein, and Project Runway fave Chris March.

And today's Briefs are brought to you by...

Gay-themed high school film Tru Loved is in production, after a permit refusal from a California high school that left some school board members, parents of students, and members of the production team wondering if there was something more to the refusal than scheduling conflicts.

Regardless of the hitch, the film itself is back on track. Loved tells the tale of a girl (named Tru, natch) who moves from San Francisco with her two moms to a conservative town where her only friend is a closeted football player. She attempts to start a Gay-Straight Alliance at the school, which of course doesn't go over too terribly well in Nazi-ville.

There's no cast announced yet, but seeing as how writer/director Stewart Wade was able to snag Sally Kirkland, Jonathan Silverman, Deborah Gibson, and of course out actor Wilson Cruz for his last feature, Coffee Date, we can hope to see some starpower behind the flick.

And the as-yet bare-bones website promises a "gay wedding at the climax of the film," lots of hot football players, "sexy lesbian moms who bust all the stereotypes, and a terrific, all-star cast of richly drawn characters." Given the dearth of gay film making it to screens these days, I'd settle for any one of those elements.

As the site also notes, gay teen stories are a pretty hot topic. Our own Brent Hartinger's teen novel Geography Club was a huge hit, and James St. James' Freak Show and other books aimed at gay teens and the teens who love them are popping up all over. Just think: had I had this kind of book available when I was a teen, I wouldn't have been stuck rereading Blubber 387 times in 7th grade.

For a glimpse of Wade's previous work, check out the preview for Coffee Date below.