Out writer/director/producer Kevin Williamson turns 43 today. One of the most influential creative talents of the 90's, he's been largely M.I.A. the last few years.

He made a huge splash in 1996 with Scream, the groundbreaking horror film that dared to kill off its biggest star in the opening minutes, and made its characters smart and self aware.

He followed up the enormous success of Scream with a lesser sequel, and three other horror films, to mixed results. I Know What You Did Last Summer was the biggest hit of the three, thanks to Jennifer Love Hewitt's cleavage, and the fact that audiences had an instinctive fear of the Gorton's Fisherman. The Faculty had an interesting "body snatchers" premise, but was marred by a homophobic subtext.

Teaching Mrs. Tingle had another great premise, and a typically majestic performance from the divine Helen Mirren, but degenerated into silliness by the end.

Kevin turned his attention to tv, and hit the bullseye again in 1998 with another groundbreaker, Dawson's Creek.

Love it or hate it (and there are plenty of opinions), you can't deny the influence it had on pop culture. In between the teen angst and soap opera storylines, he introduced Jack, played by Kerr Smith. Jack was that rarity on tv, an appealing, complicated gay character who was accepted and loved by fans (including our readers, who voted him among the 25 best gay TV characters ever).

The final episode of the series was very affecting, as Jack and his partner Doug decided to honor the last wish of their dying friend Jen and raise her daughter. You can mock Dawson's Creek all you want, but how many times have we seen this kind of storyline?

These 3 guys will be the support team for our Gay Male Athlete in the final event of the Stereotype Olympics (shot in front of the audience), cheering him on to win the "Gay" event. MUST BE WILLING TO WEAR SOME VERSION OF A SKIMPY CHEERLEADING OUTFIT.

It's a busy night of television with two debuts and two finales. One could almost forget that Ugly Betty is on hiatus. Almost.

Hidden Palms (The CW) 8:00 PM EST
Kevin Williamson's newest television series debuts tonight -- check out our preview from last week for an idea of what to expect. This one looks like it has the potential to be a reliable source for light summer entertainment, so I'm glad my local CW affiliate just became available in HD. We'll be recapping this one on the blog, so check back tomorrow and each week after to discuss the new episodes!

The Next Best Thing (ABC) 8:00 PM EST
If you're not in the mood for a scripted drama, ABC's newest reality series is looking for celebrity impersonators. The previews show judge (and alleged comedian) Jeffrey Ross harassing a drag performer performing as Cher, but hopefully there will be other female impersonators who aren't treated as a punchline.

The Real World Denver: S*#! They Should've Known (MTV) 9:00 PM EST
The past season is reviewed, with previously unseen footage and a look back at the past season. Get a season's worth of binge drinking and drama in an hour (of course featuring gay housemate Davis, who had his fair share of both).

Shear Genius (Bravo) 10:00 PM EST
The season finale is here with gay stylist Anthony and lesbian competitor Daisy still in the running. If you're recording to this one, make sure to set this to go a couple minutes over since the repeat is scheduled to start at 11:01. And check back later here on the blog for a Two-Bite Interview with Anthony!

Kevin Williamson, the openly gay writer and producer who made serial killers talk about movie trivia and teens talk like philosophy professors, is now making something of a comeback with Hidden Palms, which begins airing on the CW on May 30.

It’s worth remembering that Williamson, in addition to Scream and Dawson’s Creek, was also the man behind such duds as Glory Days and Cursed, so set your expectation level accordingly. I’ve screened the original pilot, and if the retooled episode that actually airs sticks closely to it, I have to tell you I’m still not certain whether Palms is good watchable, bad watchable, or outright unwatchable.

In a recent New York Times profile, Williamson said the show is inspired by his experiences in the rich Palm Springs community where he lives part-time with his boyfriend of four years. “Palm Springs isn’t real,” he said. “You lift up the green grass and what’s underneath? A bunch of scorpions and rocks.” While Williamson’s comments indicate he’s envisioning a Twin Peaks-like exploration of a small town’s seedy underbelly, the show most closely resembles The O.C. with a campy hint of Desperate Housewives.

It basically follows Johnny, a troubled teen haunted by a family tragedy, as he moves into a ritzy new community where the privileged kids act out their angst to a funky pop soundtrack, while the grown-ups trade barbs and beds. There’s a hint of mystery, as well, as Johnny learns the teen who previously occupied his house has died, and the other kids in town know something but aren’t talking.

Considering that Williamson has also been responsible for queering up TV in welcome ways – Dawson’s Creek, after all, did feature TV’s first boy on boy romantic kiss – there’s also indication that Hidden Palms might make the summer a much gayer one for all.