ABC Cancels "Brothers & Sisters"

When it comes to the television shows that had the biggest impact on AfterElton.com readers in this site's early days, there are two series that truly stand out in terms of GLBT visibility.

The first is Torchwood. The second is Brothers & Sisters, which makes it just that much sadder to announce that according to TVLine.com B&S has just been canceled. While the show was never a ratings juggernaut, it had done well enough this season that there was much speculation that the show would be given an abbreviated sixth and final season.

Kevin and Scotty

But that's not to be. It's hard to overstate what an impact the show first made on many gay viewers when it debuted back in 2006. Created by Jon Robin Baitz, an out gay man, the show included Kevin Walker (Matthew Rhys) an out and proud gay character who would go on to date, have a love life, and eventually a family with his husband Scotty Wandell (Luke Macfarlane).

To my mind, the show really marked the start of what has been a pretty strong resurgence in the development of fully fleshed out, complicated GLBT characters and it deserves credit for making same-sex affection and relationships normal for millions of viewers who might otherwise never see gay people falling in love, getting married and having kids.

No, the show wasn't perfect by a longshot, but I'll certainly miss seeing Kevin and Scotty cuddling on their couch.