I know watching TV, especially in excessive amounts, is generally looked down upon. But I’ve found that the more I watch, the more things I learn, so I’ll continue on my mission to prove that TV is actually good for the brain.
And when it comes to relationships, and life in general, I’ve learned a lot of things from (repeatedly) watching all eight seasons of “Will & Grace” on DVD.
So, here goes:
- Married men do cheat. Okay, so I didn’t necessarily learn this from watching “Will & Grace,” but it doesn’t matter how many times I see season six, when Leo (Grace’s husband, played by Harry Connick, Jr.) cheats on Grace with his coworker, it still tears my heart in half.
- Taye Diggs will always be fine as hell. Toward the end of the series, Will meets a man named James (Taye Diggs) at the movie theatre. They hit it off, and run into each other later at a resort, fall in love, and arrange for him to marry Grace so he doesn’t get deported. He ends up being a complete asshole, but still…Taye Diggs.
- Jennifer Lopez laughs with us. She makes a few guest appearances on the show, completely making fun of herself (mocking her busy schedule with music, book signings, clothing line, perfumes, etc.), and I kind of like her a little for it.
- We go for what we know. It’s a running joke on the show that Grace repeatedly dates gay men, because she lives with Will.
- No one is perfect. Sometimes characters in fiction novels or sitcoms are a little too perfect. What I love about Will & Grace is that a big part of the humor on the show is them making fun of each other, sometimes over their flaws.
- Friends are really, really important. It seems like everything in pop culture focuses on romantic relationships, and since I’ve been single, for, well, 100 years, I like seeing the spotlight on something other than that. Sure, the characters on Will & Grace have dated and been married, but the show always comes back to their lifelong friendship.
You know I had a dream once. To be rich and beautiful and have a great body. Oh look, my dream came true.
—Karen Walker, Will & Grace
To see what I’ve learned from watching The Hills, click here.
