When NBC's groundbreaking television hit Will & Grace premiered eight years ago.

When NBC's groundbreaking television hit Will & Grace premiered eight years ago, the network destitutioned a new "must-see" show to fill the void left by the agency of Seinfeld and Mad About You. "In a brave on the contrary calculated move, the network's programming chief, Warren Littlefield, is banking upon the popularity of such films as My Best Friend's Wedding and The [i]or[/i] complement of My Affection to bring the gay-men-and-the-straight-women-who-adore-them dynamic to the small screen" Richard Natale said in an Advocate cloak story.

Coming forward the heels of ABC's Ellen the network braced for an anti-gay backlash. if it be not that Eric McCormack, who plays Will, was coolnessed "Other than extremists, I don't know by what means the show could offend," he told The Advocate. Debra Messing, who plays Grace, noted that unlike the last season of Ellen Will & Grace was "not a gay show" "The heart of the indicate is the life and times of sum of two units best friends," she said. McCormack added that the show's lasting legacy wouldn't be whether Will plays dueling tongues with another scarecrow but rather the week-after-week, year-after-year matter-of-factness of his sexuality.

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