Though not shy of poking sharp fun at that situation, Will and Grace is among sitcom's most potent and sophisticated antidotes to homophobia. Though initially a little too pleased with its own camp pertness, the show grows and grows on you with successive episodes, finally becoming indispensable. It also benefits from secondary characters Jack (Sean P Hayes) and Karen (Megan Mullally), also gay and straight respectively, both outrageously and hilariously irresponsible characters: he a free-spirit and freeloader, she's "working" as Grace's assistant, even though she doesn't need the money, having married it.

Despite its diamond and rapid-fire punch-lines, Will and Grace conveys enough sense of the main characters' lovelorn predicament to prevent it from becoming too cute.--David Stubbs