It wasn't the gayest year on TV, but 2014 was still superb for good, better, best TV. Stellar series, incomparable acting, great writing -- it was all there. You really could watch TV 24/7 (if you had a DVR) if you were so inclined and always have something engaging to watch.
Below are our choices for The Bests in various categories. Fortunately, if you missed any of these shows, Netflix is just waiting for your binge-watching. Three of our bests are also the LGBT shows of the year, shows crafted totally for our community, so we are giving them special mention.
"Looking," the new gay male dramedy from HBO set in a realistic and recognizable (if pretty white) San Francisco, gave us gay men being, omg, gay men. Kissing, touching, working, pondering, and dare we say it, not having babies via surrogates or lesbian friends. Don't get us wrong, we love Cam and Mitchell on ABC's Emmy-winning "Modern Family," but we do prefer our gay men unneutered. What we like about Patrick, Agustin and Dom on Looking is they remind us of men we know and have known for, like, ever. Men whose gayness plays a significant role in their lives, and men who are struggling to situate themselves in what is still a very straight world where gay men are often marginalized and even viewed with contempt.
We know some think this show is slow and isn't "Girls" (to which we can only say, good), but it's ours. The gay characters aren't after-thoughts or inserted to fill a quota. They are true to life -- to gay life. For all these reasons, "Looking" is unquestionably The Best Gay Show of 2014.
Just as there is no other show on the tube like "Looking," there is no other show like "Transparent," the first trans-focused series, which is our runner-up for Best LGBT Series of 2014. Also a dramedy, "Transparent" is the love-child of Hollywood heavyweight Jill Soloway, whose own father came out to her and her lesbian sister, Faith, as trans three years ago, in his 70s. "Transparent," an Amazon original series, stars Jeffrey Tambor. The show was just nominated for a Golden Globe Award on Dec. 11.
As dicey as LG and B can be for the tube, the general tenor of outrage from the trans community about how and by whom and to what end trans persons are portrayed on TV and elsewhere makes pursuing trans storylines daunting. Why, for example, was it okay for Neil Patrick Harris to star as Hedwig in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," but not for Jared Leto to portray Rayon, a transwoman with HIV in "Dallas Buyer's Club?" Harris won a Tony, and Leto won an Oscar. But Leto, a straight man who has devoted a significant amount of time and money to LGBT causes including the fight against Prop 8, got endless flak for his portrayal.
So a straight woman creating a show around an elderly straight man who comes out as trans to his family? That took true courage to pursue. Soloway has written for many LGBT-friendly series, including "Six Feet Under," "United States of Tara," "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Grey's Anatomy." In May 2014, Soloway told Flaunt magazine, "Transparent stands for gender freedom for all, and within that freedom we can find grays and muddled purples and pinks, chakras that bridge the heart and mind, sexiness that depends on a masochistic love or a sweeping soul dominance. In particular, 'Transparent' wants to invent worlds that bridge the binary: Genderqueer, Boygirl, Girlboy, Macho Princess, and Officer Sweet Slutty Bear Captain are just a few incredibly confusing, gender-fucking concepts that come to mind."
"Transparent" has not been without controversy, despite Soloway's attention to trans-friendly and trans-supportive details. She told The New York Times she had enacted a "transfirmative action program favoring the hiring of transgender candidates over nontransgender ones." This meant that "20 trans people had been hired in the cast and crew, and more than 60 had been employed as extras." Soloway also hired "two full-time transgender consultants to steer [her] away from any pitfalls." All the bathrooms on the sets were gender-neutral.
We were trying to remember when this kind of deference had been shown to lesbian or gay people on any TV show, but since that never happened, we didn't have to think long. Nevertheless, Soloway got significant flak for not hiring a trans actor for the role played by the 70-year-old Jeffrey Tambor, who was nominated for a Golden Globe Award on Dec. 11. We aren't sure if there are a lot of 70-something trans women actors, but we would also add that while we want to see LGBT actors on the tube, we also don't want them relegated solely to LGBT roles. It's called acting for a reason. For nine seasons Neil Patrick Harris starred in "How I Met Your Mother" as Barney Stinson, a notorious Lothario. Should that role have gone to a straight man because the character is straight?
We have to be careful about the slippery slope of typecasting of LGBT actors. Are we saying trans women and men actors can only play trans people? That seems problematic in other ways.
Neither of the leads on ABC Family's "The Fosters" is a lesbian in real life, but they sure do a superb job of portraying a realistic and believable lesbian couple. Stef Foster (Teri Polo) is the butch cop (formerly married to a man) married to Lena Adams (Sherri Saum), a school vice principal. The two have a blended family of Stef's son, Lena's adopted twins and the couple's two foster kids. Stef and Lena have been through a lot. They got married (it was a beautiful wedding), Stef got shot, there have been myriad problems with the kids, including one coming out. But they are deeply committed to each other and their family, and their loyalty to those things is classically lesbian and resonates with a lesbian audience. What works in this show is what works in "Looking": this is everyday lesbian life. These are everyday lesbians. The show, exec produced by Jennifer Lopez (!), is to lesbian life what "Parenthood" is to straight life.
Though not as focused on LGBT people as "Looking," "The Fosters" and "Transparent," the tube proffered other treats for LGBT viewers this year, and many were delectable. Entering our Hall of LGBT TV Fame this year are five showrunners, four of whom are gay men: Shonda Rhimes, Ryan Murphy, Kevin Williamson, Greg Berlanti and Bryan Fuller. Nearly all the best LGBT characters came from one of these five people this year. In fact, we aren't sure where LGBT characters would be on the tube without these showrunners. What we do know is that they repeatedly prove our point that it takes LGBT people (or super-strong allies) behind the camera to have LGBT characters in front of the camera.
Speaking of allies, there is no more vital ally to LGBT people in the TV landscape than Shonda Rhimes. For over a decade she has featured strong, honest portrayals of LGBT characters front-and-center in prime time. "Grey's Anatomy"'s Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) were the longest-running lesbian couple in prime time until they broke up last month. They have led the same complex lives as their straight counterparts on the show for several years. Oh, and they have remained super-sexual. This is not another sexless lesbian couple. They were hot right up until the day they broke up. (Which we still haven't recovered from, and hope they get back together next season.)
Rhimes is also responsible for the Best Gay Male Storyline of 2014, the complicated life of Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry, one of the most underrated actors on all of TV), White House Chief of Staff on the ABC hit "Scandal." The winter finale of "Scandal" put Cyrus at the center. What other prime time series is putting gay characters on the front burner? None.
We were on tenterhooks throughout this finale. When Cyrus handed in his resignation to the President we were actually saying, "Don't accept it, don't accept it" over and over. And when Fitz did accept it, we were crushed. Cyrus's husband James was murdered earlier in the year in the spring finale. How much more could he/we be expected to take? Fortunately, Olivia saved Cyrus from himself and his own integrity, turning the sex scandal between Cyrus and his gay hooker boyfriend into a love story. Wow. Just wow.
We bow to Rhimes. We bow to "Scandal." We bow to Cyrus and to Jeff Perry. What an amazing storyline this was, and what an amazing storyline it will be in 2015. When Cyrus says he spent 40 years in the closet, we just wept. This is still a reality, and Rhimes gets it. Oh, does she get it.
"Scandal" gets another best, Best Lesbian Actress in a Straight Role. Portia de Rossi's portrayal of Elizabeth North, the head of the RNC who set Cyrus up for the scandal, is magnificent. She was great in "Arrested Development" and "Better Off Ted," but she is definitely more than Mrs. DeGeneres in "Scandal." And also hot. Did we mention hot? That slicked-back hair is just to die for.
Best Longtime Series goes to Rhimes' "Grey's Anatomy," one of the longest-running prime-time series (about to begin its 12th season) and the only one that has had LGBT characters since its debut. "CSI" (15) has never had a gay character, and neither has "Law & Order: SVU" (16, although Finn has a gay son, but we haven't seen him in several seasons, and he was always a peripheral character), "NCIS" (12) or "Supernatural" (10, although these boys tease gay every week).
Best Limited Series of 2014 goes to Fox's "Gracepoint," which just ended on Dec.11 with the most shocking twist. We refuse to spoil this one, but if you missed it, rent it. It's one of the most extraordinary things you'll watch this year. Star Anna Gunn is absolutely brilliant and the antithesis of her Emmy-winning role as Skyler White in "Breaking Bad." We could watch this one again, even though we know the ending, it's that good.
Best Almost Gay Series of 2014? "Orange Is the New Black." Hands down. Lesbian, trans, bi -- this show has everything. Also stellar acting. Also several Golden Globe nominations. We love this show for so many reasons, not the least of which is real women in prison and a diverse cast.
Best Comedy Show is, for another year, Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show." We love that Fox News still thinks this is a news program, but the sad truth is, Stewart addresses the news more often than the punditry does, so there's that. (See last week's take on #BlackLivesMatter to see why everyone thinks Stewart is actually news. Here he explains what is "so utterly depressing" about the Eric Garner grand jury: http://bit.ly/1Aneb33.)
Best Gay Sex in a Prime Time Series won't be on anyone else's list, but it's on ours. Peter Nowalk's new series, "How to Get Away with Murder," exec produced by Shonda Rhimes, has brought the hottest, gayest sex to the small screen. Nowalk is openly gay and has stated he wanted to bring the sexy back -- and he has. With a vengeance. From the very first episode. This is the kind of gay sex the girls on "Sex and the City" were watching.
We like the normalcy of the gay sex on "HTGAWM." It's organic to the plot, it's believable, it's hot, and having gay sex be a weekly aspect of the plot just like the straight sex is forces straight audiences to acknowledge the reality of sexual gay men. Because, you know, reality.
Best Bisexual Character goes to "The Good Wife"'s Kalinda Sharma (played by the extraordinary Emmy-winning Archie Panjabi). Kalinda makes us swoon. She makes everyone swoon. We are shattered that Panjabi is leaving "TGW," but at least we will always have Netflix so we can see her again in perpetuity. Whether Kalinda is bedding her FBI agent girlfriend or taking a bat to a bad guy, she's like an action hero in a black leather miniskirt. She's in a category all her own.
There are several runners-up in the Best Bi Character category, and all of them are on Fox's new series, "Gotham." Barbara Kean (Erin Richards), Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartegena -- although she seems to be fully lesbian) and Fish Mooney (the amazing Jada Pinkett Smith, who, like Jeff Perry, is not getting her due. She should get an award just for the way she licks her lips). These women are incredible. The "Gotham" winter finale was made oh-so-much better by seeing Montoya and Barbara in bed together.
Best Homoerotic Series goes to "Hannibal," with "The Following" as a runner-up. Who could imagine bloodletting between men could be so sexy? You'd be hard-pressed (see what we did there?) to find more sexually charged scenes than those between Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) and Will Graham (Hugh Dancy). And Hannibal lovingly preparing cannibalistic treats for Will? Breathtaking. Once again, a gay showrunner -- Bryan Fuller -- is key. ("The Following" also has a gay showrunner, Kevin Williamson.)
Best Gay Scenes in a Drama: James (Dan Bucatinsky) being murdered on "Scandal." James' death brought a slew of memories for Cyrus (Jeff Perry) and the realization that he had not only lost the love of his life, but that he would now be raising their daughter alone. Prior to James' death, there were two other extraordinary scenes on "Scandal" unlike anything else we've seen between men on the tube: A naked fight between Cyrus and James, and Vice President Sally Langston's (Kate Burton) husband Daniel Douglas (Jack Coleman) telling her he was leaving her because he was tired of being in the closet.
Additionally, the entirety of "The Normal Heart," which touched the sense memory of any one of us who lived through the AIDS crisis. The film was the best historical treatise of gay life in a very long time. Ryan Murphy did a stellar job of taking us back to the hellish time.
Best Scene in Any Drama isn't on anyone else's list, but it's on ours, and we've created it specifically to showcase "HTGAWM" star Viola Davis. Mid-season Annalise sits at her vanity and takes off her make-up. She removes her wig. She sobs at one point. It is perhaps the most raw and compelling scene we have ever seen on the tube. It's brilliant and speaks to the masks we all wear, not just hers. Davis was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Dr. Annalise Keating. It is totally deserved. She's extraordinary in the role and so much larger than life that she takes up the entire screen. She deserves this space to showcase her often breathtaking skill set as an actor.
Best Actress is a very full category this year, which in many respects was the year of the strong female character, finally. We nominate the following actresses for their breadth and the excitement they bring to their roles: Davis, Julianna Margulies and Christine Baranski ("The Good Wife"), Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates (American Horror Story), Tea Leoni (Madam Secretary), Kerry Washington, Khandi Alexander and Bellamy Young ("Scandal"), Maggie Gyllenhaal ("The Honourable Woman"), Sandra Oh and Sara Ramirez ("Grey's Anatomy"), Mindy Kahling ("The Mindy Show"), Tatiana Maslany (why doesn't she get more props for playing five characters on "Orphan Black?"), Vera Farmiga ("Bates Motel"), Nataliie Beharie ("Sleepy Hollow"), Anna Gunn ("Gracepoint"), Alison Janney ("Mom" and "Masters of Sex"), Ruth Wilson ("The Affair" and "Luther") and Frances McDormand ("Olive Kitteridge").
Mariska Hargitay gets a special mention for her extraordinary work this season as Det. Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: SVU." The longest-running prime-time star, after 16 (soon to be 17) seasons of "SVU," she still manages to bring it. The Dec. 10 episode found Hargitay putting one of her own issues, the testing of rape kits, front-and-center. Hargitay is also doing PSAs for No More, a public awareness campaign against domestic violence and sexual assault. Her PSA will bring you to tears.
There are also an extraordinary number of superb actors, but these we feel are the best: James Spader ("The Blacklist"), Jeff Perry, Dan Bucatinsky and Joe Morton ("Scandal"), Kevin Spacey ("House of Cards"), Matthew McConaughey ("True Detective"), Idris Elba ("Luther"), Neil Patrick Harris and Matt Bomer ("American Horror Story"), Andre Braugher ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine"), Benedict Cumberbatch ("Sherlock"), Tom Mison ("Sleepy Hollow"), Alan Cumming, Josh Charles and Michael J. Fox ("The Good Wife"), Billy Bob Thornton ("Fargo"), Ty Burrell ("Modern Family"), Matthew Rhys ("The Americans"), Joel Kinnaman ("The Killing"), Dean Norris ("Under the Dome"), Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy ("Hannibal"), Robin Lord Taylor ("Gotham"), Mark Ruffalo ("The Normal Heart") and the incomparable Peter Dinklage ("Game of Thrones"), who was robbed of a Golden Globe.
In a year of incomparably good TV, the 20 Best Dramas of 2014 were: "Game of Thrones," "True Detective," "American Horror Story" ("Coven" and "Freak Show"), "House of Cards," "The Good Wife," "Hannibal," "The Following," "Scandal," "Masters of Sex," "House of Cards," "Madam Secretary," "Downton Abbey," "Fargo," "Sherlock," "Penny Dreadful," "The Killing," "The Americans," "The Affair," "Luther" and "The Leftovers."
The Best Comedies were (in order of gayness): "Vicious," "Modern Family," "Glee," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "The Mindy Show," "Big Bang Theory," "Blackish," "House of Lies," "Mom," "2 Broke Girls," "Louie," "Archer" and "Jane the Virgin."
Two comedies meant to showcase a gay theme this year failed utterly: "Sean Saves the World," starring Sean Hayes, and "The McCarthys," which is still going down for the third time on CBS.
Among the best sitcoms ever and in a Hall of Fame category is "The Simpsons," still amazing as it celebrates 25 years on the tube this month. Our all-time favorite throwaway is still the Ayn Rand School for Tots.
We're also inventing a new category: The Best Real-Life LGBT Folks on TV. These are men and women who are promoting gayness wherever they go and also being philanthropic and activist and all the good stuff. They are: Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Wanda Sykes, Jim Parsons, Laverne Cox, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Robin Roberts (thank you for finally coming out, please tell Donna Brazile it's time), Wilson Cruz, Kate McKinnon, Jane Lynch, Matt Bomer, Victor Garber, Sir Ian McKellan, Sir Derek Jacobi, Gillian Anderson, David Hyde-Pierce, Nathan Lane, Kirsten Vangsness, Alan Cumming, Linda Hunt and RuPaul.
Alas, we have a few people we feel are The Worst LGBT Folks on TV: Don Lemon (really? Asking a rape victim why she didn't bite off Bill Cosby's penis?), Rosie O'Donnell (oh Rosie, you're in your 50s, please grow up), Sean Hayes (we remember back when we liked you) and Raven Symone (yes, she really did say those things).
Among limited series and movies, a handful stand out, notably "The Normal Heart," "Breathless," "The Honourable Woman," "The Missing," "Olive Kitteridge" and "Gracepoint," each one of which was extraordinary, smart, compelling and should be on your Netflix list.
Best and Worst Comedy Show: "SNL." We don't understand why this show is such a roller coaster, but maybe after 40 years it's time to say goodbye and wrap it up? Last week's show was cringeworthy, with an opening skit making fun of Al Sharpton and the current crisis ensuing from the Eric Garner decision. Yikes.
Conversely, this skit ( http://aol.it/12Z00GB ) about Ferguson, featuring Kenan Thompson and Cecily Strong, was hilarious, and shows how "SNL" can address dicey topics like race in a way that is both humorous and edgy. Yet the show pulled it, but put it up on the website. Can they not tell what's funny and what isn't any more?
Best Late-Night Talk Show goes to Jimmy Fallon, who has made "The Tonight Show" his own, and made it fresh and funny, smart and engaging. We watched his interview with Chris Rock last week, and it brought out more issues related to race than most political talk shows we've seen. And while David Letterman may be retiring in May 2015 with Stephen Colbert taking the reigns on "The Late Show," for now he remains the most political of the late-night comedians, taking politicians on with alacrity.
As good as 2014 was, we hope 2015 will bring more LGBT characters and storylines, as well as more series like "Looking," "The Fosters" and "Transparent" that focus on and revolve around LGBT characters. But for now, to delve deep into homoeroticism and sexy bisexuals, strong women and men who flame, you know what you must do: Stay tuned. Happy Holidays!