The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV (31 page)

During
Dawson’s Creek’s
second season, Jack McPhee and his sister Andie (Meridith Monroe) arrived in Capeside and soon became part of teenager Dawson Leery’s (James Van Der Beek) inner circle. At the time, there were no hints when Jack pulled into town that he was anything but heterosexual.
Dawson’s
creator Kevin Williamson, who describes the series as “very personal and autobiographical,” decided “to create a character to represent my sexuality, which is my greatest asset in life...[and] to explore the complexities of a young boy coming to terms with his homosexuality, very much the way I did in a small town.”
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The decision to have a series regular come out of the closet also let Williamson and the series’s producers follow Jack through the various stages of the coming out process. Over time, we witness Jack coming out to his friends and family, deal with his father’s (David Dukes) rejection, experience his first kiss, and fall in love.

When we first meet Jack, he is introverted and socially awkward, particularly in comparison to sister Andie, an overachiever who is a tad on the manic side. It’s Jack’s interest in art that brings him closer to Joey Potter (Katie Holmes). Their friendship blossoms into a romance, but everything changes in a two-part episode (“To Be or Not to Be...That is the Question”). In the middle of reading a poem (entitled “Today”) he wrote for English class that has homoerotic overtones, Jack breaks down and the gay rumors begin to circulate. His friends and family have mixed reactions: Pacey (Joshua Jackson) defends him against their bullying English teacher, Mr. Peterson (Edmund J. Kearney); sister Andie doesn’t want it to be true, but eventually offers Jack her love and support; and Jack’s disapproving father, who tries to “guilt” his son into admitting he is not gay, makes a hasty exit when both Jack and Andie stand up to him. Interestingly, the most powerful scene involves Jen’s (Michelle Williams) current boyfriend, Tyson Hicks (Eddie Mills), a born-again Christian, who, contrary to his Bible quoting demeanor, knows how to have a good time. Tyson calls Jack a “fruit fly” and insists that homosexuality is a choice. He starts to deliver the party line about how homosexuality is wrong because it says so in the Bible, and the gay movement has been “medically and morally” damaging to his country. Fortunately, Jen’s Christian grandmother, affectionately called Grams (Mary Beth Peil), steps in and teaches Tyson a much needed lesson in tolerance:

By giving the obligatory tolerance speech to Jen’s grandmother, the source becomes as important as the message because it’s coming from another Christian (or shall I say a “true Christian,”). From a story standpoint, the scene also sets up Jack’s future relationship with Jen as well as Grams, who invites the teen to live with them at the end of the second season when Andie is institutionalized and he is left all alone.

Once Jack is out, the series takes its time to explore this aspect of his character. More importantly, Jack is never treated like the token gay character and his homosexuality never limits his involvement in storylines. Since the beginning, he has always had, in Andie’s words, “that march to a different drummer thing going.” As a gay man, he continues to maintain his individuality.

At the start of season three, Jack joins the Capeside Football team and becomes their star quarterback. At first, he thinks his teammates are being hard on him because he is gay, but he soon discovers it has nothing to do with his sexuality — he’s just not mentally and physically ready to be pulverized by the opposition (“None of the Above”).

Jack subsequently becomes something of a local celebrity when Dawson shoots a news piece about Jack. He begins corresponding over the internet with a gay guy from a neighboring town, but when they arrange to meet, Jack backs out at the last minute. He has the same reaction when a hunky photographer named Colin (Nick Stabile) takes an interest in him and asks Joey to set them up (“Psychic Friends”). Poor Jack freaks out and later admits he’s just not ready to start meeting guys.

When Jack finally is ready for a little romance, he proceeds cautiously. While traveling on a train from Boston back to Capeside (“First Encounters of the Close Kind”), he meets Ethan (Adam Kaufman), who’s just ended a two-year relationship. It’s obvious to Ethan that Jack is a “newbie,” which he explains is “any sweet inexperienced young man destined for broken hearts.” Jack is too shy to ask for Ethan’s phone number, but fortunately he runs into him again and the two end up sharing a tent at an overnight concert (“Barefoot at Capefest”). Jack’s disappointed when nothing happens but, as Ethan explains, he didn’t think Jack was ready for a physical relationship, though he does want to remain friends with the possibility of something more.

At the end of the season three, Jack takes Ethan to the “alternative prom” Dawson and the gang organize in protest of the school’s refusal to let Jack attend with a male date (“The Anti-Prom”). The more experienced Ethan’s intentions, however, still aren’t clear, though he does admit to having feelings for Jack. Jack asks him why he hasn’t kissed him. Again, Ethan says he doesn’t believe Jack is ready, and challenges Jack to initiate the kiss:

A teary-eyed Jack is simply not able to bring himself to...until the next episode (“True Love”). Realizing he doesn’t want to go through life regretting he never kissed Ethan, Jack tracks him down and shows him he’s not afraid. Unfortunately, Jack impetuously kisses him without knowing Ethan is back together with his boyfriend, Brad (Burgess Jenkins), who just happens to be sitting right there.

Jack has better luck the next season when he meets Tobey (David Monahan) at a Gay-Straight Student Coalition Meeting. At first, the guys take an instant disliking to one another. Jack resents Tobey’s judgmental attitude toward him and his implication he’s had it easy because he’s a football player. But as Tobey later explains, he has a tendency to jump to conclusions based on appearances because, as a child, he was called names by the other kids and his sister had to defend him.

“But you don’t know what that’s like, do you?” he asks.

“No, I don’t, but that doesn’t make me any more straight,” Jack replies.

The situation is not only consistent with Jack’s character, but touches on how even within the gay community, people judge each other by the way they look and act. Jack and Tobey eventually work out their differences and become a bona-fide couple. But as with most high school romances, it doesn’t last once Jack goes off to college.

Born in Sunnydale, California, Willow (Alyson Hannigan), daughter of Ira and Sheila Rosenberg, is a highly intelligent teenager who has spent most of her high school years battling the forces of evil. Willow’s life changes when Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), the Vampire Slayer, a.k.a. the Chosen One, arrives in Sunnydale, not knowing the small suburban town is actually the opening into the demonic underworld. The Slayer possesses superhuman strength and agility, which she uses to kill vampires, demons, and other evil creatures. Buffy receives guidance from her Watcher, school librarian Rupert Giles and a group of teens that refer to themselves as the “Slayerettes” or the “Scooby Gang” (as in the cartoon
Scooby Doo
)
.

Willow is intelligent and has an extensive knowledge of computers. In fact, while still a student, she is hired as a substitute teacher when science teacher Jenny Calendar (Robia LaMorte) is killed. When she’s not at her computer, Willow is usually plowing through Giles’s library of ancient books that at times can be quite helpful in tracking down a demon, vampire, or witch. As a result, Willow begins to dabble in witchcraft and starts assisting Giles with spells, which leads to some “experimenting” on her own.

Willow falls in love with Oz, a guitarist for a local band, Dingoes Ate My Baby. Like Willow, Oz also has a high I.Q. and is something of a computer whiz. In fact, he and Willow officially start their relationship on career day when both are being recruited by the same computer company. However, their relationship hits a wall when his cousin Jordy, who turns out to be a werewolf, bites Oz. Oz, who now has to be locked up when there’s a full moon, has an affair with a female werewolf, Veruca, who he later must kill to protect Willow.

Oz eventually leaves town, while Willow goes on to college. At her Wicca meeting (a polytheistic Neo-pagan religion that worships the Mother Goddess and whose followers practice benign witchcraft), Willow meets a fellow witch, Tara (Amber Benson). When Sunnydale is invaded by a group of demon-like invaders known as The Gentlemen, who steal everyone’s voices, Tara and Amber join forces and magical powers to defend themselves (“IIush”).

Over the course of the season, they grow closer and seem more like a couple. At one point, Tara wonders why Willow doesn’t introduce her to her friends. Willow assures her she’s not ashamed of their relationship; she only wants her all for herself. They eventually declare their love and when Oz pays a surprise visit to Sunnydale, Willow is forced to explain the situation to him (“New Moon Rising”).

Buffy
creator Joss Whedon has ushered the representation of gay characters on television into the next millennium with the “coming out” of Willow. Both Willow and Tara are prime examples of how gay and lesbian characters, teens as well as adults, can be fully integrated into a series without their homosexuality ever being an issue. Whedon’s approach is truly groundbreaking because when Willow comes out, there’s no “very special” episode or long speech beginning with the phrase “I’ve discovered something about myself.” Like Willow, we’re made to feel her love for Tara is the most natural thing in the world.

In a memorable episode from the 2000-2001 season, Buffy’s mother Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) dies unexpectedly (“The Body”). Willow’s devastated by the news and becomes somewhat frantic. In an effort to calm her down, Tara kisses her on the lips. It’s a simple kiss. A quiet, simple moment.

Two lovers kissing. Just like lovers do.