In a world where nothing ever ends, the good folks at NBC have decided to bring back their most beloved television series, Will & Grace, after eleven years. Why? Why not?
Usually, I hate TV revivals. They’re unnecessary, drawn-out, and have nothing new to say. However, there are small exceptions like Showtime’s Twin Peaks, Netflix’s Gilmore Girls, and the Fuller House reboot. Now we can add Will & Grace to the list.
Despite, the 2006 finale which offered the fans a satisfying goodbye where Will Truman and his best friend Grace Adler both married their partners and had children. Apparently it was all a dream (and no one read Word Up! Magazine); thus giving the writers a clean slate. Meh.
We last saw the Will & Grace cast in 2016 during the election campaign for their 10-minute reunion short, titled “#VoteHoney.” They were spunky, vivacious, and comically sharp as Will and Grace tried to convince Jack to vote for Hillary Clinton while Karen was pledging her support for Trump.
The premiere picks up after the election as Grace, an interior designer, is offered a job renovating Trump’s White House. While Karen is cozy with the Trumps, Will and Grace struggle with their morals. Despite Trump being the subject of the episode, the show never attacks his stance nor offers supports but it does provide for some clever Trump jokes scattered throughout; reminding us how privileged these characters all are to never have to care either way about the political direction of the country.
The three episodes screened for the press do a great job of reminding me why I fell in love with the show. It is quirky, hilarious, and sharp. Despite ending over ten years ago, the show feels like it never ended. Now older, but not wiser, the gang struggles with dating now that they’re considered old. They must also deal with politics and getting over lost loves (hello, Harry Connick Jr.) The jokes are fresh, providing for clever zingers/insults, familiar comfort, and slapstick comedy. The cast’s chemistry continues to bleed together effortlessly.
While the show is at top form, there is someone’s presence who is strongly missed: Debbie Reynolds (rest in peace) as Grace’s mom and Shelley Morrison as Rosario, Karen’s maid who has retired from acting. There is a massive hole that both actresses have left but co-creator and writer Max Mutchnick does a great job at addressing their absence in the upcoming episodes.
Will & Grace provides for great nostalgia that so many other revivals have failed to accomplish. It’s refreshing to know the creators and cast really care about the show they left behind instead of lazily throwing together a show for the sake of a paycheck. While it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if the husbands and children still existed, Will & Grace is still fun escapism that’ll continue to make your day a little brighter and sassier.
