Gay lawyer Will and straight interior designer Grace share a New York City apartment. Their best friends are gleeful and proud gay Jack and charismatic, filthy-rich, amoral socialite Karen.
This sophisticated show has pop-culture references, loving friendships, well-cast stars and the sure hand of director James Burrows. The bawdy asides sound witty rather than smutty, and the show has been shrewdly assembled.
Kindness is the true beauty of Will & Grace, and it may be that kindness, in the midst of so much of the mean-spirited, demeaning stuff that passes for comedy on TV, will carry the day.
The concept is more credible than it might sound thanks to clever scripting, an appealing cast, and the masterful hand of James Burrows. Getting Burrows to direct your pilot is the equivalent of having your house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
The only thing most viewers will care about initially is whether the series is funny. The pilot has its share of good lines, and Messing and McCormack have a winning charm and chemistry.
It's a sitcom that has the potential to prove to prime time that attractions between adults are not always rooted in lust. With its promising little ensemble, the biggest problem is that it's scheduled opposite Ally McBeal.
What sets this show apart from its not-so-funny sitcom counterparts is its cutting humor. Pop-culture references fly fast and furiously, and the characters exchange witty repartee effortlessly.