Will & Grace

Will & Grace
Theintertitleused in the show's2017 revival
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	David Kohan Max Mutchnick
Directed by	James Burrows
Starring	Eric McCormack Debra Messing Megan Mullally Sean Hayes Leslie Jordan Shelley Morrison Michael Angarano
Theme music composer	Jonathan Wolff
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No.of seasons	11
No.of episodes	246(list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Max Mutchnick David Kohan James Burrows Jhoni Marchinko Jeff Greenstein Alex Herschlag Dave Flebotte Jon Kinnally Tracy Poust Gary Janetti Greg Malins Bill Wrubel John Quaintance Suzanne Martin Adam Barr
Cinematography	Tony Askins Gary Baum
Editors	Peter Chakos Peter D. Beyt
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	22 minutes
Production companies	KoMut Entertainment 3 Sisters Entertainment (1998–2006) 3 Princesses and a P Productions (2017–2020) NBC Studios (1998–2004) NBCUniversal Television Studio (2004–2006) Universal Television (2017–2020)
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	September 21, 1998(1998-09-21)– May 18, 2006(2006-05-18)
Release	September 28, 2017(2017-09-28)– April 23, 2020(2020-04-23)

Will & Graceis an American televisionsitcomcreated byMax MutchnickandDavid Kohan.Set inNew York City,the show focuses on the friendship between best friendsWill Truman(Eric McCormack), agaylawyer, andGrace Adler(Debra Messing), a straight interior designer. The show was originally broadcast onNBCfrom September 21, 1998, to May 18, 2006, for a total of eight seasons, and returned to NBC on September 28, 2017, and permanently ended on April 23, 2020.Will & Gracehas been one of the most successful television series with gay principal characters.

Despite initial criticism for its stereotypical portrayal of gay characters, it went on to become a staple of NBC'sMust See TVThursday night lineup and was met with continued critical acclaim. It was ensconced in theNielsentop 20 for half of its 1998–2006 network run. The show was the highest-rated sitcom among adults 18–49 from 2001 to 2005.Will & Graceearned 18Primetime Emmy Awardsand 96 nominations. Each main actor received an Emmy Award throughout the series. In 2014, theWriters Guild of Americaplaced the sitcom at number 94 in their list of the 101 best-written TV series of all time.

Since the final episode of the 1998–2006 run aired, the sitcom has been credited with helping and improving public opinion of theLGBT community,with then U.S. Vice PresidentJoe Bidencommenting that the show "probably did more to educate the American public" on LGBT issues "than almost anything anybody has ever done so far".In 2014, theSmithsonian Institutionadded anLGBT historycollection to their museum which included items fromWill & Grace.Curator Dwight Blocker Bowers stated that the sitcom used "comedy to familiarize a mainstream audience withgay culture"in a way that was" daring and broke ground "in American media.

During its original run,Will & Gracewas filmed in front of a live studio audience (most episodes and scenes) on Tuesday nights,at Stage 17 inCBS Studio Center.A long-running legal battle between both the original executive producers and creators and NBC took place between 2003 and 2007. Will and Grace's apartment was put on display at theEmerson CollegeLibrary, donated by series creator Max Mutchnick.When the set was removed in 2014, rumors came up about a cast reunion, but the actors involved denied that such a reunion was planned, explaining it was merely being moved.

In September 2016, the cast reunited for a 10-minute special (released online), urging Americans to vote in the2016 presidential election.After its success, NBC announced that the network was exploring the idea of puttingWill & Graceback into production.In January 2017, NBC confirmed the series' return for aninth season,for the 2017–2018 television season,which was eventually expanded to 16 episodes.This was followed by renewals for 18-episode tenth and eleventh seasons.On July 25, 2019, it was announced that the eleventh season would be the final season of the serieswhich premiered on October 24, 2019.

Premise

Will & Graceis set inNew York Cityand focuses on the relationship between Will Truman (Eric McCormack), agaylawyer, and his best friend Grace Adler (Debra Messing), aJewishwoman who owns an interior design firm. Alongside them are their friends Karen Walker (Megan Mullally), a demonicallyalcoholicsocialite, and Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes), a gay actor. The interplay of relationships features the trials and tribulations of dating,marriage,divorce,andcasual sex;as well as comical key stereotypes ofgayandJewish culture.

Cast and characters

Main article:List of Will & Grace characters

Main

Eric McCormack and Debra Messing in 1999

Hayes in 2010

• Eric McCormackasWill Truman:The first titular protagonist in the show, Will is agayman who is a successfulcorporate lawyerwho studied atColumbia University,where he met Grace as a freshman; they have been best friends ever since. He is very precise andobsessivewhen it comes to certain tasks, especially cleaning, dressing, and decorating. However, Will does have a very patient and compassionate nature towards those close to him, often to a fault. Even though Will is gay, he sometimes tries to pass as straight; he has at times avoided admitting his sexual orientation to people. Several characters commented that his relationship with Grace is more like that of a married couple than two friends; at one point Will even considered having a baby with Grace.
• Debra MessingasGrace Adler:The other titular protagonist in the show, Grace is astraightinterior decoratorwith a fondness for food and a sometimes selfish attitude. She has been Will's best friend since college and roommate throughout most of the show. Grace isJewishbut does not practice her religion staunchly. She plays as aneuroticcounterbalance for Will's moreeverymancharacter. Grace tends to rely heavily on Will for moral and emotional support, especially after a break-up.
• Megan MullallyasKaren Walker:Karen "works" as Grace's assistant, making "Grace Adler Designs" popular among her socialite acquaintances. She is married to thewealthy(butunseen) Stanley Walker. Because of her husband's wealth, Karen does not actually need a job and it's shown in the pilot episode that she hadn't been cashing her paychecks, preferring to 'collect' them instead. She mentions at one point that she only took the job to get herself 'away from Stan and the kids.' Karen is also known forcasually downing alcoholand prescription medication and has a venomous personality. However, she is very close to Jack, adores Grace, and throughout the show's run, warms up to Will. Even though she seems to be devoid of manners and social graces, Karen has shown bouts of intelligence: having a working knowledge of business/real estate market economics, a moderate understanding of computers, and a flair for interior design. She is also a certifiedpublic notaryand an aficionado of various liquors and prescription drugs. Despite this, she is often unaware of her rudeness and thoughtless conduct toward theworkingandmiddle classes,often criticizing and mocking what she fails to understand.
• Sean HayesasJack McFarland:Will's close friend since college. Jack is flamboyantly gay, confident, and free-spirited, having been so from a young age. He drifts from man to man and changes occupations often, being very fickle when it comes to both. He has worked as a struggling actor, an acting instructor, a back-up dancer forJennifer LopezandJanet Jackson,a sales associate atBanana RepublicandBarneys New York,a cater-waiter, a student nurse, Junior VP for Out TV, and host of his own Out TVtalk show,calledJack Talk.Jack made four one-man shows (calledJust Jack,Jack 2000,Jack 2001,andJack 2002) to showcase his singing/dancing/acting abilities; all attempts having only marginal success. Early on in the show he establishes a close friendship with Karen; the pair often spend time together and orchestrate various pranks. Throughout the series, Jack relies on Will and Karen for financial support, but on the finale of the original series, he inherits Beverley Leslie's money and becomes very rich. His idol isCher.
• Gary Grubbsas Harlin Polk (regular season 1; guest season 2): A major client of Will's in season one who ultimately fires him.
• Shelley MorrisonasRosario Salazar(regular seasons 3–8; recurring seasons 1–2): Karen's maid, and later Jack's wife then ex-wife because of a green card marriage. Morrison was invited to reprise her role when the series was revived, but declined, having retired from acting.
• Michael Angaranoas Elliot (regular season 4; recurring seasons 3, 5–6, 8; special guest season 9): Jack's son. Shortly after learning of his biological father's death, Jack meets Elliot, his biological son created fromspermJack donated at the age of 17.

Supporting

Supporting characters on Will & Grace

Main characters	Will Truman	Grace Adler	Jack McFarland	Karen Walker
Spouses	Vince D'Angelo(Bobby Cannavale) McCoy Whitman(Matt Bomer)	Marvin "Leo" Markus(Harry Connick Jr.)	Rosario Salazar(Shelley Morrison) Estéfan Gloria(Brian Jordan Alvarez)	Stanley Walker(unseen character) Lyle Finster(John Cleese)
Family	George Truman(Sydney Pollack) Marilyn Truman(Blythe Danner) Sam Truman(John Slattery/Steven Weber) Paul Truman(Jon Tenney)	Bobbi Adler(Debbie Reynolds) Martin Adler(Alan Arkin/Robert Klein) Janet Adler(Geena Davis/Mary McCormack) Joyce Adler(Sara Rue) Fiona Adler(Billie Lourd) Eleanor Markus(Judith Ivey)	Judith McFarland(Veronica Cartwright) Elliot(Michael Angarano) Daniel McFarland(Beau Bridges) Skip(Jet Jurgensmeyer)	Lois Whitley(Suzanne Pleshette) Gin(Bernadette Peters) Barry(Dan Futterman) Lorraine Finster(Minnie Driver) Marion Finster(Tim Curry) Sumner Davis(Paul Satterfield)
	Ben Truman(Ben Newmark),Lila Markus(Maria Thayer)
Friends	Karen Walker(Megan Mullally),Jack McFarland(Sean Hayes),Rob(Tom Gallop),Ellen(Leigh-Allyn Baker),Joe(Jerry Levine),Larry(Tim Bagley),Steve(Steve Paymer)		Will Truman(Eric McCormack),Grace Adler(Debra Messing),Karen Walker(Megan Mullally),Zandra Zoggin(Eileen Brennan)	Will Truman(Eric McCormack),Grace Adler(Debra Messing),Jack McFarland(Sean Hayes),Candice Bergen(Candice Bergen),Smitty(Charles C. Stevenson Jr.)
Neighbors	Val Bassett(Molly Shannon),Mr. Zamir(Marshall Manesh),Nathan(Woody Harrelson),Mrs. Timmer(Livia Treviño)			—
Love interests	Michael(Chris Potter) Scott Sender(Branden Brent Williams) Matthew(Patrick Dempsey) James Hanson(Taye Diggs) Vince D'Angelo(Bobby Cannavale) McCoy Whitman(Matt Bomer)	Ben Doucette(Gregory Hines) Danny(Tom Verica) Josh(Corey Parker) Nathan(Woody Harrelson) Nick(Edward Burns) Tom Cassidy(Eric Stoltz) Marvin "Leo" Markus(Harry Connick Jr.) Noah Broader(David Schwimmer)	Stuart Lamarack(Dave Foley) Kevin Bacon(Kevin Bacon)	Lionel Banks(Rip Torn) Malcolm Widmark(Alec Baldwin) Nikki(Samira Wiley)
Rivals	Kevin Wolchek(Adam Goldberg)	Val Bassett(Molly Shannon)	Artemis Johnson(Will Arnett) Owen(Matt Damon) Jimmy(Sam Pancake)	Helena Barnes(Joan Collins) Beverley Leslie(Leslie Jordan) Lorraine Finster(Minnie Driver) Scott Woolley(Jeff Goldblum) Candy Pruitt(Christine Ebersole) Val Bassett(Molly Shannon) Candice Bergen(Candice Bergen)
Bosses	Ben Doucette(Gregory Hines) Mr. Stein(Gene Wilder) Margot(Lily Tomlin) Malcolm Widmark(Alec Baldwin)	—	Jamie(John Ducey) Tim(Mark Harelik) Dorleen(Parker Posey)	Grace Adler(Debra Messing)
Employees / Subordinates	Mrs. Freeman(Jo Marie Payton) Connie(Kari Lizer)	Karen Walker(Megan Mullally) Gillian(Natasha Lyonne) Tony(Anthony Ramos)	Dave(Mathew Botuchis)	Rosario Salazar(Shelley Morrison) Friday(Vanessa Bayer)
Clients	Harlin Polk(Gary Grubbs) Stanley Walker	—	Joanne(Emily Rutherfurd) Russell(Jon Fleming)	—
Co-workers	Gary(Jamie Kaler)	—	—	—
Others	Tina(Lesley Ann Warren),Benji(Brian A. Setzer),Nurse Sheila(Laura Kightlinger),Diedre(Edie Falco),Monet(Chloë Sevigny),Cher(Cher),Jenny(Demi Lovato)

Episodes

Main article:List of Will & Grace episodes

Season	Episodes		Originally aired		Rank	Rating	Viewers (millions)
			First aired	Last aired
1	22		September 21, 1998(1998-09-21)	May 13, 1999(1999-05-13)	40	—	12.72
2	24		September 21, 1999(1999-09-21)	May 23, 2000(2000-05-23)	44	—	13.00
3	25		October 12, 2000(2000-10-12)	May 17, 2001(2001-05-17)	14	11.3	18.66
4	27		September 27, 2001(2001-09-27)	May 16, 2002(2002-05-16)	9	11.0	18.43
5	24		September 26, 2002(2002-09-26)	May 15, 2003(2003-05-15)	11	11.0	18.34
6	24		September 25, 2003(2003-09-25)	April 29, 2004(2004-04-29)	13	10.4	15.79
7	24		September 16, 2004(2004-09-16)	May 19, 2005(2005-05-19)	44	—	10.41
8	24		September 29, 2005(2005-09-29)	May 18, 2006(2006-05-18)	61	—	9.08
Webisode	1		September 23, 2016(2016-09-23)		—	—	—
9	16		September 28, 2017(2017-09-28)	April 5, 2018(2018-04-05)	36	—	8.85
10	18		October 4, 2018(2018-10-04)	April 4, 2019(2019-04-04)	72	—	5.31
11	18		October 24, 2019(2019-10-24)	April 23, 2020(2020-04-23)	82	—	4.01
Special			April 23, 2020(2020-04-23)		—	—	2.97

Production

Conception

Creators ofWill & Graceand real-life friendsMax MutchnickandDavid Kohanmodeled the show after Mutchnick's relationship with childhood friend Janet Eisenberg, a New York City voice-over casting agent. Mutchnick, who is gay, met Eisenberg while rehearsing a play atTemple EmanuelinBeverly Hills, California,when aged 13.He was the main star of theHebrewschool musical,while she was a student in the drama department. About three years later, she introduced him to Kohan, the son of comedy writerAlan Kohan,in the drama department atBeverly Hills High School."Max and Janet seemed to have a lovely rapport, but the romantic element confused me, and it confused them as well", Kohan later recalled. "They went out for a couple of years, then they went off to different colleges. And Maxcomes out of the closet,springs it on her—and she was stunned. It was a shocking revelation for her, so I kind of functioned as a liaison between the two of them, because they both still really loved each other. "

While Kohan practiced hisshuttle diplomacy,he and Mutchnick began developing sitcom ideas, which prompted the pair to start writing as a duo.They eventually landed staff jobs onHBO's adult-themed sitcomDream Onand executive produced the short-lived NBC sitcomBoston Common.In 1997, they developed an ensemble comedy about six friends, two of them based on Mutchnick and Eisenberg.At the same time,Warren Littlefield,the then-president ofNBCEntertainment, was seeking another relationship comedy for the network asMad About Youwas going off the air.When Kohan and Mutchnick pitched their idea, which centered on three couples, one of which was a gay man living with a straight woman, Littlefield was not excited about the first two couples, but wanted to learn more about the gay and straight couple, so Mutchnick and Kohan were sent to create a pilot script centering on those two characters.While Kohan and Mutchnick elaborated on the pilot script, they spent four tense months fa xing Littlefield the box office grosses from hit films with gay characters such asThe BirdcageandMy Best Friend's Wedding.

NBC was positive about the project, but there was still some concern that the homosexual subject matter would cause alarm.Ellen DeGeneres's sitcomEllen,which aired onABC,was canceled the year beforeWill & Gracepremiered because ratings had plummeted after the show became "too gay."Despite the criticism ABC received for DeGeneres'scoming outepisode, "The Puppy Episode",Kohan said," there's no question that show made it easier forWill & Graceto make it on the air. "He added:"Will & Gracehad a better shot at succeeding whereEllenfailed, however, because Will has known about his homosexuality for 20 years. He's not exploring that awkward territory for the first time, as Ellen did. The process of self-discovery and the pain most gay men go through is fascinating, but the average American is put off by it. "

Pilot

See also:Pilot (Will & Grace)

Eric McCormackwas the first actor cast in the series

NBC went to sitcom directorJames Burrowsto see what he thought of the homosexual subject matter and if an audience would be interested in the show.Burrows liked the idea and when he first read the script in November 1997, he decided that he wanted to direct it. Burrows said, "I knew that the boys had captured a genre and a group of characters I have never read before."The filming of the pilot began on March 15, 1998. The actors behind Will and Grace, Eric McCormack and Debra Messing, were positive about the series and they thought it had the potential to last long on television. McCormack said: "When shooting was finished that night, Debra and I were sitting on the couch and looking at each other and I said, 'We're gonna be on this set for a while.' And we sort of clasped hands, but we didn't want to say anything beyond that and jinx it."

The part of Will Truman went to Eric McCormack, who was the first actor cast in the series.Having played gay characters several times in his career, McCormack did not have a problem with it and thought his character could become a "poster boy for some gay movement", in the way that DeGeneres became a spokesperson with her character.Sean Hayes was invited to audition for Jack after an NBC casting executive saw him in a role in the indie gay romance filmBilly's Hollywood Screen Kiss.Even though Hayes enjoyed the script when he read it, he threw it away and decided not to try out for the audition until he was sent the script again.Megan Mullally initially auditioned for the role of Grace Adler, but admitted that she did not want to audition for the part of Karen since it seemed too similar toChristine Baranski’s part onCybill.Once Mullally got the role, she was able to put her own spin on the character and add some fun quirks to Karen.By contrast, Debra Messing, with whom Mullally had first worked onNed and Stacey,was initially unsure if she wanted to play the role of Grace.The last actor to be cast, she later admitted that director Burrows was the reason for doingWill & Grace.The production team once admitted that they got her to finally say yes once she was drunk at a party.

Revival

In January 2017, NBC closed a deal for a new 10-episode season of the series, which aired during the 2017–18 season. Hayesexecutive producedthis season as well as creators/executive producers Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Veteran directorJames Burrowsis on board to direct and executive produce.In April 2017, the episode order was increased to 12 episodes. In August 2017, it was extended again to 16 episodes, and a 13-episode tenth season was ordered.The revival was filmed at Stage 22 atUniversal Studios Hollywood,as opposed to Stage 17 atCBS Studio Center.In March 2018, NBC ordered five more episodes for the revival's second season, bringing the total to 18 episodes, and it was also renewed for an 18-episode third (eleventh) and final season.

Aftershow

Will & Grace: After Party

Logo for the aftershow

With the release of the ninth season of the series, NBC also releasedWill & Grace: After Party,anaftershowhosted byKristin dos Santos.The guests of the aftershow are composed of cast and crew from the series, includingDavid Kohan,Max Mutchnick,and the series' stars, to discuss the development and behind-the-scenes production of the series. The series premiered on NBC on September 29, 2017.

No.	Title	Episode discussed	Guest(s)	Original release date
1	"Episode 1"	11 Years Later	Eric McCormack	September 29, 2017(2017-09-29)
2	"Episode 2"	Who's Your Daddy	Harry Connick Jr.andBobby Cannavale	October 6, 2017(2017-10-06)
3	"Episode 3"	Emergency Contact	Jane Lynchand Glenda Rovello	October 12, 2017(2017-10-12)
4	"Episode 4"	Grandpa Jack	Minnie Driver	October 19, 2017(2017-10-19)
5	"Episode 5"	How to Succeed in Business Without Really Crying	Leslie Jordan	October 26, 2017(2017-10-26)
6	"Episode 6"	Rosario's Quinceañera	Megan Mullaly,David Kohan,andMax Mutchnick	November 2, 2017(2017-11-02)

Lawsuit

In December 2003, in the midst of the series' sixth season, executive producers and creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick sued NBC and NBC Studios. Alleging that the network sold the rights to the series in an attempt to keep profits within the NBC family, Kohan and Mutchnick felt that they were cheated out of considerable profits because the network did not shop the show to the highest bidder. Another allegation against the network was that during the first four seasons of the series, the studio licensed the rights for amounts that were insufficient for covering production costs, thus leading to extraordinarily large production deficits.Three months later, NBC filed a countersuit against Kohan and Mutchnick stating that the co-creators were expected to act as an independent third party in the negotiations between NBC and its subsidiary, NBC Studios (since subsumed intoUniversal Television).

With a pending lawsuit and production beginning on other projects, Kohan and Mutchnick were absent on theWill & Graceset for most of its final seasons. They wrote the season 4 episode, "A Buncha White Chicks Sittin' Around Talkin'" and did not return to the writers' seat until the series finale four years later. Three years after NBC's countersuit and one year after the series ended, the legal battle between NBC and Kohan and Mutchnick ended in 2007 when all parties agreed on a settlement, with the series creators being awarded $49 million of the $65 million they sued for.

Syndication

Will & Graceentered off-network syndication in 2002, and remained in local syndication until 2008. In 2002WGN Americaacquired the cable rights to air the series, where it aired until 2005 whenLifetime Televisionacquired the cable rights to the series. After eight years and the expiration of Lifetime's contract, the rights to the series were picked up byWeTVandLogo TVin 2013, with both eventually letting the rights lapse.

The streaming serviceHululater picked up the show, in anticipation of the show's revival in 2017, with the entire series also carried on NBC. Around the same time, NBC's classic subchannel networkCozi TVpicked up the series and airs it four times nightly, and promotes it as "The Original Series" to avert confusion with the current-day run.

In theUnited Kingdom,the series was broadcast onChannel 4up until its season finale in 2006. The revival of the show was picked up byChannel 5instead, premiering in January 2018. The channel chose not to broadcast any further episodes, and the tenth (and eleventh) seasons went straight to a DVD release in August 2019 and July 2020 respectively,beforeComedy Central– a sister channel – began the tenth season in January 2021.

In Ireland, the series first aired onTV3 Irelanduntil its conclusion in 2006. It was confirmed in January 2018 rival channelRTÉ2picked up the broadcasting rights for the 2017–18 season run, beginning in February 2018.

Reception

Critical response

The show has been criticized for not fully challenging stereotypes. "Battles and Hilton-Morrow (2002) analyseWill & Gracewith regard to its dependence on traditional sitcom formulas and argue that the narratives diminish any of the show's potentially subversive themes...Kanner (2003) notes that the gayness ofWill & Graceis normalized because the driving force of the show is their heterosexual friendship. Will's sexuality is assumed and incorporated into the show mostly as comic source and rarely as driving narrative. "

The show garnered a fair amount of criticism and negative reviews upon its debut in 1998, most of which compared the show to the recently canceledABCsitcomEllen.One such review said, "IfWill & Gracecan somehow survive a brutal time period oppositefootballandAlly McBeal,it could grow into a reasonably entertaining little anomaly—that is, a series about a man and a woman who have no sexual interest in one another. But don't bet on it. If it's doomed relationships viewers want, they'll probably opt forAlly."As popular as the show came to be, particularly among gay viewers,Will & Gracecontinuously dealt with criticism for having a limited view of the gay community and for reinforcingstereotypeswhen some felt it should have torn them down.

The series finale was heavily promoted by NBC, and McCormack, Messing, Mullally and Hayes appeared onThe Oprah Winfrey ShowandThe Today Showto bid farewell, on May 10 and 18, respectively. NBC devoted a two-hour block in its primetime schedule on May 18, 2006, for theWill & Gracesend-off. An hour-long series retrospective, "Say Goodnight, Gracie", featuring interviews with the cast, crew, and guest stars, preceded the hour-long series finale. Series creators and executive producers Kohan and Mutchnick, who had not served as writers since the season 4 finale, penned the script for "The Finale". Regarding the finale, Mutchnick stated, "We wrote about what you want to have happen with people you love... All the things that matter in life, they end up having."

The ninth season was met with generally positive reviews. OnRotten Tomatoes,the season has a rating of 86% based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Will & Gracereunites its ever-hilarious cast for a revival season that picks up right where the show left off 11 years ago—adding a fresh relevance and a series of stories that make sharply funny use of the passage of time. "OnMetacritic,the season has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Awards and nominations

Main article:List of awards and nominations received by Will & Grace

Megan Mullallyreceived two Primetime Emmy Awards for her portrayal of Karen

Will & Gracehas been nominated for 83Primetime Emmy Awards,winning 18 of them, including once forOutstanding Comedy Seriesin 2000. McCormack, Messing, Hayes, and Mullally each won at least one Emmy Award for their respective performances, becoming one of four live-action sitcoms, along withAll in the Family,The Golden GirlsandSchitt's Creek,where all the principal actors have won at least one Emmy Award. Mullally also won a second time for her performance in 2006, a year whenWill & Gracewas nominated for 10 Emmys for its final season. The year before, the show had garnered 15 nominations, tied withDesperate Housewivesas the series receiving the most nominations. This was almost an all-time record; the two shows were second behindThe Larry Sanders Show,with 16 nominations in 1996.

With three each, both Hayes and Mullally held the record of winning the mostScreen Actors Guild Awardsfor the categories Best Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series and Best Performance by an Actress in a Comedy Series, respectively, for their roles inWill & Grace;however,Tina Feywent on to tie with Mullally andAlec Baldwinwent on to surpass Hayes, both for their roles on the series30 Rock.Will & Gracehas won severalGLAAD Media Awardsfor its advocacy of thegay community.Despite 30 total nominations,Will & Gracenever won aGolden Globe Award.

Ratings

The show debuted on Mondays beginning on September 21, 1998, and steadily gained in popularity, culminating when it moved to Thursday night as part of NBC'sMust See TVline-up. The show ultimately became ahighly ratedtelevision show in the United States, earning a top-twenty rating during four of its eight seasons, including one season at No. 9. From 2001 to 2005,Will & Gracewas the highest-rated sitcom among adults aged 18–49. However, when the show lostFriendsas its lead-in after the2003–04 season,Will & Gracebegan shedding viewers and slipped out of the top 20 during its last two seasons.

"The Finale"drew over 18 million viewers,ranking No. 8 for the week, easily making it the most watched episode of seasons seven & eight. While the season eight finale is considered a ratings success, it is far from being the most watched episode ofWill & Grace—that accolade remains with the season four episode "A Chorus Lie",which aired on February 7, 2002, and ranked No. 8 for the week. When the show was at the height of its popularity (seasons 3–5), ranking in the Top 10 was a common occurrence, but the finale's Top 10 rank was the only such rank for season 8 and the first such rank since the season 7 premiere" FYI: I Hurt, Too ". Although it had slipped down the overall rankings,Will & Graceended its final, eleventh season as NBC's most watched comedy series.

Average seasonal ratings

Viewership and ratings per season ofWill & Grace

Season	Timeslot (ET)	Episodes	First aired		Last aired		TV season	Viewership rank	Avg.viewers (millions)
			Date	Viewers (millions)	Date	Viewers (millions)
1	Monday 9:30 pm(1–8) Tuesday 9:30 pm(9–17) Thursday 8:30 pm(18–22)	22	September 21, 1998(1998-09-21)	11.82	May 13, 1999(1999-05-13)	18.14	1998–99	40	12.72
2	Tuesday 9:00 pm	24	September 21, 1999(1999-09-21)	16.09	May 23, 2000(2000-05-23)	15.52	1999–2000	44	13.00
3	Thursday 9:00 pm	25	October 12, 2000(2000-10-12)	24.32	May 17, 2001(2001-05-17)	20.50	2000–01	14	18.66
4		27	September 27, 2001(2001-09-27)	20.64	May 16, 2002(2002-05-16)	23.65	2001–02	9	18.43
5		24	September 26, 2002(2002-09-26)	21.45	May 15, 2003(2003-05-15)	20.28	2002–03	11	18.34
6	Thursday 9:00 pm(1–12, 22–24) Thursday 8:30 pm(13–21)	24	September 25, 2003(2003-09-25)	20.29	April 29, 2004(2004-04-29)	20.53	2003–04	16	15.79
7	Thursday 8:30 pm	24	September 16, 2004(2004-09-16)	16.55	May 19, 2005(2005-05-19)	7.92	2004–05	44	10.41
8	Thursday 8:30 pm(1–9) Thursday 8:00 pm(10–24)	24	September 29, 2005(2005-09-29)	9.81	May 18, 2006(2006-05-18)	18.43	2005–06	61	9.08
9	Thursday 9:00 pm	16	September 28, 2017(2017-09-28)	10.19	April 5, 2018(2018-04-05)	3.63	2017–18	36	8.85
10	Thursday 9:00 pm(1–8, 17–18) Thursday 9:30 pm(9–16)	18	October 4, 2018(2018-10-04)	3.96	April 4, 2019(2019-04-04)	2.99	2018–19	72	5.31
11	Thursday 9:30 pm(1–5) Thursday 9:00 pm(6–18)	18	October 24, 2019(2019-10-24)	2.28	April 23, 2020(2020-04-23)	3.14	2019–20	82	4.01

Cultural impact

The series was the first prime-time television series on U.S. television to star openly gay lead characters, making it the highest-profile presence of LGBT characters on U.S. broadcast television sinceEllen's eponymous lead character'scoming-outin the 1997 "Puppy Episode".It has also been heralded as responsible for opening the door to a string of gay-themed television programs, such asQueer as Folk,Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,andBoy Meets Boy.In 2004, the cast of the show were listed inBravo's100 Greatest TV Characters.In 2012,The Washington PostrankedWill & Gracethe ninth-best NBC comedy of all time.In 2014, scripts, props, and set decor fromWill & Gracewere donated to theNational Museum of American History,which is part of the Smithsonian.In December 2023,VarietyrankedWill & Grace#93 on its list of the 100 greatest TV shows of all time.

In May 2012, during aMeet the Pressinterview with hostDavid Gregory,then U.S. Vice PresidentJoe Bidencited the series as an influence in American thinking regarding LGBT rights, saying, "I thinkWill & Gracedid more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has ever done. People fear that which is different. Now they're beginning to understand. "In the same interview, Biden stated that he was "absolutely comfortable" withsame-sex marriage,a statement which was followed on May 9 by PresidentBarack Obama's speaking in favor of it.The day after Obama's statement, series co-creator Mutchnick later toldCBS This Morningthat Biden had spoken similar words at a private function which Mutchnick and his husband had attended two weeks prior to Biden's statement, although a White House official was cited byCBS This Morning'sBill Planteas asserting that theMeet the Pressinterview was not a "trial balloon" for the statement.Both Mutchnick and Kohan praised Biden's statement, but were critical of Obama's stance on marriage during the time between Biden's and Obama's statements.

Home media

Lions Gate Home EntertainmentandNBC Enterpriseshas released all eight seasons ofWill & Graceon DVD in Region 1, 2, and 4. The show was re-released and re-packaged on October 3, 2011, on region 2.Universal Studios Home Entertainmentcurrently holds the rights to the series in Region 1. On August 29, 2017, Universal re-released season 1 of the series on DVD in a 3-disc set. The re-release carries over all bonus features from the original Lionsgate release. It is unknown whether or not Universal will re-release the rest of the series. On June 12, 2018, Universal released season 9 on DVD and made-on-demand Blu-Ray, asWill & Grace: The Revival – Season Onein region 1. Season 10 was released asWill & Grace: The Revival – Season Twoon DVD and made-on-demand Blu-Ray on June 18, 2019.

Season	Ep#	Discs	Release dates			Notes
			1	2	4
1	22	4	August 12, 2003	August 30, 2004	2004	Reissued on August 29, 2017, by Universal 22 uncut episodes
2	24	4	March 23, 2004	August 30, 2004	2004	Syndicated (edited) version "Ben? Her?" appears. However, the full version appears on the complete boxed set and the compilation "Will & Grace: Best of Love & Marriage." Episode listing on box does not match episode listing on discs Episodes on the fourth disc appear out of sequence
3	25	4	September 7, 2004	August 30, 2004	2005	"Gypsies, Tramps and Weed" appears as its syndicated version. The "super-size" episode, "Cheaters", appears as the original version, without the extra footage later added for syndication "Cheaters" is incorrectly labeled as "Cheaters, part 1" Various international Season 3 sets feature the syndicated versions of "Cheaters" (in two parts), with the extra footage included.
4	27	4	August 16, 2005	August 30, 2004	2005	27 uncut episodes
5	24	4	August 29, 2006	March 7, 2005	2006	The "super-size" episodes, "Women and Children First", "Dolls and Dolls","May Divorce Be With You "," 23 ", and the season finale" 24 ", appear as the syndicated versions
6	24	4	May 1, 2007	August 15, 2005	2007	The "super-size" episodes, "Dames at Sea", "A-Story, Bee-Story" and "Ice Cream Balls", appear as the syndicated versions. Although not a "super-size" episode, "Strangers With Candace" is edited to its syndicated version. The one-hour season finale, "I Do, Oh, No, You Di-in't," is split into two episodes (Parts 1 & 2). However, there is no footage missing.
7	24	4	December 4, 2007	January 30, 2006	2007	The episode "Friends With Benefits" is presented in its syndicated cut version. The original version can be found on the 2007 Emmy-consideration promotional DVD. The bloopers in the US have been censored/cut, with approx. 1 minute of footage removed compared to the international editions. All episodes after "Christmas Break" originally aired in widescreen, but are presented in 4x3 here.
8	24	4	September 16, 2008	August 7, 2006	2008	All 24 episodes included in their entirety. As with the later half of season 7, all episodes in this season originally aired in widescreen, and are presented in 4x3 here.
Finale	1	1	May 30, 2006	—	—	One-hour series finale included in its entirety.
9	16	2	June 12, 2018	TBA	June 13, 2018
10	18	2	June 18, 2019	TBA	June 18, 2019
11	18	2	July 7, 2020	TBA	July 7, 2020
1–8	194	33	September 16, 2008	August 7, 2006	April 30, 2008	Re-packaged discs from the previous releases with a bonus disc containing: A re-hashing of season 8's themed featurettes Eric's favorite episode with commentary by him and Debra Messing Debra's favorite episode with commentary by her and Eric McCormack The Pilot Episode with commentary by Max Mutchinck, David Kohan, and James Burrows A slideshow of stills from over the series' run

Spin-offs

Karen: The Musical

It had been announced that Megan Mullally would be creating and starring in a new Broadway musical titledKaren: The Musical.This musical would have had Mullally reprising her role of Karen Walker. She stated in an interview that the show may also involve recurring guest starLeslie Jordanin his role as Beverley Leslie, with a story revolving around their rivalry.

According to Mullally, the project was cancelled due to the rights to the Karen character being withdrawn. Mullally stated to have already gained approval from the network, as well as having the Broadway production company Fox Theatricals, director and choreographerCasey Nicholawand composerJeff Blumenkrantzall lined up to participate in the production, before certain stakeholders in the Karen Walker character withdrew the rights for its use in the production.

Jack & Karen

There had been talk in 2008 that a spin-off was being developed by NBC titledJack & Karen,featuring Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally reprising their roles. Hayes initially showed interest in the spin-off but was ultimately put off by the short-livedFriendsspin-off,Joey.Furthermore, Mullally's new work schedule in the form of hertalk show,which was canceled several months later, did not allow her to pursue the spin-off at the time.

#VoteHoney

On September 26, 2016, the main cast—McCormack, Messing, Hayes, and Mullally, plus Morrison in a cameo role—reunited for a 10-minute web special, urging Americans to vote in the2016 presidential election.In the special – titled#VoteHoney– Karen, an avidDonald Trumpsupporter, tries to persuade Jack to vote for Trump, while Will and Grace, both avidHillary Clintonsupporters, try to persuade him to vote for Clinton. At the end, Will reveals that singerKaty Perryis a supporter of Clinton, which persuades Jack to vote for Clinton. The success of the special resulted in the series' revival in 2017.

See also

• Lists of television shows with LGBT characters
• Gimme Gimme Gimme– a British sitcom often compared toWill and Grace

External links

• Will & GraceatIMDb