Will & Grace Season 1 (1998)
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Will & Grace Season 1 Review
Will & Grace is a popular sitcom which focuses on the friendship between a gay man and a woman who live together while also focusing on their two friends. The first season premiered in 1998.
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“Jack, blind and deaf people know you’re gay.
Dead people know you’re gay“
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Let’s first discuss the characters. Rosario appears in just one episode here and she’s very funny. Of the four, Will and Grace have always been less interesting to me personally as they are the straight men in this show, but both are needed for balance and are so well developed. Their weird, problematic relationship is so well established and explored. Grace can be quite funny at times whereas Will is the most realistic character on the entire show.
But of course Jack and Karen steal the show. Jack is such a funny, flamboyant gay stereotype. I particularly find his childishness and refusal to find a job the most amusing. He can be so funny, but of course nowhere near as funny as Karen is. This cold, rich bitch has always been the standout part of the entire show and she continues to crack me up with her hilarious lines of dialogue and an irresistibly fun persona.
The interactions are also terrific between all four of these characters and the acting is terrific across the board, though at times I could definitely catch some of the actors smiling and laughing when they shouldn’t be laughing. The music is also good, but it’s otherwise your typical early sitcom which relies mostly on just the one apartment and Grace’s workshop.
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The first season has 22 episodes of which Pilot is a good introduction to the characters, but not the most entertaining episode in and of itself. A New Lease on Life is important for the future of the show as it not only introduces Jack and Karen to each other and in a very funny manner of course, but it also sets up Will and Grace living together in his apartment.
Head Case is overly dramatic, but again important in terms of characterization, especially of Will’s. Between a Rock and Harlin’s Place is particularly funny in Jack’s show where he lampoons the two protagonists in a hilarious fashion. Boo! Humbug’s highlight is Karen being mistaken by drag queens for being one herself. William, Tell is a pretty fun situational comedy kind of episode.
Where There’s Will, There’s No Way is somewhat forgettable, The Buying Game is fun in the Jack/Karen scenes but otherwise weak and The Truth About Will and Dogs is a pretty good dog-centric episode where the highlight is seeing Karen being disgusted by all the doggie talk. The Big Vent is a typical sitcom episode, uneventful in the bigger scope of things.
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Will on Ice is solid, but again not particularly comedic. My Fair Maid-y is the most entertaining in Jack’s scenes where he pretends to be Will to impress his date. The Unsinkable Mommy Adler introduces us to Grace’s mother who’s quite memorable, but the character study of Grace steals the show here.
As for Big Brother is Coming, I found it to be overblown as only Part II is funny and memorable whereas Part I is just a setup. I found Will’s brother somewhat forgettable as a character and the conflict between the two is unrealistic.
Yours, Mine or Ours is naturally one of the highlights of the season as seeing the two go after the same guy was a lot of fun. Secrets and Lays is again important, but overly dramatic and not comedic enough. Grace, Replaced is pretty entertaining in its story, but Will Works Out is easily one of the best episodes of the season as the conflict between closeted Will and out and flamboyant Jack is put to the moving forefront here. Very well explored.
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Saving Grace sees her pimping Will to her potential publicist to very amusing results. The man himself is so funny. Alley Cats is solid, but not particularly new or important. Object of My Rejection is actually a very strong conclusion to the season as it sees the two decide to stop living together.
Overall, I found the first season of Will & Grace to be pretty solid and very entertaining and funny in some episodes, but some episodes are weaker and most are important instead of truly great. This first season is too dramatic for my liking as the future seasons are just going to become better and better.
Worst Episodes: Where There’s Will, There’s No Way, Big Brother is Coming: Part II and Alley Cats.
Best Episodes: Yours, Mine or Ours, Will Works Out and Saving Grace.
