Will & Grace already renewed -- but minus one key character

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti proclaims
August 2, 2017 "Will & Grace Day"
at Universal Studios Hollywood.
l-r, NBC president Bob Greenblatt,
L.A. mayor Garcetti, W&G creators
Max Mutchnick and David Kohan,
stars Eric McCormack, Debra Messing,
Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes, and
director Jimmy Burrows.
Photo by Chris Haston/NBC

At today's panel for the revival of Will & Grace at the Television Critics of America (TCA) convention in Beverly Hills, things started with a bang -- the announcement that not only has the episode order for season 1 been increased to 16 (from the original 10, then 12), but the show has already been renewed for a second season.

Ever since the announcement of the revival -- and even before, with the debut of the #VoteHoney video that the cast members and producers made to get out the vote last fall -- Will & Grace has been drawing major buzz.  Yesterday, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti attended the inauguration of the show's new stage 22 at Universal Studios, accompanied by the cast, fanfare and confetti.

The show's producers have stated that they intend to work around the original W&G series finale -- by pretending it didn't ever happen.  Other than that, they were mum on most details, including the returns of recurring characters, guest stars, etc.  Could Cher appear?  Maybe, but it's not set up yet.  Harry Connick, Jr.'s Leo, they confirmed, will be back. Leslie Jordan's Beverley Leslie?  Others?  Talks are ongoing.

But the one piece of bad news I received personally after the panel:  despite appearing in the VoteHoney video, Shelley Morrison has decided to retire, and will not be reprising her character of Rosario at all on the series.  "It's a Larry Bird type of retirement, not a Michael Jordan retirement," David said -- completely confusing fans like me, but I'm sure that analogy makes sense to straight fans out there.  :)  (I'm told it means that Shelley's retirement is complete, and she really can't be persuaded to return.)

Will & Grace's now 16-episode 1st season debuts on NBC on Thursday, September 28.

Catch me tonight on "The Story Behind: Will & Grace"

In 2003, I got an offer I couldn't refuse, to write the official companion book to NBC's groundbreaking sitcom Will & Grace.  Already obsessed with the show, I felt like Jack McFarland, when he was hired by his idol Kevin Bacon.

Tonight at 9PM Eastern/8 Central on Pop TV (formerly the TV Guide Network), catch me in The Story Behind:  Will & Grace, wherein I was honored to join members of the show's cast and crew to tell some fun behind-the-scenes tales.

For more info, including to find Pop TV on your cable/satellite system, go to www.poptv.com.

Below, a sneak peek at tonight's episode:

Sordid Lives comes to DVD

From the moment I first saw the series' premiere at Los Angeles' Outfest in 2008, I was hooked on Sordid Lives. Del Shores' comedy, based on his earlier film and play about an extended family of Texas trailer trash, was hilarious, moving, and completely addictive. Too bad Logo didn't get that -- as far as anyone knows, they haven't ordered a second season of the show. (Of course not -- it was too expensive. And too smart for them.)

Not that Del hasn't tried to nudge the network along, even touring the country with his husband, the show's Jason Dottley, and some of his series' other stars. (You can find more information on the tour dates and locations on Del's Facebook page, and also on this Facebook page for fans of the series: Save Sordid Lives.)

The silver lining in all this is that, as of October 13, Sordid Lives will be on DVD -- in Canada. But worry not -- now you can pre-order a Canadian copy (it's Region 1, so it's the same as the U.S.) here. The DVD contains all the goodies Logo bleeped and/or edited out -- including a censored sex scene with former Golden Girl Rue McClanahan.

With Leslie Jordan, Caroline Rhea, Beth Grant, Ann Walker, Bonnie Bedelia, Olivia Newton-John and so many more -- it's an amazing cast in a show which may (still hoping, Logo, still hoping) have been cancelled far too soon.

The "Bad Road" Not Taken

A few months back, I had the chance to see all six existing episodes of the comedy 12 Miles of Bad Road, which HBO had originally picked up, to much fanfare, and then mysteriously cancelled in mid production.

The series was created by now-legendary Designing Women scribe Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, and had a first-rate cast.  Lily Tomlin.   Mary Kay Place.  Leslie Jordan.  Gary Cole.  And so many other fabulous actors you may not yet know by name, like Katherine LaNasa, Leigh-Allyn Baker (from Will & Grace), Eliza Coupe (now on Scrubs), Kim Dickens, Tara Karsian and Ilana Milicevic.

But more important than its amazing pedigree, 12 Miles of Bad Road was simply just a fun, funny show.  With the timing of its production, it seems to have been at least partially a victim of the writers' strike of 2007-08.  But HBO's cancellation of a series in mid-production is exceedingly rare.  Remember, they even let that turkey John From Cincinnati hit the airwaves.

It's a mystery why the network never let 12 Miles find the fans -- like the Designing Women devotees and Lily Tomlin adorers -- who were waiting for it.  Here's the best I can do:  a trailer for the never-to-be show (unless HBO relinquishes it to another network, I hope, I hope!):

Catch Me "Under the Pink Carpet"

Starting this past spring, fabulous and gay comic actor Leslie Jordan began touring America with a show based on his memoir, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet. I had first met Leslie back in 2004, when I was writing my book on Will & Grace, and was thrilled to get the chance to interview him about his portrayal of Karen Walker's thrillingly bitchy and impish nemesis, Beverly Leslie.

Back in April, Leslie launched his tour here in New York City, with a performance to benefit the Harvey Milk High School. At the party afterward, I was briefly interviewed for this segment of Clover Honey and Tony Sawicki's fun cable show, Under the Pink Carpet, about just what makes every character Leslie plays -- now including Brother Boy on Del Shores' campy and addictive Southern sitcom Sordid Lives, which I hope LOGO has the good sense to renew! -- so much fun to watch.