Don’t you hate it when you meet that perfect person, but you know there is no chance for there to ever be a romantic relationship? Generally, the other person is so perfect they are already married. Or perhaps it is you who are already married. Maybe that person is too old or too young, or they live 4,000 miles away. In the case of hot-blooded American woman Grace Adler and successful lawyer Will Truman it’s that they have too much in common. Normally that isn’t really a problem, but in this case there is one thing that keeps them apart… they both love men. There just never seems to be an end to the ironies that sit-com writers can dream up. I have only watched a handful of TV sitcoms in recent years, mostly because of the fact that I find so many of them to be poorly written or produced. Too often they fall to the lowest common denominator of humor, or end up being carbon copies of other more successful shows. “Will & Grace” was originally a show I avoided like the plague. The premise sounded promising, but I just never made the viewing plunge.

My curiosity about “Will & Grace” continued over the years as the series picked up steam and started getting multiple Emmy nominations and wins, yet I still never quite convinced myself to actually watch it. That all changed last year.

Lion’s Gate Home Entertainment joined the ranks of those studios releasing successful TV shows on DVD with the release of the 1st season of “Will & Grace” last year, but as a copy of the set eluded me, I never got to review it. I received the 2nd season a while back and I decided the time was right for me to finally initiate myself with a few episodes of the series. After watching it I finally understood what all the hoopla had been about.

“Will & Grace” is an extremely well-crafted show with a terrific cast. I had heard rumors that Debra Messing (Grace) was the next Lucille Ball, and I have to agree. Like Ball, Messing has that rare mix of striking beauty and comedic timing. Usually actresses have one or the other, but not both. And so convincing is Eric McCormick’s performance as Will, I’m finding it hard to believe that he is not gay in real life. He exudes a petulant nature you don’t normally find in most men. I will say as good as Messing and McCormack are the real stand out on the series has to be Sean Hayes. As Jack, he is a whirling dervish of energy. I can easily see why he was chosen to play Jerry Lewis in the recent TV biopic.

I can’t say much for the 1st season of the series, which I will definitely have to see now. But almost every episode of the 2nd, 3rd and now 4th seasons have been hysterically funny. The plotlines often go way over the top, but the cast is consistently up to the challenges that the writers create. The one thing I like about the series is that it seems like no topic is taboo. Granted, this makes “Will & Grace” a bit inaccessible to younger audiences, but for adults it is about as ribald as you can get away with nowadays. Watching the series, I’m actually surprised that it doesn’t get picketed by Gay and Lesbian groups.

“Will & Grace” started becoming so incredibly popular that it began to attract some a ton of big name actors who wanted to ‘be seen’ on the show. This season boasts appearances by Helen Slater, Sydney Pollack, Matt Damon, Cher, Glenn Close and even Michael Douglas. Not too shabby!!

The 4-disc DVD release of the 4th season comes packaged in an attractive multi-fold holder, which is in turn housed in a slipcase. 23 episodes are available, and this time around they included a few extras that go beyond that of just ‘clip’ reels. Added here is a blooper reel, which is far more enjoyable than the ‘clip’ reels, and they really showcase how quick-witted the members of the cast are.

I was rather surprised that I ended up enjoying the series so much. If I had any idea the show was this funny I would have tuned in a long time ago.

Episodes:
The Third Wheel Gets the Grace
Past & Presents
Crouching Father, Hidden Husband
Prison Blues
Loose Lips Sink Relationships
Rules of Engagement
Bed, Bath & Beyond
Star Spangled Banter
Moveable Feast, Part 1
Moveable Feast, Part 2
Stakin’ Care of Business
Jingle Balls
Whoa, Nelly
Grace in the Hole
Dyeing is Easy, Comedy is Hard
A Chorus Lie
Someone Old, Someplace New, Part 1
Something Borrowed, Someone’s Due, Part 2
Cheatin’ Trouble Blues
Went to a Garden Party
He Shoots, They Snore
Wedding Balls
Fagel Attraction
Hocus Focus
A Buncha White Chicks Sittin’ Around Talkin’
A.I.: Artificial Insemination, Part 1
A.I.: Artificial Insemination, Part 2

Starring: Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes, Megan Mullally
Extras: Season 4 Outtake Reel, Themed Featurettes
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Lions Gate
Release Date: 9/16/2005
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Will & Grace: Season 4 a B.