JACK'S BACK:
DAWSON CREEK RETURNS
WB, Oct. 2, 7-9 p.m.
My favorite GTV character, Jack ( Kerr Smith ) is back! The big question: How did Jack's summer with closeted former frat bro Eric ( Ryan Bittle ) go? In May, as Jack and Jen prepared to embark on their summer vacation in Costa Rica, Jack ran into Eric at the airport. Eric was returning from home because he couldn't deal with coming out to his parents. Jack decided to stay in Boston for the summer to help Eric out. Rumor has it that Jack's love life will be livelier this year. In the season opener, Jack sneaks a guy out of his bedroom behind Grams's back, trades glances with a cute guy from Hell's Kitchen, moves in ( platonically ) with Pacey ( Joshua Jackson ) , and develops a crush on his new professor ( Canadian hunk Sebastian Spence of the SCI FI Channel's FIRST WAVE series ) —described as a man with "a secret." Hmmm ... what could it be?
THE GAY-MAZING RACE 3
CBS, Oct. 2, 8 p.m.
THE AMAZING RACE is back, and 3 of the 12 teams are gay-inclusive: The Father/Son Team: Dennis, 48, a straight Southern Baptist father and Andrew, 21, his gay cheerleading son. The Brothers Team: Gay casting director Ken, 40, and his younger straight brother, financial consultant Gerald, 35. The Lifelong Friends team: Gay teacher Aaron and waitress Arianne, both 27, are a real-life WILL AND GRACE—Arianne says her biggest disappointment with Aaron is that "the baby they planned to have together some day will not be naturally conceived." Cheerleader Andrew does a backflip in the opening credits, much to the chagrin of his dour Southern Baptist father.
ALSO THIS WEEK:
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 2
JOAN COLLINS ON GUIDING LIGHT ( CBS, 2 p.m. ) Joan continues as "glamorous, sophisticated, manipulative" Alexandra Spaulding.
FELICITY BEGINS SYNDICATION ( WOMEN'S ENTERTAINMENT, 6 and 11 p.m. ) You can now see gay Javier, Ben, Noel and the gang every night. Repeats the next morning at 11 a.m.
MDs ( ABC, 9 p.m. ) Robert Joy plays Frank Coones, an understated and underhanded gay hospital administrator unpopular with the staff.
THE WEST WING ( NBC, 8 p.m. ) Debbie Fiderer ( Lily Tomlin ) , Bartlett's new secretary, has problems with her security check.
MTV MOVIE SPECIAL: SWEPT AWAY ( MTV, 9 p.m. ) Madonna's hubby Guy Ritchie directs her in a remake of Lina Wertmuller's 1974 film. Repeats Thursday at 5 p.m., Friday at 9 a.m., Saturday at 9 p.m., Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.
SO GRAHAM NORTON ( 10 p.m., 1 a.m., BBC AMERICA ) . Britain's over-the-top gay talk show host airs every weeknight, often in ancient reruns.
THURSDAY, OCT. 3
WILL AND GRACE ( NBC, 8 p.m. ) While stalking Kevin Bacon, Jack gets himself hired as the actor's personal assistant.
E.R. ( NBC, 9 p.m. ) Lesbian Dr. Kerry Weaver ( Laura Innes ) Kerry steps on a still-grieving Corday's ( Alex Kingston ) toes.
FRIDAY, OCT. 4
IMAGE UNION ( Ch. 11, 10:30 p.m. ) People come out to family in Frank Mosvold's Norwegian comedy "Home for Christmas" and Nish Saran's documentary "Summer in My Veins." Repeats Sunday at 1 a.m.
SUNDAY, OCT. 6
JULIE GOLDMAN ON THE SOPRANOS ( HBO, 8 p.m. ) Lesbian comedian Julie Goldman guest stars as Saskia, a "headstrong, flannel-wearing" 21-year-old Columbia University senior.
TUESDAY, OCT. 8
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER ( UPN, 7 p.m ) Buffy, Xander and Dawn search for teen lesbian witch Willow ( Alyson Hannigan ) , whose return to Sunnydale is marred by a demon who eats the skin of his victims.
NYPD BLUE ( ABC, 9 p.m. ) The precinct's gay receptionist John Irvin ( Bill Brochtrup ) has a new haircut this season.
REAL WORLD LAS VEGAS ( MTV, 9 p.m. ) Last week, straight Steven, who once worked as a topless bartender in a Texas gay bar, had a three-way with Brynn and Trishelle!
DAVID SEDARIS ON LETTERMAN ( CBS, 10:35 )
QUOTE: "I believe ( fox-hunting ) should be allowed to continue, because I have seen how closely hunting meshes with the economic and social fabric of rural living." — Iconoclastic lesbian novelist Jeanette Winterson ( Sexing the Cherry ) , oddly defending fox-hunting in both The Guardian and Daily Mail, on the occasion of the recent Countryside Alliance Liberty and Livelihood march, which drew 400,000 rural demonstrators to London in the city's biggest political demonstration ever. ( Parliament is expected to soon consider a ban on fox-hunting. ) Around 20 roads in central London were closed to traffic as the march got under way, with 1,600 police officers on duty and an extra 1,800 march stewards on patrol. Think Manhattan's Bridge and Tunnel crowd, only from Iowa, and you get the picture. Before Winterson moved to the rural Cotswolds eight years ago, she says, she was anti-hunt.
Gay Boy Ric is a comedian and pop singer based in L.A. To receive free GTV E-Mail Alerts, e-mail gayboyric@yahoo.com .
