Review: Is 'Uncoupled' a Gay 'Sex and the City'?

The inevitable comparisons to "Will & Grace" will serve Netflix's new show "Uncoupled" very well. They both have a main character who is a gay white man in a big city with a fairly high income. It feels like there are nods in the few episodes I have seen to that other affluenza relationship fest in the big city called "Sex and the City." I was pretty impressed that there are people of color included in this show, and at least two Black people in the regular cast. I do not know if straight people will watch this show unless they are dangerously near the end of all the Netflix, although Neil Patrick Harris is a sitcom treasure as a veteran of both "Doogie Howser, M.D." and "How I Met Your Mother."

The truth is that there are people in this world who will clutch their pearls at the thought of gay people, any gay people, doing anything besides suffering. While there is certainly personal suffering on display related to the titular struggle, we also get to see the protagonist enjoy his clearly gay life where he does not lie about how attracted he is to men or how much he wants to spend the rest of his life in a romantic relationship with a man, but not just any man. The chemistry between Neil Patrick Harris' Michael and newly ex-partner Colin (Tuc Watkins) has a uniquely gentle push and pull when it is made clear that they both love each other very much, but are not exactly what each other needs in the moment.

No stranger to the TV screen, Tisha Campbell also anchors the show as Michael's work partner (nee work wife). She clearly supports, and berates him in equal measure. In addition, Michael's closest gay male friends offer what wisdom and comfort they can while also fearing that they will, in meme parlance, remain "forever alone." Loneliness and building community wherever you can get it is a story in many of the episodes, with acceptance, love and wisdom coming to bear down on Michael almost in spite of his own expectations as a long once coupled man who needs to shift his expectations in order to forge ahead.

Now men can leave Michael in so many ways: before meeting, in the middle of the day, by surprise, after a hook-up, in the middle of a hook-up. While still processing his nuclear break-up, he struggles to realize that his life could be pretty awesome, even without a partner. Maybe his circle of family and friends, and of course, his own dreams can be enough. There are delicious open-ended plots that promise more interesting hijinks if there is a second season.

"Uncoupled" begins streaming via Netflix starting July 29.