How Will and Grace Beat Ellen's Gay Curse

But not only did Will & Grace prove the critics wrong, it went on to become a colossal hit, putting beloved gay characters in front of millions of Americans every week for eight years — plus three more with a revival.

But the show also came in for heavy criticism, particularly from gay viewers who said that it did real harm by deepening stereotypes, using slurs, and making queer people look bad. Across its run, Will & Grace racked up 18 Emmy wins, was one of the highest rated shows on television for years, and had an indelible impact on television, culture, and politics.

But was that impact a good thing or a bad thing...