“Brothers & Sisters” New Showrunner on Kevin and Scotty’s Surrogacy Storyline
Posted by Michael Jensen, Editor on November 13, 2009
David Marshall Grant
Last month, ABC announced that David Marshall Grant was taking over showrunning duties for the Sunday night drama Brothers & Sisters. The news was of special interest to gay fans as the out Grant is also an actor probably best known for his brief but memorable appearance on thirtysomething as the gay Russell Weller. Grant appeared on four episodes of the show during the ’89-‘90 season including the infamous outing that showed Russell in bed with his boyfriend. That scene set off a furor with numerous advertisers pulling their ads and leading ABC to yank that particular episode from repeats.
Fortunately, things have changed a great deal since then, and it might even seem like karma that Grant is now in charge of one of the most gay-friendly shows on television. ABC recently made Grant available for short interviews to discuss the show and his new role. Naturally, we asked him about Kevin and Scotty.
AfterElton.com: Our readers are very interested in Kevin and Scotty. What's going to happen with the surrogacy storyline that you can talk about?
David Marshall Grant: Surrogacy is going to be a big factor for them this season. We're going to follow the natural progression of it, and the drama of it, and the ups and downs of surrogacy. We're going to try to take it in a time appropriate pace in our story. I think it'll be with us for the whole rest of the season.
Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) and Kevin (Matthew Rhys) spar
over the decision to start a family.
over the decision to start a family.
AE: When you say it'll be with us for the rest of the season, can you say whether they're going to go through with it?
DMG: Well, they're going to debate that, of course, then they have to pick a surrogate, well, that's already ... you know. And then they go through the process of having to pick the egg donor and then you have get them all together and harvest the egg, then you have to figure out who's eggs are whose, which one are you going to implant, does the implantation take. It's just so many steps in that journey. We want to really mine and honor all the steps along the way when you try for surrogacy.
DMG: Well, they're going to debate that, of course, then they have to pick a surrogate, well, that's already ... you know. And then they go through the process of having to pick the egg donor and then you have get them all together and harvest the egg, then you have to figure out who's eggs are whose, which one are you going to implant, does the implantation take. It's just so many steps in that journey. We want to really mine and honor all the steps along the way when you try for surrogacy.
AE: Can you give me a hint as to who's going to be considered for an egg donor?
DMG: I think one of the fun things about egg donors is that you can get them at an egg donor bank, so you go online, the egg donor or surrogacy center data bank you choose them from, where they are harvested from, is online, so it's just a fun, interesting way of choosing who will technically be the mother of your child. [laughs] The egg donor part of it is usually done semi-anonymously, in that you don't know their last name, but you know everything else about them. You see videos, pictures, childhood pictures, so it's a strange process of picking people online.
DMG: I think one of the fun things about egg donors is that you can get them at an egg donor bank, so you go online, the egg donor or surrogacy center data bank you choose them from, where they are harvested from, is online, so it's just a fun, interesting way of choosing who will technically be the mother of your child. [laughs] The egg donor part of it is usually done semi-anonymously, in that you don't know their last name, but you know everything else about them. You see videos, pictures, childhood pictures, so it's a strange process of picking people online.
AE: Can you tell me if there will actually be a bun in the over by the end of the season?
DMG: That you'll have to wait and watch the show to find out. That is the big, six pound, four ounce question.
AE: Other than the surrogacy storyline, what is the relation between Kevin and Scotty going to be? It seems like Scotty has really developed a backbone this season. He's been pretty darn assertive about what's going on. What will we see with the two of them? Is it just the surrogacy storyline or will there be other plots going on?
DMG: Actually, there's going to be a lot going on. For instance, the Wig Party, which was Monica's last episode as showrunner, I actually co-wrote with Margery Davis, so it was a good way to typify our collaboration. Scotty is going to have his own real story that involves his father who is going to come to visit. Scotty gets his first story with a character outside the Walkers that he's the lead on.
We've all fallen in love with Scotty, not to mention Luke the actor, so we're really stepping him up this year. The Scotty and Kevin journey, that includes surrogacy but does not limit itself to surrogacy, is going to be a very gripping, intense journey for them this year. There's going to be a lot to look forward to this year.
AE: It's interesting that you happen to be a gay man yourself...
DMG: Who said I was gay, Michael?
DMG: Who said I was gay, Michael?
AE: I've heard it around. I think Perez Hilton mentioned it or something.
DMG: [laughs]
DMG: [laughs]
AE: I've been really happy with Modern Family and Brothers & Sisters for doing these storylines about gay men having kids. There is a certain segment of gay men who don't like seeing these surrogacy storylines for whatever reason. What's your reaction to gay men who don't want to see this storyline?
DMG: You mean gay men who don't want to see this storyline?
DMG: You mean gay men who don't want to see this storyline?
AE: Yes, gay men.
DMG: I don't even know. I mean, if they have some sort of political reason for not liking the storyline, I don't even know what that could be. If they just don't like because it doesn't interest them, then they shouldn't watch it. Are you suggesting they have some sort of political or some take on gayness that doesn't include surrogacy?
DMG: I don't even know. I mean, if they have some sort of political reason for not liking the storyline, I don't even know what that could be. If they just don't like because it doesn't interest them, then they shouldn't watch it. Are you suggesting they have some sort of political or some take on gayness that doesn't include surrogacy?
AE: I think there's two takes on it. From fans of watching gay stories, I know this happens a lot to lesbians when their storylines come along, it's sort of — and I don't mean this explicitly — but it desexualizes the characters, makes them parents, and sort of takes away from the more romantic storylines that you could be seeing. And then, as you know, there's a faction of the gay community that doesn't want to see gay marriage come along, or don't want to see gay men become part of the traditional mainstream. I guess it's a neutering to some folks.
DMG: Right. Well look, I think if we were to "neuter" them and make them asexual parents that might be true, but this is a show where Kevin and Scotty nearly had a threeway on ABC, so I hardly think we've been desexualizing Scotty and Kevin. I think they make out more than most other characters in the show actually. I think we've been really conscious to maintain their sexuality, and I think we've done a great job of that. I think ABC deserves enormous kudos for letting us.
DMG: Right. Well look, I think if we were to "neuter" them and make them asexual parents that might be true, but this is a show where Kevin and Scotty nearly had a threeway on ABC, so I hardly think we've been desexualizing Scotty and Kevin. I think they make out more than most other characters in the show actually. I think we've been really conscious to maintain their sexuality, and I think we've done a great job of that. I think ABC deserves enormous kudos for letting us.
In terms of the other thing, I don't think that gay men and women becoming parents is in any way a step backwards in terms of gay progress or what it means to be a gay man or woman in this country. I think that these are certainly life choices. It's a choice whether you want to be a parent or not. It's not a choice to be gay, but that choice is something many people make. Scotty and Kevin hopefully are an example of a vibrant, sexual couple that have been portrayed countless times in heterosexual ways on television. We're taking the next step that pretty typical for many couples where they want to start having a family. I personally think it's a great portrayal of what it means to be gay and in love in this country right now.
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