For many media watchdogs, the demise of Will & Grace signaled a sudden vacuum in queer TV, and this fall’s lineup hasn’t helped. But there’s hope in the form of South of Nowhere, a little runaway hit on the N Network featuring an out teen and her bisexual girlfriend.



To be fair, South juggles a bundle of issues during its weekly half-hour show. The story focuses on the Carlin clan, a Midwestern family who relocates to bustling L.A. only to find itself wrestling with issues of identity. Mom is an ace surgeon who may be igniting sparks with an old flame, Dad is a benevolent social worker lost in L.A.’s constant shuffle, all-American jock son Glen might be losing his shot at athletic glory and his adopted African-American brother Clay is stunned to be dropped into the city’s racially diverse melting pot.

But the heart of the show is daughter Spencer, a sunny teenager who suddenly finds herself attracted to Ashley, a rich, vampy classmate who is equally comfortable dating the star quarterback or the head cheerleader. Their budding romance in season one has turned South into a hit for the N Network, a teen-oriented sibling of MTV. It also garnered a nomination for outstanding dramatic series from GLAAD and has become a favorite for lesbians in the know.

Show creator and executive producer Tom Lynch (out writer Nancylee Myatt serves as co–executive producer) says he was looking to create a realistic show about today’s young people. “I wanted to make sure that we were reflective of the contemporary teen voice,” says Lynch, who submitted story outlines to high-school students during the show’s first season to make sure it presented an accurate portrayal of teen life. What Lynch discovered is that today’s youth is ready to discuss GLBT issues.

“Sexuality is an issue across the board and absolutely in schools,” Lynch says. “There are thousands of gay and lesbian clubs in high schools across the country. It’s as much a part of their life as the football team or being a cheerleader. It’s part of the fabric of American high school.”

While teens may be ready for the frank issues presented on South, one can’t imagine any right-minded kid cozying up on the sofa with his parents to watch a show that explores gay life (among other issues). But Lynch says that parents are ready for this dialogue with their kids. “When I started doing [youth-oriented] shows, it was because I couldn’t stand the shows my kids were watching and I couldn’t stand to watch it with them. I think all of my shows should be watched with parents. It’s not going to bring up anything that’s not rig ht in front of them.”

Lynch originally pitched the show under the working title Out, and says the initial inspiration sprung from a dialogue between his best friend and his friend’s gay son during which the father asked his son the familiar question, “How do you know you’re gay?” to which the son replied, “How do you know you’re straight?”

“When I heard that I just knew I had to make that show,” Lynch says. “There was just something that landed in me like, Wow, what is that like? How do you do this? That’s another area of identity I hadn’t dealt with before.”

At the end of season one, Spencer and Ashley take the first tenative steps toward a relationship after sharing a kiss. Season two will continue that journey and intensify as one girl comes out to her parents while the other confronts her past. Lynch is looking forward to it and believes the audience is ready.

“Nothing’s gonna go bad if we’re telling real stories about real people,” he says. “I can’t tell you how many times an older gay person says, ‘I wish there was a show like this when I was a kid.’ ”

Get your season one fix Thursday 21 at 8pm and Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30pm on the N Network. Season two premieres September 29 at 8pm.