Top Ten Almost-Gay TV Couples

Eric Diaz Power
Ranker 68,833 views 10 items

Before Ellen outed herself on national TV, LGBT characters on TV were few and far between. But over the years, there were many TV couples that could've been outed if times had been different (very different), but were instead portrayed as just almost-gay. From shows like The Odd Couple and My Two Dads, to Bosom Buddies and Laverne & Shirley, here's a list of the top 10 almost-gay couples in TV history.

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1

The Odd Couple

The Odd Couple: Felix and Oscar. 1970 to 1975 on ABC. It starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison.

Here are the facts: Felix and Oscar are two divorced men. Felix is a neat freak while Oscar is sloppy and casual. They share the same apartment. Their different lifestyles inevitably lead to some conflicts and canned laughs...and they are the gayest couple you will ever see on TV.

Frankly, it's shocking that by the 70s the notion of two men one prissy as hell, one with failed heterosexual relationships, living together in a Manhattan apartment didn't ring any queer bells at the network.

I mean really...it doesn't get any gayer than this folks.

BONUS: This clip features a young Betty White!
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2

Bert and Ernie

Bert and Ernie: two roommates on the long-running children's show Sesame Street. They are the Muppets version of the Odd Couple, and the sweetest almost gay couple you'll ever meet.

Well, Ernie was anyway; Bert was kind of a moody queen most of the time. And yes, I know they show them sleeping in separate beds, but Lucy and Ricky slept in separate beds too, and somehow we ended up having a little Ricky over on that show.

I say there was an equal amount of lovin'. Was Sesame Street located in Greenwich Village maybe?
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3

My Two Dads

My Two Dads: Michael and Joey. 1987 to 1990 on NBC. Staci Keanan, Paul Reiser and Greg Evigan.

The premise goes as follows: A single mother dies leaving her daughter parentless. She never knew who the real father of her child was, so the two guys move in together and raise the child together. Yeah...riiiiiight!

This one is so obvious it hurts. So obvious even that 12 year old version of me just assumed this was a show about gay parents when it premiered. But no, the producers had to concoct some bulls**t story about a dead mom that we never see.

Strangely enough, Right Wing Christians did not protest this show as being immoral or "bad for the child". So two men raising a child together is only bad for the kid if they're having sex behind closed doors?
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4

Doogie Howser, M.D.

Doogie Howser, M.D. 1989 to 1993 on NBC. Neil Patrick Harris is a teenage brilliant doctor who also faces the problems of being a normal teenager with his best friend Delpino (Max Casella).

Okay, maybe this one is only on this list because we all thought there was something about Doogie that pings...and we were right years later.

Plus, just look at the cute teenage puppy love in that pic. It was like the gay Wonder Years.
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5

Three's Company

Aired from 1977 to 1984 on ABC. Jack Tripper (John Ritter) pretended to be gay so he could room with two girls, but was secretly a p***y hound along with his equally girl obsessed friend Larry Dallas (Richard Kline).

Or were they?

It seems Larry was more often than not very concerned with Jack's penis and where he was sticking it that night.

Were Jack and Larry really gettin' it on? It was the 70s after all.

Besides, what straight bar would be called the Regal Beagle?
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OnFireforHire
Top Ten Almost-Gay TV Couples at 1/11/2013 7:30 AM

almost gay tv couples ! Jajaja!
Jeffry Weemes
Top Ten Almost-Gay TV Couples at 9/20/2012 1:30 PM

Great gay tv couples, man.
alysdexia
Top Ten Almost-Gay TV Couples at 5/30/2011 5:02 AM

Perfect Strangers and Kenan and Kel; they were often on each other.
alysdexia
Bosom Buddies at 5/30/2011 4:56 AM

Honey I Shrunk the Kids FTW.
Da-dada-daDAAAA
The Odd Couple at 1/07/2011 1:28 PM

NO. Felix I could see, but NOT Oscar. Oscar was a skirt-chaser for one thing, Felix even got jealous when he thouht someone was after his ex-wife and before the divorce was very possessive of her (part of the reason she dumped him, first episode).

Secondly the entire premise of the series was that they're a couple that doesn't work - friends who are total opposites that drive each other crazy just being in the same room with each other. Oscar's messy ways and Felix's persnickety ways. Constantly getting under each other's skin and there was no sexual or romantic tension between them in ANY episode.

I'm sorry, but just because they didn't spend every episode downing beers and watching football doesn't mean that they were gay or meant to send out that signal.
Jim
The Odd Couple at 8/21/2010 9:44 PM

Watched an interview with Jack Klugman once and yes, the network and actors absolutely recognized the significant gay overtones. They made a number of plot/situational decisions to avoid an even heavier "gay" setup, like the heavy-handed backstory about the ex-wives.
Calcifer
Top Ten Almost-Gay TV Couples at 8/09/2010 12:59 PM

I know this makes me sound like a geek but I have to say that Xena and Gabrielle should be up there.
crzygirl
Bert and Ernie at 5/10/2010 5:51 PM

they're not almost gay. they're definitely completely gay
howdyhigh
Top Ten Almost-Gay TV Couples at 5/10/2010 2:03 PM

Gilligan and the skipper. hahaa i like that one. there's a lot more almost gay couples in more recent shows too. i might have to add on to this list.
crzygirl
Top Ten Almost-Gay TV Couples at 5/07/2010 9:34 AM

haha good call on bert and ernie. i was always worried about them

Top Ten Almost-Gay TV Couples

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