My kingdom for a lesbian sitcom

It seems every season or so for the last few years we get teased with the mythical unicorn of a lesbian-based comedy coming to broadcast television that we actually get to watch on television. First it was Carol Leifer’s gay lady pregnancy by ex-husband comedy “You Me And He” in 2009. It didn’t make it to our TVs. Then there was Jhoni Marchenko’s lesbian couple pregnancy comedy “I Hate That I Love You” for NBC in 2011. It didn’t make it to our TVs, even though the hilarious Anna Camp was cast in the pilot. And finally there was the lesbian-and-straight best friends lady comedy “My Best Friend Is a Lesbo” also for NBC in 2012. No word on if either becomes pregnant, but regardless it didn’t make it to our TVs.

During that same time we’ve had the gay male couple sitcom “The New Normal” (which made it to TV, but lasted only one season) and the gay male dad sitcom “Sean Saves the World” (which is still on TV, though rating aren’t terribly encouraging).

So into that historical framework we’re given yesterday’s news that Ellen DeGeneres and Liz Feldman are developing a lesbian and her straight male best friend pregnancy comedy for NBC. Yep, that’s a lesbian lady comedy from the last person to give us a lesbian lady comedy on TV. “Ellen” ended 15 years ago, in case you’re keeping score.

Now, I could go on a long and involved diatribe about why three out of the four gay* lady sitcoms involve gay lady pregnancy. (*Yep, I am using “gay” as an umbrella term to denote any female sexuality that is not exclusively straight. Ellen said, “Yep, I’m gay” on that Time magazine cover.) I suppose lesbian pregnancy just plays better to TV executives. Two ladies has to mean two times the maternal instinct, amirite? Oy. But pregnant or not, I’d just like one of them to actually make it to a television set near me.

Not to get our hopes up, but I think this one might actually have a shot. I mean it comes from The Great Panted One Ellen herself. And then there’s Liz Feldman form “2 Broke Girls” and her AfterEllen vlog “This Just Out With Liz Feldman.” Liz also used to write for Ellen on her talk show and other gigs. So, you know, that’s a pretty impressive lesbo street cred behind this project.

So, let us once again open our hearts to the dream of a lesbian sitcom on our television. Maybe, if we’re very lucky, this one will deliver. Sorry, with all the pregnant lesbians everywhere I just had to go there.