Fans of NBC’s “Heroes” may be surprised to learn that the character of Zach, the recently brainwashed best friend to indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet, is not gay.
He used to be gay, at least according to this interview with series creator Tim Kring…but now the official line [beware possible spoiler if you click the link] of both NBC and the management of actor Thomas Dekker (who plays Zach) is that Zach is, was, and always will be as straight as the day is long.
So, what caused the shift? Is Dekker nervous about being typecast at such a young age? Is his management driving the change? Or is NBC brass still uptight about portraying gay characters on television — despite the success of that little NBC show called “Will & Grace”? You know, the one that ran for eight years, won over a dozen Emmys, and pulled in millions of dollars in advertising revenue…all while featuring multiple gay characters front and center?
Whatever the reason, the news is disappointing. The character has been established a certain way, and the show’s ratings and advertiser support to date would suggest that Zach’s sexual orientation has been a non-issue. Ironically, it will likely now become an issue, simply by virtue of the network’s having called attention to it.
Sigh.
