A Dan Savage fantasy.
Really.
I watched both episodes of The Real O'Neals, because they were sandwiched between Modern Family - the only sit-com in that line-up about 'family life' I actually think is funny - albeit unrealistic, and because I wanted to see how bad it was. It sure wasn't real, but who likes reality TV anyway? Trump supporters maybe? Seriously, Downton Abbey wasn't on last night so I thought I'd watch the O'Neals just to see how bad it could get and that way I'd have something else from pop culture to criticize.
Who writes crap like the Real O'Neals? According to Matt Archbold, Dan Savage is the shows co-creator and it's loosely based on his life experience? That explains the gay-coming-out parody. Why is everything so gay on Disney television? Talk about cliche.
There was nothing real about the family depicted, nothing funny. In each segment they managed to trash the Church, priests, Catholic parishioners, Catholic parents, Catholic devotions, Catholic teaching on sex... the list goes on and on. One piece I read described the mom as really religious - big eye roll. She's really screwed up.
As I watched it, attempting to imagine myself as a gay kid in grade school,* I thought maybe - just maybe - the only positive thought I might be able to take away from the show would be, "someone's got my back" or "someone's on my side". Meaning, that I'd feel free to follow my sexual curiosities and inclinations because it was on a prime-time, family-time television show. That's the point of these propaganda 'family' sitcoms anyway - right? Like "Blackish", Asianish, and coming soon, Islamabombish.
The American Dream for dumbed-down, numb-nuts.
It's offensive and it's intended to be.
*I didn't even know what the word meant in grade school or even junior high.
