How Would You Rank the ‘Will & Grace’ Revival Overall?

NBC found some major success this television season, as the idea of bringing Will & Grace back turned out to be a major hit for the network.  The ratings were steady and stellar, the cast and show received multiple nominations throughout, and the general consensus of the public seemed to be ecstatic that Will (Eric McCormack), Grace (Debra Messing), Jack (Sean Hayes) and Karen (Megan Mullally) came back.

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The writers of this show had an incredibly tough task at hand, bringing four lovable characters into the modern day after us not seeing them for eleven years.  Given how the original series finale ended, where Will & Grace's kids get married, it made all of us wonder how they were going to resolve that given the timeframe of when all of that happened.

Within the first five minutes of the premiere, we find out that all of that occurred in Karen's head, and we are left with Will & Grace still living with each other and single, with Karen and Jack up to their usual shenanigans.  Now that we are two episodes from the season finale (it's already been picked up for two more seasons), it begs the question: just how well did the revival of this beloved show really do?

If I had to give it a personal grade, it would be a B.  Not stellar, not bad, right in the middle with some fantastic spots along the way.  The catch up aspect over the past 16 episodes has played a predominant part in how the series has progressed, as we learn why Grace's relationship with Leo (Harry Connick Jr) ended as well as why Vince (Bobby Cannavale) and Will broke up.  

Of course, we are also reintroduced to a ton of lovable characters that helped make the series so iconic during its original eight season run, including Beverly Leslie (Leslie Jordan), Val (Molly Shannon) and the return of Jennifer Lopez.  Yet, for the life of me, I can't seem to figure out what was really missing from this revival that makes me give this show a B when it really deserves an A on some level.

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I've written in the past about how character development on any show is crucial, and yet I feel as if these four characters are still incredibly stuck.  Yes, some of the characters have made major life changes, like Will leaving his lawyer job to work with Grace and Jack finally finding a boyfriend, but the scenes in each episode are so short and the commercial breaks seem so frequent that it makes everything seem rushed when you are craving for so much more.

At the same time, there have been some incredibly wonderful moments this season that brought closure in really an incredible way.  I hope that Megan earns her third Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for the episode Quinceanera, which details the passing of her maid and best friend Rosario (Shelley Morrison).  The raw emotion that comes out of her when she finally has to accept that she's passed is brutal and amazing all at the same time. 

It was also fascinating to see why Will & Vince ended things, as I had high hopes for this couple, but Will's need to control everything was the true downfall as to why they split up and why Vince found love elsewhere.  I know plenty of men who see themselves as the Will character, and this was one of the many instances where the relatability factor truly comes in.

Karen remained status quo, still with Stan, but we haven't met Stan yet.  I truly wonder if we ever will.  Jack found love with a cop from Staten Island, but we haven't seen him in a couple of episodes, so it begs to wonder how far they will go.  As for Will & Grace, they remain single even with a one-episode stint where Will got back together with his old boyfriend from 20 years ago, so I hope that the last two episodes of this season give us a reason to REALLY tune into the premiere come this September, as I would like to see some more crucial movement for these four as opposed to having another season of catching up.

How would you grade Will & Grace's revival overall?