ABC’s gay-inclusive comedy “Modern Family” wins two Writers Guild of America awards

It’s so great that the Wednesday night comedy Modern Family is not only one of the highest-rated and critically-acclaimed new television comedies to come along in awhile, but it’s also shown how to intelligently integrate a gay couple into the mix.

When you think of how so many gay characters have been and continue to be mishandled on network television, Modern Family really has been a breakthrough.

At last night’s Writers Guild of America awards, the show won for best new series and its pilot tied 30 Rock for outstanding episode of a comedy series.

As the gay marriage debate continues to rage in the United States, two gay dads played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet are raising a child and navigating life just like the rest of their family. Compared to the days when two men in bed on Thirtysomething caused threats of advertiser boycott 20 years ago, it’s amazing that there has been little or no controversy about a gay couple being part of this family comedy.

Here is a partial list of WGA winners:

Original screenplay:  The Hurt Locker, written by Mark Boal

Adapted screenplay: Up in the Air, screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Documentary screenplay:  The Cove, written by Mark Monroe

Drama series: Mad Men

Comedy series: 30 Rock

New series: Modern Family

Episodic drama: “Broken, Part 1 and Part 2,”  House, written by Russel Friend, Garrett Lerner, David Foster and David Shore

Episodic comedy: “Apollo, Apollo,” 30 Rock, written by Robert Carlock, and the pilot of Modern Family, written by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd

Animation, any length (all nominations in category were for The Simpsons): “Take My life, Please,” The Simpsons, written by Don Payne

Comedy/variety: Saturday Night Live &  The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Daytime serial:  The Young and the Restless