Two series hailing from France that feature gay leads are starting new seasons this month: Les Bleus and Clara Sheller. Here’s a primer to get you up to speed on these very different dramas.

While cop series are a staple on television worldwide, it’s not often you find gay characters in police dramas. The scattered regular gay characters that do exist are usually minor supporting players sitting back at the office answering phones while the leads are out doing the real police work. But  in the first season of Les Bleus, Kévin LaPorte, played by Nicolas Gob, patrolled the mean streets, investigated crimes, and even kicked a butt or two. Plus, he looked damned fine while doing it. Especially in a blue tank top.

Les Bleus cast (l to r): Philippe Besnard, Gabriele Valensi,
Elodie Yung, Nicolas Gob, Mhamed Arezki

Kévin’s coming out process was detailed throughout the entire series and to the show’s credit, it was done in a manner refreshingly free of heavy handedness or arch, preachy messages about tolerance and understanding. Most of his co-workers (with one exception) were non-judgmental (or, in a humorous slant, annoyed he didn’t tell them because they were friends). In the end, it didn’t matter as long as he did the job. Because American television has taught us to expect in-you’re your-face examples of homophobia, this approach is not only surprising, but comes across as much more real.

The bulk of Kévin’s story centered on his relationship with Yann, a fellow officer. Yann was that hot guy that we’ve all dated (or been) – hot-to-trot one minute, cold as ice the next; eager to see you one day, unreachable another.

Still, the heart wants what it wants and what Kévin wanted was a commitment. Tragically, his clumsy attempt to get it inadvertently led to Yann’s being gay-bashed.

Despite the fact that this plot arc fell back on the hoariest of clichés regarding gay characters, Nicholas Gob is marvelous here, depicting a range of emotions from fear to guilt to rage (which was unleashed in a shocking, startling scene).