Will & Grace Revival's Big Problem: Changing the Series Finale

In the 2006 series finale, Will and Grace haven't spoken in 18 years, which could prove to be a big problem in NBC's 10-episode revival

By Tierney Bricker, Chris Harnick Jan 19, 2017 2:00 PMTags

Will & Grace, we have a problem.

After months of speculation, NBC officially announced that Will & Grace would be returning for a 10-episode season in the 2017-18 season, causing Twitter to have a nostalgia-induced meltdown. Stars Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullaly are all back, with original executive producers Max Mutchnick and David Kohan acting as showrunners.

But within the frenzied excitement, we couldn't help but be the Buzzkill Bob of the internet, wondering just how this revival is going to work. Why? Because of the series finale, which aired in 2006.

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If you can't quite remember, here's what happened in "The Finale" that has us perplexed over this new batch of episodes. In the final moments, the show jumped ahead 20 years, with best friends Will and Grace reuniting for the first time in 18 years (!) when they are moving their children, who eventually go onto get married, into their college dorms. That takes place in 2026. From the little information we do have, the revival takes place in 2017.

Now you see the problem, right? Fret not, worse problems have plagued TV shows, so we've concocted a few (some not that great, TBH) options to figure out Will and Grace's great divide:

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Will & Grace Officially Returning to NBC with 10 New Episodes
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  1. The 10-episode return takes place over a very limited amount of time, where Will and Grace briefly reunite and go their separate ways again.
  2. It was all a dream! Hey, they wouldn't be the first show to utilize this device.
  3. Crossover with Timeless, NBC's time-travel drama that can help alter the chain of events. Synergy FTW!
  4. Gasp, Will and Grace have separate storylines throughout the entire revival, with scene-stealers Karen and Jack acting as the audience's go-between a la Arrested Development's latest outing.
  5. A twist on the dream and butterfly effect premise—Jack sees a psychic who warns him of what's to come, leading him to do everything in his power to keep Will & Grace together.
  6. It's a This Is Us style revival with Will and Grace's kids in the present, hearing about wacky adventures of yore.
  7. Will, Grace, Jack and Karen are reunited—because they're soulmates and in The Good Place. Well, maybe the Bad Place?
  8. They just flat out ignore the events of the series finale and last seasons, like the proposed new Alien movie with Sigourney Weaver.

How would you like to see the revival address Will and Grace's 18-year separation? Sound off in the comments.

Will & Grace's 10-episode revival will premiere later this year on NBC.

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCniversal family.)