WATCH: Sensitive Gay Teen Storyline on "Are We There Yet?"

Sensitive and well-written gay teen storylines are becoming almost omnipresent across much of the television landscape, from Glee’s popular Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) to characters on 90210, Skins and United States of Tara. On television shows popular with Black audiences? Not so much, which is why a recent episode of TBS' Are We There Yet? deserves mention.

Seventeen-year-old footballer Cedric was introduced in The Boy Has Style, the sixth episode of the second season of the popular Ice Cube-executive produced sitcom, originally broadcast on January 18. Cedric (Maxx Brawer) is the athletic crush object of Lindsey, whose mother suspects he is gay because "he is so stylish." Nick (muscle-y former pro footballer Terry Crews) doesn't believe "a boy who is so tall and plays football" could be gay and sets out to prove that he isn't.

"I am gay," Cedric says after being confronted. "Do you have a problem with it?" Cedric says he only wanted a platonic relationship with Lindsey, but her father wants the truth to come out. "She should know the real you," Nick insists.

Atlanta-based Darian Aaron also liked the episode appreciated the honesty in Cedric's character. "There's no attempt to lie about who he is and his honesty is received with respect. The episode is a step in the right direction and one can only hope it will serve as a blueprint for other shows such as TV One's Love That Girl which relies heavily on stereotypical gay characters for laughs."

Cedric was played by 23-year-old Maxx Brawer, the son of Tony Award-winning actress Tonya Pinkins. It's an enjoyable episode, if for no other reason than it's simplicity and the non-plussed attitude shown by the parents and daughter. Watch it AFTER THE JUMP ...