Dolly Parton, who died in August 2026, was a vocal gay ally, so it's not surprising that "Two Doors Down," an episode of her Netflix series, Dolly Parton's Heartstrings featured a coming out story for Evangelical audiences. It won a GLAAD Award in 2020, so let's take a look.
Intro: Dolly explains that when she wrote the song "Two Doors Down" in 1977, she was on the road a lot, away from her family, but she found a new family with her crew, which was composed of "all kinds of people: different colors, gay, lesbian, transgender, different faiths, but we all loved each other. Love is love."
Scene 1: Singing "Two Doors Down," naturally, Ty (Broadway actor Andy Mientus) drives down country roads "to the place I belong" (sorry, wrong song). Switch to Mom busily micro-managing his sister Lee's upcoming wedding, and wondering why she looks so miserable. Could it be...Mom butting in?
Scene 2: They all arrive at the elegant hotel in the South. I thought they would be hillbillies, but Mom is loaded! Mom tells Ty that he's sure to get a lot of attention from the ladies at the wedding, because her Gay is buying his outfit: "that's the one thing gays are good for, right? Fashion!"
Estranged Dad (Ray McKinnon) arrives. Now that's a hillbilly! He looks like he just finished huntin' possums with Jed Clampett (there actually is a dead deer in the back of his truck).
Scene 3: Ty discusses his secret with his boyfriend, the uber-swishy Cole (Michael J. Willett), who coincidentally is the wedding planner. "As you know, Dear, I'm not out to my family, due to Mom's homophobia. When marriage equality arrived, she said it was the end of the world. But I'm going to tell them all this weekend." During your sister's wedding? Wouldn't that be stealing the spotlight?
Ulp, Cole hides in the closet as Mom comes in. She discusses the life-threatening Steel Magnolias disease that she had last year, which left her "a sentimental puddle," so she really wants Ty to find a girl.
Scene 4: In the absurdly elegant parlor, Sister and her fiance Digby are discussing their secret: "As you know, Sweetheart, after the wedding we are leaving small-town Atlanta for Los Angeles so I can pursue my acting career. Don't tell Mom!" Digby?
Scene 5: Mom and Estranged Dad discuss their secret: "As you know, Dumbbell, we hate each other. I think you're a country bumpkin, and you think I'm a rich snob. We're going to get a divorce. But don' t tell the kids!" Uh-oh, dark secrets all the way down.
Scene 6: Ty comes out to Sister in the stupidest way possible: "Seeing you and Digby so happy has made me realize that I'm happy, too. So happy that you might say I'm...gay."
Sister is proud of him for having the courage to come out. Digby? How did the poor guy survive middle school? "You can tell Dad, but don't tell Mom. She'll stick her head in the oven."
Sister tells Ty her secret about moving. Whoops, for a wedding present, Mom and Dad bought them a house in Atlanta, so how can they move to L.A.?
Scene 7: Sister trying on wedding dresses with Ty's boyfriend Cole and her gal pal, Mim Tinkelpaugh (and I thought Digby got bullied a lot!).
Mom comes in to complain about Cousin Renee (Aidan Langford) doing something weird "with her bridesmaid's dress." Sister explains that they have come out as nonbinary, and prefer the name Ren. Mom huffs: "More LGBT XYZ nonsense! You give me one week with her, and I'll straighten her out!"
More after the break.
Scene 8: The rehearsal dinner. Ty is upset because women keep hitting on him. Aren't you used to that, being closeted?
Mom tells her friends that Cousin Ren is now her nibbling, a gender-neutral term for the child of a sibling. They smile politely. Wait -- she's ok with nonbinary but not ok with gay?
While rehearsing the vows, Sister becomes so stressed about the various secrets she's hiding that she blurts one out: "Did y'all know that Ty is gay!"
Mom shrieks, takes charge, clears the room, and apologizes to Ty: "She was just stressed. She didn't mean any of those horrible accusations." Whoa, Mom, way homophobic. Ty says that he actually is gay, but Mom won't have it: "You are not that way! Don't talk such nonsense!"
Scene 10: Mom visits Cole the Wedding Planner, not aware that he is Ty's boyfriend "You're a real gay, as swishy as the night is long. Could you talk some sense into Ty, show him that he's too masculine to be gay"
Cole: "You don't have to be swishy to be gay."
Mom: "But I just can't imagine Ty choosing your lifestyle."
Cole: "You don't choose to be gay." I had conversations like this with heterosexuals a lot, back in the 1990s. Not in 2020. But I guess the intended audience -- who tuned in for a story of "faith and forgiveness" -- hasn't had them yet.
Scene 11: Uh-oh, Dad accidentally shot Ty during their late night hunting expedition! He's ok, just grazed, but everyone rushes to the hospital, and and Mom sees Boyfriend Cole kiss Ty! Plus they all see Sister playing a vampire on tv! (Remember, she was keeping her acting career a secret.) Mom doesn't know which secret to be more horrified by.
Scene 12: After calming down a bit, Mom asks Ty if Boyfriend Cole has been trying to seduce him. Ty says "No, I made th first move. He didn't want to get involved someone who was in the closet, but I won him over."
Mom is adamant that Ty isn't gay, just "confused": "I could set you up with a therapist who works with confused kids."
Scene 13: Ty and Ren (his nonbinary cousin) have a heart-to-heart: "Welcome to the rainbow." Telling the world that you are nonbinary is relatively recent; telling the world that you are gay has been a standard practice for over 50 years. Why is it so much more difficult for Ty than for Ren?
Ahh, there's a live possum in the parlor! Shoot it! But they're not concerned: "Maybe it's your spirit animal." Now I know these people are from the South.
Scene 14: The wedding. But before it starts, Sister and fiance Digby (Digby?) tell everyone that they already got married, downtown. They don't want any more drama. Maybe do this before you rent the hall, buy the outfits, and invite 500 people?
Distraught Mom takes the top of the wedding cake to her room to eat. Meanwhile, the other problems are resolved: Ty and Cole's long distance relationship (they move in together), Digby and Sister's move (they'll stay in Atlanta, where there is lots of film and tv work).
The wedding is cancelled, but the reception goes on as planned Surprise! Dolly Parton performs! "Two Doors Down," naturally.
Dolly means well... I would rather watch Episode 8 "These Old Bones" which has beefy hairy Kyle Bornheimer
ReplyDeleteKyle Bornheimer....https://youtu.be/OEqslDbphE4
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