In the months since he came out, Kenny has found that his family is more supportive than he realized and that despite the paucity of other LGBT teens at school, there are others like him out there. He might have had an ugly incident at his second wrestling meet, where he came face-to-face with the type of blatant homophobia that had otherwise eluded him, but Kenny has otherwise had a fairly ideal coming out that has only strengthened his self-acceptance. Yet even as he’s grown to know and love himself more thanks to coming out, there’s some insecurity in young Kenny O’Neal that is ready to brim to the surface.
On the next episode of The Real O’Neals, Kenny’s new relationship with Brett faces its first challenge when Kenny gets in his own head about his image. Even with Brett being the aggressor in their flirtation, including their kiss at church, Kenny decides to “impress” his first boyfriend by becoming more of a bad boy. There’s a part of Kenny that always wanted to transcend his good guy upbringing and boyish good looks by becoming more rebellious and spontaneous and it’s that part that shares space with the anxieties he has about himself, with the section of his subconscious that might not have as much love and acceptance for himself as one might expect. Kenny has managed to do what a lot of LGBT kids his age are unable to do, openly date without (much) fear of the consequences, which should be cause for gratitude and relief; however, despite finding someone who likes him for who he is, Kenny still feels the need to be someone other than himself. Will this newfound change in image put a halt to his fledgling relationship with Brett before it can even get off the ground?
Elsewhere on The Real O’Neals, Eileen and Pat’s divorce papers come through, causing both to evaluate the next phase of their lives, while Shannon starts a petition to stop the dissection of frogs at school.
The Real O’Neals returns with new episodes Tuesday, January 3rd at 9:30 on ABC.
How will Brett react to Kenny’s attempts at being edgy? Could Eileen’s relationship with VP Murray be threatened by the recent change in her life? Will Shannon’s petition be a success?
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THE REAL O'NEALS - "The Real Sin" - Eileen and Pat's divorce papers come through, and Eileen realizes she is free to be with VP Murray, but their attempts are plagued with obstacles that make Eileen doubt her desires. Kenny tries to impress Brett by being a "bad boy" and gets a tattoo. Shannon puts out a petition to stop the dissection of frogs at school while Pat realizes that he needs to figure out how to be single again, on ABC's "The Real O'Neals," airing on TUESDAY, JANUARY 3 (9:30-10:00 p.m. EST). (ABC/Richard Cartwright)JAY R. FERGUSON
