With edgy shows like “Dexter” and “Sex and the City,” it seems like premium cable is always one step ahead of their basic cable competition, and when it comes to gay main characters, that’s no exception.

Ryan Vaughan, an English professor at Binghamton University with a Ph.D. in English, said that networks are just touching the surface in regards to gay culture in America.

“Where the real progress is being made with homosexuality on TV is in paid cable,” Vaughan said. “Basic cable isn’t going to push the limits as much as paid cable.”

Premium cable, more specifically Showtime, was the birthplace of “Brothers.” The show centered around one of the first gay main characters to come out on the small screen.

Showtime continues to put out shows based around the homosexual lifestyle with “Queer as Folk” and “The L Word.” Vaughan pointed out that “The L Word” is changing views of the gay community.

“It’s about the community,” Vaughan said. “The cast is always changing and they represent this amazing mix that you can’t pin down to ‘being a lesbian is this.’ It was made for the express purpose that the gay community is not what everyone thinks it is. ”

The gay relationship is a topic that is often ignored by networks, according to Vaughan.

Vaughan said the HBO show “Six Feet Under” changed the portrayal of homosexual relationships on television and it’s something network TV needs to catch up on.

“That’s hopefully what network TV is working towards,” Vaughan said. “The relationship is a huge focal point and you felt like it was a real gay relationship.”