ABC will debut new comedy 'The Real O'Neals,' tonight.

It's a show that's made national headlines and sparked controversy before its premiere. 

"Clearly there's a political aspect to the show, but it's not a polemic," said actress, Martha Plimtpon. 

The show is a comedy, with serious undertones.

"I think we're trying to shine a light on that and let people know it's okay to be you, it's okay to be disfunctional," said actor, Jay R. Ferguson.

Plimpton adds that, "the show is a family show that is depicting a young, gay kid experiencing the same milestones through puberty in high school that every human being going through."

Noah Galvin takes on the role as Kenny, a teenager who comes out as gay to his family.

Galvin is openly gay and says he's thankful for the opportunity take on the role. When asking about the conflict with his on-screen mother, co-star Plimtpon, he said "there's a lot of people like Eileen in the world who are just ill-informed and have learned something from a young age that they never unlearned."

Since the show is a comedy, the cast's intentions are to make audiences laugh.

"Those are the fun things to play, the things that are so not yourself," said Galvin.

'The Real O'Neals,' premieres tonight at 8:30 p.m.