There’s something about Palm Springs that inspires people to keep making the trek to this desert oasis.

“There’s definitely an energy here that I really relate to,” Los Angeles-based filmmaker Kit Williamson says as he sits next to his husband, John Halbach, on a grey sofa in the mid-century Burton House, a chic Airbnb.

“It’s one of those kind of hubs that people are drawn to for whatever reason,” he says.

Halbach and Williamson, who played Ed Gifford on “Mad Men,” were in town in September for Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival. They screened several episodes of the third season of their TV show “EastSiders” on the film festival’s closing night. One of those episodes was filmed in Palm Springs.

They are the executive producers of the critically-acclaimed, award-winning show. Williamson, “EastSiders” creator, writes, directs and stars in it. Halbach also stars in the show.

Both men are desert rats at heart.

“There’s such a change in the air when you pull into town, when you get off that main drag,” Halbach says. “You’re passing the windmills, you want to put on Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and you just leave the city behind and let it go.”

“I just love it out here,” he says.

Palm Springs — like Los Angeles — has created a reputation, wrapped it in glamour and projected it to the world. In reality, life in the desert is a lot different than many people realize, and building a career in Hollywood isn't as easy or glamorous as it may appear.

“Figuring out how to carve out a niche and a life in this industry is really challenging,” Williamson says. “And it’s something that I think remains a challenge no matter how successful you get.”

Williamson created “EastSiders” while he was studying playwriting at UCLA. At the time, his life was in a downturn.

He had been dropped by his first agent and was unhappy with his new representation. He wasn’t getting the acting opportunities or the types of roles he wanted. Williamson felt it was time to reassess his life.

By creating “EastSiders,” Williamson was able to reconnect with the reason he wanted to be in the entertainment industry.

“I like to tell stories,” he says. “I like to imagine other people’s lives and do my best to breathe life into them.”

MORE: Popular LGBT series 'Eastsiders' films season 3 episode in Palm Springs

“EastSiders” is a dark comedy about Cal, portrayed by Williamson, and Thom. Season 1 begins with the men struggling to stay together after Cal learns that Thom has been having an affair with a man named Jeremy. Cal’s best friend Kathy, meanwhile, is in a tumultuous relationship with Ian, who’s played by Halbach. The show’s other characters — straight and gay — also are navigating complicated relationships.

“EastSiders” is fresh and unique because of the unconventional storylines Williamson can write for a TV show that’s distributed on the Internet.

In one episode, Cal confronts Jeremy about his affair with Thom, and they end up in bed together. In another, Cal and Thom visit an STD clinic where they discover the doctor is a guy with whom they had recently hooked up.

Williamson also doesn’t shy away from controversial topics.

Cal’s friend Kathy gets an abortion in Season 1, and Williamson confronts the issue in a way he felt would be true to her character.

“I think she made a decision,” Williamson says. “It was an informed decision, and I think the character would say that’s the right decision for her.”

In a responsible message about safe sex, Cal and Thom refuse to have unprotected sex with men they hook up with in Season 2. Unfortunately, all the condoms they freely use and toss in the trash can’t save them from gonorrhea.

Is there a lesson to be learned? If so, Cal and Thom quickly forget it.

Season 3, which includes the Palm Springs episode, follows Cal and Thom on a road trip from New York to Los Angeles. It marks a creative high point for the series as it delves into issues that will resonate with young and old.

The “EastSiders” characters are flawed. They mess up, fight with their partners and then make up. They find ways to evolve, grow, forgive, let go and move on. It feels more real than a lot of shows with LGBTQ characters.

Williamson self-financed the first two episodes, which he posted on YouTube in December 2012. They went viral. He then launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance the rest of Season 1, which premiered on Logo TV’s website in April 2013. Wolfe Video quickly grabbed DVD and Video On Demand distribution rights.

A second Kickstarter campaign paid for Season 2, which premiered on Vimeo in 2015. Last year, the show moved to Netflix. On Nov. 28, the show’s third season will premiere on multiple digital platforms.

Williamson and Halbach, who met each other in New York in 2007, are open about their lives and sexuality, and they actively engage with fans on social media. Anyone who scrolls through their Instagram accounts will see two well-built men who aren’t afraid to flaunt their bodies or a seemingly glamorous life.

In person, they are smart and driven. They’re talented, work hard and are friendly. Williamson, in particular, likes to greet strangers with a hug.

They’re also normal gay men with the same problems, concerns and hang-ups as everyone else.

Williamson, for example, said he feels fortunate that he and Halbach were able to find a house they could afford in Silver Lake. And he recently bought an espresso machine, which he says changed his life.

“I’m saving so much money,” he claims.

MORE: Cinema Diverse LGBTQ festival in Palm Springs features Armistead Maupin and 'Eastsiders'

Williamson also confided that he struggles with psoriasis, which gets worse when he’s stressed. To underscore his point, he lifted his shirt. It was clear from his torso that this man has been under stress.

“Things like that I’ve talked about a little bit on social media,” Williamson says, “but it’s not like I really want to shine a spotlight on beyond just letting people know that they’re not alone.”

“I don’t necessarily want to invite people into a private struggle of mine,” he explains.

There’s a limit to how much a person will share with others, even two actors from Silver Lake.

“We want to tell a positive story about our lives,” Halbach says. “We don’t show everyone the hard times."

“If you try to tell the story of ‘I’m grateful for these things that have happened today. I am excited about these things in the future, and I appreciate what I have.’ If you tell that story, then you will shine the spotlight on what matters to you,” Williamson says. “Your relationship. Your life. Your family.”

That attitude seems to be working for them.

After years of struggling in the entertainment industry, dealing with the stress of Los Angeles, and going through life’s frustrations and disappointments together, they’ve done something amazing. They created a TV show, turned it into a viral hit, struck distribution deals and are now seen on screens around the world.

Williamson and Halbach — two guys who like to drop by Hunters on karaoke night, grab breakfast at King's Highway and dance at the White Party — seem to be poised at the start of what could become the ride of their lives.