The 22 Best LGBTQ Netflix Shows You Should Have Already Seen By Now! 🏳️‍🌈

There’s no denying that TV plays a crucial part in the way we think about ourselves – a fact that was the starting point for putting together a list of the best LGBTQ Netflix shows. We see how people are perceived by the way they are presented: ever since we’re children we learn lots of things about our society from TV shows.

One of these things is how love, sexuality, and gender are considered. And even as children, we’re not passive watchers, we take in these subtle messages and make them part of who we are.

For years, queer people have been erased from the media we consume. Today we can enjoy a wide array of LGBTQ shows that normalize queerness, making people in the community feel more accepted and represented. In fact, LGBTQ shows often play a part in the self-discovery journey of many queer people.

Since Netflix started producing its original shows, there has been a focus on showcasing diverse characters and stories. This was a refreshing change from traditional television, where the queer community was often either non-existent, played for laughs, or only included as stereotypes.

While we still have a long way to go in terms of representation in media, at the time being, there are many shows with main characters who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. From teen dramas to comedies about elderly people and animated series, the streaming platform offers a variety of genres to choose from.

The following paragraphs discuss some of the best shows with LGBTQ+ characters and storylines available on Netflix. Whether you’re looking for your next comfort show or something to binge-watch in one night, you cannot go wrong with these shows. Like queerness itself, it’s a diverse list. Yet every show has something in common: it portrays its characters in new, moving and inspiring ways.

  

  
  

Feel Good (2020)

Feel Good (2020), by Mae Martin and Joe Hampson, is a British comedy-drama show about a gay stand-up comic and her new girlfriend.

The show tells a touching story with some heavy subjects: alcohol and drug addiction, for one. It also touches on the dangers of toxic relatives. Yet its constant delivery of immaculate deadpan comedy makes it a great watch. Feel Good consists of two seasons, with six episodes each: the first one was released in March 2020 and the second one in June 2021.

The show follows the life of Mae, a fictionalized version of non-binary Canadian comedian Mae Martin. Like her real-life counterpart, Mae is a stand-up comic and a drug addict. Having moved to Manchester, England, Mae performs stand-up in several open mics in the city.

One night, she notices a girl who she has seen before sitting at a table alone in the open mic. Turns out George (played by Charlotte Ritchie) has come to see her several times before. At the show’s end, Mae approaches her, and George tells her that, even though she has never been with a woman and comes from a very conservative background, she likes her.

Feel Good revolves around their relationship and their own inner conflicts. Not only has Mae to deal with her drug addiction, seeking help in a new rehabilitation group in the city, but she also is forced to face her deep-rooted fear of commitment.

At the same time, George is trying to come to terms with her newfound love for women. Her reluctance to introduce Mae to her friends and family will cause distress in their relationship. With hilarious performances by Martin and Ritchie, Feel Good is one of the best queer shows in recent years.

Heartstopper (2022)

Heartstopper was released on Netflix in April of 2022, and, in a short amount of time, it’s managed to build huge popularity and enchant audiences worldwide. The show is based on the graphic novel by the same name, written by Alice Osman, and it stars Kit Connor as Nick Nelson and Joe Locke as Charlie Spring.

The series follows the lives of a group of teenagers who attend an all-boys school in England. The plot begins when Charlie, who is in a secret relationship with one of his classmates, is sat next to Nick in class.

Charlie is unsure about Nick’s sexuality and thinks he doesn’t stand a chance, so they initially become good friends, even though they have different interests and personalities. However, Nick may also be interested in being more than a friend to Charlie, and together they will find out what their true feelings for each other are.

If you’re looking for a feel-good queer romance, we highly suggest you watch Heartstopper. It’s a show about self-discovery and acceptance, friendship, and, most of all, love.

Young Royals (2021)

Young Royals (2021) is a Swedish teen drama show created by Lisa Ambjörn, Lars Beckung, and Camilla Holter. It tells the story of a young teenager who is the Prince of Sweden as he studies in an elite boarding school, where he meets a boy he falls in love with.

Although at first sight, Young Royals may seem very similar to shows like Gossip Girl or Elite, it’s much closer to the Norwegian show Skam, focusing on the inner conflicts these teenagers face and depicting them honestly. The show’s first season, consisting of six episodes, premiered in July 2021, and the second one is bound to be released sometime in 2022.

The show’s story goes as follows: the second son of Queen Kristina of Sweden (Pernilla August) gets into a fight at a club, so his mother sends him to a prestigious boarding school. In Hillerska, Prince Willhem (Edvin Ryding), also known as “Wille”, will have to attempt to fit in, dealing with his status as a royal person.

While many other Swedish nobles attend the school, several students come from working-class households thanks to the Hillerska’s scholarship programs. One of these students is Simon Eriksson (Omar Rudberg), a talented singer who becomes Wilhelm’s boyfriend.

Young Royals revolves around Wilhelm and Simon’s relationship. The show does a great job of portraying Wilhelm’s struggle with his closeted sexuality. It’s hard not to feel bad for him due to his enormous pressure: the pressure to (maybe) be king and continue the royal line. Coming out is a hard task for anyone at any time, but this young prince has all the eyes of the nation over him. Young Royals tells a moving story with some very well-written queer characters.

Grace and Frankie (2015-2021)

Grace and Frankie is a rare occurrence in television. It is a show about the unlikely female friendship of two senior women, that develops due to two failed marriages and a blossoming gay relationship. The iconic Jane Fonda stars as Grace and Lilly Tomlin shines in the role of Frankie.

Grace and Frankie have never particularly liked each other and are only related to each other because of their husbands, Sol and Robert, who have been friends for years.

However, the show begins with the reveal that the two men are not only friends and business partners: they have also been lovers for the past twenty years, and have decided to leave their wives and pursue their own relationship. After this shocking discovery, the two women try to overcome their differences to help each other through this shared experience.

Even though they begin by losing relationships with their husbands, they will gain a beautiful friendship. Grace and Frankie is one of the very few shows to acknowledge elderly LGBTQ+ relationships. Seeing a show about self-discovery and exploring your identity well after your teenage years is refreshing. Its witty dialogue, along with the brilliant performances of the cast, make for a highly entertaining watch.

Super Drags (2018)

Created for Netflix by Anderson Mahanski, Fernando Mendonça, and Paulo Lescaut, Super Drags is a Brazilian animated show where the queer themes and characters are in no way subtle or not explicit. The three friends at the center of the show, Donizete, Patrick, and Ralph (who have alter egos as drag queen superheroes: Scarlet Carmesim, Lemon Chiffon, and Safira Cyan), have only one mission on their mind— protecting the LGBTQ+ community.

Super Drags is audacious and over-the-top in all the best ways, and seeing a show that is this unafraid to be a champion for the queer community is something special.

The show was unfortunately canceled after a short five-episode season, but if you’re looking for a way to maximize the amount of Super Drags content in your life, here’s a recommendation: watch the original Brazilian version with subtitles first and then re-watch the English language dub.

On the first watch, you can enjoy the show as the creators intended it (something all the more important when watching and enjoying art by queer artists). And then, on the second watch, you can enjoy hearing the voices of Ru Paul’s drag race stars like Trixie Mattel, Ginger Minj, Willam, and Shangela.

Elite (2018-2021)

It’s surprising when a show from a non-English-speaking country gets so much attention that it becomes a worldwide phenomenon. Elite is one of those rare occurrences in which the original plot, compelling character, and talented actors overcome the language barrier.

The show is a teen drama/thriller -reminiscent of hist shows like Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl, about a group of privileged students who attend a private school for rich kids called “Las Encinas”, where a crime occurs. One of their classmates, Marina, has been murdered and a police investigation begins to reveal more than one secret.

Elite deals with a wide variety of themes, such as classism, xenophobia, islamophobia, and sexual diversity. One of the main relationships is the one between Ander, played by fan-favorite Arón Piper, and Omar, played by Omar Ayuso. Ander and Omar come from different backgrounds.

Ander is the privileged son of the school’s headmaster; he is an athlete and is pressured by his family to excel in everything. Meanwhile, Omar is the son of Palestinian immigrants. He only meets the kids from Las Encinas because his sister was offered a scholarship there, and he resorts to drug dealing as a way to support himself financially. Despite their differences, there is an undeniable attraction between the two boys that will develop into more than a fling.

The show also features many other characters who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, such as Rebeka, Polo, and Mencía. Both the mystery about Marina’s murder and the different relationships that take place within the group keep the viewer hooked to the screen and wanting more.

Q-Force (2021)

Released in September of 2021, Q-Force is an adult gay anime on Netflix comedy created for Netflix by Gabe Liedman (whose previous work includes Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Inside Amy Schumer, and PEN15). The series is centered on the titular Q-Force, a group of secret agents reminiscent of James Bond’s M16.

The show’s star, a superspy named Sam Merriweather, is also familiar to 007, albeit with a few distinct changes. See, the Q-Force is made up entirely of gay and queer folk, a fact that, unfortunately, in their line of work, keeps them from being as powerful as they could be.

To prove their worth to their higher-ups, the Q-Force takes a straight man onto the team, and it’s from here that a lot of the show’s comedy derives. The show has its heart in the right place, even though some of its jokes don’t land, and that makes it worth a spot on this list in our book.

Additionally, even though the show was written and produced by actual queer people (something that still is all too uncommon when it comes to queer stories in major media), Q-Force bases a lot of its jokes on aspects of the gay community that would be considered low-hanging-fruit at best and insensitive stereotypes at worst.

All that being said, if Q-Force sounds like a show you might enjoy (short on nuance but easy and enjoyable to watch), then it almost certainly will be a show you’ll enjoy.

Sense8 (2015)

Sense8 (2015) is an American sci-fi and drama show created by The Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski. The show follows eight people worldwide who discover that they are linked with each other. Sense8 marked the collaborative return to writing and directing of Lana and Lilly Wachowskis, the trans filmmakers and sisters responsible for The Matrix franchise, as well as movies like Cloud Altlas and Jupiter Ascending.

The show was met with lots of praise, and it’s considered a return to form for the Wachowskis. The first season premiered in 2015, and the second one in 2016 and 2017. Yet the series was canceled before the third one, leaving the second season cliffhanger unresolved. After much criticism, Netflix greenlit a feature-length episode that would serve as a series finale. This final episode was released in 2018.

The show begins with eight people who, in different parts of the world, mystically witness the suicide of a mysterious woman (Daryl Hannah). With the guidance of a man named Jonas (Naveen Andrews), the eight meet and discover that they are “sensates”, human beings who share a mental and emotional link, being able to telepathically communicate and share information.

This ensemble cast of protagonists consists of eight multinational actors: Aml Ameen, Bae Donna, Brian J. Smith, Jamie Clayton, Tina Desai, Tuppence Middleton, Max Riemelt, and Miguel Ángel Silvestre. Their empathetic powers will be their only tool to survive those hunting them down.

Sense8 is rightfully considered the best LGBTQ show of all time. The empathy that characterizes “sensates” makes them rethink all about themselves: from their way of thinking to their sexuality and gender. With these genius premises, The Wachowskis explore a myriad of queer issues in a fantastic way. Sense8 is a mind-bending television event and one of the best LGBTQ Netflix shows that everyone should watch – even if it were undoubtedly canceled before its time.

Queer Eye (2018-2021)

Queer Eye is one of those shows that hardly needs an introduction. It is a Netflix original reboot of a TV Show called Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, which aired in 2003 to a surprisingly warm welcome from audiences, so much so that it became the most popular show of that year.

The 2018 version was also very well received by audiences worldwide, and it’s not hard to see why. The premise of the show is that five gay men, each specializing in a different area, go to people in need of help to turn their life around. The “Fab Five”, as they’re called, then give the chosen person a full life makeover, which involves their clothes, hairstyle, house, and even their eating habits.

Part of the show’s great success is the charisma and chemistry of the Fab Five. Jonathan Van Ness is the grooming expert. They not only work with the chosen person to find the hairstyle that best suits their look and personality, but they also teach them how to take care of their skin and hair, providing the individual with personalized products and a routine that adjusts to their lifestyle.

Antoni Porowski is the cooking expert, and he focuses on teaching individuals and families recipes that taste good, but, most of all, that make them feel proud of themselves for cooking them, bringing joy to their relationship with food.

Bobby Berk is often the least appreciated of the group, but he has arguably the hardest job: each week, he redesigns an entire house, making its owner feel at home and adapting to each individual or family’s needs.

Karamo Brown may be credited as a culture and lifestyle expert, but he’s much more than that. He helps each individual work through their trauma and life experience and provides them with tools to become the best version of themselves.

Finally, Tan France, the fashion expert, helps each person to elevate their looks, by showing them new styles that could work for them and explaining how to shop for themselves in the future.

In each episode, we get to see the Fab Five completely transform an individual’s life. Whether they identify as straight or queer, each person who goes through this show has a moving story to tell, and we as the audience, can learn with them to become the best version of ourselves.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018), by ND Stevenson, is an American animated reboot of a homonymous 1985 show. Produced by DreamWorks Animation Television, the show focuses on the character of She-Ra, originally created in the eighties as a sidekick to He-Man.

The show reboots the character and the story, making them feel fresh and relevant and transforming some of the problematic elements of the eighties show into one of the few LGBTQ-friendly animation shows aimed at younger audiences. The show consists of five seasons and ended in 2020.

The show is set in Etheria, a fantastical planet under the attack of the evil soldiers of the Horde. A rebellion has formed, but their chances of defending their home planet are getting slimmer. Adora (Aimee Carrero) and Catra (AJ Michalka) are orphans raised by the Horde to become soldiers and, in the process, have become close friends.

Yet everything changes when Adora gets lost in the woods outside Horde territory and finds a magical sword driven in the ground: when she touches it, it transforms her into She-Ra, a fabled Princess of Power. Her newfound power will bring her closer to the rebellion, where she will find out that the people that raised her are actually evil. This will cause a deep rift between her and Catra, who will become her sworn enemy.

One of the things that makes She-Ra and the Princesses of Power such a great show is its representation. In the first seasons, every character could be read as queer, yet none of it was concrete. Yet when the creators found out that the audience loved that aspect of the series, they decided to commit to it fully: the show features several LGBTQ characters and features the first lesbian kiss in any show aimed at younger audiences. She-Ra will be remembered as one of the best queer characters in animation history.

Grand Army (2020)

Grand Army is a teen drama similar to previous shows like Skins or Degrassi. It somehow slipped under the pop culture radar (probably because it overlapped with Euphoria’s rise to popularity), but it deserves much more recognition.

The show follows five teenagers (Joey Del Marco, Dom Pierre, Sid Pakam, Jayson Jackson, and Leila Kwan Zimmer) who attend Grand Army High School, in Brooklyn. The first episode starts with a bomb. Literally. There is a terrorist attack near the high school, and Grand Army has to go under lockdown.

From this moment on, the audience will face the harsh reality of being a teenager in modern-day America. From rape culture to racism and bullying, the series tackles many of the hardships of being young nowadays.

One of our main characters, Sid, is a first-generation American, the son of Indian immigrants, and we see him struggle from the beginning with his sexual identity. In his essay for a college application, he writes about his feelings about being of Indian heritage and a closeted gay young man.

Even though his college counselor advises him to see a therapist, Sid decides to hook up with random men from Grindr, leading him to worry about STDs. At the same time, he has to deal with hiding his identity from a group of friends who constantly display toxic masculinity behaviors (such as objectifying women, including Sid’s sister).

Overall, Grand Army is a terrific show. Its reality may be exaggerated for plot purposes, but it’s still very realistic and sympathetic. Everyone can see themselves in one of the characters and identify with their struggles to find their identity.

Atypical (2017)

Atypical (2017), by Robia Rashid, is an American comedy-drama show about a young man on the autism spectrum, his family, and his friends. The show’s focus is, naturally, autism and what living with this condition is like.

The first season was criticized for its not-quite-there depiction of autism and the fact that few of the writers and characters were autistic themselves. Yet the creators of the show heard this criticism and hired new actors and writers who had personal experience being autistic, which led to a much better depiction of the condition.

By the time Atypical’s last season aired, it was considered a great show with an accurate portrayal of autism. The show began airing in August 2017 and concluded its fourth season in July 2021.

The show follows the life of Sam Gardner (played by Keir Gilchrist), an 18-year-old young man with autism in search of love. It begins with him having a session with his therapist, Julia (Amy Okuda), where she tells him that autistic people can date. Although their family is very supportive of him, his mother, Elsa (Jennifer Jason Leigh), doesn’t think he’s ready to date. With help from his friend Zahid (Nik Dodani), Sam will attempt to traverse dating life and get a better grip on his condition.

Atypical is not only an awesome show to get familiar with autism, but it also features a truly moving lesbian storyline. During the second season, Sam’s sister, Casey (played by non-binary actor Brigette Lundy-Painte), leaves home to assist a private school.

There she meets Izzie (Fivel Stewart), a young woman Casey can’t figure out. At first, she’s friendly; then, she´s cold. Their storyline will see them coming to terms with their feelings for each other’s and their sexuality.

AJ and the Queen (2020)

AJ and the Queen is a hilarious comedy created by the legendary RuPaul and Michael Patrick King, writer and director for Sex and the City. The show follows a drag queen called Ruby Red, played by RuPaul himself, a drag queen who undergoes massive debt intending to set up her own nightclub.

However, when things don’t work out, she leaves the city in her RV to travel to clubs across the country to present her drag show, while being chased by debt collectors. In addition, a little kid named AJ climbed into the RV unnoticed to escape an abusive household after their mother died of heroin abuse.

The series touches on many serious topics, but maintains a lighthearted mood throughout and showcases a lot of cameos from famous drag queens (many of them from RuPaul’s Drag Race). Overall, it is a very sweet comedy about an unlikely-found family.

Through their journey across America, AJ and Ruby will encounter all sorts of people and learn many lessons, all the while getting to know each other and saving each other from the hardships of life. If you are a fan of RuPaul, drag queen shows, road trip media, or moving comedies in the vein of Little Miss Sunshine, AJ and the Queen should be at the top of your watchlist.

Schitt’s Creek (2015)

Schitt’s Creek (2015), by Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, is a Canadian sitcom about a rich family who has lost all their wealth and has to move to a motel. The show began in January 2015 and ended after six seasons in April 2020. This critically acclaimed show has won numerous awards, including seven Primetime Emmy Awards only for its last season, most notably Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.

The show beings when the Rose’s mansion is raided by the Canadian authorities after the family’s business manager defrauded them. After years of unpaid taxes, the government seizes almost everything that magnate Johnny (Eugene Levy) and his wife, retired bad-actress Moira (Catherine O’Hara), have.

They are penniless, as are their spoiled and immature adult children: Alexis (Annie Murphy) and David (Dan Levy). Their last resort is a sad small town Johnny had bought for his son as a joke: the titular Schitt’s Creek. There they will meet the locals and try to get along with them.

Schitt’s Creek is a family project by Eugene and Dan Levy, who really are father and son. A big part of the show is based on themselves. This is very interesting since Dan himself is a gay man deeply connected to the queer community.

His love for all things LGBTQ has led to several queer characters being featured in Schitt’s Creek, starting with his character David: in the very first season, he’s revealed to be pansexual. The show depicts many queer romances and relationships, with a particularly special one being the highlight of its third season.

Sex Education (2019-2021)

Sex Education is a critically acclaimed show about a group of teens figuring out their identity and sexuality while attending high school. The main character, Otis, played by Asa Butterfield, with the help of his best friend, Eric, and the girl he has a crush on, Maeve, decides to open a “sex clinic” in their school after noticing the lack of proper sex education in the curriculum.

Maeve, who comes from a disadvantaged background, decides to join the two boys because she needs the money, but as the show progresses, her relationship with Otis develops into something more than a business partnership.

Eric starts the show as a closeted gay kid. Even though his best friend already knows about his sexual identity, he’s scared of coming out to his parents, who are African immigrants, religious and conservative.

One of the first season’s main arcs is Eric’s struggle with bullying, since Adam, the principal’s son and troublemaker, constantly harasses him due to his sexuality and self-expression. Eric doesn’t hide his over-the-top personality and love for color, displaying bold outfit choices and often wearing bright makeup.

The show displays many characters who identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay, non-binary, and asexual. It’s a wonderful representation of young teens finding themselves, and it has helped to destigmatize various themes usually ignored in film and television, such as female masturbation, sexual assault, toxic masculinity, and vaginismus. The fun and retro aesthetic, in addition to the amazing performances and interesting plots, all combine to create a great watching experience.

Dear White People (2017)

Dear White People (2017), by Justin Simien, is a comedy-drama show based on a 2014 film also by Simien. The series follows multiple African-American students at a prestigious Ivy League college, depicting their struggle with racism and other race relations issues.

Most episodes of the show focus on a different character, allowing the creators to tell various stories that cut to the core of the black college experience. Dear White People has been praised for its thoughtful commentary on American race relations and LGBTQ issues through outstanding comedy.

The story follows the lives of several black students as racial tension rises at Winchester University: these students are not perfect people; many make mistakes or behave in apparently contradictory ways. There´s Sam (played by Logan Browning), the main character in the 2014 film, a woke radio host that calls out the racist and privileged attitudes of white students on campus, yet we find out in the first chapter that she has a white boyfriend and doesn’t want her black friends to find out.

At the same time, Sam’s friend-turned-enemy Coco (Antoinette Robertson) sympathizes with the group her ex-friend is critiquing, even though she’s black herself. Then there´s Lionel (DeRon Horton), a closeted gay man who wants to make a change but doesn’t have the courage to take part in the fight.

Dear White People features various black and queer characters and their journey to find themselves in oppressive Winchester University. Like most shows, it finds its footing as the seasons go along, with some of its weakest storylines being part of season one. Yet when you see those first storylines develop, like Lionel’s or Kelsey’s (Nia Jervier), it all becomes worth it.

Bonding (2019-2021)

Bonding is a bold show about friendship, kinks, power dynamics and sexual identity. The story begins when Tiffany, a psychology student who pays her way through school by being a dominatrix, recruits her best friend from high school, Pete, to be her assistant.

Pete is trying to become a successful comedian, but his shyness and stage fright are holding him back from unleashing his true personality on stage. Through his journey with Tiffany, Pete discovers new ways to express himself that will impact all aspects of his life.

Both friends try to form new romantic relationships. Pete starts dating Josh, who he really likes, but the fact that Josh hasn’t come out as gay to his family or co-workers will create points of tension in the relationship. Through all that, Pete also tries to explore new ways to approach his sexual life, learning the different facets of being dominant and submissive.

Meanwhile, Tiffany begins dating his sweet classmate, Doug. However, she doesn’t want him to know what she does for a living, scared that it will be too much for him. She also comes to realize she pushes people away and uses her dominatrix persona to feel in control of her relationships.

The show builds a safe environment for these two characters to reconnect after a mysterious fallout at the end of high school. If you’re interested in learning more about the BDSM community or simply looking for a hilarious yet heartfelt comedy, Bonding is the show for you.

The House Of Flowers (2018)

The House of Flowers [La Casa de las Flores] (2018), by Manolo Caro, is a Mexican black comedy show about a wealthy family that owns a floristry and a cabaret. The show has been highly praised for its writing, but most of all, audiences were enamored by the characters.

Paulina de la Mora (played by Cecilia Suárez), for one, it’s now considered an icon, with her sayings and reactions being a part of Mexican culture. The show consists of three seasons which were released between 2018 and 2020. In 2021 a spin-off feature film was released on Netflix (The House of Flowers: The Movie), continuing the story of the de la Mora family.

The show begins with a tragic death: Roberta (Claudette Maillé), a woman the family head Ernesto de la Mora (Arturo Ríos) was having an affair with, kills herself. Yet he doesn’t go unpunished: she had committed fraud in his name, so Ernesto is sentenced to prison time.

The responsibility for his famous floristry, franchised, and that of his secret gay-friendly cabaret (both bearing the name “The House of Flowers”), lies on the eldest daughter, Paulina. Shortly, Virginia de la Mora (Verónica Castro), Ernesto’s wife, learns of the cabaret and struggles with Paulina for control of the family’s future. In the middle of this are caught Paulina’s siblings: sexually ambiguous Julián (Darío Yazbek Bernal) and cosmopolitan Elena (Aislinn Derbez).

The House of Flowers has its queer Latinx characters take center stage, with several of the struggles during their trying times having to do with coming to terms and facing backlash for being who there are. Playing with the tired tropes of telenovelas, it turns old stereotypes on their heads: the new head of the family, Paulina, is a proud feminist whose sexuality will take a turn as the show progresses.

The House of Flowers is an immaculate show, beautifully shot and emotionally written, a must-watch for anyone who loves all things queer.

The Politician (2019-2020)

Created by the infamous Ryan Murphy, The Politician is a drama-comedy about the trials and tribulations of high school politics in the first season and real-world politics in the second season. Love him or hate him, Murphy always manages to create entertaining and hilarious shows.

He has a discerning eye for current matters, which he often ridicules and exaggerates as a form of critique. The series stars the talented Ben Platt, who you may recognize for his role in Pitch Perfect as Benjie or as the leading actor in the controversial film Dear Evan Hansen.

The show begins when Payton Hobart (Platt), a rich teenager in California, decides to start his campaign for class president at Saint Sebastian High School. This is part of his long-term plan to become president of the United States.

However, the show begins with a very shocking event. His contender is none other than River, a boy with whom Payton had a secret relationship, and he is choosing as vice president a gender-non-conforming black student, something that Payton considers would boost his image in public opinion.

River apologizes for this and commits suicide right in front of Payton. While the audience may be extremely unsettled by this course of action, Payton decides to continue his plan and run for the class presidency.

If you are a fan of Murphy’s other shows, such as Glee, Scream Queens or American Horror Story, then the comedy in The Politician is right up your alley. It is sometimes over the top and brutal, but it often delivers an intelligent critique of current issues.

Orange Is The New Black (2013)

Orange Is the New Black (2013), by Jenji Kohan, is an American comedy-drama show about women’s lives in a federal prison. The story for the show was based on a 2010 memoir by Piper Kerman, titled Orange Is the New Black: My year in Women’s Prison.

With its first season premiering in 2013, the show ended after seven seasons in 2019. It’s one of Netflix’s most-watched and best-regarded shows, having won sixteen Emmy Awards during its whole run. Orange Is the New Black features a diverse ensemble cast of talented actresses, many of whom were propelled to stardom after participating in the show.

At first, the show revolves only around Piper (Taylor Schilling), a middle-aged New Yorker who’s sent to prison for fifteen months for a crime she committed ten years before: Piper had carried a suitcase containing drug money at the urge of her then-girlfriend Alex (Laura Prepon), who was a drug smuggler.

In prison, she’s reunited with Alex and meets several other female inmates, including Russian mother-figure Galina (Kate Mulgrew), former drug addict Nicky (Natasha Lyonne), and her friend-with-benefits, the romantic Italian Lorna “Muccio” (Yael Stone). Her time spent in prison will completely change Piper, who will reevaluate her relationship with Alex and learn a lot about the American Prison System.

Orange Is the New Black features some of the best portrayals of queer individuals on television. In 2013, its depiction of strong yet very flawed women-loving women was unprecedented. Not only that, but it also broke ground on the representation of black queerness, with characters’ like the romantic Suzanne “Crazy Eye” and the beloved Poussey. This foundational show will move anyone who watches it.

BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)

BoJack Horseman was a game-changer in terms of animated series for adults. Viewers who watched it from the beginning, have noted how, at first, the series seems to be a funny satire about Hollywood and its frivolous lifestyle, but it gradually evolves into a dramedy that deals with serious topics such as alcoholism, intergenerational trauma and abuse.

The show presents the audience with one of the rare occurrences of explicitly asexual characters on TV. One of the main characters, Todd, BoJack’s roommate and sometimes best friend, reveals in later seasons that he is asexual.

This leads to various storylines in which we see Todd dealing with the dating world while being asexual. He soon realizes that some people may not want a relationship with him because of this, but he also discovers that more people like him are also looking for love and companionship.

The show also deals with the treatment of gay people in the entertainment industry, and how in the past decades, it was still stigmatized as anything other than straight in the public eye.

If you’re going to watch a Netflix animated series, we strongly recommend you watch BoJack Horseman. It’s an incredibly funny comedy, but be prepared to cry for anthropomorphized animals on more than one occasion.

I Am Not Okay With This (2020)

The best way to describe this show is to imagine what Carrie would look like if Carrie were a closeted lesbian, exploring the awkwardness, sorrow and comedy of being in that position. I Am Not Okay With This is a fantastic show about a young girl, Sydney (played by Sophia Lillis), who discovers she has telekinetic powers, that are related to her feelings of depression and anxiety surging after her father died in mysterious circumstances.

Sydney’s best friend, Dina, begins a relationship with the school’s jock, filling her with inexplicable jealousy. At the same time, she starts seeing a boy called Stu, who, despite being funny and charismatic, doesn’t seem to ignite a spark in Syd.

Through these relationships, she will come to terms with her sexuality. Dina and Stu will also play key roles in her investigation of her telekinetic powers, how it connects with her father’s death in the army, and her feelings of depression.

Even though the show was canceled, it’s still worth the watch, especially if you love the Sci-Fi genre and coming-of-age stories. It’s funny, charming and moving at every turn.