The LGBTQ community has struggled to find its way into mainstream society, and a large part of its success has been thanks to movies. Hollywood has always been at the forefront of sexual experimentation and freedom.
They have used movies and TV shows as a platform to introduce taboo issues, like being gay, transgender, and more.
There have been some fantastic LGBTQ+ shows on TV that have influenced the culture in many ways. The following are some of the most classic LGBTQ+ shows:
Betty (HBO/HBO MAX)
HBO has never been a network to shy away from sexually charged productions and has always been at the forefront of queer coding in TV. Betty was a spinoff of the 2018 indie film Skate Kitchen and is a show about four female skaters in New York.
Not all the girls on the show were lesbians, but they were all trying to fit into the skater culture, which was male-dominated. They underwent significant turmoil living in the big city while being a unique element of a subculture many people did not know about.
The show explored several themes, including lesbian relationships including how being a member of the LGBTQ community affects familial relationships. It was also quite funny, which is what makes Betty so memorable.Â
Killing Eve (BBC)
Killing Eve is still one of the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) most watched TV series. It has over 3.5 million viewers and a cult following on social media. The show’s cast member Jodie Comer won an Emmy award in 2019 for her role as an assassin Called Villanelle.
ADVERTISEMENT
The show started airing in 2016 and is slowly on its way to becoming a Sapphic classic. The show also has an LGBTQ theme, with Comer and her co-star Sandra Oh having incredible chemistry on screen. You can now stream the shows on Hulu and AMC.Â
The Bisexual (Hulu)
Desiree Akhavan co-wrote, directed, and stars in The Bisexual, and her passion for the project shines through on-screen.
She plays an Iranian-American woman living in London who has been a lesbian her entire life but is discovering that her sexuality is a more complicated issue than she thought. Many love the show because it has some of the most riveting sex scenes ever on TV, but the show is more than that.
It showcases the struggles the LGBQT+ community faces and the most challenging aspects of getting to grips with sexuality. The Bisexual is a show that offers every other similar show a reality check and a lesson.Â
Gentleman Jack (BBC/HBO)
Gentleman Jack is a true story like no other and one every LGBQT+ person will relate to when watching it. The show is about landowner and industrialist Anne Lister, who has a diarist and recounted her lesbian relationships in secret code.
The show stars Suranne Jones and an incredible supporting cast, making Gentleman Jack one of the classic LGBTQ+ shows of our time.
ADVERTISEMENT
Critics have given the show excellent reviews, particularly about the show’s writing and acting. Gentleman Jack was canceled in 2022, but it is still one of the best LGBQT+ shows you can watch.
The Owl House (Disney)
The Owl House was Disney’s first adventure into LGBQT+ entertainment. The show’s main character, Luz Noceda, is unrepentingly gay, and there is also another non-binary character called Raine Whispers.
Though the show is an animated fantasy series, it tries its best to portray the lives of someone in the LGBQT+ community and the challenges they face. It has developed a cult following online because it is funny, whimsical, and impactful.Â
There are too many LGBQT+ shows on TV to name them all here. Betty, Killing Eve, The Bisexual, Gentleman Jack, and The Owl House are signature shows that anyone can enjoy. Make some time to watch any of the above shows and enjoy.
