When it comes to some of the best shows to watch, there are always so many options for fans of TV to enjoy, in any type of genre, from the best fantasy shows to sci-fi ones to any kind of style one could imagine. But one genre that deserves more attention are the greatest LGBTQ+ shows out there that you could watch right now.
From more recent additions such as Heartstopper on Netflix, to some of the older shows like The L Word, there are so many options to choose from that you can view if you’re craving something new. Here are some of the best out there.
Sex Education (2019 – 2023)
If you’re interested in a hilarious comedy, then Sex Education is the way to go. This series tells the story of Otis, a high schooler who lives his daily life at school with his friends trying to grow up and understand love, sex, and so much more, with the help of his sex therapist mother.
Sex Education is honestly a great show overall. I do think some of the earlier seasons are better than the later ones, but each installment shows really convincing love stories that feel realistic. There are plenty of great LGBTQ+ romances here that speak to the heart and soul, and offer plenty of valuable advice to the viewer.
Stream Sex Education on Netflix.
Yellowjackets (2021 – Present)
Yellowjackets is one of Showtime’s best shows. The series goes back and forth between two timelines. The first takes place in the 1990s, where a soccer team suffers in a plane crash and somehow has to live in the Canadian wilderness over the winter. The second is the future, where the survivors of this ordeal must handle the consequences decades later.
Is Yellowjackets purely an LGBTQ+ show? No, it is not, but I have to give credit where credit is due for the amazing LGBTQ+ storyline that is portrayed with Tawny Cypress and her character, Taissa. It’s a great addition to her character and adds another complex layer to the story at hand. Not only that, but this is a series that you will not want to stop watching, for hours on end.
Stream Yellowjackets on Paramount+.
Heartstopper (2022 – Present)
If you’re looking for another cute teen romance, then you have to check out Heartstopper. The show follows the tale of Charlie, who is struggling to deal with his feelings for one of his classmates, Nick. Through the course of several episodes, Charlie learns to not only embrace his feelings, but overcomes his own personal obstacles to find happiness in this modern world.
Heartstopper was honestly one of the best teen shows I watched in 2022 – really, it was one of the most heartwarming ones too. The Heartstopper cast is full of love and light and is always a delight in every shape and form, and now with two seasons out and a third season on the way, there will be even more lovely LGBTQ+ love. It’s seriously told so well, and almost feels as if you step into the graphic novel it is based on.
Stream Heartstopper on Netflix.
The Bisexual (2018)
In this comedy-drama, The Bisexual follows Leila, a young woman who takes a break from her decade-long relationship with her partner, Sadie, and begins to explore her own bisexuality, while struggling to come out to her friends.
I think what I love the most about The Bisexual is that while it is a short series, with just six episodes, it’s not afraid to dive deep into the topic of bisexuality. The confusion one might feel, the complex emotions that come from being with a girl to being with a guy, the complications in-between, it’s all there to talk about, led by a great performance from Desiree Akhavan. I wish that it had gotten more seasons, but I’ll enjoy it even so with just the one.
First Kill (2022)
Are you looking for a teen drama that also happens to be one of the best LGBTQ+ shows out there? Then First Kill is for you. In this supernatural teen drama, we follow two girls – one, a vampire, aiming for her first kill, and the other a monster hunter, looking for her own first kill to signify her place in the family. But sooner or later, girl meets girl – and love comes before death.
First Kill is one of those shows that seriously should have gotten so many more seasons because it was so good, and the common outcry over its cancellation on Netflix is telling enough for how much fans loved this series. Not only was it spicy and full of supernatural treats, but the love story between the two main characters was somehow believable in a world full of monsters and vampires. This is a show you do not want to miss.
Sense8 (2015 – 2018)
This sci-fi series was canceled far too soon on Netflix. Sense8 tells the story of eight human beings from around the world who suddenly discover that they are linked through each other, mentally and physically – otherwise known as being a “sensate.”
Sense8 was such an underappreciated show and deserved way more seasons. It was not only created by the Matrix creators, but it explores so many relevant themes in many of the best LGBTQ+ shows, like sexuality and gender and how we identify ourselves, in such a way that is beautiful. It’s nice that the series got a movie to sort of cap it off, but it still makes me sad considering it should have lasted longer.
Our Flag Means Death (2022 – 2023)
What do you get when you combine a period piece with LGBTQ+ storylines and comedy? You get Our Flag Means Death. This series, originally from HBO Max before turning into Max, follows the story of Stede Bonnet, a once normal man that turns to a life of piracy and sailing along the sea during the Golden Age of Pirates – as well as the story of how he came to be a leader amongst a band of pirates.
This series is a ton of fun for many reasons. Not only does it have great LGBTQ+ storylines that are so much fun to follow (and laugh at), it’s just a hilarious show. The cast is so talented, and I can’t get over Taika Waititi as Blackbeard. What utterly perfect casting. All in all, it’s a show that’s deserving of so much love.
Stream Our Flag Means Death on Max.
Pose (2018 - 2021)
In this Ryan Murphy-created show, Pose follows African-American and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming drag ball culture in the 1980s and 1990s, telling the stories that these people often faced, from discrimination to learning how to accept themselves.
Pose is a lot of fun. While the LGBTQ+ themes are evident in this show, there are also plenty of other great moments to enjoy, from the entertaining dance scenes, the head-bopping music, brilliant acting performances, and so much more. With a cast that includes Emmy winners Evan Peters and Billy Porter, Pose is the perfect show to watch when you just need something peppy to make you happy again, and I find myself returning to it often. It’s a great time for anyone to enjoy.
Glee (2009 – 2015)
Yes, you will get up and dance to these covers. Glee was a Fox comedy series that took the world by storm when it first came out, telling the story of a group of misfits who all join a glee club in order to gain some sort of popularity at school or to show off their talents in one way or another, led by teacher Will Schuester – and it just gets funnier from there.
Glee is one of those shows where you forget how funny it is. For those who want a great LGBTQ+ storyline, you get several in this show, many of which are either hysterical or heartwarming. But, if you’re just here for comedy, there’s so much of it – some of which has aged well, and some that hasn’t, but it’s still enjoyable nonetheless.
Will & Grace (1998 - 2020)
In this popular LGBTQ+ series, Will & Grace is set in NYC and follows the friendship between Will Truman, a gay lawyer, and his best friend, Grace Adler, a Jewish woman who owns an interior design firm.
Will & Grace was known at the beginning of its time on the air for being a very progressive show to have a gay man as the lead. Obviously, with so many choices to pick from now, that’s not the case anymore, but you can’t deny its iconicness in the industry and how it changed the face of television. Both Will and Grace, played by Eric McCormack and Debra Messing, have amazing chemistry and are the best friends you always wanted, alongside the rest of the Will & Grace cast. The show was so beloved it was revived years later - that’s how you know it’s good.
It’s A Sin (2021)
Taking place during the AIDS epidemic in London, It’s A Sin is a drama miniseries that follows a group of gay men as they try to live their lives facing discrimination and more when fear for this illness was at an all-time high.
It’s A Sin, in comparison to many of the others on this list, is drama at its core. It’s raw, real, and will leave you aching with the need for justice for those that suffered during that time. It teaches valuable lessons on the treatment of LGBTQ+ people and offers a lot of history to those who didn’t know much about this time.
Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire (2022 - Present)
Based on the 1976 novel of the same name, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire debuted on AMC in October 2022 to fantastic reviews. It follows the story of Louis de Pointe du Lac and the story of how he tells his tale to a journalist, from the beginnings of his life as a vampire to everything else in-between.
The series has seven episodes and is honestly one of the best adaptations of Anne Rice’s work. It really embraces the story of Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis as not only partners but lovers, and gives you a supernatural filled romance that is sure to please the eyes. Plus, Jacob Anderson gives a compelling leading performance.
Stream Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire on AMC Plus.
The Haunting Of Bly Manor (2020)
Who knew that ghosts and LGBTQ+ romance could go so well together? The Haunting of Bly Manor is a series from Mike Flanagan, where we see a young woman look after two children in an old manner, but things start to turn upside down the moment she arrives.
If you know Flanagan, you know it's rare the horror master ever misses. But, I think what makes The Haunting of Bly Manor so good is that its LGBTQ+ love story is so subtle in its delivery, and yet extremely pleasing and will also make you cry and sob your eyes out. Tragically magical.
Stream The Haunting of Bly Manor on Netflix.
Orange Is The New Black (2013 - 2019)
In this Netflix original series, Orange is the New Black is based on a true story, following Piper Chapman, as she is brought to prison on the charge of helping her former ex-girlfriend smuggle drugs. Now, she must serve a more than year-long sentence in this minimum security prison, dealing with the ongoings of prison life.
While Orange is the New Black sounds like it would be more like a prison show, the crimes these people committed really take a backseat, because the relationships are in the forefront. Each season, you’ll come back to follow the relationships between characters that you want to succeed, from Piper and Alex, to Poussey and Brook, to so many others. The Orange is the New Black cast is so talented, and they make this show rewatchable, even now after it’s come to an end, with an entertaining story, complex character backstories, and so much more. It’s truly one of the best shows you can binge-watch on the platform.
Stream Orange is the New Black on Netflix.
The Owl House (2020 – 2023)
There are just so many good animated shows out there right now, and The Owl House was one of those. This series follows a teenager named Luz, who finds herself suddenly taken into a world of magic when she stumbles into a portal. Now, she must learn to live in this strange world and survive, alongside her new magical friends.
While this isn’t as intense as some of the other options on here, The Owl House is revolutionary in many ways. It’s one of the first Disney Channel shows that really embraced an LGBTQ+ storyline, despite some people calling the network out for it. While it only lasted for three seasons, it was a great stepping stone for the Disney Channel – and you should certainly check it out for its wonderful world of magic.
Stream The Owl House on Disney+.
Killing Eve (2018 - 2022)
In this spy thriller, Killing Eve follows the lives of a security operative and an assassin, whose lives become interlinked when the officer is tasked with capturing the psychopathic assassin. As the chase continues, the two develop a mutual obsession with each other.
Okay, so this show isn’t defined as an LGBTQ+ show, but you can make so many arguments for Killing Eve that Eve, played by Sandra Oh, is in love with Villanelle, played by Jodie Comer. These two do a close, deadly dance around each other, almost forming some sort of twisted love story that anyone could enjoy from beginning to end. There’s four seasons of the show, and it tells a captivating story from beginning to end – and you have to check it out.
Schitt’s Creek (2015 – 2020)
You just can’t help but love Schitt’s Creek. This iconic comedy, starring the lovely Schitt’s Creek cast, tells the story of the Rose family and how one day, they lose everything they own except a small town that was bought as a gag years ago, known as Schitt’s Creek. Now, they must learn to adapt their lives after losing everything they knew.
While Schitt’s Creek isn’t what I would call an LGBTQ+ show, since that’s not the main focal point of the series, I’m putting it here for the beautiful relationship that is David and Patrick, which is arguably the best part. Their relationship is one of the best LGBTQ+ ones I have seen in modern-day television and has made me cry in so many ways. I miss them so much since the show came to an end in 2020, but I can always return and watch the love story from beginning to end – along with the rest of the Rose family.
Stream Schitt’s Creek on Hulu.
The L Word (2004 - 2009)
In this popular Showtime series, The L Word follows the lives of a small, close-knit group of gay women, as well as the loves they meet along the way, and the family and friends that join them on their journey, or reject them entirely.
To me, The L Word was one of my first introductions into this type of media, and it became such a big hit for a reason. The L Word cast is full of talent, led by the wonderful Jennifer Beals, and the stories that each of the characters have are done exceptionally well and bring on relationships that you want to root for. There have been several spinoffs, including a recent one in 2019 with Beals returning, so you know that the original had to have been entertaining. I think anyone who wants to watch a good show would enjoy this one.
Queer Eye (2018 – Present)
Are you looking for the ultimate makeover? Then Queer Eye is for you. This Netflix original, rebooted from the original series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the show follows five LGBTQ+ men who take it upon themselves to help those in need of life changes, from style to cooking to home improvements.
While the original series that this show is based on was good, there’s just something I love about Queer Eye now. I think it’s that the men feel like they really want to help and they go to such drastic lengths in order to do so. They’re so kind, loving, and honestly have some great tips for you to even use at home. It’s an all-around feel good show, one I would certainly recommend watching if you’ve never gotten the chance.
Looking (2014 - 2016)
Finally, we take a look at Looking. In this HBO original series, we follow the lives of three openly gay close friends who live in modern-day San Francisco, on their journeys together trying to find love, happiness, and everything in between.
I feel like Looking is one of those HBO shows that deserves so much more praise than it got. Not only was the story interesting and its large cast ensemble super talented, it was genuinely a great show not just about finding love but the value of having friends in your life that supported you. Talented actor Jonathan Groff, known for his roles in Glee, Hamilton, and Kristoff in the Frozen cast, stars in this short-lived series, and honestly, it’s one of his best roles. He deserves so much more praise, as does the rest of the cast.
With so many awesome shows to pick from, it may be hard to pick just one, but just know that whichever one you do go with, you’ll enjoy it all the same. Maybe even after you’ll go and watch some of the best TV shows or movies with LGBTQ+ actors in them.
