24 Best LGBTQ TV Shows Movies to Watch (Page 2)

Life should be difficult for Charlie Spring, an openly gay student in an all-boys high school. And it is, to be sure—he's mocked, ridiculed, and at times literally shoved to the sidelines. But Hearstopper doesn't just dwell on misery; rather, it shows us the many colors, the multifaceted wonders, of Charlie's life. His friends, family, and newfound crush, Nick, help keep him afloat in the murky waters of teenhood.

Like the show itself, Charlie and Nick are insistently sweet and charming, which can feel bold in a world that is driven by so much cynicism and hate. It's this glowing sensitivity, coupled with the show's inclusive characters and levelheaded insight, that make Hearstopper a heartwarmingly good watch. 

Genre: Drama

Actor: Kit Connor, William Gao, Yasmin Finney

Rating: TV-14

There is a warm glow and a languid mood about We Are Who We Are that makes it feel familiar for anyone who’s seen Luca Guadagnino’s works. But this eight-part series is longer than the auteur’s films (a stacked list that includes Call Me By Your Name and Bones and All), and so it can feel slow at times, dragging even. Still, it’s easy to forgive because of the relatable characters that lead the show. They’re confused, curious, and willing to bend their identities forward and back to learn something true about themselves. Nothing is set in stone here, neither gender, relationships, or politics, but that’s what makes it so validating to watch. It’s a complex picture—pretty but complex, as life often can be.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Alice Braga, Benjamin L. Taylor II, Chloe Sevigny, Corey Knight, Faith Alabi, Francesca Scorsese, Jack Dylan Grazer, Jordan Kristine Seamón, Kid Cudi, Spence Moore II, Tom Mercier

Rating: TV-MA

The brainchild of Lisa Hanawalt (one of the creative forces behind Netflix's BoJack Horseman), Tuca & Bertie departed from that other show's no-holds-barred look at addiction and depression to focus on the freewheeling adventures of two best friends in the wacky city of Birdtown. The series wears its silliness like a badge of honor and takes pride in portraying adult women as weird, insecure, sexual beings who are still fully capable of anything. And while it mostly plays as a manic romcom (with an incredible Steven Yeun playing Bertie's boyfriend, Speckle), there are enough moving moments sprinkled throughout that remind you this is all rooted in authentic emotion.

Genre: Animation, Comedy

Actor: Ali Wong, Steven Yeun, Tiffany Haddish

True crime documentaries have had a bit of a sensationalist streak in recent years, but thankfully, Never Let Him Go never stoops to that level. It knows, respects, and empathizes with Scott Johnson and his family, who, for 30 years have relentlessly sought answers as to how and why, exactly, Scott died the way he did. An American prodigy studying in Australia, Scott had a bright future ahead of him. But it was cut short when his body was found at the bottom of a cliff, naked and mutilated, with police concluding simply that Scott had committed suicide. Over the course of decades, however, multiple leads would come up that suggest Scott could’ve been one of the many hate crime victims whose violent and bias-motivated end went unacknowledged. In four efficiently edited, objectively studied yet emotionally told episodes, Never Let Him Go tracks this years-long affair and studies how it evolved from a simple unresolved mystery to a landmark case that exposes not just the sorry state the LGBTQ community was subjected to, but the complicated bureaucracy that comes with obtaining justice. 

Genre: Crime, Documentary

It’s refreshing to watch stories about queer people in the Global South unfold with this much joy and love and excitement. Many films and TV shows will have you believe that it’s all tragedy, and while the queer experience is certainly without its struggles, it seems unfair to hyperfocus on that aspect alone when there’s a lot of tenderness to go around. Rainbow Rishta finds the perfect balance between realism and romance, between strife and pride, in delivering the stories of its subjects. In doing so, it deepens our understanding of the global LGBTQ community. 

Genre: Drama, Reality

Actor: Ayushmaan AIshwarya, Daniella Mendonca, Sadam Hanjabam, Soham Sengupta, Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju

Director: Hridaye Nagpal, Jaydeep Sarkar, Shubhra Chaterjee

Interview with the Vampire is a remarkable remake that takes place in 1910s New Orleans. It centers on Louis (Jacob Anderson), a wealthy Black man who is turned into a vampire by his lover Lestat (Sam Reid). The series is a sprawling gothic tale that explores the relationship between Louis and Lestat, as well as the politics of race and the ethics of being undead. In other words, it's a lofty love story with some bite to it. Watch if you're a fan of the lore, action, and melodrama that comes with addictively ambitious vampire stories such as this.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Assad Zaman, Bailey Bass, Delainey Hayles, Eric Bogosian, Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid

Rating: TV-MA

Based on the 1992 classic of the same name, A League of Their Own tells the story of the Rockford Peaches—how the women’s baseball team came to be, who its eccentric members are, and what life was like in wartime America, especially for driven women with unconventional goals.

More than a remake, 2022's A League of Their Own actually updates the premise to be more conscious of sexuality and race, making it feel very modern and up-to-date despite its period setting. It’s a funny and enlightening show with some anachronistic tendencies here and there (expect non-1940s pop music to play), which might rebuff historical purists but will likely charm everyone else.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, History

Actor: Abbi Jacobson, Chanté Adams, D'Arcy Carden, Dale Dickey, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Kate Berlant, Kelly McCormack, Melanie Field, Molly Ephraim, Priscilla Delgado, Roberta Colindrez

Rating: Not Rated