ABOVE: Netflix released the second season of the award-winning FX series “Pose” today. (Photo courtesy FX Network)
With the coronavirus pandemic altering the atmosphere of this year’s Pride season, here are some LGBTQ+ shows to binge on and keep the spirit of Pride alive in your heart all month long.
“Legendary”:
“Legendary” is a reality dance-competition series inspired by LGBTQ+ ball culture and centers on the dance style of voguing. Various teams, also referred to as “houses”, compete against one another each episode, in hopes of winning a cash prize of $100,000. Actress Jameela Jamil, rapper Megan Thee Stallion, stylist Law Roach and dancer Leiomy Maldonado serve as judges. The show is executive produced by David Collins, Rob Eric and Michael Williams from the Netflix series “Queer Eye” and is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYepGZuRLhA
“Love, Victor”:
“Love, Victor” is a fictional drama inspired by the 2018 teen romantic comedy “Love, Simon”, which finds Victor as a new student at Creekwood High School – the same school attended by Simon Spier in the film. The series chronicles the various transitions Victor faces as part of his adolescence, as they relate to his school life, home life and emerging sexuality. Victor reaches out to Simon throughout the series for emotional guidance. Nick Robinson, who played Simon, serves as an executive producer and narrator of the series. The show will be available for streaming on Hulu beginning June 19.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh-IaEaEdE0
“One Day at a Time”:
“One Day at a Time” is a sitcom remake of the 1975 television series of the same name, which starred Bonnie Franklin, Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli. One of the main characters in the remake, Elena Alvarez, is a lesbian and the show explores her coming-out process and early experiences with romantic love. The series was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2018 and 2019. The first three seasons of the show are available for streaming on Netflix. The fourth season is currently being aired by Pop TV, after the channel picked up the show following Netflix’s cancellation of the series.
“Queer Eye”:
“Queer Eye” is a reality-television reboot of its 2003 Bravo predecessor of the same name and follows five gay men – known collectively as the “Fab Five” – as they help transform the lives of ordinary people through sharing their expertise in various areas: food, fashion, culture and lifestyle, interior design and personal grooming. Since debuting in early 2018, the series has won a total of seven Primetime Emmy awards. The show stars Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk and Jonathan Van Ness as the Fab Five. All five seasons of “Queer Eye” are currently available for streaming on Netflix.
“The Fosters”:
“The Fosters” is a family drama that centers around the lives of the Adams-Foster family, which is headed by lesbian couple Stef and Lena. Stef and Lena’s adopted son, Jude, is also gay and the series follows his journey as he comes to terms with his sexuality and learns to navigate the intricacies of life as an LGBTQ+ youth. The show was co-created by Peter Paige, who starred in the seminal Showtime television series “Queer as Folk”, and co-executive produced by actress-singer Jennifer Lopez. The show also won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2014. Although the series originally aired on Freeform, it is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jf2JYm8xcU
“Good Trouble”:
Freeform original “Good Trouble” serves as a spin-off of “The Fosters” and follows Callie and Mariana Adams-Foster as they explore the complexities of young adulthood in the city of Los Angeles. Callie’s love interest in the first season, Gael Martinez, is a bisexual man and the show openly portrays Gael’s interest in both men and women. Additionally, Gael’s sister Jazmin is a trans woman and the show illustrates her struggle for family acceptance. Alice Kwan, the manager of the apartment building where Callie and Mariana live, is a lesbian and the show candidly displays her romantic experiences. The series was nominated for a Teen Choice Award in 2019 for Choice Drama TV Show and its first two seasons are currently available for streaming on Hulu.
“Steven Universe”:
Cartoon Network original “Steven Universe” is an animated series that follows the adventures of Steven Universe, a boy who is half-human and half-humanoid alien, as he helps his friends the Crystal Gems – a group of magical, humanoid aliens – protect the fictional town of Beach City, Delmarva. The show has been highlighted for its LGBTQ+ inclusivity, becoming the first animated series to win a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Program in 2019. A July 2018 episode featured a same-sex marriage proposal between two of the show’s characters and was reportedly the first same-sex marriage proposal depicted in children’s animation. The entire series is available for streaming on HBO Max and seasons 1-4 are available to stream on Hulu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGcRotPd5xk
“The Real L Word”:
Showtime’s “The Real L Word” is a reality television series that chronicles the lives of lesbians living in Los Angeles, California and Brooklyn, New York. The show was created by American television producer, director and writer Ilene Chaiken, who is well-known for creating the sapphic drama “The L Word”, for which the show’s premise takes inspiration from. The series is available to stream on Hulu.
“Pose”:
The FX drama “Pose” is set in New York City’s LGBTQ+ ball culture scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s and follows the story of Blanca Rodriguez, a trans woman who has been recently diagnosed with HIV. Having a renewed desire to make an impact with her life, Blanca decides to start her own house – to make a name for herself in the ballroom scene and create a collective of love and unity in the process. The show was co-created by Ryan Murphy and features trans activist Janet Mock as one of its writers, directors and producers, making Mock the first trans woman of color hired as a TV writer. Actor Billy Porter received a Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role on the show in 2019, becoming the first openly gay black man to win in this category. The show is currently available to stream on Netflix.
“Élite”:
“Élite” is a Spanish crime thriller that follows the lives of students at Las Encinas, an eminent private school in Spain. The show’s first season begins with the unsolved murder of a student, who was killed in the school’s pool area. The introduction of three students from the working-class – Samuel, Nadia and Christian – to the upper-crust world of Las Encinas quickly turns things upside down and reveals classist tensions within the student body. The show is also known for its open portrayal of LGBTQ+ themes, such as the same-sex relationship between characters Ander and Omar or Polo’s exploration of his bisexuality. “Élite” won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Scripted Television Series (Spanish-Language) in 2019. The series is available to stream on Netflix.
Other shows to stream during this Pride season include “Queer as Folk” (Hulu), “The L Word” (first season with Amazon Prime, subsequent seasons with a Showtime Trial on Amazon Prime), “I Am Jazz” (Hulu), “The Bold Type” (Hulu) and “Dante’s Cove” (Hulu/ Here TV Trial on Amazon Prime).
