10 must-watch LGBTQ shows still to come in 2019

9th August 2019

These are the LGBTQ TV shows we’re looking forward to over the next year.

In 2018, representation for the queer community reached an all-time high in television, with a recent report from GLAAD revealing that the amount of queer characters on our screens has increased by over 100 to a new record.

Throughout the year, we were blown away by returning shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race, American Crime Story, GLOW and Orange is the New Black, and brand new series such as Queer Eye, Pose and A Very English Scandal.

This year, we’ve already been treated to Now Apocalypse, Tales of the City, Years and Years and Euphoria – but what else does 2019 have in store for us? Here are 10 more LGBTQ TV shows you need to watch.

13 Reasons Why (Netflix)

Release date: 23 August

Cast: Dylan Minnette, Alisha Boe, Devin Druid, Christian Navarro, Justin Prentice, Brandon Flynn, Miles Heizer, Ross Butler, Amy Hargreaves, Derek Luke, Brenda Strong

The season is set eight months after last season’s events, which saw Tyler Down (Druid) fail to commit a mass shooting at the school dance after being calmed down by Clay (Minnette) and Tony (Navarro). Bryce (Prentice) was also convicted of raping Jessica (Boe), but only received a three-month prison sentence. The plot for the season reads: “After preventing Tyler from committing an unthinkable act at Spring Fling, Clay, Tony, Jessica, Alex, Justin, and Zach find ways to shoulder the burden of the cover-up together while helping Tyler move toward recovery.”

AJ and the Queen (Netflix)

Release date: TBA

Cast: RuPaul, Josh Segarra, Michael-Leon Wooley, Katerina Tannenbaum, Tia Carrere

In 2018, it was reported that a 10-episode comedy series called AJ and the Queen, fronted and co-created by Drag Race host RuPaul alongside Michael Patrick King (Sex & The City), had been ordered by Netflix. The new series will star Mama Ru as Ruby Red, a “bigger-than-life but down-on-her-luck drag queen” who travels across America in a rundown RV from the 90s, accompanied by a wise-cracking 11-year-old orphan called AJ. Oh, and every episode, RuPaul will visit a drag club and perform a “killer musical number”. As if our excitement levels weren’t through the mothertucking roof already?!

American Horror Story (FX)

Release date: 18 September

Cast: Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Cody Fern, Leslie Grossman, Matthew Morrison, DeRon Horton, Zach Villa, Angelica Ross

Titled 1984, this season of the acclaimed horror anthology series will travel back to the 80s (duh) and will be set at a summer camp called Camp Redwood, and will take inspiration from iconic slashers such as Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp. We recently rounded up five of the best fan theories that we could totally see happening when AHS: 1984 arrives this Autumn – check them out here.

Batwoman (The CW)

Release date: 6 October

Cast: Ruby Rose, Meagan Tandy, Camrus Johnson, Nicole Kang, Rachel Skarsten, Dougray Scott

Ruby Rose, who shot to worldwide fame after appearing as Stella on prison drama Orange Is The New Black, has been announced as the woman behind the mask for The CW’s upcoming Batwoman series. She made her first appearance as the famed DC Comics superhero in The CW’s annual Arrowverse crossover event in December, and is expected to front a standalone Batwoman series next year. Ruby’s casting also means that a queer character is being played by a queer actress, which is unfortunately still a rare occurrence in Hollywood.

Carnival Row (Amazon Prime)

Release date: 30 August

Cast: Cara Delevingne, Orlando Bloom, David Gyasi, Tamzin Merchant, Andrew Gower, Karla Crome

Neo-noir series Carnival Row will star Delevingne as Vignette Stonemoss, a “pansexual fairy” who is forced to take refuge after humans invade her war-torn homeland. She begins a forbidden love-affair with detective Rycroft Philostrate (Bloom), and as they attempt to keep their romance a secret, a string of mysterious murders plague the city.3

Drag Race UK (BBC Three)

Release date: October

Cast: RuPaul, Michelle Visage

We won’t lie hennies, we were starting to think that a RuPaul’s Drag Race UK was never going to happen. But on 4 December, after years of speculation, it was confirmed that the cultural phenomenon to find America’s Next Drag Superstar will be opening up its werk room in Britain to start the royal line of British drag queens. Damian Kavanagh, Controller for BBC Three, said in a statement: “Needless to say, we’re delighted that BBC Three will be the home of a new UK version of Drag Race. It is one of the biggest entertainment titles in the world and anticipation levels for a UK version have been at feverish levels. With heart, humour and the un-imitable RuPaul, Drag Race is going to take BBC Three to a whole new level.” It is expected to air later this year.

Dragula (OUTtv and Amazon Prime)

Release date: 27 August

Cast: The Boulet Brothers

The third season of horror-themed reality competition Dragula will continue the search for the World’s Next Drag Supermonster. This year, the the show will feature drag king Landon Cider, meaning this will be the first time the art-form has been represented on reality television in the United States. It will also feature sickening queens such as Dollya Black, Evah Destruction, Louisianna Purchase, Maddelynn Hatter, Maxi Glamour, Priscilla Chambers, St. Lucia, Violencia Exclamation Point, and Yovska.

Elite (Netflix)

Release date: 6 September

Cast: María Pedraza, Itzan Escamilla, Miguel Bernardeau, Mina El Hammani, Miguel Herrán, Jaime Lorente, Álvaro Rico

Netflix had a surprise hit on their hands when the Spanish teen drama premiered in October last year, following the culture clash as three working-class teens enrol in an exclusive private school full of wealthy students. The streaming giant recently shared a moody new teaser for Elite’s second season, which gives us a glimpse at the tensions between the characters – including gay couple Omar and Ander – and also unveils the release date: It’s coming back 6 September.

I Am Not Okay With This (Netflix)

Release date: TBA

Cast: Kathleen Rose Perkins, Sofia Bryant, Richard Ellis, Sophia Lillis, Wyatt Oleff, Aidan Wojtak-Hissong

Helmed by Jonathan Entwistle – best known for his work on The End of the Fucking World – this fantasy dramedy is based on the graphic novel adaptation of the same name and centres on a teenage girl with superpowers. The series will follow the character, who will be played by IT star Sophia Lillis – as she tries to navigate school, her sexuality and control over her abilities.

The Politician (Netflix)

Release date: 27 September

Cast: Jessica Lange, Gwyneth Paltrow, Zoey Dutch, Lucy Boynton, Bob Balaban, David Corenswet, Julia Schlaepfer, Laura Dreyfuss, Theo Germaine, Rahne Jones, Benjamin Barrett

Ryan Murphy’s new satirical dramedy stars Tony-winner Ben Platt as Payton Hobart, a wealthy student from California who is determined to become the President of the United States. First, he has to navigate “the most treacherous political landscape of all: Saint Sebastian High School”. The official synopsis reads: “To get elected Student Body President, secure a spot at Harvard, and stay on his singular path to success, Payton will have to outsmart his ruthless classmates without sacrificing his own morality and carefully crafted image. Full of dark comedy and sly satire, The Politician offers a rare glimpse into just what it takes to make a politician.”