From Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza’s smooch in Agatha All Along to Japan’s first same-sex dating series and Nicholas Galitzine topping King George in a field, 2024 has proven to be one of the best years for LGBTQIA+ representation on the small screen.
More incoming: RuPaul’s Drag Race UK delivered one of the franchise’s most lauded seasons, the BBC championed sapphic rights with the groundbreaking release of I Kissed a Girl and Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau made history for trans actors at the Primetime Emmy Awards. From returning favourites to new dramas and comedies, these are the 10 best LGBTQIA+ shows of 2024.
Agatha All Along
The Marvel Cinematic Universe entered its long-awaited sapphic era with the release of Agatha All Along, following Kathryn Hahn’s breakout WandaVision sorceress as she tries to regain her magic down, down, down the road, down the Witches’ Road.
From Hahn’s sizzling chemistry with Aubrey Plaza’s Rio/Death and Joe Locke’s Billy Maximoff repping for the gays, as well as the Heartstopper star injecting pro-trans messaging into the series, Agatha All Along is the gayest Marvel has ever been – and we need confirmation of a season two, stat.
Baby Reindeer
Baby Reindeer, based on the experiences of comedian Richard Gadd, became a critical and viral sensation for its deeply unsettling and nuanced depiction of sexual abuse, violence and addiction. Written, created, and starring Gadd as Donny, the psychological thriller and black-comedy also subverted expectations of the trans experience through Nava Mau’s Teri.
A confident and complex trans woman who demands respect and isn’t afraid to call out Gadd’s Donny on his “shit”, Teri offered a refreshing departure from stereotypical portrayals of trans people in the media. As Mau told GAY TIMES earlier this year, “Teri felt like she was crafted out of reality, out of truth, out of heart.”
The Boyfriend
As Japan’s first-ever same-sex dating show, The Boyfriend made a significant cultural impact for LGBTQIA+ acceptance in the country. With queer representation still limited in all aspects of mainstream Japanese media, the Netflix series created a rare platform for much-needed open discussions about gay identity.
For global audiences, it offered a window into Japanese cultural dynamics, focusing on the subtle intricacies of affection, dating rituals and romantic ideals in a society where public expressions of LGBTQIA+ relationships have been taboo. Great news alert: season two is on the way!
Hacks
With the new dynamic between Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), Hacks hit a new peak in its third season. As well as being outrageously hilarious and hornier than ever – the “gay Republican?!” and “looking forward to pissing on a caddy” scene between Ava and Christina Hendricks was a series all-timer – the HBO series continued to delve into timely themes; from how the entertainment industry – particularly comedy – treats older women, to political correctness and the shifting boundaries of humour.
Heartstopper
With a deeper focus on Charlie’s mental health struggles and eating disorder, as well as the Truham gang’s much-anticipated sexual exploits, the third season of Heartstopper marked the series’ most mature and emotionally intense chapter. (Give Joe Locke and Kit Connor all the Emmys, pronto.)
Despite the heavier themes, Heartstopper retained its signature warmth, from its optimistic portrayal of the queer teen experience to the whimsical animated sequences and its heartfelt exploration of love, friendship, and self-acceptance.
I Kissed a Girl
As well as the MCU, the BBC entered a sapphic era with I Kissed a Girl, which made history as the first British dating series to feature exclusively queer women. Following in the footsteps of its predecessor I Kissed a Boy, the series broke boundaries by showcasing authentic and diverse stories of gay, bisexual and pansexual women in a genre that has traditionally been dominated by heteros.
I Kissed a Girl allowed contestants to explore their sexual identities, tackling issues like bi-erasure and challenging gender norms, all within a safe, supportive environment that prioritised connection over drama and manipulation. In a refreshing departure from typical reality dating formats, the series cast women of different ethnicities, body types, and backgrounds, rather than the usual roster of wannabe-influencers, making the show feel more inclusive and representative of the real world.
Interview with the Vampire
Following its flawless debut season, Interview with the Vampire returned this year with more blood-thirsty action, more timely political commentary and more homosexuality. The ‘death’ of Lestat (Sam Reid) and move to Paris allowed the series to delve deeper into Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Claudia’s (Delainey Hayles) backstories and evolving dynamic, while deepening the world-building from season one by introducing new locations and further developing vampire lore.
Interview with the Vampire also continued to explore forbidden love, family and acceptance through a queer lens, while examining the complexities of being a vampire in a racially-segregated world. The lack of Golden Globe nominations – as in, none – is, honestly, a goddamn farce.
Mary & George
‘Scheming, seduction and scenes of a sexual desire’ is how Mary & George’s trailer described the historical psychodrama and – thank god! – that was the case. The Sky Atlantic drama centers on Mary Villiers (Julianne Moore), an ambitious widow determined to climb the social and political ladder by coercing her son, George (Nicholas Galitzine), into becoming King James VI and I’s (Tony Curran) lover and right-hand twink.
Think Gossip Girl, but set in the Jacobean era – this drama blends scandal, power plays, and high society intrigue, all with a historical and queer twist. Galitzine’s transformation from whiny teenage naif to corrupt, sexually liberated adult marked some of his best character work to date and, as per, Moore mothered.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
The sixth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has been widely lauded as one of the franchise’s best, from the shady werkroom interactions (round of applause for Chanel O’Conor) to the epic lip-sync smackdowns (Kiki Snatch deserves all the flowers) and the innovative runways (Marmalade’s semi-final vinyl look – like, wow). Several episodes were celebrated as new peaks for the British franchise, particularly the riotous Snatch Game, near-perfect Rusical, and tear-jerking makeover.
Meanwhile, Kyran Thrax and La Voix joined the ranks of queens like Raja/Manila Luzon, Danny Beard/Cheddar Gorgeous and Ginger Johnson/Michael Marouli as one of the closest top two’s of all time. Honestly, we didn’t care who won – because the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent of this cast was the real triumph for the viewers.
