The last year has seen some great queer shows and queer characters grace our small screens. Even Marvel, a franchise that seemed hellbent on relegating queer characters to "Man in Grief Group," gave us a show where all three leads were queer. The last year has also seen some truly heinous things happen—with transphobia and homophobia being legitimized by the current administration. We are living in a constant barrage of bleak news updates, which makes it hard to enjoy things.
But while in limited supply, Queer Joy is very important in 2025. It's good to let yourself escape and consume content you enjoy, to let your brain get away from whatever new fresh hell this administration throws at us. Below is a non-comprehensive list of some of the best queer shows from the past year that are ready for you to binge.
Overcompensating (Prime Video)
Benito Skinner is both the series creator and star in this coming-of-age, coming-out story. The show starts off a little cartoony, but finds its footing by the end—with the friendship between the character of Benny and Wally Baram's Carmen becoming the most compelling relationship of the show. Their portrayal of gay guy/straight girl friendship is accurate in ways not often seen on screen. They're both allowed to be flawed, not-so-great friends to each other while also being two characters that have strong love for each other. A sweet, fun watch with some tearjerker moments towards the end.
Agatha All Along (Disney+)
Never did I think a Marvel show would be this good and this queer. The three main characters of Agatha (Kathryn Hahn), Billy (Joe Locke), and Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) are all queer. The show starts with Rio and Agatha as chaotic ex-lovers who are constantly flirting while also constantly trying to kill each other—a fun dynamic that never lets up for the entire season. Billy also plays a gay teen who is trying to find out who he is, while never questioning his sexuality. The cast is full of iconic women and even delivers one of the best episodes of TV in the last year—"Death's Hand in Mine," which revolves around Patti LuPone's character Lilia. Yes, gay icon Patti LuPone plays a wacky witch with cool aunt vibes—which alone would qualify the show for the list.
Yellowjackets (Showtime/Paramount+)
The "lesbian cannibal" show that slaps and has an insanely stacked cast. By the most recent season, almost every main character, outside of Christina Ricci's Misty, is at least a little queer. The show is bloody, thrilling, and heartbreaking; it will break your heart, then rip it out and eat it. Every mystery it solves opens at least two more new mysteries. It's like Lost but queer and with cannibalism. Melanie Lynskey and Sophie Nelisse's Shauna has become THE queer villain, who you're still sometimes kind of rooting for in the present day but hate in the flashbacks.
Hacks (HBO Max)
Jean Smart's Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder's Ava Daniels have a relationship that is both incredibly toxic and incredibly compelling. They're terrible for each other but when they're aligned, they have a great partnership. Einbinder's Ava is a pitch perfect example of the self-deprecating, queer millennial know-it-all who is constantly unsure of herself and constantly putting her foot in her mouth. The show has some great, iconic guest stars like Carol Burnett, Ming-Na Wen, Rosie O'Donnell, Katlin Olson, Kristen Bell, and Christina Hendricks (as a gay republican) to name a few. The show is both hysterical and emotional—while taking its storytelling seriously.
Adults (FX/Hulu)
If you like Broad City, Seinfeld, Happy Endings or any of the more clever shows about a group of friends, then Adults is a must-watch. The show feels both like something new and fresh, while also feeling like a show you've been comfort watching for years. The characters are all progressive and sex positive, yet constantly making fun of themselves. It also has a gay romance that pays off upon rewatches and makes a second season a must. The show also gifts us with the sexually fluid heartthrob, Paul Baker (Jack Innanen). Bonus points for giving Owen Thiele a leading role as out-character Anton, who also plays out-character George in Overcompensating.
Harley Quinn (HBO Max)
Kaley Cuoco's Harley Quinn might not be as well-known as Margot Robbie's, but her version is the definitive modern version. Her and Lake Bell's Poison Ivy are the versions I think of when I think of those characters. Their dynamic is great, as is the entire supporting cast (a.k.a. all of the DC universe). The show takes the main romance very seriously—waiting to have our two main characters kiss until halfway through the show's second season and still giving the couple issues to overcome five seasons in. This cartoon is so lovely and queer—it feels like the adult sequel series to Batman: the Animated Series in the best way.
Somebody Somewhere (HBO Max)
This show is a more grounded Schitt's Creek—but it's still funny and heartfelt. Bridget Everett's Sam moves back to her hometown after the death of her sister, where she forms a really lovely albeit codependent bond with Jeff Hiller's Joel. Joel is a suburban, middle-aged gay man who is a people pleaser and trying to navigate his own life. None of these folks have their shit fully together and it's incredibly relatable. Everyone wears regular everyday clothes and no one ever looks too glammed up, making everything about the show feeling real. The characters all feel like folks you know or have met in your hometown. The show ended with its third season but is still very much worth a binge.
Interview with the Vampire (AMC/Netflix)
A bloody, intense queer vampire show. Jacob Anderson's Louis and Sam Reid's Lestat have the wildest chemistry where you're rooting for them yet also maybe hate them. Louis battles with what is right vs. what is wrong vs. his need for blood while Lestat only cares about himself and Louis. Lestat kills human and vampire alike in the name of hedonism and love—but the only thing he loves aside from himself is Louis. The show makes you fall in love with these characters while still reminding us that they're vampires who kill humans for sustenance and sometimes fun.
Andor (Disney+)
The first pride was a riot—and this show has quite a few riots in the name of standing against an evil government. It's a two season Star Wars show that leads right into the movie Rogue One. The show only features two out characters but the show is full of queer sensibilities about fighting back. Andor is oddly relevant to the current times too—with Genevieve O'Reilly's Mon Mothma having to go into hiding with the fellow rebels to avoid being arrested after she gives an impassioned speech about how corrupt the Empire is. She discusses how much the Empire is lying and how corrupt the leader is, and is met with boos and having her live feed cut. Members of the rebellion come and go on the show, with barely anyone (if anyone) living to see their rebellion come to fruition. The show is bleak, realistic, and unrelenting in its portrayal of a rebellion.
The English Teacher (FX/Hulu)
This show is incredibly real in its portrayal of gay men of a certain age and of modern day teachers. The show got plenty of comparisons to Abbott Elementary when it first started getting promoted but actually feels like a more grounded version of The Other Two. It takes its topics seriously while still delivering on a comedic level. Trixie Mattel guest stars in one stand-out episode about drag queen panic—but plays a stoner drag queen who steals from the school, while also still uplifting the kids. Jenn Lyon guest stars in another standout as the concerned, conservative mother Linda—who loves drinking with gays but doesn't want them kissing in front of her kids. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention, however, that the show's star Brian Jordan Alvarez has been accused of sexual assault by a former straight male costar, Jon Ebeling, which Alvarez has since denied.
Honorable mentions: Abbott Elementary (ABC/Hulu), Heartstopper (Netflix), And Just Like That, The Last of Us, and White Lotus (all HBO Max).
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