Uk gay series
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Will & Grace (1998-2006) was a huge hit, but its portrayal of gay men was clichéd and too few of the jokes landed (although try telling that to the often hysterical studio audience). But can she find true love, and will it be in the arms of Kitty?
The TV series brilliantly borrows the conventions of early cinema – peep show irises, dramatic music and exaggerated reaction shots – to create a wry, knowing yet still very touching Victorian melodrama.
Do we expect to see some fireworks when cis, trans, intersex, non-binary strangers with very different lived experiences and gender expectations are living in each others’ pockets? Through flashbacks, we twist and turn through the events leading up to Frannie’s arrest, including her passionate queer relationship with the murdered woman.
A standout queer classic of recent years, Feel Good draws from Mae Martin’s real life as a comedian struggling with addiction as they embark on a co-dependent relationship with schoolteacher George, who is trying to adapt to her first queer love.
The first season had strong web series vibes in terms of production, but the second gets a lot stronger!
Part of a season Channel 4 did a few years back exploring gender identity in its typically confrontational way, Genderquake is a two-part reality TV experiment throwing 11 young Brits from across the gender spectrum together in a house.
His next gay series, Bob & Rose (2001), about a homosexual guy who falls in love with a woman, had its admirers, but Queer as Folk remains a landmark. In fact, read Natalie’s review for a real take.
THE JETTY is a gritty crime thriller centering a missing person case and a sapphic love affair between two of the main characters. While other LGBTQIA+ storylines weave into the narrative – one daughter leaves her husband for a woman, another has a brief affair with a trans man – it is Tambor’s dignified portrayal of Maura that dominates.
The show, produced by Amazon Studios and available online through their site, depicts the challenges facing trans people with refreshing candour.
58 Gay TV Shows To Stream In The UK (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 & Channel 5)
Did you know it has been over 50 years since the first lesbian kiss on British TV (and 30 years since the iconic primetime kiss on Brookside)? At the forefront of the clique is Louise, a Black queer woman, and with a twisty plot rife with female obsession, you can expect further smatterings of sapphism.
Conversations with Friends
2022 // 1 season // 12 episodes
Adapted from Sally Rooney’s debut novel, this series follows the relationship dramas of queer uni student Frances, as she embarks on an affair with a married actor with zero personality.
All the characters are flawed, and occasionally obnoxious, but the excellent writing from Jill Soloway (who also has a parent who is trans) makes them intriguing, realistic people who you root for.
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A glut of sitcoms feature LGBTQIA+ characters, but so many are patchy, or dated. Queer folks in his gang include computer whizz Toshiko, sweet administrator Ianto, and well, everyone else because it seems they all have some queer involvement at some point!At the time of writing this, the UK version boasts six seasons with a seventh on its way later this year. Some critics bemoaned the focus on gay issues, and ratings fell, leading to the show’s cancellation. We love to see a gay guy and lesbian being BFFs while they are being chased around a ship by agents of a shadowy murderous cruise company!
More BBC, ITV, Channel 4 & Channel 5 shows with major LGBTQ+ women and trans characters
These shows all have queer characters or storylines, but it may not be from the start, or may not be a focal point for the show.
2024 // 1 season // 6 episodes
A twisty mystery adapted from a popular book series, this show follows Pippa as she attempts to get to the bottom of the disappearance of a local girl, when everyone else is convinced the culprit has already been found.
SUCH BRAVE GIRLS (2023)
SUCH BRAVE GIRLS is another darkly funny British sitcom - this time about trauma, identity, narcissism and a self-sabotaging dysfunctional family. Adapted from Alfred Döblin’s 1929 novel, seen as a key text from the Weimar Republic, it follows the dramatic life of Franz Biberkopf (Günter Lamprecht), newly released from a jail sentence after killing his girlfriend.
In one episode, Kim considers drugging Sugar – she doesn’t in the end, but the idea of ‘date rape’ being played for laughs would be unlikely to be greenlit today. Please try again later.
This list consists of series that feature an LGBTQIA+ character as the protagonist. At the time of its broadcast, this beautifully acted adaptation caused a degree of controversy owing to its unashamed portrayal of teenage sexuality, as well as its depiction of the Elim Pentecostal Church, seen as an oppressive institution – members of the denomination, including the heroine’s mother, are appalled by lesbianism, and even perform an exorcism on young Jess.
Despite the negative influence of the church, it is an optimistic drama that shows Jess breaking free from the constraints of her small Lancashire community and emerging to better her lot by leaving home, getting into university and learning to be at peace with her sexuality.
It's silly and camp and a little bit very bloody.
LGBTQ+ rep: Queer Men, Queer Women, Trans Women
Genre: Horror, Comedy, Drama, Mystery
Episode Run Time: 45m
4. If you like your horror very queer and a little silly you're bound to love WRECK.
It’s one of the funniest ever episodes of a sitcom and a huge rating success, although sadly it was a last hurrah.
In the next (and final) season, which explored Ellen’s first steps into her new life, a severe ‘parental guidance’ warning was slapped on before each episode. Absolutely! Quick heads up for triggers of homophobia, difficult family dynamics and mental illness.
LGBTQ+ rep: Queer Women
Genre: Dark Comedy, Drama, Coming-Of-Age
Episode Run Time: 30m
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