The 50 Best LGBTQ TV Shows of the Past Decade You Can Stream Now

Since the late ‘90s, there’s been a notable rise in LGBTQ-themed shows and storytelling on TV, especially thanks to early, groundbreaking programs like Will & Grace (1998), Queer as Folk (2000) and The L Word (2004) as well as various installments of The Tales of the City miniseries, all of which have been revived or rebooted for a new generation. And as the landscape continues to become more inclusive, especially thanks to the rise in streaming platforms, audiences have a lot more queer shows to choose from, with each new one more authentic than the last. 

Over the past decade in particular, audiences have watched Cam and Mitchell get legally married on Modern Family, Santana come out to the powerful rendition of “Rumor Has It/Someone Like You” on Glee, a new generation of teens -- unashamed of their sexuality -- behaving badly on shows like Elite and Euphoria and the rise of transgender visibility thanks to Orange Is the New Black and Pose. 

In celebration of Pride Month and the continued rise of LGBTQ visibility and inclusion on TV, here’s an updated, unranked list of some of the best, most notable and groundbreaking scripted TV series of the past 10 years that are available to stream. 

1. 9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox)

Co-created by Ryan Murphy, this GLAAD Media Award-winning procedural about fire, police, and ambulance services in Austin, Texas, has become one of the most progressive primetime series on network TV thanks to its openly LGBTQ cast and characters: Brian Michael Smith as Paul Strickland, Rafael Silva as Carlos Reyes and Ronen Rubinstein as TK Strand.

2. American Horror Story (FX)

Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the FX horror anthology continues to push the boundaries with its subversive and provocative storytelling all the while featuring some of Hollywood's most prolific LGBTQ stars, including Denis O'Hare, Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto and many others. 

3. Batwoman (The CW)

While the ever-expanding Arrowverse on the CW features a number of out LGBTQ characters, Batwoman is the only one led by an out hero, first with Ruby Rose playing Kate Kane and then Javicia Leslie taking over as Ryan Wilder. 

4. Betty (HBO)

Betty, adapted from Crystal Moselle’s 2018 film, Skate Kitchen, follows a tight-knit group of queer and straight Gen Z girl skaters as they navigate the male-dominated world of skateboarding in New York City. 

5. The Bisexual (Hulu)

After breaking out with Girls and Appropriate Behavior, Desiree Akhavan created and stars in this acclaimed series tackling the taboos around bisexuality as her character, Leila, follows a 10-year relationship with a girl named Sadie by sleeping with men. 

6. Big Mouth (Netflix)

For an animated series about a bunch of tweens going through puberty and discovering their sexuality, the series offers a surprisingly honest and adult take on the most awkward time of anyone’s life. With each new season, the series has become increasingly queer with stories exploring pansexuality and what it means to be gay or transgender.

7. Black Monday (Showtime)

Initially about the events leading up to the worst stock market crash in history, the series has expanded beyond that, including more time spent in the world of Andrew Rannells’ closeted gay character, Blair, who is in a sham marriage with Casey Wilson and having a secret affair with a politician played by Tuc Watkins. 

8. Broad City (Comedy Central)

When Broad City first premiered, Ilana and Abbi, two Jewish American women in their twenties navigating various adventures in New York City, were heralded as feminist stoner icons. But over time, the series became increasingly and unabashedly queer as both characters explored their sexual identities and the show became a hit among LGBTQ fans. 

9. Chucky (Syfy)

Over 30 years after Child’s Play first introduced an evil “Good Guy” doll possessed by a serial killer, the franchise returned with its first TV series. Created and executive produced by Don Mancini, the man behind the original films, Chucky follows residents of a small, idyllic town whose lives are upended and secrets are exposed after a series of murders take place. While the series is a slasher at heart, the coming-of-age drama also tackles sexuality and bullying while expanding LGBTQ visibility within the horror genre.  

10. Dear White People (Netflix)

The series created by Justin Simien pulls the veil back on what many believed was a post-racial world following the election of President Barack Obama, offering insight into the Black experience as seen through the interlocking stories of several students, including budding gay journalist Lionel (DeRon Horton), attending the fictitious, predominantly white Ivy League school Winchester University. 

11. Dickinson (Apple TV+)

Telling the story of Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld), the Peabody Award-winning series offers a sexier, more sophisticated take on the poet’s coming-of-age story and her budding, secret romance with Sue Gilbert (Ella Hunt).

12. Elite (Netflix)

This Spanish-language drama mixes the sexy intrigue of affluent prep school kids of Gossip Girl with the tantalizing murder mystery of Big Little Lies into an addictive tale of interwoven stories about high school students having a bit of naughty fun and getting into all sorts of increasingly amounts of trouble.  

13. Empire (Fox)

Co-created by Lee Daniels, this campy primetime soap follows the ambitious Lyon family, led by tyrannical patriarch Lucious, who dangles control of his company over his three sons, gifted rapper and performer Hakeem, the immensely talented but closeted Jamal, and the business-minded but loose cannon Andre, all while his ex-wife, Cookie, fights for control and influence over the family affairs.

14. Everything's Gonna Be Okay (Freeform)

Created by and starring Josh Thomas, who first broke out with the unexpectedly emotional series Please Like Me, his follow-up sees him playing a neurotic twenty-something who must rise to the occasion after his dad’s untimely death and take care of his teenage half-sisters, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. 

15. Euphoria (HBO)

The ensemble drama starring Zendaya, Hunter Schafer and others was initially described by HBO as following “a group of high-school students as they navigate a minefield of drugs, sex, identity, trauma, social media, love and friendship.” But, really, that was just the jumping-off point.  

16. Feel Good (Netflix)

Co-written and starring Mae Martin, the British comedy follows Mae, a Canadian comedian who meets George (Charlotte Ritchie) at the comedy club where she performs and what happens after the pair begins dating.

17. The Fosters (Freeform)

The celebrated multi-generational series follows the lives of police officer Stef Foster (Teri Polo) and her life partner, Lena Adams (Sherri Saum), a school vice principal, as they take care of their multi-ethnic, blended family.

18. Gentleman Jack (HBO)

Set in 1832, the period drama follows Miss Anne Lister (Suranne Jones), who leaves Hastings and heads to Halifax, West Yorkshire, England to restore her uncle's estate. While there, the newly instated, unusual lady landowner encounters a potentially dangerous romance with another woman (Sophie Rundle), which she records in a cryptic diary that no one can decode.

19. Glee (Fox)

Another Murphy production, this groundbreaking series follows a school glee club featuring a number of students who identify across the sexuality spectrum as they dare to follow their dreams and passions while navigating the politics of high school. 

20. The Great North (Fox)

The Fox adult animated comedy is lowkey one of the most mainstream LGBTQ series on TV, thanks in large part to its continued focus on Ham (Paul Rust), one of the four Tobin children, and his boyfriend, Crispin Cienfuegos (Julio Torres). And with the likes of Shannon Woodward, Patti Harrison, Margaret Cho and Leslie Jordan among the openly LGBTQ stars lending their voice power to many of Great North’s guest roles, it’s hard not to appreciate the representation heard throughout the series. 

21. Harley Quinn (Max)

The adult animated series follows the the mayhem and madness of Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco) as she and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell)  become Gotham's new power couple. And along with their ragtag crew -- King Shark (Ron Funches), Clayface (Alan Tudyk), Frank the Plant (JB Smoove) -- Harlivy strives for total dominance over the rest of Gotham's villains as well as the city itself.

22. Heartstopper (Netflix)

The British coming-of-age series adapted from the graphic novel of the same name by Alice Oseman tells the story of Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), a gay schoolboy who falls in love with his classmate, Nick Nelson (Kit Connor). Renewed for seasons 2 and 3, the breakout romcom also follows the lives of Tao (William Gao), Elle (Yasmin Finney), Tara (Corinna Brown) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell).

23. High School (Amazon Freevee)

Tegan and Sara’s teenage years serve as the inspiration for High School, which is adapted from the band’s 2019 memoir by executive producers and co-showrunners Clea DuVall and Laura Kittrell. About finding your own identity, and how that journey is made even more complicated when you have a twin whose own struggles and path to self-discovery mimics your own, the coming-of-age drama is set against the backdrop of the 1990s’ rave and grunge culture as the two sisters grown up down the hall from each other. 

24. Hollywood (Netflix)

The star-studded limited series follows a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers trying to make it during the Golden Age of Tinseltown. The lives of these fictional characters overlap with real-life events and personalities that helped define Hollywood at the time: the rise of leading man and closeted actor Rock Hudson, the struggles faced by actors of color Anna May Wong and Hattie McDaniel, the notorious backroom dealings of agent Henry Willson.

25. Interview with the Vampire (AMC)

The series adaptation of Anne Rice’s legendary gothic novel leans into the queer tones as it tells an “epic story of love, blood and the perils of immortality” that follows Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), Claudia (Bailey Bass) and journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). 

26. It's a Sin (Max)

Spanning a decade starting in 1981, the five-part series created by Davies follows a group of gay friends -- Ritchie (Olly Alexander), Roscoe (Omari Douglas) and Colin (Callum Scott Howells) -- and their straight girlfriend, Jill (Lydia West), as they go from chasing their dreams to fighting for survival in a prejudiced society. 

27. The Last of Us (HBO)

Set 20 years after an outbreak destroyed modern civilization, the post-apocalyptic series follows a smuggler named Joel (Pedro Pascal) who has been hired to get Ellie (Bella Ramsey) out of an oppressive quarantine zone before traversing across the U.S. in search of a safer place to live. Along the way, they encounter various enemies and allies, including Frank (Murray Bartlett) and Bill (Nick Offerman) in one 2023's best episodes of TV.

28. A League of Their Own (Prime Video)

From co-creator and star Abbi Jacobson comes an authentic TV adaptation of the 1992 classic. While still evoking the joy of Penny Marshall’s beloved film, the series expands the story to focus on the many lives of the women who made history as the first players in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

29. Looking (HBO)

Told over two short seasons and a 90-minute film, Looking is creator Michael Lannan's moody and darkly funny story about three gay men -- Patrick (Jonathan Groff), Agustin (Frankie J. Alvarez) and Dom (Murray Bartlett) -- living in San Francisco, looking for love, lust and meaning in their daily lives.

30. Love, Victor (Hulu)

A spinoff of 2018's Love, Simon, the series follows Victor, who finds himself the new kid at Creekwood High, where Simon Spier once shared a first kiss with his mystery guy atop a Ferris wheel in front of the whole school. However, unlike the happy ending the movie received, the series takes a far more bumpy and realistic journey to coming out and finding love. 

31. Master of None: Moments in Love (Netflix)

While season 1 gave audiences the Emmy-winning "Thanksgiving" episode, the third installment of the series specifically Lena Waithe, who reprises her role as Denise, for a season solely focused on the breakout character and her relationship with Alicia (Naomi Ackie) as they navigate the ups and downs of marriage, struggles with fertility, and how they grow both together and apart. 

32. Modern Family (ABC)

The Emmy-winning ensemble comedy follows the diverse descendants and in-laws of Jay Pritchett (Ed O’Neill), including son Cam (Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his husband, Mitchell (Eric Stonestreet), and their adopted daughter, as they navigate modern life in suburban Los Angeles.

33. Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)

The Emmy-winning ensemble dramedy created by Jenji Kohan follows the many interlocking lives of women serving out prison sentences at the Litchfield Penitentiary. While featuring a number of bisexual, lesbian and trans characters, the series made history when Laverne Cox became the first transgender performer to earn an acting nomination for her performance as Sofia Burset. 

34. The Other Two (Comedy Central)

Created and written by former Saturday Night Live writers Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, the scripted comedy follows two siblings -- struggling actor Cary and struggling at everything Brooke -- as they desperately seek to make it at something while dealing with the fact that their teenage brother has become an overnight internet sensation.

35. Pose (FX)

Co-created by Steven Canals, the groundbreaking series follows the lives of Black and brown transgender women and gay men of the 1980s New York City ballroom scene. Jumping through time, the three seasons show how these chosen families navigated the AIDS/HIV epidemic and faced various tragedies that challenged them as a community. 

36. Queers (BBC)

The limited series explores the lives of queer men and women in the U.K. through eight different monologues performed by Alan Cumming, Ben Whishaw, Russell Tovey and others, with each covering a specific issue such as the HIV crisis or the Sexual Offenses Act.

37. Sense8 (Netflix)

The Wachowskis’ ambitious drama tells the interconnected stories of eight strangers of different cultures, races, genders and sexualities. As the sensates, Capheus (Toby Onwumere), Sun (Doona Bae), Nomi (Jamie Clayton), Kala (Tina Desai), Riley (Tuppence Middleton), Lito (Miguel Angel Silvestre) and Will (Brian J. Smith) all share a collective consciousness that allows them to communicate with each other as well as share language, skills and desires when they tap into their psychic link.

38. Sex Education (Netflix)

Led by Asa Butterfield as Otis Milburn, who becomes something of a sex therapist for his fellow students, Sex Education is a progressively and refreshingly honest series about teens navigating their sexual desires, identities and the pressures of high school.

39. Schitt's Creek (Pop TV)

This charming comedy tells the story of a wealthy family that loses their entire fortune and is forced to rebuild their lives in the titular small town -- their only remaining asset. Over the course of its six-season run, the Roses -- patriarch Johnny (Eugene Levy), his wife and former soap actress, Moira (Catherine O'Hara), and their two privileged children, David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) -- adjusted to a simpler life and became permanent fixtures in a surprisingly accepting community.

40. Smiley (Netflix)

While it only lasted one season, Smiley is a Spanish-language series based creator Guillem Clua's celebrated play set in Barcelona as it tells the love story of two guys -- a bartender named Álex and an architect named Bruno -- who meet because of a misdirected voicemail.

41. Special (Netflix)

Created by and starring Ryan O’Connell, Special tells the story of Ryan, a gay man with cerebral palsy stepping out from the protection of his helicopter mom to create a world of his own, which means moving out, making new friends and finding romance.

42. Transparent (Amazon)

While its legacy has become complicated by its former controversial star, ignoring Joey Soloway's series would erase its impact on LGBTQ storytelling on TV, helping break down barriers for trans representation onscreen and allowing supporting players like Alexandra Billings to shine in some of the best work of their careers. 

43. Twenties (BET+)

Created and written by Lena Waithe, the comedy series follows a queer Black woman named Hattie (Jonica T. Gibbs) and her two straight best friends, Marie (Christina Elmore) and Nia (Gabrielle Graham), as they try to find their footing in Los Angeles.

44. Uncoupled (Netflix)

After creating hits like Sex and the City, Younger and Emily in Paris, Darren Star teamed up with Modern Family co-executive producer Jeffrey Richman on the Netflix series starring Neil Patrick Harris. As Michael, Harris’ life is upended after his husband of 17 years (Tuc Watkins) suddenly leaves him and is forced to navigate New York City as a newly single gay man in his mid-forties. 

45. Veneno (Max)

Based on the life of Cristina Ortiz Rodriguez, the Spanish limited series follows Valeria, who is in for the adventure of a lifetime when she meets her idol, the incomparable trans icon “La Veneno,” and begins to write her memoir.

46. Vida (Starz)

With Vida, creator and showrunner Tanya Saracho introduced a groundbreaking Latinx series about Mexican American sisters Emma and Lyn in East L.A. following their mother's death that opened people's eyes to the complexities of the LGBTQ community, especially for people of color. 

47. We Are Who We Are (HBO)

From Luca Guadagnino comes an eight-part exploration of youth and identity. Starring Jack Dylan Grazer and Jordan Kristine Seamón, the series tells the story of two American teenagers living on a U.S. military base in Italy, where they are confronted with questions about love, gender, sexuality as they experience the “messy exhilaration” of discovering oneself. 

48. What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

After years of playing with their sexuality ambiguity, the hilarious FX series has leaned into the queer, pansexual nature of the vampire roommates, Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), Colin (Mark Proksch) and Nandor (Kayvan Novak), as the dynamics between them Nandor's human familiar, Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), continues to get increasingly complicated after his devotion is pushed to the limits. 

49. Work in Progress (Showtime)

Co-created by and starring Chicago improv mainstay Abby McEnany, the comedy series follows a 45-year-old self-identified fat, queer dyke whose misfortune and despair unexpectedly lead her to a vibrantly transformative relationship. 

50. Wynonna Earp (Syfy)

The sci-fi series follows Wyatt Earp's great-great-granddaughter as she battles demons and other creatures with her unique abilities and a posse of dysfunctional allies. Over the course of its run, it became a queer favorite thanks to several characters, including fan-favorite couple Waverly and Nicole (played by Dominique Provost-Chalkley and Katherine Barrell, respectively). 

RELATED CONTENT: