10 Most Exciting LGBTQ+ Shows Airing In 2024

LGBTQ+ stories are more important than ever, whether it’s directly motivating the plot or featuring characters from the community, and there are some great LGBTQ+ TV shows coming in 2024. In recent years, in both TV and film, this genre has become more prominent, reflecting more and more of modern society and real people’s day-to-day lives. As more of these stories are brought to the screen, it helps the wider world understand the LGBTQ+ community more, and 2024 is continuing to stride forward with this.

For a long time, it was quite the trope that films or shows that had LGBTQ+ characters would often result in tragedy, but thankfully in recent years, there is more of a variation in these stories. Representation matters, and by sharing stories about the LGBTQ+ community, TV shows are starting to see a more diverse range of characters for audiences to relate to. With great new shows being released every month, there are loads of exciting additions for 2024.

10 Doctor Who – Season 14

May 2024 – BBC & Disney+

While BBC’s Doctor Who is known for its LGBTQ+ characters and camp elements over the years, Doctor Who season 14 will fully introduce the first queer actor to play the Time Lord, Ncuti Gatwa. Gatwa made his debut as the Fifteenth Doctor in the 60th-anniversary special “The Giggle,” in November 2023, followed by his first sole episode in the 2023 festive special “The Church On Ruby Road.” The Doctor Who season 14 trailer has already teased a possible queer romance storyline coming for the Doctor, opposite an unknown character, who will be played by Jonathan Groff.

Doctor Who also recently saw the return of showrunner Russell T. Davies. Davies was responsible for the show’s reboot in 2005, and was showrunner from then until 2010, but has now returned after thirteen years away from Doctor Who. Davies is also known for other successful LGBTQ+-focused shows such as Cucumber, Queer as Folk, and It’s A Sin, so it’s sure that the hit sci-fi show will continue to expand its representation with each episode.

9 Ripley – Season 1

TBA 2024 – Netflix

In 2024, Netflix will see Ripley, an adaptation series based on the book The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. The novel is known for its themes of homosexuality and homoerotic tension, most notably between the characters of Tom Ripley, portrayed by James Bond villain Andrew Scott, and Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn). While there is no confirmed release date as of yet, it is known that it will be released worldwide at some point this year.

Scott also identifies as gay, having come out in 2013 after being discouraged from talking about his sexuality early in his career, but recently spoke out about the media’s use of the term “openly gay” (via PinkNews). Ripley will also be the first major on-screen adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley novel since the 1999 film of the same name. With a modern perspective in a world with representation being pushed more than ever, it’ll be exciting to see how the relationship between Tom and Dickie will be portrayed in the new Netflix version.

8 Girls5eva – Season 3

March 2024 – Netflix

Girls5eva will return for season 3 in 2024, this time on its new home of Netflix, with seasons 1 and 2 having aired on Peacock. Despite the initial cancelation, the musical-focused Tina Fey show managed to be brought back for a third installment, and not without good reason. The season 2 finale set up an unlimited number of possibilities for the next season, filled with the likes of relationship woes and unexpected pregnancies, let alone the future of the girl’s music careers.

Girls5eva has one of TV’s best LGBTQ+ representations. The first two seasons saw Caroline (Janine Brito) and Gloria’s (Paula Pell) relationship often taking center stage, which is made even more authentic given that the two actresses are married in real life. With the one-hit-wonder girl group deciding to go off and embark on their own tour, despite each member having their reasons for being hesitant, Girls5eva season 3 could end in worldwide success or a complete disaster.

7 Heartstopper – Season 3

Summer/Fall 2024 – Netflix

Heartstopper season 2 ended on a cliffhanger, as Charlie (Joe Locke) prepared to send Nick (Kit Connor) a message proclaiming his love to him before the show heartlessly cut to black, leaving audiences without an idea as to whether it was sent or not. Throughout the season, the couple had a few issues with being able to say those three little words to one another. But seeing as Nick publically came out, it would make sense for this to be an easy feat.

Of course, it’s a lot more complicated than that. While the show has generally followed the same events as the comic of the same name, there’s no guarantee that Heartstopper season 3 will replicate it word for word. However, it has been revealed that the first episode of season 3 will be entitled “Love,” and writer Alice Oseman has commented that readers of the record-breaking Heartstopper graphic novels will know what will happen next (via Netflix).

6 The Umbrella Academy – Season 4

TBA 2024 – Netflix

2024 will see The Umbrella Academy season 4, based on the graphic novel series by My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way. Season 3 saw a big character change in Viktor, who came out as transgender alongside actor Elliot Page’s transition off-screen. While in the source material, the character was portrayed as a cisgender female, all of The Umbrella Academy children had a fluidity to them, which makes a lot of sense considering their backstories. Season 3 also ended on a huge cliffhanger, which saw a new timeline introduced and the siblings losing their powers, which means the show’s final season is sure to be rife with drama.

5 Big Mouth – Season 8

Late 2024 – Netflix

Netflix has a few shows coming to an end in 2024, another being Nick Kroll’s Big Mouth. Season 8 will see the Big Mouth characters’ stories come to an end, although what stage of their lives they’ll be in is still unknown. Season 7 saw the kids of Bridgeton Middle graduate move up to High School, all now fully in the depths of puberty. Big Mouth has seen several LGBTQ+ characters and storylines across the last seven seasons, such as Jay (Jason Mantzoukas) discovering his bisexuality, and his relationship with Matthew (Andrew Rannells), as well as the struggles of Missy’s (Ayo Edebiri) relationship with asexual Elijah (Brian Tyree Henry).

Throughout the show, several of the characters are followed by hormone monsters who, as established in the lore of the show, stay around until the loss of virginity. It could be presumed that this final season may see the likes of Maury (Kroll), Connie (Maya Rudolph), and Mona (Thandiwe Newton) be released from their roles as each kid moves on with their lives, which would make sense for their high school years. While season 8’s storyline is still unknown, there are plenty of storylines that still need to be wrapped up in Big Mouth season 8, many being LGBTQ+ focused.

4 Abbott Elementary – Season 3

February 7th 2024 – ABC & Hulu

Abbott Elementary features one of sitcoms’ best LGBTQ+ characters in Jacob Hill (Chris Perfetti). The writing for Jacob was praised for breaking out of the trope of gay characters. At first, his sexuality wasn’t brought up as it wasn’t necessary for the plot. When it is revealed though, Jacob’s storyline becomes truly interesting. Jacob discusses a new partner, but the gender of them wasn’t specified, normalizing that their gender identity didn’t need to be shared. This subtle incorporation of an LGBTQ+ character not only helps representation but also shows that Jacob is not defined by his sexuality, and hopefully, Abbott Elementary season 3 will continue to keep this up.

3 Hacks – Season 3

Spring 2024

The Emmy-winning comedy-drama Hacks has seen a very LGBTQ+-focused cast, including one of its protagonists, Ava (Hannah Einbinder). The recently canceled comedy writer identifies as bisexual, but the character of Ava is also portrayed by a bisexual actress, which makes the performance even more so authentic. Ava’s characterization has been praised for its casualness and accuracy, and how the subtlety surrounding her sexuality helps show audiences genuine experiences within the community.

In the season 2 finale, Ava finds out that Deborah (Jean Smart) has dropped her ongoing lawsuit, which once again teases the possible feelings Ava has for her. Its final moments saw Ava watching Deborah on TV, and her face shows that she’s hurt that the end of the lawsuit means she won’t see the other woman again. It’s hoped that Hacks season 3 will revisit this storyline, but whether the truth of Ava’s feelings will be acknowledged or not is still unknown.

2 The Sex Lives Of College Girls – Season 3

Spring 2024 – HBO Max

The Sex Lives of College Girls, created by hit female comedian Mindy Kaling, focuses on four women with varying backgrounds and personalities, presenting several different approaches to the LGBTQ+ community. Leighton (Reneé Rapp) is the most prominent example of this. In the first episode, Leighton is seen secretly searching for a woman to hook up with, but in episode 3, she is uncomfortable when forced to volunteer at a women’s center and is surrounded by other LGBTQ+ people.

Internalized homophobia is something that isn’t discussed a lot in broadcast media but is common in the real-life experiences of LGBTQ+ people, but over time, she does slowly embrace her sexuality and come out to her friends. The season 2 finale saw Leighton break up with her girlfriend and go back to her ex, Alicia (Midori Francis). However, it has been confirmed that Leighton will return to season 3 as a recurring character, rather than a main, which leaves behind questions as to what will happen to cause her to be less present.

1 Young Royals – Season 3

March 2024 – Netflix

Netflix’s Swedish drama Young Royals focuses on teenage prince Wille (Edvin Ryding), who while attending boarding school, has to balance the pressure of being second in line for the Swedish throne, as well as his growing feelings for classmate Simon (Omar Rudberg). The season 2 finale sees Simon admit his love for Wille, but even more dramatically, Wille makes a speech to the nation announcing that the sex tape that had been leaked in season 1 was of him and Simon.

Not only did this mean that he’d admitted to lying to the public, having previously denied it was him in the video at the orders of the Queen, but he also came out to the entire country. The first two seasons saw Wille’s parents, especially his mother, try and shut down any implications that Wille wasn’t straight, which made the pressure the boy was facing even more difficult. Season 3 will be the final installment of Young Royals, and with such a dramatic ending to season 2, it’ll be interesting to see the reaction of the public and the Royal family to Wille’s confession.