Nothing makes for better TV than a romance. Whether it’s “will-they-won’t-they” or forever from the jump, there’s nothing more exciting than watching two people fall in love on screen. Regardless of whether or not our favorite couples end up together by the time the episode ends or the season’s conclusion, it’ll have been fun (or extremely frustrating) to watch their journey. And that’s especially true when it comes to stories, movies, and TV shows about queer love and romance.
For so long, many of these TV romances have been heterosexual: Girl meets boy. Girl denies feelings for boys. Girl and boy fall madly in love. And, in the words of Lizzo, it’s about damn time we switch that up, because that’s definitely not everyone’s experience. Thankfully, the last few years have brought us more inclusive and diverse experiences on screen, and that includes swoon-worthy LGBTQ+ romances. Because they’re just as sweet (if not sweeter), and definitely deserving of all the screen time. Here, we’ve rounded up 16 queer romantic TV shows you’ll want to binge ASAP. Trust us, it’s only a matter of time before they become canon.
Yellowjackets
What it’s about: Split between ‘90s flashbacks and the present day, Yellowjackets follows the fallout of when a high school girls soccer team’s plane horrifically crashes deep in the wilderness and how those who made it out alive are seriously haunted as adults. Within all of the teenage messiness, survival horror, and potential supernatural forces at play, this buzzy thriller show features the budding teen romance of teammates Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Van (Liv Hewson) in the face of disaster, as well as adult Taissa (Tawny Cypress) and her wife, Simone (Rukiya Bernard), as a lesbian power couple. Plus, we get to meet grownup Van in Season 2 and see how she and Taissa interact as former high school flames.
Where to stream: Showtime
The Last of Us
What it’s about: A video game adaptation/zombie thriller show might be an unlikely pick for a romance list, but The Last of Us packs quite the emotional punch when it comes to queer love. If you’re not all that into the other stuff (re: fungi zombies, violent insurrections, general blood-spewing fights), just skip to episodes 3 and 7. They can definitely be standalone episodes outside of the greater series narrative if you just want to watch epic queer love stories play out. Believe us, they’re beautiful heart-wrenchers.
Where to stream: HBO Max
Dickinson
What it’s about: This isn’t your mother’s version of Emily Dickinson, that’s for sure. Dickinson, which ended with its third season in 2021, let viewers into the life of one of America’s greatest and most well-known poets. Following her life in 19th century Amherst, Massachusetts over the course of several years, when Emily Dickinson was generating some of her most famous works and struggling to find her voice, the series reimagines what the historical time period looks and sounds like. It often features modern slang and songs from the likes of A$AP Rocky and Lizzo (rapper Wiz Khalifa also plays Death, who often comes to visit Emily). Oh, and Emily is in love and fully in a relationship with her BFF/her brother’s wife, Sue Gilbert. Whether or not Emily and Sue were actually lovers IRL remains up for debate, but the series paints their relationship as the true ship of the series, lovingly depicting their emotional and physical intimacy in a way that’s still rare to see on TV.
Where to stream: Apple TV+
Heartstopper
What it’s about: The über cute Heartstopper, adapted from a webcomic and graphic novel, follows Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) as he falls in love with his classmate Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), a closeted student who’s trying to figure out his feelings and identity. Throughout the eight episode series, the pair deal with a lot of issues, like an abusive partner, homophobic classmates, and navigating burgeoning and complicated feelings for each other. It’s messy, it’s raw, and it’s incredibly authentic.
Where to stream: Netflix
First Kill
What it’s about: Forbidden love, vampires, and queerness. What more could you ask for? Based on a short story by Victoria Schwab of the same name, First Kill is a Netflix show that follows young teen vampire Juliette Fairmont (Sarah Catherine Hook) as she turns her focus away from her first bloodhunt and toward the heart of Calliope “Cal” Burns (Imani Lewis), who just so happens to come from a family of vampire-hunters. Unfortunately, Netflix canceled the show not long after its debut in 2022, but you can still savor the supernatural queer romance by streaming the first season.
Where to stream: Netflix
Orange Is The New Black
What it’s about:
As annoying as the lead character was (yes, we’re talking about the self-involved, snobby Piper), OITNB was monumental for its depiction of queer love stories that were both toxic (like Taylor Schilling’s Piper and on-and-off girlfriend Alex, played by Laura Prepon) and heartwarming (like fan favorite Poussey Washington and Brook Soso). The show gave us moments of love and humanity in a pretty dismal place: prison.
Where to stream: Netflix
One Mississippi
What it’s about: Another semi-autobiographical gem, One Mississippi (created by Tig Notaro and Diablo Cody) is about LA-based radio host Tig, who heads back home to the South after hearing news that her mom is going to be taken off of life support. While in her hometown of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, Tig spends time with her brother and stepfather, and learns more about her mother and the town she grew up in. We never said love had to be only with a romantic partner!
Where to stream: Hulu
Young Royals
What it’s about: Set at an elite fictional boarding school in Sweden, this series is about Prince Wilhelm of Sweden (Edvin Ryding) as he embarks on his first year. But it’s not as simple as just attending classes and getting good grades. While there, Wilhelm has to deal with struggling to fit in, ensuring he doesn’t disappoint or reflect badly on his family, and emerging feelings for fellow classmate Simon (Omar Rudberg). The show — which might initially have you comparing it to Riverdale or Dynasty because of its campy aesthetics — is an unsuspecting hit, with fans applauding it for showing a healthy, and realistic, queer couple.
Where to stream: Netflix
A League of Their Own
What it’s about: A remake of the 1992 film of the same name, this new series is more modern, and more queer, than the original was allowed to be. Set in Chicago during the 1940s, the show follows a group of women who are part of the All-American Girl’s Professional Baseball league, a real league that ran during World War II. But of course, it wasn’t an easy road to let women play ball. The OG movie focused on the Rockford, Illinois Peaches; and while the reboot does the same, it also expands the scope to include other women within the league. Unlike the original, which many fans have said was queer-coded but not outright queer, the new series doesn’t hide anything, centering queer characters and their storylines, both on-and-off the field. Plus, there’s more to come, since the series has been renewed for a second and final season.
Where to stream: Amazon Prime
Atypical
What it’s about: Another Netflix hit, Atypical follows Sam Garnder, a teen who’s balancing his autism with life, family, love, and school. While the show has faced criticisms for and rightfully pivoted from their depictions of people living with autism, the show has been applauded for its centering of queer relationships, specifically the relationship between Sam’s sister Casey and her eventual girlfriend Izzie.
Where to stream: Netflix
The Fosters
What it’s about: This isn’t your mother’s sitcom from the ‘80s. The Fosters follows a family like any other but one that’s rarely been seen on our TV screens, especially back when the show premiered in 2013. Lena and Stef Adams-Foster are an interracial queer couple with five children: one biological, two adopted, and two they initially foster and eventually adopt. Early seasons of the show not only depicted the relationship between Lena and Stef, but also spotlighted their relationship with their son Jude, who — at 13 years old — was among the youngest queer teen characters portrayed on screen, and the first to also be raised by queer parents. Which was BIG.
Where to stream: Hulu
Special
What it’s about: The great thing about more LGBTQ+ representation on screen is that it means that we’re finally starting to get diversity in the types of queer stories we’re seeing. Case in point: Special. The series, created by Ryan O’Connell, is semi-autobiographical, and an account of his life as a gay man living with cerebral palsy.
Where to stream: Netflix
Feel Good
What it’s about: One of the few TV shows centering lesbian relationships, Feel Good follows the relationship between Mae (Mae Martin) and George (Charlotte Ritchie). Mae is a Canadian comedian living in present-day Manchester, UK, and George is a more prim, proper, middle-class woman. The first season, specifically, deals with their pairing, as well as Mae’s struggle with sobriety (like the IRL Martin, the character of Mae is a former drug addict), and hesitancy around coming out.
Where to stream: Netflix
Love, Victor
What it’s about: Fans of the popular 2018 film Love, Simon are in luck. Love, Victor takes place in the same universe, only this time following a new student. Victor is a half Puerto Rican, half Colombian American student living in Atlanta after moving from Texas. Much like the film of a similar name, the show explores Victor’s journey to coming out.
Where to stream: Hulu
The L Word
What it’s about: An OG show for anyone who’s familiar with LGBTQ+ romances, The L Word, which ran from 2004 to 2009, was prolific for breaking ground in TV and putting first the stories and experiences of queer women. The series, which focuses on a group of women living in West Hollywood, California, featured TV’s first cast of lesbian and bisexual female characters and broke boundaries at the time for its depiction of queer sex through the female gaze.
Where to stream: Paramount+
Our Flag Means Death
What it’s about: At face value, Our Flag Means Death seems like a show that wouldn’t have much depth to it. The series, from creator Taika Waititi, is the story of 18th century pirate Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), who leaves his wife and family behind to explore the seas. But along the way, he meets Edward Teach aka Blackbeard (Waititi), and it’s a perfect slow-burn romance that will pull at all of your queer love heart strings.
Where to stream: HBO Max
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