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7 LGBTQ series giving us something to smile about this spring
2020 sucks, there’s really getting around it. Covid-19 brought the world to a screeching halt, millions have lost their jobs, the need for human contact is ever-present. Yet, we humans find solace where we always have: in art. Movies, television, webseries, books, music. They have been our constant during these dark days. This spring, a number of shows have come out that celebrate or feature major LGBTQ characters and storylines, and they provide a respite for the mind and spirit. Here are seven shows that will give you life this spring.
Hollywood (Netflix) When Ryan Murphy gets it right (Pose, the first few seasons of Glee and AHS) he really nails it. He does so with Hollywood, which looks at the Golden Age of Tinseltown and imagines a better, more inclusive world. Along with heavy hitters like Patti LuPone, Holland Taylor and Joe Mantello, the series also features a promising group of young actors. Mixing reality (with characters like Rock Hudson, Anna May Wong and the real-life tragedy of Peg Entwistle) with fiction. Gay characters and people of color are celebrated in Hollywood, far before they were embraced by the actual studio system. It’s also sex-positive and an all-around joy to watch.
Vida (STARZ) Vida means life and man does this show bring so much energy to the television landscape. It’s the story of two sisters, Emma and Lyn, who have a complicated past with each other and their recently deceased mother. Emma, who is queer, is shocked to find out that her disapproving mother who sent her away, was actually married to a woman named Eddy. Family drama, relationship drama, love, forgiveness and growth have all happened during this wonderful show’s three-year tenure, thanks to creator Tanya Saracho. Also don’t miss the swoon-worthy Roberta Colindrez as Emma’s love interest, Nico.
Vagrant Queen (Syfy) Super fun and kind of low budget, this sci-fi show is about Elida, a former queen turned space scavenger who has been hunted by her enemies and falls into a group with an earthling and a lesbian mechanic named Amae. Elida and Amae have serious heart-eyes for each other, so we’ll have to keep watching to see if they take their friendship further.
Sacred Lies: The Singing Bones (Facebook Watch) If you like mysteries and lesbians, don’t sleep on this Facebook Watch show starring Juliette Lewis as butch amateur detective, Harper. When Harper sets out to ID two Jane Does, she becomes embroiled in a mystery much larger than she ever anticipated, and finds love and family on the way.
Twenties (BET) This comedy series created by Lena Waithe dropped this March, and chronicles the day to day successes and struggles of a trio of young women, including the queer and masculine of center, Hattie (delightful newcomer Jonica T. Gibbs). Hattie in many ways is modeled after creator Waithe, who has become a go-to writer and actor in Hollywood in recent years.
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1) Shanté you stay, Drag Race. Now in Season Twelve (can you believe?), this drag competition with a lot of heart shows no signs of stopping. While this season is unusual in the fact that one of the contestants has already been disqualified (and deservedly so) and for the most part edited out of the show, queens like Heidi, Crystal Methyd and Jaida Essence Hall have been a total delight to watch.
Four More Shots, Please (Amazon) This modern-day Sex and the City takes place in Mumbai and follows the lives and loves of four best friends, including bisexual personal trainer, Umang. In Season One, Umang became a trainer for the famous actress Samara (played by Lisa Ray) and the two fell in love. However, when Samara was outed, it spelled disaster for the relationship. Season Two picks up a few months later and finds the two women reconnecting through some tough times, and complications that arise when there is a vastly different power structure in a relationship.