Are you tired of spending half of your night looking for a good new show with some kind of queer representation only to end up re-watching the same old one? Don’t despair, we are here to offer some help. Here’s a list of the nine best LGBTQ+ TV shows that premiered in 2021 and that you absolutely cannot miss.

It’s a Sin

Let’s begin our journey with what is probably the best LGBTQ+ TV show to premiere in 2021: It’s a Sin. The five-part miniseries created by Russell T Davis, the very same screenwriter who gave us Queer as Folk, deals with the effects of the AIDS epidemic on the gay community in London.

By following the lives of three young gay men who just arrived in the city to follow their dreams, it shows us the reaction to the first signs of the new disease. With its brutal honesty and heartbreaking plot, this series is both a mourning and a celebration of the lives lost to the crisis.

Feel Good

We should really be thankful for 2021, because it gave us the second season of the Netflix romantic comedy Feel Good. Co-created by comedian Mae Martin, who plays herself as the protagonist in the show, this witty and funny series provides a sweet romantic storyline, while also portraying a person dealing with trauma and addiction. And what’s more, it has a non-binary protagonist and a character who struggles with coming out while dealing with all the misconceptions on bisexuality.

Queer enough for you?

Gossip Girl

Isn’t it surprising to find this title on a list of TV series with queer representation? It should be, given the original series’ severe lack of diversity. However, LGBTQ+ characters appear in this reboot, making the 2021 version much more inclusive than the original.

For LGBTQ+ fans of this legendary teen drama, the time has finally arrived when you can recognise yourselves among the Upper East Siders and their scandalous lives (whether you want to is another story!)

Pose

It is absolutely no news that Pose offers some of the best queer representations on screen since its first season premiered in 2018, also presenting us with the largest Transgender cast in TV history. With its third and final season screening in 2021, this groundbreaking show does not disappoint.

The soap opera has proven itself capable of dealing with difficult themes and will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Don’t miss it!

Euphoria

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPz_XktsEFE

With a new special episode airing in January, this incredible TV show helped us kickstart the year in the best possible way. A special episode of Euphoria centring around transgender character Jules deserves so much praise. Because, for once, being queer does not represent the character’s main struggle.

Jules is a deeply complex character, as are all the others, which is what makes this show anything but your typical teen drama.

Genera+ion

And since we’re talking about queer teen dramas, it is impossible not to mention Genera+ion. Premiering in March of this year, the show follows the lives of a diverse group of high schoolers in Orange County, while they explore their gender and sexuality and deal with difficult relationships with family and friends.

Though it is often compared to Euphoria, this show is much lighter and it is a real celebration of queer joy.

Work in Progress

I know, I know, we promised a list of LGBTQ+ TV shows you should watch in 2021, not a list of queer teen dramas. Let’s make things right by talking about Work in Progress, an American comedy-drama whose protagonist is Abby, a 45 year-old self-identifying “fat, queer dyke” who struggles with her mental health.

The second season of this funny and honest series came out this year, so if teen dramas are not really your cup of tea, check this out instead!

Dickinson

For folks who like some queer representation in their period drama, the second season of Dickinson is here to bring joy. The series sets about to reclaim famous poet Emily Dickinson’s queerness by depicting her passionate relationship with her sister-in-law, Sue.

It completely reframes the myth of the lonely heterosexual spinster to which the poet has always been relegated and it provides an insight into the famous writer’s life, but it does so with a modern sensibility.

Young Royals

Take The Crown and make it younger and, most importantly, make it gay. This is a fairly accurate description of Young Royals, a new Netflix series which follows the love story between Swedish Prince Wilhelm and Simon, the boy he meets at a boarding school.

The show has been praised for its ability to portray teenage life with much more authenticity than most other series can offer, with its casts of actors that look like actual teenagers. If you’re tired of all those shows that present us unrealistically hot characters, Young Royals is here to bring some truth to your binge-watching.

And that’s the end of our list! Wait. Are you such a serial binge-watcher that you already know this list alone won’t be enough? Then you should check out our other (longer) list of TV shows with queer representation. And if your schedule is really busy and you’ve only got time for a film, we also selected the best queer movies for you.

You’re welcome!