
Queer representation on the small screen has hit record highs, according to GLAAD’s Where We Are on TV Report for the 2021-2022 season. Of the 775 series regular characters on scripted primetime programming, 11.9% belong to the LGBTQ+ community — 2.8 percentage points higher than in the previous year. 2022 also gave us HBO’s Euphoria, Amazon Prime’s A League of their Own, and over a dozen RuPaul’s Drag Race seasons around the world.
But just as we celebrate these numbers and hope for even better ones in the years to come, it’s hard not to notice the worrying number of LGBTQ+ TV shows getting axed from streaming platforms and cable networks… and for sometimes fishy reasons.

Despite the wins covered by the report, it’s clear that when it comes to LGBTQ+ TV shows, there’s still much and more to be done not just in being able to tell queer stories, but also in being able to keep telling them.
Of course, TV shows don’t need to last forever (except for Grey’s Anatomy, I guess), and no one is asking LGBTQ+ TV shows to last 19 whole seasons. What is a tad unfair is for TV shows with great storylines for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender folk to get such a limited amount of time. Some LGBTQ+ TV shows are unfortunate enough to get canceled twice, like One Day at a Time, and many end on cliffhangers we’ll never see resolved outside of fan spaces like the Archive of Our Own (Ao3).
So yes, angry stan tweets, frantic Change.org petitions, and viewers ready to storm the Netflix headquarters with pitchforks at a moment’s notice all have a point: Why are networks and streaming platforms launching these LGBTQ+ TV shows to great applause, only to quietly pull the plug barely a season or two later?
With that in mind, here are 12 great LGBTQ+ TV shows that deserve way more than the time they were given.
1899 (2022)
Network: Netflix
Canceled after: 1 season
This first one’s a bit of a fresh wound: 1899 premiered in November 2022 to great reviews. Just 46 days later, in January 2023, the show was canceled.
Created by Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, 1899 followed the stories of the passengers aboard a steamship named Kerberos in the year 1899. Heading westward to start new lives in New York City, the passengers end up sailing into a warped nightmare when they find Kerberos’ sister ship Prometheus adrift and abandoned on the open sea.

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A few days after the eight-episode first season premiered, Netflix announced that 1899 was the most watched show across 58 countries, with almost 80 million hours viewed in just four days. But I guess this success wasn’t enough to save the project.
On January 2, Odar and Friese broke the news to fans on Instagram, where they wrote:
“With a heavy heart we have to tell you that 1899 will not be renewed. We would have loved to finish this incredible journey with a 2nd and 3rd season as we did with Dark. But sometimes things don’t turn out the way you planned. That’s life.”
Despite the cancellation, I’d still recommend the show. Even without a satisfying conclusion, it’s still a wildly entertaining trip across the Atlantic and beyond.
First Kill (2022)
Network: Netflix
Canceled after: 1 season
Navigating the highs and lows of first love is tricky enough. But for teenage vampire Juliette and aspiring monster hunter Calliope, it’s more than a little complicated. The series is based on Victoria Schwab’s short story of the same name and premiered on Netflix in June 2022.
I know what you might be thinking. The acting, writing, and special effects may not be the best, and yes, the show is a little cheesy at times. But I still think it’s pretty fun to watch, especially for WLW audiences.
In fact, First Kill garnered 30.34 million viewing hours globally in its first three days and amassed upwards of 100 million viewing hours in its first month — all with barely any marketing effort from Netflix itself. But less than two months after First Kill’s premiere, the show was canceled, supposedly due to a low completion rate.
There’s currently a Change.org petition for a Season 2. Showrunner Felicia D. Henderson has said that she hasn’t closed the door to making a second season, if given the opportunity.
She shared, “I never say never. Netflix could look at all of this and say, ‘Whoa, let’s give it another shot. This is exciting.’ Or they could say, ‘You know what, it’s not for us, but the fans want it. So, let’s give the show up and let them find a home for it.'”
High Fidelity (2020)
Network: Hulu
Canceled after: 1 season.
High Fidelity is based on the 1995 novel by Nick Hornby and the 2000 High Fidelity film. But in Hulu’s 2020 reimagining, the main character Rob is gender-flipped and played by Zoë Kravitz, whose mom, Lisa Bonet, starred in the film version. Kravitz also serves as executive producer.
The series follows Rob’s romantic misadventures with men and women as she runs a record store in a rapidly gentrifying New York neighborhood. She analyzes her troubled love life through the lens of music and pop culture, and is supported by her friends and employees.
Overall, it’s a fresh take on a familiar track. Kravitz is able to bring a complex character to life, and the end result is a lot more diverse, revelatory, vulnerable, and heartwarming.
The show premiered on Valentine’s Day in 2020 and was canceled six months later. Reports reveal that it was not an easy decision for Hulu executives, but they pulled the plug on it just the same.
Shortly after, Kravitz told Elle Magazine that the cancellation was a “big mistake“ by Hulu. She said, “They didn’t realize what that show was and what it could do. The amount of letters, DMs, people on the street and women that look like us — like, that love for the show, it meant something to people.”
The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022)
Network: Netflix
Canceled after: 1 season
Next up on the growing list of one-and-done LGBTQ+ shows on Netflix is The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, based on a novel by Sally Green. The bastard in question is 16-year-old Nathan Byrn, whose father is whom many in his world considered the devil himself: Marcus Edge, or the world’s most dangerous Blood Witch.
In the show, the magical world is divided into Fairborn and Blood Witches, who had been in a constant state of war until Edge massacred Fairborn Witches. Nathan, after growing up while monitored closely by the Fairborn Witches, is thrown into the chaos.
The fantasy drama received good reviews upon its release in October 2022, and boasts a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was canceled two months later.
Series creator Joe Barton confirmed the news on Twitter in December, saying, “Sadly, yes, Netflix canceled [the show]. Very proud of it and really liked the people I got to make it with. Sorry [we were] not able to finish the story.”
Even though the story was cut short, there’s still a lot to love about this little YA adaptation, including its humor, wonderful acting, interesting characters, and a killer soundtrack.
Stumptown (2019)
Network: ABC
Canceled after: 1 season
It’s not too often that we get a great crime drama centered on a bisexual lead character, but ABC’s Stumptown gave us that — at least, for a brief amount of time.
Based on a comic book series of the same name by Greg Rucka, Matthew Southworth, and Justin Greenwood, Stumptown follows Dex Parlos, a military veteran turned private investigator struggling with supporting her younger brother Ansel and getting out of debt. Behind her cool exterior and sharp wisecracks is a bigger backstory that we get to see a glimpse of throughout the show’s 18 episodes.
Personally, I think the show’s biggest strength is Colbie Smulders (of How I Met Your Mother fame) at her best.
Stumptown premiered in September 2019 to great reviews, particularly for its cast of compelling characters and Smulders’ electric performance. It was renewed for a second season in May 2020, which meant that fans would have been able to welcome Dex back on the small screen by fall of 2020.
But we all know what happened that year. The COVID-19 pandemic took a lot from us — family, friends, a sense of normalcy, and alas, the chance to see Smulder kicking ass on TV once more. Production delays pushed ABC to reverse the renewal decision and cancel the show altogether.
Queer as Folk (2022)
Network: Peacock
Canceled after: 1 season
Created by Stephen Dunn, Queer as Folk is a reimagining of a 1999 British LGBTQ+ TV show of the same name by Russell T. Davies. The 2022 version is set in modern-day New Orleans, telling the story of a diverse group of friends dealing with the aftermath of a horrifying shooting at a gay nightclub.
The show has been praised for its lovable set of characters, which includes not one, but two non-binary characters, folks with different trans statuses, and people with disabilities. Showrunners also did their best to hire queer talent in front of and behind the camera.
Sadly, the show was canceled in September 2022, just three months after its premiere. Dunn broke the news to fans on Instagram, where he wrote:
“It’s a rare gift in these times, and in this country, to be able to make a show as fearless and unapologetic as Queer As Folk. This experience changed our lives forever and we’re so grateful to have found this incredible new family… We’re so grateful for the chance to honor our community and are so proud of this show.”
If, after watching this, you’re in the mood for a similar LGBTQ+ TV show, you can also find the first Queer as Folk US remake, which ran on Showtime for five whole seasons from 2000 to 2005.
The Society (2019)
Network: Netflix
Canceled after: 1 season
Another LGBTQ+ TV show we lost because of COVID-19, Netflix’s The Society was initially greenlit for a second season before ultimately being canceled. The good news is that the show packs a punch in its 10-episode run.
In it, high school students from the town of West Ham, Connecticut come home early from a canceled field trip to find that everyone else has disappeared. They are basically cut off from the rest of the world, with a mysterious forest suddenly appearing throughout the town perimeter.
Life goes on though, and the teens assemble an uneasy form of government to manage their resources and to try and survive together. The series also features a few queer characters, with one played by deaf actor Sean Berdy.
Season 2 of The Society was set to begin production in March 2020 before Netflix finally pulled the plug in August 2020. In an interview with Variety, series creator Christopher Keyser shared, “I can’t pretend I’m surprised. I know we had many months of conversations about the challenges of producing in this environment.”
There is one small consolation for fans of The Society and its examination of culture, power, and coming of age: Its creators have shared what would’ve happened in Season 2.
I Am Not Okay With This (2020)
Network: Netflix
Canceled after: 1 season
Netflix announced that it was canceling I Am Not Okay With This on the same day it cancelled The Society, so that day was heavy for fans of LGBTQ+ TV shows.
It’s a real shame too, because the show was created to have a second and final season to cap off its engaging plot, and we’ll never get to see it.
Jonathan Entwistle and Christy Hall’s I Am Not Okay With This is based on a graphic novel of the same name by Charles Forsman. In it, awkward 17-year-old Sydney slowly realizes that she has superpowers that she can’t always control. This complicates her more regular teenage worries, like constantly arguing with her mom and crushing on her best friend Dina, who had just begun dating a jock.
The series ends on a big cliffhanger, but the journey makes the disappointing ending kind of worth it with great acting and a well-paced plot.
Entwistle has spoken about how things turned out. “I think it’s always disappointing to see such a whipped up fan base for a show that then gets very quickly canceled and nothing ever gets posted on the Instagram page ever again,” Entwistle said in an interview with Insider. “The [fans] all came, but I feel sad because they’ve been abandoned.”
The Wilds (2020-2022)
Network: Amazon Prime
Canceled after: 2 seasons
Amazon Prime’s The Wilds started as a show about eight girls who find themselves stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash — at least, that’s what they were led to believe. In reality, they’re the unwitting subjects of a social experiment.
The first season stood out for its portrayal of and empathy with its teenage characters, with WLW fans being treated to queer characters and storylines. It was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the GLAAD Media Awards, and was swiftly renewed for a second season just a week after its premiere.
Now, I’m not going to lie. Season 2 was a bit of a letdown. It bloated the main cast from 8 to 16 by introducing a second, male group of experimental subjects who were not only boxed into some tired cliches, but were also not all that likable. The second installment of the series premiered in May 2022, and the show was promptly canceled two months later.
If you’re up for a gripping thriller that is by, for, and about women and queer folk, then I’d recommend watching Season 1 only. But if you’ve already watched Season 2 and can’t get enough of the story, the good news is that there’s an ongoing Season 3 story on Ao3 that’s made for and by fans of the show.
Gentleman Jack (2019-2022)
Network: HBO / BBC One
Canceled after: 2 seasons
Described as a Queer Brontë, Gentleman Jack follows landowner and industrialist Anne Lister in 1830s Yorkshire. The show is based on the real-life Anne Lister’s collected diaries, which contained 4 million words and had encoded sections that detailed a lifetime of lesbian relationships. Lister is considered by many as the first modern lesbian.
Gentleman Jack opens with a brokenhearted Lister fleeing Hastings and heading to Halifax, where she has inherited a plot of land from an uncle. While managing the estate, she discovers a coal mine and strikes up a romance with a woman named Ann Walker.
Co-produced by BBC One and HBO, the series premiered in the United States in April 2019 and was renewed for a second season a month later. The second season premiered in April 2022. Despite the show’s positive impact on queer viewers, it was canceled by HBO in July of that year.
“Well, I think we all are [gutted],” shared Gentleman Jack creator Sally Wainwright. “It’s been a bit of a surprise really because it’s been doing really well, certainly in this country.”
BBC One is reportedly willing to create a third season if they are able to find a production partner willing to take this LGBTQ+ TV show on.
Warrior Nun (2020-2022)
Network: Netflix
Canceled after: 2 seasons
Nuns with guns, swords, and a queer storyline — Netflix’s Warrior Nun gave us all that, and more.
The show follows 19-year-old Ava Silva, who wakes up in a morgue with a mysterious artifact inexplicably embedded into her back. We soon learn that she has become a member of the Order of the Cruciform Sword, a group of women whose job it is to fight demons on Earth.
For those of us who went to Catholic school and grew up queer, the bible passages as episode titles are a nice touch.
The series debuted in July 2020 to positive reviews, citing the great fight choreography and compelling performances. It was renewed a month later, and the second season premiered in November 2022 to even better reviews that highlighted the exciting romance, effective world-building, and biting commentary on religion and society. A month later, Netflix decided to cancel the show.
Showrunner Simon Barry broke the news on Twitter, saying, “I’ve just found out that Netflix will not be renewing #WarriorNun – my sincere appreciation to all the fans who worked so hard to bring awareness to this series and for the love you showed me, the cast and the whole production team. It was a privilege to be a part of this.”
A Change.org petition to renew Warrior Nun has reached 109,800 signatures.
Work in Progress (2019-2022)
Network: Showtime
Canceled after: 2 seasons
In Showtime’s Work in Progress, Abby McEnany stars as a fictionalized version of herself. A self-described “fat, queer dyke,” Abby enters into a revelatory relationship in a time of crisis.
Alongside McEnany is co-creator Tim Mason, who serves as director. McEnany and Mason also executive produced with Lilly Wachowski (as in, one half of the Wachowskis, who gave us the lesbian thriller Bound, the fantastically queer Sense8, and the cultural icon that is The Matrix).
The dark comedy boasts an impressive 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics citing its radically realistic depiction of queerness, depression, and anxiety. The pilot episode premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and the eight-part first season debuted in December 2019. A month later, it was renewed for a 10-episode second season, which premiered in August 2021. In January 2022, the show was canceled.
The news was especially disappointing for Wachowski, who described the news as “a major bummer.” In a Twitter thread, she detailed how the achievements of Work in Progress — which include a GLAAD award nomination and placements in top 10 lists — was not enough for Showtime’s bottomline. She wrote:
“Shows like ours get trotted out to illustrate how networks and studios are soooo committed to diversity but then get cut before they can establish a viewership. It is a bit of a vicious cycle. At what point does the ‘commitment and championing of diversity’ end? If the answer to that question is at the bottom line of a profits and loss spreadsheet, then maybe you’re not really invested in diversity at all.”
Wachowski went on to express how although she’s grateful to Showtime for the opportunity to make Work in Progress, “I am also not content or happy to just be here. Something has to change.”

A Future for LGBTQ+ TV Shows
The 12 LGBTQ+ TV shows listed here are just the beginning, and Lilly Wachowski has a point. Yes, TV is a business and yes, it means ensuring a good enough intersection of art and commerce.
But what does it say of networks when they reap the PR benefit of their commitment to diversity in “ground-breaking” LGBTQ+ TV shows, only to deny those same cultural productions a chance to grow the moment the numbers start to teeter? What does it mean for the creative labor of storytelling if — despite a loyal fanbase, critical acclaim, and good viewership numbers — our stories may still have no future?