Netflix's super gay new show featur a 'Fire Island' rnn, drag queens, Kim Cattrall & more - Queerty

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• NETFLIX’S SUPER GAY NEW SHOW FEATUR A ‘FIRE ISLAND’ RNN, DRAG QUEENS, KIM CATTRALL & MORE
• THE 28 BT LGBTQ+ TV SHOWS TO STREAM RIGHT NOWCELEBRATE PRI MONTH BY BGEG DRAG RACE, THE OTHER TWO, HEARTSTOPPER, AND MORE LGBTQ+ GEMS.BY TYLER BREFELLERJUNE 9, 2023FROM LEFT, URTY OF SHOWTIME, HBO, AND NETFLIX. SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIT SEEMS LUDICRO THAT THERE WAS A TIME, NOT TOO LONG AGO, WHEN LGBTQ+ TV SHOWS WEREN’T STANDARD FARE. PERHAPS ONE WOULD E OUT EVERY UPLE OF YEARS, N FOR A FEW SEASONS, MAKE HISTORY, AND THEN FIZZLE OUT. THANKFULLY, THE TELEVISN LANDSPE HAS CHANGED TREMENDOLY THE PAST . THERE ARE SHOWS THAT HAVE QUEER CHARACTERS, SHOWS THAT ARE HERENTLY QUEER, AND SHOWS THAT LAMPOON MAJOR RPORATNS TRYG TO PASS OFF AMORPHO GOO AS QUEER REPRENTATN. WHAT MORE ULD YOU ASK FOR?IF YOU’VE FOUND YOURSELF LOOKG TO WATCH SOMETHG THAT FALLS TO ONE OF THOSE TEGORI (OR SOMEWHERE BETWEEN), WE’VE PILED THE BT LGBTQ+ TV SHOWS THAT ARE STREAMG NOW. FROM RUPL’S DRAG RACE TO HARLEY QUN, YOU N FD THEM ALL BELOW.28. QUEER AS FOLK (2022)FOR BETTER OR WORSE, THE SHORT-LIVED REBOOT OF RSELL T DAVI’S GROUNDBREAKG SERI SEEMED TERMED TO ATONE FOR THE ORIGAL’S SOAPY PICTN OF QUEER LIFE. STARRG DEV WAY, F ARG, AND RYAN O’CONNELL, QUEER AS FOLK FOLLOWS A DIVERSE NEW ORLEANS MUNY THE AFTERMATH OF A TRAGEDY THAT RELLS THE 2016 PULSE SHOOTG. IF YOU DON’T MD SUCH TRMA UNRSRG THIS ENTERTAGLY MSY WEB OF CHARACTERS, ’S A DRAMA WORTH DIPPG TO.POWERED BYJTWATCH27. SEX EDUTN (2019)THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN SEX EDUTN’S ERIC (NCUTI GATWA) AND ADAM (CONNOR SWLLS) HAS S ISSU, BUT GATWA IS SUCH A STANDOUT THE ACCLAIMED SERI THAT MOST ARE WORTH OVERLOOKG. HE’S JT THAT MAGIC. THE SHOW OTHERWISE FOLLOWS OTIS (ASA BUTTERFIELD), A HIGH SCHOOL STUNT WHO SETS UP AN UNRGROUND SEX THERAPY CLIC WH ANOTHER ONE OF HIS CLASSMAT (EMMA MACKEY). MIXG ANK DISCSNS WH IMPOSSIBLE-TO-HATE CHARACTERS, SEX EDUTN HAS BEEN A BOON FOR NETFLIX SCE S BUT—AND ’S NEVER TOO LATE TO HOP ON THE BANDWAGON.POWERED BYJTWATCH26. DRAG ME TO DNER (2023)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYA WHIRLWD OF A REALY SHOW, DRAG ME TO DNER THROWS SOME OF THE BIGGT NAM DRAG TO THE KCHEN. SORT OF. EACH EPISO SE TWO PAIRS OF QUEENS (THE FIRST EPISO PS JKX MONSOON AND BENDELACREME AGAST JACKIE BEAT AND SHERRY VE) FACE OFF A THEMATIC DNER PARTY BATTLE. DER, FOOD, AND CKTAILS MT ALL BE PREPARED, AND THE PRENTATNS ARE NEVER WHAT YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE. (A SPEAKEASY? A MURR MYSTERY? A KE BIRTH?!) AT THE END OF THE DAY, ’S A SHOWSE FOR THE SHEER CREATIVE FORCE THAT IS DRAG, SO YOU MAY AS WELL GIVE TO THE CHAOS AND ALLOW TO ENTERTA YOU AT EVERY UNPREDICTABLE TURN.POWERED BYJTWATCH25. THE SEX LIV OF COLLEGE GIRLS (2021)COCREATED BY MDY KALG, SEX LIV OF COLLEGE GIRLS IS A ROMP THAT FOLLOWS FOUR ROOMMAT AS THEY AL WH THE MANY UPS AND DOWNS OF NEWFOUND PENNCE. RENEé RAPP’S LEIGHTON, A WEALTHY LEGACY STUNT, IS A STANDOUT; HER ROLE AS THE GROUP’S OBLIGATORY üBER-NFINT MEAN GIRL IS QUICKLY SUBVERTED WHEN SHE BEGS G TO TERMS WH HER SEXUALY. AND THOUGH THE GIRLS’ LOVE TERTS E AND GO, THEIR IENDSHIP REMAS THE SERI’ SECRET WEAPON.POWERED BYJTWATCH24. XO, KTY (2023)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYXO, KTY ULD HAVE FALLEN FLAT THE SHADOW OF THE MOVI WAS SPUN OFF OM, BUT ANNA CATHRT WORKS WONRS AS A YOUNGER SISTER FALLY STEPPG TO THE SPOTLIGHT. SET AFTER THE TO ALL THE BOYS FILMS, THIS SERI FOLLOWS CATHRT’S KTY SONG COVEY HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD AS SHE ATTEMPTS TO RENNECT WH HER LONG-DISTANCE BOYIEND. ON HER OWN FOR THE FIRST TIME, THOUGH, THE CHARACTER WHO ONCE NSIRED HERSELF AN EXPERT ON LOVE REALIZ SHE HAS MUCH MORE TO LEARN. AT TURNS CLEVER, HEARTWARMG, AND OVER-THE-TOP, XO, KTY IS BETTER THAN HAS ANY RIGHT TO BE. (SEE FOR YOURSELF.)POWERED BYJTWATCH23. ELE (2018)THIS SOAPY SPANISH SERI MAK FOR QUE THE GUILTY PLEASURE BGE-WATCH. WH SIX SEASONS ALREADY UNR S BELT, ELE BLENDS MURR-MYSTERY ELEMENTS WH HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA TO ADDICTG EFFECT; THE RELATNSHIPS ARE EXPLOSIVE, THE PARTI ARE ADLY, AND THE CHARACTERS ARE THEIR OWN WORST ENEMI. WHAT MORE ULD YOU WANT?POWERED BYJTWATCH22. THE L WORD: GENERATN Q (2019)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYTHOUGH YOU’LL PROBABLY WANT TO SHAKE THE SCREEN TRATN (REPEATEDLY!), THIS NTUATN OF THE L WORD FOLLOWS CHARACTERS NEW AND OLD AS THEY STUMBLE THROUGH SELF-DISVERY AND LOVE. JENNIFER BEALS, KATE MOENNIG, AND LEISHA HAILEY, WHO REPRISE THEIR ROL OM THE ORIGAL SERI, ARE JOED BY AN ENSEMBLE OF ACTORS AS DIVERSE AS THE CHARACTERS THEY PORTRAY. DPE—OR PERHAPS BEE OF—HOW MSY THE SERI GETS, ’S HARD NOT TO FALL FOR THEM.POWERED BYJTWATCH21. HARLEY QUN (2019)Y, THERE IS A CURRENTLY AIRG SHOW WHICH HARLEY QUN (VOICED BY KALEY CUO) AND POISON IVY (VOICED BY LAKE BELL) HAVE A HEARTFELT NVERSATN ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIP WHILE THE MIDST OF A SATANIC Y. THIS SERI, WHICH IS AS OFF-THE-WALL AS THAT LAST SENTENCE WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE, LEANS TO ALL OF THE CHARACTERS’ WORST STCTS—AND IS ALL THE BETTER FOR . SURE, ’S BLOOD-SOAKED AND OBNOX. BUT IF YOU SQUT, ’S ALSO A MEDATN ON REVENGE, LOVE, AND CHOOSG TO DO THE RIGHT THG. POWERED BYJTWATCH20. YELLOWJACKETS (2021)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYSPEAKG OF BLOOD-SOAKED…WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER TEAM WAS STRAND THE WILRNS FOR 19 MONTHS? YELLOWJACKETS ATTEMPTS TO ANSWER THAT QUTN—WH NNIBALISM, ROMANCE, AND A HEALTHY DOSE OF MYSTICISM MIXED FOR GOOD MEASURE. WHILE TEASG ANYTHG ABOUT THE LIV OF THE SURVIVORS WOULD SPOIL SOME STORYL FOR THE UNIATED, RT ASSURED THAT ’S A SERI YOU N SK YOUR TEETH TO. AND BIS, WE N ALWAYS E MORE CIZEN TECTIV.POWERED BYJTWATCH19. WE’RE HERE (2020)IF YOU PREFER SHOWS THAT WILL TUG AT YOUR HEARTSTRGS, WE’RE HERE IS ONE YOU SHOULDN’T MISS. STARRG DRAG RACE ALUMNI BOB THE DRAG QUEEN, EUREKA O’HARA, AND SHANGELA, THIS AWARD-WNG REALY SERI FOLLOWS THE TR TO SMALL TOWNS ACROSS AMERI AS THEY REC LOLS TO STAR A ONE-NIGHT-ONLY SHOW—AND DISPEL HARMFUL STEREOTYP ALONG THE WAY. POWERED BYJTWATCH18. EUPHORIA (2019)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYWHAT ELSE IS THERE TO SAY ABOUT HBO’S HYPERSTYLIZED TEEN DRAMA? EUPHORIA FOLLOWS AN ENSEMBLE LED BY ZENDAYA, HUNTER SCHAFER, AND JAB ELORDI AS THEY AL WH EVERY ISSUE UNR THE SUN. AT S HEART, THOUGH, ARE RELATNSHIPS SO RAW THEY ARE NSTANTLY G APART AT THE SEAMS. IT’S FAR OM A SHOW FOR EVERYONE, BUT THE SPECIAL EPISOS RELEASED 2020 AND 2021 ARE, AT LEAST, BETIFUL SHOWS OF THE SERI AT S BT.POWERED BYJTWATCH17. DICKSON (2019)THIS ANACHRONISTIC LIGHT PICTS EY DICKSON’S LIFE AS HER WRG LEADS HER TO N UP AGAST GENR ROL, SEXUAL INTY, AND OTHER STANDARDS OF HER ERA. THE SERI STARS HAILEE STEFELD, AND S BEATG HEART IS DICKSON’S RELATNSHIP WH SUE (ELLA HUNT), HER BT IEND TURNED SISTER--LAW, WHOM SHE RECKONS WH EVER-EVOLVG FEELGS FOR. WH GUT STARS CLUDG JOHN MULANEY (AS HENRY DAVID THORE), ZIWE (AS SOJOURNER TTH), AND BILLY EICHNER (AS WALT WHMAN), WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?POWERED BYJTWATCH16. SCHT’S CREEK (2015)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYIF YOU DON’T ALREADY LOVE SCHT’S CREEK, YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DO. (OR SOMEONE WHOSE MOM DO.) THE SHOW, WHICH STARTED AS A SMALL CANADIAN S, BEME SUCH A PHENOMENON S FAL SEASONS THAT SWEPT ALL SEVEN MAJOR EDY TEGORI AT THE 2020 EMMYS. IT FOLLOWS THE ONCE WEALTHY ROSE FAY (EUGENE LEVY, CATHERE O’HARA, DAN LEVY, AND ANNIE MURPHY) AS THEY RELOTE TO A SMALL TOWN—AND ’S SIMPLY THE BT.POWERED BYJTWATCH15. HACKS (2021)JEAN SMART STARS AS A LEGENDARY STAND-UP EDIAN WHOSE FADG LEGACY MANDS SHE TAKE A YOUNGER WRER, PLAYED BY HANNAH EBR, UNR HER WG. THE TWO HAVE AN ELECTRIC CHEMISTRY, AND THEIR EXPLOS TAKE THEM ACROSS AMERI AS THEY NONT THE WORST PARTS OF THEIR PASTS. (AND SURVIVE A LBIAN CISE.) CARL CLEMONS-HOPKS, KAL OLSON, PL W. DOWNS, AND MEGAN STALTER ROUND OUT THE EXCEPTNAL ST.POWERED BYJTWATCH14. VENENO (2020)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYVENENO IS A POWERFUL LIMED SERI THAT SPOTLIGHTS JT HOW VIBRANT AND RILIENT THE QUEER MUNY IS. BASED ON THE TE STORY OF SPANISH TRANS IN CRISTA ORTIZ RODRíGUEZ, BETTER KNOWN AS LA VENENO, THE SERI LV TO THE PLEXI OF GENR INTY AND SEXUALY, SHOWSG THE CHALLENG FACED BY TRANS DIVIDUALS WHILE CELEBRATG THEIR TRIUMPHS. IT’S A MT-WATCH FOR ANYONE—PECIALLY GIVEN THE CURRENT WAR AGAST TRANSGENR RIGHTS.POWERED BYJTWATCH13. LOS ESPOOKYS (2019)PERHAPS THE MOST LIGHTFULLY QUIRKY SHOW ON THIS LIST, LOS ESPOOKYS IS AN UTTERLY ORIGAL EDY THAT EMBRAC THE ABSURD. IT FOLLOWS A GROUP OF IENDS A FICTNAL LAT AMERIN UNTRY WHO TURN THEIR LOVE FOR HORROR TO A BS—ALL THE WHILE SEAMLSLY WEAVG QUEER CHARACTERS AND STEREOTYPE-FYG STORYL TO THE FABRIC OF S HUMOR. ANDRéS (JUL TORR) IS PUTTG UP WH THE FUTURE HBAND HIS PARENTS CHOSE FOR HIM. TATI (ANA FABREGA) NAVIGAT BOTH HER ROMANTIC RELATNSHIPS AND HER ROLE THE GROUP WH CREDIBLE, DIM-WTED CHARM. OH, AND DID WE MENTN STS KIM PETRAS AS SECRETARY OF STATE? POWERED BYJTWATCH12. GENTLEMAN JACK (2019)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYGENTLEMAN JACK IS A RARE HISTORIL DRAMA THAT SH A SPOTLIGHT ON A REAL QUEER FIGURE. IT’S FOCED ON THE LIFE OF ANNE LISTER (SURANNE JON), A 19TH-CENTURY ENGLISH WOMAN WHO HERED HER UNCLE'S TATE. THE SERI FEARLSLY EXPLOR ANNE’S LIFE AS A LBIAN WOMAN NAVIGATG A SOCIETY THAT REF TO ACCEPT HER. THROUGH HER UNAPOLOGETIC CHARACTER—AND HER CHARACTER’S DANGERO LOVE AFFAIR WH ANN WALKER (SOPHIE RUNDLE)—GENTLEMAN JACK SHEDS LIGHT ON A HIDN PART OF HISTORY THROUGH THE LENS OF A N’T-LOOK-AWAY DRAMA.POWERED BYJTWATCH11. INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE (2022)THIS H ADAPTATN OF ANNE RICE’S 1976 NOVEL WAS ONE OF 2022’S BT TV SHOWS. THE SERI, STARRG JAB ANRSON AND SAM REID, IS A GOTHIC TOUR FORCE; CENTERS ON THE LIFE OF LOUIS POTE DU LAC (ANRSON) AS HE RELLS BEG SCED AND TURNED TO A VAMPIRE BY THE ADLY LTAT LNURT (REID). UNLIKE THE 1994 FILM, INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE EMBRAC THE QUEER ELEMENTS OF THE STORY, MAKG S CENTRAL RELATNSHIP AS BETIFUL AND PASSNATE AS IS TOXIC.POWERED BYJTWATCH10. OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH (2022)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYKNOWG THAT RHYS DARBY AND TAIKA WAI PORTRAY TWO PIRAT WHO FALL LOVE SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO NVCE YOU TO WATCH THIS TELEVISN SHOW, BUT WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THE RT OF THE ST IS JT AS CHARMG? OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH IS LOOSELY BASED ON THE LIFE OF STE BON (DARBY), A WELL-TO-DO ARISTOCRAT WHO TURNS TO PIRACY BEE, WELL, HE FEELS LIKE . THE SERI FOLLOWS HIS CREW AS THEY STGGLE TO SURVIVE AT SEA AND EARN THE REPUTATNS THEY SIRE. WH A SEND SEASON ON THE WAY, N THEY KEEP SUCH A GOOD THG GOG? ONLY TIME WILL TELL.POWERED BYJTWATCH9. RUPL’S DRAG RACE (2009)STARTG RUPL’S DRAG RACE IS AN UNRTAKG THAT WILL TAKE YOU WELL BEYOND PRI MONTH. THE EMMY-WNG SERI, WHICH NCLUD S 15TH SEASON THIS YEAR, HAS BEEN AN UNRIVALED FORCE HELPG DRAG CROSS OVER TO THE MASTREAM. LEGENDARY PERFORMERS LIKE ALYSSA EDWARDS, SASHA COLBY, AND TRIXIE MATTEL HAVE WALKED THE NWAY, AND THOUGH SOME SEASONS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, ’S IMPOSSIBLE TO QUANTIFY THE IMPACT THE SHOW HAS HAD ON A GENERATN OF QUEER PEOPLE. NO, ISN’T PERFECT BY ANY MEANS. BUT ’S PRETTY DAMN ENTERTAG.PRO TIP: IF THE SHOW’S ORIGAL FILTER SR YOU OFF, TRY STARTG OM SEASON FOUR.POWERED BYJTWATCH8. THE LAST OF US (2023)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYDPE THE BLEAK WORLD THE SERI TAK PLACE , HBO’S ADAPTATN OF THE LAST OF US OFFERED UP SOME OF THIS YEAR’S MOST POIGNANT MOMENTS. JOEL (PEDRO PASL) AND ELLIE’S (BELLA RAMSEY) QUT FOR SURVIVAL ANCHORS THE ZOMBIE TALE, BUT THE SHOW’S WAY OF VELOPG SI CHARACTERS SUCH AS KATHLEEN (MELANIA LYNSKEY), BILL (NICK OFFERMAN), AND FRANK (MURRAY BARTLETT) IS WHAT MA S FIRST SEASON A PHENOMENON. JT MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TISSU HANDY.POWERED BYJTWATCH7. THE HNTG OF BLY MANOR (2020)THE QUEER LOVE STORY THE SEND STALLMENT OF NETFLIX’S HNTG ANTHOLOGY SNEAKS UP ON YOU, AND THAT’S PRECISELY WHAT MAK SO POTENT. THE HNTG OF BLY MANOR, BASED ON THE WORKS OF HENRY JAM, TELLS THE STORY OF THOSE UGHT THE SUPERNATURAL GOGS-ON OF THE EPONYMO MANOR. VICTORIA PEDRETTI PLAYS DANI, AN AMERIN WOMAN WHO FLE TRAGEDY AND BEGS WORKG AS AN PAIR FOR THE CHILDREN WHO LIVE THERE. OTHERS UGHT THE MANOR’S TRAGIC WEB CLU THE HOEKEEPER (T’NIA MILLER), THE GARNER (AMELIA EVE), AND THE OK (RAHUL KOHLI). TELLG YOU HOW, EXACTLY, WOULD THE FUN.POWERED BYJTWATCH6. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (2022)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYAN ADAPTATN OF THE 1992 FILM OF THE SAME NAME, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN STARS ABBI JABSON, D'ARCY CARN, AND CHANTé ADAMS AS PLAYERS FOR THE WORLD WAR II–ERA ROCKFORD PEACH. THE SERI EXPLOR QUEERNS, RACE, AND GENR INTY WAYS THE FILM SHIED AWAY OM (SPOILER ALERT: JABSON’S CARSON HAS A PASSNATE AFFAIR WH CARN’S GRETA), AND THE LONG-FORM NARRATIVE GIV MORE TEAM MEMBERS SPACE TO VELOP. AN ADD BON? IT’S ONE OF THE FUNNIT SHOWS STREAMG NOW.POWERED BYJTWATCH5. IT’S A S (2021)CREATED BY RSELL T DAVI (THE MD BEHD THE ORIGAL QUEER AS FOLK), IT’S A S FOLLOWS A GROUP OF GAY MEN AND THEIR IENDS DURG THE AIDS CRISIS. THE MISERI TAK PLACE OVER THE SPAN OF A , TAILG EACH CHARACTER’S ATTEMPT TO LIVE FULLY SPE THE THREAT THAT SEEMS TO CIRCLE EVER CLOSER. OLLY ALEXANR STARS, LYDIA WT SH, AND CALLUM STT HOWELLS WILL BREAK YOUR HEART.POWERED BYJTWATCH4. POSE (2018)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYTHIS GROUNDBREAKG SERI STARRG MICHAELA JAé RODRIGUEZ, BILLY PORTER, DOMIQUE JACKSON, AND INDYA MOORE (AMONG MANY OTHERS) IS SET THE WORLD OF NEW YORK’S UNRGROUND BALL CULTURE. IT PORTRAYS THE STGGL AND CELEBRATNS OF LARGER-THAN-LIFE CHARACTERS LOOSELY SPIRED BY THOSE WHO FED QUEERNS FOR A GENERATN—AND RARELY DO A SHOW BALANCE DARKNS AND LIGHT AS WELL AS THIS ONE. (SEE: SEASON TWO’S “NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE.”) POSE, MUCH LIKE S CHARACTERS, IS TLY ONE OF A KD.POWERED BYJTWATCH3. HEARTSTOPPER (2022)IF YOU NEED A SHOW THAT FEELS LIKE A WARM HUG, LOOK NO FURTHER. HEARTSTOPPER TELLS THE STORY OF NICK (K CONNOR) AND CHARLIE (JOE LOCKE), TWO BOYS WHO FALL FOR EACH OTHER AFTER CROSSG PATHS AT SCHOOL. NICK, “A GBY PLAYER WH THE MEANOR OF A GOLN RETRIEVER,” HAS ALWAYS THOUGHT OF HIMSELF AS STRAIGHT, BUT HIS JOURNEY OF SELF-DISVERY NS ALONGSI CHARLIE’S QUT FOR A B OF SELF-NFINCE. IT ISN’T A SPOILER TO TELL YOU THAT THERE IS NO TRAGEDY HERE; NONE OF THE STUNTS AT THEIR BRISH ALL-BOYS SCHOOL VELOP A MYSTER ILLNS, NOR DO ANY OF THEIR IENDS SUDNLY VANISH. (PERHAPS THE MOST SHOCKG TWIST WHEN NICK’S MOTHER, PORTRAYED BY A CERTA CELEBRATED ACTOR, FIRST APPEARS ONSCREEN.) IT’S SWEET, ’S REHG, AND ’S ALREADY BEEN RENEWED FOR ANOTHER SEASON.POWERED BYJTWATCH2. WHAT WE DO THE SHADOWS (2019)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYWHAT WE DO THE SHADOWS IS A BRILLIANT SHOW ON MULTIPLE ONTS: IT’S A HILAR MOCKUMENTARY-STYLE EDY; FTLY RPORAT QUEER INTI; AND PROV THAT SOME PEOPLE REALLY DO JT SUCK THE FUN OUT OF A ROOM. THE SERI FOLLOWS A GROUP OF ECCENTRIC VAMPIR AND THEIR FAIAR AS THEY NAVIGATE THE MORN WORLD. GUILLERMO, THE LOYAL HUMAN PLAYED BY HARVEY GUILLéN, IS A PARTICULAR BRIGHT SPOT AS HE EMBARKS ON A JOURNEY OF SELF-DISVERY AND GRAPPL WH HIS OWN INTY AND SEXUALY. POWERED BYJTWATCH1. THE OTHER TWO (2019)NO SHOW HAS S FGER ON THE PULSE QUE LIKE THE OTHER TWO DO. THE SERI REVOLV AROUND TWO SIBLGS, CARY (DREW TARVER) AND BROOKE (HELéNE YORKE), WHOSE LIV ARE UPEND WHEN THEIR TEENAGE BROTHER BE AN OVERNIGHT SENSATN. OVER THREE SEASONS, THE TWO RECKON WH FAME, LOVE, AND WHAT MEANS TO BE A SEMI-NOTABLE GAY PERSON ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IN ONE EPISO, CARY IS TOO VA TO SEE LOVERS (TUC WATKS AND NOAH GALV) POSG AS A FATHER AND SON FOR WHAT THEY ARE. IN ANOTHER, BROOKE TRI SPERATELY TO ATTEND THE EXCLIVE UNVEILG OF “A NEW HADID SISTER.” ITS HUMOR IS WHIP-SMART, S EMOTNAL BEATS ARE BTALLY CUTTG, AND MOLLY SHANNON’S PAT DUBEK IS A REVELATN. IF YOU HAVEN’T FALLEN UNR S SPELL YET, NOW IS CERTALY THE TIME.POWERED BYJTWATCHMORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR“IT’S RAG TEENS” AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?THE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)TYLER BREFELLER
• IN ‘SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT,’ A DRAG IN SASHAYS AWAY WH THE WHOLE SHOWNO SMALL PARTS, JUST SMALL ACTORS“DRAG RACE” LOVERS KNOW AND LOVE THE INIC QUEEN PEPPERMT. HER SMALL ROLE A NEW NETFLIX EDY SHOWS THAT EVERYONE ELSE WOULD LOVE HER TOO—IF SHE EVER GOT TO BE THE STAR.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 18, 2023 4:22AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THOMAS LEVSON/THE DAILY BEAST/NETFLIXSURVIVAL OF THE THICKT, THE NEW NETFLIX SERI STARRG EDIAN AND THE CIRCLE HOST MICHELLE BUTE, IS A SWEET, THOUGHTFUL, AND EFFORTLSLY WATCHABLE SERI. INSPIRED BY HER LLECTN OF SAYS OF THE SAME NAME, BUTE PLAYS MAVIS BEMONT, AN UP-AND-G STYLIST A RELATNSHIP WH A PROMENT PHOTOGRAPHER. MAVIS’ LIFE SEEMS TO BE FALLY LG UP THE WAY SHE’S LONGED FOR—UNTIL SHE ARRIV HOME TO FD HER BOYIEND CHEATG ON HER.WHEN THEY SAY THAT THERE ARE NO SMALL PARTS, ONLY SMALL ACTORS, THEY MEAN —AND SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT PROV . PEPPERMT, AN INIC NYC DRAG QUEEN, PLAYS ONE OF MAVIS’ IENDS, WHO ALL HELP HER FD HERSELF POST-BREAKUP. BUT PEPPERMT HAS THE SMALLT ROLE OF MAVIS’ IENDS. SHE DON’T HAVE A MAJOR STORY ARC, AND HER CHARACTER DON’T GO ON ANY PARTICULAR JOURNEY OF HER OWN. SHE DON’T EVEN APPEAR EVERY EPISO. BUT THAT DON’T MATTER: EVERY MOMENT PEPPERMT APPEARS SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT, THE SHOW IS BETTER FOR .PEPPERMT’S IS THE KD OF PERFORMANCE OVERFLOWG WH SO MUCH CHARISMA AND CHARM THAT SHE TOWERS OVER EVERYONE ELSE THE BT WAY. WHENEVER PEPPERMT WASN’T ON SCREEN, I WONRED WHY; WHEN SHE WAS, I ULDN’T TAKE MY EY OFF HER. HER WORK REMDS ME OF A MOMENT OM ONE OF MY FAVORE SIMPSONS EPISOS: “WHENEVER POOCHIE’S NOT ON SCREEN, ALL THE OTHER CHARACTERS SHOULD BE ASKG: ‘WHERE’S POOCHIE’?” JT REPLACE AN ANIMATED DOG WH A GLOR DRAG QUEEN, AND YOU HAVE SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT’S BT CHARACTER. IT TAK LS THAN A SEND FOR PEPPERMT TO MAKE AN IMPACT. (Y, I TIMED .) FROM THE MOMENT WE FIRST SEE HER, WORKG AS A WARS A DRAG BAR LLED CC BLOOMS, PEPPERMT MANDS OUR ATTENTN. “AREN’T YOU GOG TO TRODUCE ME TO THIS BABY RROT SO I N DIP HIM TO MY HUMM?” SHE SAYS TO MAVIS, ABOUT MAVIS’ IEND KHALIL (TONE BELL). THERE’S NOTHG QUE LIKE STARTG OFF WH AN OUTRAGEOLY FLIRTY ONE-LER TO GET ME TO FALL HEAD-OVER-HEELS LOVE WH A CHARACTER. WHEN KHALIL FLIRTS BACK THAT THERE’S NOTHG “BABY RROT” ABOUT HIM, PEPPERMT GASPS, SCREECHG LIGHTFULLY UNISON WH MAVIS. PEPPERMT HAS BEEN ON SCREEN FOR A MERE 16 SENDS (AGA, I TIMED ) AT THIS POT, BUT BOTH HER CHARACTER AND HER RELATNSHIP TO MAVIS ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR. IT’S NO WONR MAVIS LIGHTS UP WHEN SHE SE PEPPERMT—SHE’S ABSOLUTELY RADIANT. SHE’S EXQUISELY DRSED EVERY TIME MAVIS SE HER, CLUDG WHEN SHE’S WEARG HER ADORABLE SKY-BLUE UNIFORM ADORNED WH LORFUL POLKA DOTS. AND THE ENERGY PEPPERMT EXUS IS TOTALLY FECT: SHE MANDS ATTENTN A WAY THAT NEVER FEELS FORCED. THE SHOW MAK CLEAR THAT SHE’S THE KD OF PAL YOU’D LL WHEN YOU NEED A PICK-ME-UP—OR TO SHARE SOME GOOD NEWS WH BEE YOU KNOW EHER WAY, SHE’S GOG TO MAKE YOU FEEL ON TOP OF THE WORLD. (L-R) GARCELLE BEVAIS, ANTHONY MICHAEL LOPEZ, AND PEPPERMT SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT.NETFLIX IN THE SAME SCENE AS WE FIRST MEET HER, PEPPERMT ALSO KICKS OFF A MAJOR PLOTLE, SETTG MAVIS UP WH A STYLG JOB WH A NIGHTMARE CLIENT (PLAYED BY GARCELLE BEVAIS). “YOU SEEM SPERATE ENOUGH TO PUT UP WH HER SH,” SHE TELLS MAVIS. WHAT MORE ULD YOU WANT OM A IEND THAN BOTH A JOB AND SOME BG SNARK?PURVEYORS OF NEW YORK CY NIGHTLIFE OR FANS OF REALY TELEVISN ARE LIKELY ALREADY FAIAR WH PEPPERMT. A STAPLE THE CY’S DRAG SCENE FOR YEARS, PEPPERMT TOOK HER STARDOM TO THE NEXT LEVEL BY APPEARG RUPL’S DRAG RACE SEASON 9. ON THE SHOW, WHICH AIRED 2017, SHE BLEW DIENC AWAY WH HER LIP SYNCS AND HER UNSTOPPABLE PERSONALY, AND SHE’S BEEN ENSHRED AS A FAN FAVORE EVER SCE. HER REER HAS ONLY BEE MORE IMPRSIVE SCE THEN. IN 2018, PEPPERMT BEME THE FIRST TRANSGENR WOMAN TO ORIGATE A PRCIPAL ROLE ON BROADWAY, THE SHOW HEAD OVER HEELS. SHE’S ALSO BEEN A PROMENT PART OF THE DRAG PETN SHOW CALL ME MOTHER AND HAS APPEARED ON TELEVISN POSE AND GOD FRIEND ME. SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT, HOWEVER, IS HER MOST EXCG ACTG ROLE YET. WHILE DRAG PERFORMERS LIKE PEPPERMT ARE BELOVED THE QUEER MUNY, 'S STILL A MASSIVE CHALLENGE TO PROPERLY BREAK THROUGH TO THE MASTREAM, AND APPEARG A NETFLIX SHOW IS A HUGE PLATFORM FOR HER.BUT PEPPERMT’S EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT NFIRMS THAT WE NEED MORE QUEENS ON TV, AND BIGGER ROL AT THAT. SHOWS LIKE NETFLIX’S RECENT GLAMORO HAVE GIVEN QUEENS MORE SPACE TO SHOW THEY’RE MORE THAN JT NIGHTCLUB PERFORMERS, AND PEPPERMT PROV SHE’S WORTHY OF A STARRG ROLE EACH OF HER BRIEF APPEARANC. EVERY SEND THAT PEPPERMT IS ON SCREEN SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT IS MAGIL—WHETHER SHE’S GOG WILD ( THE BT WAY) OVER A LOGY (AND LATER DOG AN EPIC LIP SYNC TO THE SAME SPEECH), HELPG MAVIS EMBRACE WHO SHE IS, OR PUTTG ON A QUEER PROM. IF THERE IS A SEASON 2, I N ONLY HOPE PEPPERMT GETS A MAJOR STORY ARC OF HER OWN. PEPPERMT SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT.NETFLIX MY ENDLS APPRECIATN OF PEPPERMT’S PERFORMANCE IS AMPLIFIED BY THE UNAVOIDABLE ELEPHANT THE ROOM: LAST WEEK, SAG-AFTRA, HOLLYWOOD’S UNN OF ACTORS, THORIZED STRIKE ACTN FOR THE FIRST TIME SCE THE 1960S. THE STRIKE THE FACE OF UNTLS ACTORS UNABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE AS THE RISE OF STREAMG AND DIGAL MEDIA HAS DRASTILLY ALTERED THE WAY PERFORMERS MAKE MONEY. WHILE ’S EASY TO JT THK OF THE BIG NAM AT TIM LIKE THE—AND HOW THEY’LL BE GONE OM OUR SCREENS FOR THE FOREEABLE FUTURE—PEPPERMT’S GLOR, UPLIFTG PERFORMANCE SERV AS A VAL REMR THAT ACTORS, EVEN SMALL ROL, PROVI AN SENTIAL PART OF A SHOW’S TAPTRY. BARRY LEVT

NETFLIX’S SUPER GAY NEW SHOW FEATUR A ‘FIRE ISLAND’ RNN, DRAG QUEENS, KIM CATTRALL & MORE

Mdy Kalg and Lang Fisher‘s g-of-age edy Never Have I Ever centers around 15-year-old sophomore Devi Vishwakumar, whose goal for the new school year is to fd a boyiend. Famo for beg some of the earlit reprentatn of gay women on TV, the show is a mt-see moment LGBTQ+ history. So queer that we image, when was pched to Netflix execs, someone prted out the “I’m gonna give the gays everythg the want” Real Hoewiv meme on a poster board, poted at , and the show was greenl on the spot.

Glamoro certaly has a ltle b of The Devil Wears Prada and Ugly Betty s DNA, and that’s a good thg nsirg both are important cultural touchston for so many gays. Also the ensemble are Ja Peyton (iZombie) as Madolyn’s assistant Veia, Michael Hsu Rosen (Lookg) and Ayha Harris (Daisy Jon & The Six) as two graphic signers at the makp pany, and Graham Parkhurst (Supergirl) as an acquatance of Mar’s named Parker, who is said to symbolize “unobtaable gay cis-male perfectn.

THE 28 BT LGBTQ+ TV SHOWS TO STREAM RIGHT NOWCELEBRATE PRI MONTH BY BGEG DRAG RACE, THE OTHER TWO, HEARTSTOPPER, AND MORE LGBTQ+ GEMS.BY TYLER BREFELLERJUNE 9, 2023FROM LEFT, URTY OF SHOWTIME, HBO, AND NETFLIX. SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEIT SEEMS LUDICRO THAT THERE WAS A TIME, NOT TOO LONG AGO, WHEN LGBTQ+ TV SHOWS WEREN’T STANDARD FARE. PERHAPS ONE WOULD E OUT EVERY UPLE OF YEARS, N FOR A FEW SEASONS, MAKE HISTORY, AND THEN FIZZLE OUT. THANKFULLY, THE TELEVISN LANDSPE HAS CHANGED TREMENDOLY THE PAST . THERE ARE SHOWS THAT HAVE QUEER CHARACTERS, SHOWS THAT ARE HERENTLY QUEER, AND SHOWS THAT LAMPOON MAJOR RPORATNS TRYG TO PASS OFF AMORPHO GOO AS QUEER REPRENTATN. WHAT MORE ULD YOU ASK FOR?IF YOU’VE FOUND YOURSELF LOOKG TO WATCH SOMETHG THAT FALLS TO ONE OF THOSE TEGORI (OR SOMEWHERE BETWEEN), WE’VE PILED THE BT LGBTQ+ TV SHOWS THAT ARE STREAMG NOW. FROM RUPL’S DRAG RACE TO HARLEY QUN, YOU N FD THEM ALL BELOW.28. QUEER AS FOLK (2022)FOR BETTER OR WORSE, THE SHORT-LIVED REBOOT OF RSELL T DAVI’S GROUNDBREAKG SERI SEEMED TERMED TO ATONE FOR THE ORIGAL’S SOAPY PICTN OF QUEER LIFE. STARRG DEV WAY, F ARG, AND RYAN O’CONNELL, QUEER AS FOLK FOLLOWS A DIVERSE NEW ORLEANS MUNY THE AFTERMATH OF A TRAGEDY THAT RELLS THE 2016 PULSE SHOOTG. IF YOU DON’T MD SUCH TRMA UNRSRG THIS ENTERTAGLY MSY WEB OF CHARACTERS, ’S A DRAMA WORTH DIPPG TO.POWERED BYJTWATCH27. SEX EDUTN (2019)THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN SEX EDUTN’S ERIC (NCUTI GATWA) AND ADAM (CONNOR SWLLS) HAS S ISSU, BUT GATWA IS SUCH A STANDOUT THE ACCLAIMED SERI THAT MOST ARE WORTH OVERLOOKG. HE’S JT THAT MAGIC. THE SHOW OTHERWISE FOLLOWS OTIS (ASA BUTTERFIELD), A HIGH SCHOOL STUNT WHO SETS UP AN UNRGROUND SEX THERAPY CLIC WH ANOTHER ONE OF HIS CLASSMAT (EMMA MACKEY). MIXG ANK DISCSNS WH IMPOSSIBLE-TO-HATE CHARACTERS, SEX EDUTN HAS BEEN A BOON FOR NETFLIX SCE S BUT—AND ’S NEVER TOO LATE TO HOP ON THE BANDWAGON.POWERED BYJTWATCH26. DRAG ME TO DNER (2023)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYA WHIRLWD OF A REALY SHOW, DRAG ME TO DNER THROWS SOME OF THE BIGGT NAM DRAG TO THE KCHEN. SORT OF. EACH EPISO SE TWO PAIRS OF QUEENS (THE FIRST EPISO PS JKX MONSOON AND BENDELACREME AGAST JACKIE BEAT AND SHERRY VE) FACE OFF A THEMATIC DNER PARTY BATTLE. DER, FOOD, AND CKTAILS MT ALL BE PREPARED, AND THE PRENTATNS ARE NEVER WHAT YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE. (A SPEAKEASY? A MURR MYSTERY? A KE BIRTH?!) AT THE END OF THE DAY, ’S A SHOWSE FOR THE SHEER CREATIVE FORCE THAT IS DRAG, SO YOU MAY AS WELL GIVE TO THE CHAOS AND ALLOW TO ENTERTA YOU AT EVERY UNPREDICTABLE TURN.POWERED BYJTWATCH25. THE SEX LIV OF COLLEGE GIRLS (2021)COCREATED BY MDY KALG, SEX LIV OF COLLEGE GIRLS IS A ROMP THAT FOLLOWS FOUR ROOMMAT AS THEY AL WH THE MANY UPS AND DOWNS OF NEWFOUND PENNCE. RENEé RAPP’S LEIGHTON, A WEALTHY LEGACY STUNT, IS A STANDOUT; HER ROLE AS THE GROUP’S OBLIGATORY üBER-NFINT MEAN GIRL IS QUICKLY SUBVERTED WHEN SHE BEGS G TO TERMS WH HER SEXUALY. AND THOUGH THE GIRLS’ LOVE TERTS E AND GO, THEIR IENDSHIP REMAS THE SERI’ SECRET WEAPON.POWERED BYJTWATCH24. XO, KTY (2023)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYXO, KTY ULD HAVE FALLEN FLAT THE SHADOW OF THE MOVI WAS SPUN OFF OM, BUT ANNA CATHRT WORKS WONRS AS A YOUNGER SISTER FALLY STEPPG TO THE SPOTLIGHT. SET AFTER THE TO ALL THE BOYS FILMS, THIS SERI FOLLOWS CATHRT’S KTY SONG COVEY HALFWAY ACROSS THE WORLD AS SHE ATTEMPTS TO RENNECT WH HER LONG-DISTANCE BOYIEND. ON HER OWN FOR THE FIRST TIME, THOUGH, THE CHARACTER WHO ONCE NSIRED HERSELF AN EXPERT ON LOVE REALIZ SHE HAS MUCH MORE TO LEARN. AT TURNS CLEVER, HEARTWARMG, AND OVER-THE-TOP, XO, KTY IS BETTER THAN HAS ANY RIGHT TO BE. (SEE FOR YOURSELF.)POWERED BYJTWATCH23. ELE (2018)THIS SOAPY SPANISH SERI MAK FOR QUE THE GUILTY PLEASURE BGE-WATCH. WH SIX SEASONS ALREADY UNR S BELT, ELE BLENDS MURR-MYSTERY ELEMENTS WH HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA TO ADDICTG EFFECT; THE RELATNSHIPS ARE EXPLOSIVE, THE PARTI ARE ADLY, AND THE CHARACTERS ARE THEIR OWN WORST ENEMI. WHAT MORE ULD YOU WANT?POWERED BYJTWATCH22. THE L WORD: GENERATN Q (2019)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYTHOUGH YOU’LL PROBABLY WANT TO SHAKE THE SCREEN TRATN (REPEATEDLY!), THIS NTUATN OF THE L WORD FOLLOWS CHARACTERS NEW AND OLD AS THEY STUMBLE THROUGH SELF-DISVERY AND LOVE. JENNIFER BEALS, KATE MOENNIG, AND LEISHA HAILEY, WHO REPRISE THEIR ROL OM THE ORIGAL SERI, ARE JOED BY AN ENSEMBLE OF ACTORS AS DIVERSE AS THE CHARACTERS THEY PORTRAY. DPE—OR PERHAPS BEE OF—HOW MSY THE SERI GETS, ’S HARD NOT TO FALL FOR THEM.POWERED BYJTWATCH21. HARLEY QUN (2019)Y, THERE IS A CURRENTLY AIRG SHOW WHICH HARLEY QUN (VOICED BY KALEY CUO) AND POISON IVY (VOICED BY LAKE BELL) HAVE A HEARTFELT NVERSATN ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIP WHILE THE MIDST OF A SATANIC Y. THIS SERI, WHICH IS AS OFF-THE-WALL AS THAT LAST SENTENCE WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE, LEANS TO ALL OF THE CHARACTERS’ WORST STCTS—AND IS ALL THE BETTER FOR . SURE, ’S BLOOD-SOAKED AND OBNOX. BUT IF YOU SQUT, ’S ALSO A MEDATN ON REVENGE, LOVE, AND CHOOSG TO DO THE RIGHT THG. POWERED BYJTWATCH20. YELLOWJACKETS (2021)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYSPEAKG OF BLOOD-SOAKED…WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER TEAM WAS STRAND THE WILRNS FOR 19 MONTHS? YELLOWJACKETS ATTEMPTS TO ANSWER THAT QUTN—WH NNIBALISM, ROMANCE, AND A HEALTHY DOSE OF MYSTICISM MIXED FOR GOOD MEASURE. WHILE TEASG ANYTHG ABOUT THE LIV OF THE SURVIVORS WOULD SPOIL SOME STORYL FOR THE UNIATED, RT ASSURED THAT ’S A SERI YOU N SK YOUR TEETH TO. AND BIS, WE N ALWAYS E MORE CIZEN TECTIV.POWERED BYJTWATCH19. WE’RE HERE (2020)IF YOU PREFER SHOWS THAT WILL TUG AT YOUR HEARTSTRGS, WE’RE HERE IS ONE YOU SHOULDN’T MISS. STARRG DRAG RACE ALUMNI BOB THE DRAG QUEEN, EUREKA O’HARA, AND SHANGELA, THIS AWARD-WNG REALY SERI FOLLOWS THE TR TO SMALL TOWNS ACROSS AMERI AS THEY REC LOLS TO STAR A ONE-NIGHT-ONLY SHOW—AND DISPEL HARMFUL STEREOTYP ALONG THE WAY. POWERED BYJTWATCH18. EUPHORIA (2019)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYWHAT ELSE IS THERE TO SAY ABOUT HBO’S HYPERSTYLIZED TEEN DRAMA? EUPHORIA FOLLOWS AN ENSEMBLE LED BY ZENDAYA, HUNTER SCHAFER, AND JAB ELORDI AS THEY AL WH EVERY ISSUE UNR THE SUN. AT S HEART, THOUGH, ARE RELATNSHIPS SO RAW THEY ARE NSTANTLY G APART AT THE SEAMS. IT’S FAR OM A SHOW FOR EVERYONE, BUT THE SPECIAL EPISOS RELEASED 2020 AND 2021 ARE, AT LEAST, BETIFUL SHOWS OF THE SERI AT S BT.POWERED BYJTWATCH17. DICKSON (2019)THIS ANACHRONISTIC LIGHT PICTS EY DICKSON’S LIFE AS HER WRG LEADS HER TO N UP AGAST GENR ROL, SEXUAL INTY, AND OTHER STANDARDS OF HER ERA. THE SERI STARS HAILEE STEFELD, AND S BEATG HEART IS DICKSON’S RELATNSHIP WH SUE (ELLA HUNT), HER BT IEND TURNED SISTER--LAW, WHOM SHE RECKONS WH EVER-EVOLVG FEELGS FOR. WH GUT STARS CLUDG JOHN MULANEY (AS HENRY DAVID THORE), ZIWE (AS SOJOURNER TTH), AND BILLY EICHNER (AS WALT WHMAN), WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?POWERED BYJTWATCH16. SCHT’S CREEK (2015)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYIF YOU DON’T ALREADY LOVE SCHT’S CREEK, YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DO. (OR SOMEONE WHOSE MOM DO.) THE SHOW, WHICH STARTED AS A SMALL CANADIAN S, BEME SUCH A PHENOMENON S FAL SEASONS THAT SWEPT ALL SEVEN MAJOR EDY TEGORI AT THE 2020 EMMYS. IT FOLLOWS THE ONCE WEALTHY ROSE FAY (EUGENE LEVY, CATHERE O’HARA, DAN LEVY, AND ANNIE MURPHY) AS THEY RELOTE TO A SMALL TOWN—AND ’S SIMPLY THE BT.POWERED BYJTWATCH15. HACKS (2021)JEAN SMART STARS AS A LEGENDARY STAND-UP EDIAN WHOSE FADG LEGACY MANDS SHE TAKE A YOUNGER WRER, PLAYED BY HANNAH EBR, UNR HER WG. THE TWO HAVE AN ELECTRIC CHEMISTRY, AND THEIR EXPLOS TAKE THEM ACROSS AMERI AS THEY NONT THE WORST PARTS OF THEIR PASTS. (AND SURVIVE A LBIAN CISE.) CARL CLEMONS-HOPKS, KAL OLSON, PL W. DOWNS, AND MEGAN STALTER ROUND OUT THE EXCEPTNAL ST.POWERED BYJTWATCH14. VENENO (2020)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYVENENO IS A POWERFUL LIMED SERI THAT SPOTLIGHTS JT HOW VIBRANT AND RILIENT THE QUEER MUNY IS. BASED ON THE TE STORY OF SPANISH TRANS IN CRISTA ORTIZ RODRíGUEZ, BETTER KNOWN AS LA VENENO, THE SERI LV TO THE PLEXI OF GENR INTY AND SEXUALY, SHOWSG THE CHALLENG FACED BY TRANS DIVIDUALS WHILE CELEBRATG THEIR TRIUMPHS. IT’S A MT-WATCH FOR ANYONE—PECIALLY GIVEN THE CURRENT WAR AGAST TRANSGENR RIGHTS.POWERED BYJTWATCH13. LOS ESPOOKYS (2019)PERHAPS THE MOST LIGHTFULLY QUIRKY SHOW ON THIS LIST, LOS ESPOOKYS IS AN UTTERLY ORIGAL EDY THAT EMBRAC THE ABSURD. IT FOLLOWS A GROUP OF IENDS A FICTNAL LAT AMERIN UNTRY WHO TURN THEIR LOVE FOR HORROR TO A BS—ALL THE WHILE SEAMLSLY WEAVG QUEER CHARACTERS AND STEREOTYPE-FYG STORYL TO THE FABRIC OF S HUMOR. ANDRéS (JUL TORR) IS PUTTG UP WH THE FUTURE HBAND HIS PARENTS CHOSE FOR HIM. TATI (ANA FABREGA) NAVIGAT BOTH HER ROMANTIC RELATNSHIPS AND HER ROLE THE GROUP WH CREDIBLE, DIM-WTED CHARM. OH, AND DID WE MENTN STS KIM PETRAS AS SECRETARY OF STATE? POWERED BYJTWATCH12. GENTLEMAN JACK (2019)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYGENTLEMAN JACK IS A RARE HISTORIL DRAMA THAT SH A SPOTLIGHT ON A REAL QUEER FIGURE. IT’S FOCED ON THE LIFE OF ANNE LISTER (SURANNE JON), A 19TH-CENTURY ENGLISH WOMAN WHO HERED HER UNCLE'S TATE. THE SERI FEARLSLY EXPLOR ANNE’S LIFE AS A LBIAN WOMAN NAVIGATG A SOCIETY THAT REF TO ACCEPT HER. THROUGH HER UNAPOLOGETIC CHARACTER—AND HER CHARACTER’S DANGERO LOVE AFFAIR WH ANN WALKER (SOPHIE RUNDLE)—GENTLEMAN JACK SHEDS LIGHT ON A HIDN PART OF HISTORY THROUGH THE LENS OF A N’T-LOOK-AWAY DRAMA.POWERED BYJTWATCH11. INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE (2022)THIS H ADAPTATN OF ANNE RICE’S 1976 NOVEL WAS ONE OF 2022’S BT TV SHOWS. THE SERI, STARRG JAB ANRSON AND SAM REID, IS A GOTHIC TOUR FORCE; CENTERS ON THE LIFE OF LOUIS POTE DU LAC (ANRSON) AS HE RELLS BEG SCED AND TURNED TO A VAMPIRE BY THE ADLY LTAT LNURT (REID). UNLIKE THE 1994 FILM, INTERVIEW WH THE VAMPIRE EMBRAC THE QUEER ELEMENTS OF THE STORY, MAKG S CENTRAL RELATNSHIP AS BETIFUL AND PASSNATE AS IS TOXIC.POWERED BYJTWATCH10. OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH (2022)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYKNOWG THAT RHYS DARBY AND TAIKA WAI PORTRAY TWO PIRAT WHO FALL LOVE SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO NVCE YOU TO WATCH THIS TELEVISN SHOW, BUT WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THE RT OF THE ST IS JT AS CHARMG? OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH IS LOOSELY BASED ON THE LIFE OF STE BON (DARBY), A WELL-TO-DO ARISTOCRAT WHO TURNS TO PIRACY BEE, WELL, HE FEELS LIKE . THE SERI FOLLOWS HIS CREW AS THEY STGGLE TO SURVIVE AT SEA AND EARN THE REPUTATNS THEY SIRE. WH A SEND SEASON ON THE WAY, N THEY KEEP SUCH A GOOD THG GOG? ONLY TIME WILL TELL.POWERED BYJTWATCH9. RUPL’S DRAG RACE (2009)STARTG RUPL’S DRAG RACE IS AN UNRTAKG THAT WILL TAKE YOU WELL BEYOND PRI MONTH. THE EMMY-WNG SERI, WHICH NCLUD S 15TH SEASON THIS YEAR, HAS BEEN AN UNRIVALED FORCE HELPG DRAG CROSS OVER TO THE MASTREAM. LEGENDARY PERFORMERS LIKE ALYSSA EDWARDS, SASHA COLBY, AND TRIXIE MATTEL HAVE WALKED THE NWAY, AND THOUGH SOME SEASONS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, ’S IMPOSSIBLE TO QUANTIFY THE IMPACT THE SHOW HAS HAD ON A GENERATN OF QUEER PEOPLE. NO, ISN’T PERFECT BY ANY MEANS. BUT ’S PRETTY DAMN ENTERTAG.PRO TIP: IF THE SHOW’S ORIGAL FILTER SR YOU OFF, TRY STARTG OM SEASON FOUR.POWERED BYJTWATCH8. THE LAST OF US (2023)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYDPE THE BLEAK WORLD THE SERI TAK PLACE , HBO’S ADAPTATN OF THE LAST OF US OFFERED UP SOME OF THIS YEAR’S MOST POIGNANT MOMENTS. JOEL (PEDRO PASL) AND ELLIE’S (BELLA RAMSEY) QUT FOR SURVIVAL ANCHORS THE ZOMBIE TALE, BUT THE SHOW’S WAY OF VELOPG SI CHARACTERS SUCH AS KATHLEEN (MELANIA LYNSKEY), BILL (NICK OFFERMAN), AND FRANK (MURRAY BARTLETT) IS WHAT MA S FIRST SEASON A PHENOMENON. JT MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TISSU HANDY.POWERED BYJTWATCH7. THE HNTG OF BLY MANOR (2020)THE QUEER LOVE STORY THE SEND STALLMENT OF NETFLIX’S HNTG ANTHOLOGY SNEAKS UP ON YOU, AND THAT’S PRECISELY WHAT MAK SO POTENT. THE HNTG OF BLY MANOR, BASED ON THE WORKS OF HENRY JAM, TELLS THE STORY OF THOSE UGHT THE SUPERNATURAL GOGS-ON OF THE EPONYMO MANOR. VICTORIA PEDRETTI PLAYS DANI, AN AMERIN WOMAN WHO FLE TRAGEDY AND BEGS WORKG AS AN PAIR FOR THE CHILDREN WHO LIVE THERE. OTHERS UGHT THE MANOR’S TRAGIC WEB CLU THE HOEKEEPER (T’NIA MILLER), THE GARNER (AMELIA EVE), AND THE OK (RAHUL KOHLI). TELLG YOU HOW, EXACTLY, WOULD THE FUN.POWERED BYJTWATCH6. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (2022)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYAN ADAPTATN OF THE 1992 FILM OF THE SAME NAME, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN STARS ABBI JABSON, D'ARCY CARN, AND CHANTé ADAMS AS PLAYERS FOR THE WORLD WAR II–ERA ROCKFORD PEACH. THE SERI EXPLOR QUEERNS, RACE, AND GENR INTY WAYS THE FILM SHIED AWAY OM (SPOILER ALERT: JABSON’S CARSON HAS A PASSNATE AFFAIR WH CARN’S GRETA), AND THE LONG-FORM NARRATIVE GIV MORE TEAM MEMBERS SPACE TO VELOP. AN ADD BON? IT’S ONE OF THE FUNNIT SHOWS STREAMG NOW.POWERED BYJTWATCH5. IT’S A S (2021)CREATED BY RSELL T DAVI (THE MD BEHD THE ORIGAL QUEER AS FOLK), IT’S A S FOLLOWS A GROUP OF GAY MEN AND THEIR IENDS DURG THE AIDS CRISIS. THE MISERI TAK PLACE OVER THE SPAN OF A , TAILG EACH CHARACTER’S ATTEMPT TO LIVE FULLY SPE THE THREAT THAT SEEMS TO CIRCLE EVER CLOSER. OLLY ALEXANR STARS, LYDIA WT SH, AND CALLUM STT HOWELLS WILL BREAK YOUR HEART.POWERED BYJTWATCH4. POSE (2018)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYTHIS GROUNDBREAKG SERI STARRG MICHAELA JAé RODRIGUEZ, BILLY PORTER, DOMIQUE JACKSON, AND INDYA MOORE (AMONG MANY OTHERS) IS SET THE WORLD OF NEW YORK’S UNRGROUND BALL CULTURE. IT PORTRAYS THE STGGL AND CELEBRATNS OF LARGER-THAN-LIFE CHARACTERS LOOSELY SPIRED BY THOSE WHO FED QUEERNS FOR A GENERATN—AND RARELY DO A SHOW BALANCE DARKNS AND LIGHT AS WELL AS THIS ONE. (SEE: SEASON TWO’S “NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE.”) POSE, MUCH LIKE S CHARACTERS, IS TLY ONE OF A KD.POWERED BYJTWATCH3. HEARTSTOPPER (2022)IF YOU NEED A SHOW THAT FEELS LIKE A WARM HUG, LOOK NO FURTHER. HEARTSTOPPER TELLS THE STORY OF NICK (K CONNOR) AND CHARLIE (JOE LOCKE), TWO BOYS WHO FALL FOR EACH OTHER AFTER CROSSG PATHS AT SCHOOL. NICK, “A GBY PLAYER WH THE MEANOR OF A GOLN RETRIEVER,” HAS ALWAYS THOUGHT OF HIMSELF AS STRAIGHT, BUT HIS JOURNEY OF SELF-DISVERY NS ALONGSI CHARLIE’S QUT FOR A B OF SELF-NFINCE. IT ISN’T A SPOILER TO TELL YOU THAT THERE IS NO TRAGEDY HERE; NONE OF THE STUNTS AT THEIR BRISH ALL-BOYS SCHOOL VELOP A MYSTER ILLNS, NOR DO ANY OF THEIR IENDS SUDNLY VANISH. (PERHAPS THE MOST SHOCKG TWIST WHEN NICK’S MOTHER, PORTRAYED BY A CERTA CELEBRATED ACTOR, FIRST APPEARS ONSCREEN.) IT’S SWEET, ’S REHG, AND ’S ALREADY BEEN RENEWED FOR ANOTHER SEASON.POWERED BYJTWATCH2. WHAT WE DO THE SHADOWS (2019)MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYIS THIS THE BEGNG OF THE END OF THE WRERS STRIKE?BY NATALIE JARVEYWHAT WE DO THE SHADOWS IS A BRILLIANT SHOW ON MULTIPLE ONTS: IT’S A HILAR MOCKUMENTARY-STYLE EDY; FTLY RPORAT QUEER INTI; AND PROV THAT SOME PEOPLE REALLY DO JT SUCK THE FUN OUT OF A ROOM. THE SERI FOLLOWS A GROUP OF ECCENTRIC VAMPIR AND THEIR FAIAR AS THEY NAVIGATE THE MORN WORLD. GUILLERMO, THE LOYAL HUMAN PLAYED BY HARVEY GUILLéN, IS A PARTICULAR BRIGHT SPOT AS HE EMBARKS ON A JOURNEY OF SELF-DISVERY AND GRAPPL WH HIS OWN INTY AND SEXUALY. POWERED BYJTWATCH1. THE OTHER TWO (2019)NO SHOW HAS S FGER ON THE PULSE QUE LIKE THE OTHER TWO DO. THE SERI REVOLV AROUND TWO SIBLGS, CARY (DREW TARVER) AND BROOKE (HELéNE YORKE), WHOSE LIV ARE UPEND WHEN THEIR TEENAGE BROTHER BE AN OVERNIGHT SENSATN. OVER THREE SEASONS, THE TWO RECKON WH FAME, LOVE, AND WHAT MEANS TO BE A SEMI-NOTABLE GAY PERSON ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IN ONE EPISO, CARY IS TOO VA TO SEE LOVERS (TUC WATKS AND NOAH GALV) POSG AS A FATHER AND SON FOR WHAT THEY ARE. IN ANOTHER, BROOKE TRI SPERATELY TO ATTEND THE EXCLIVE UNVEILG OF “A NEW HADID SISTER.” ITS HUMOR IS WHIP-SMART, S EMOTNAL BEATS ARE BTALLY CUTTG, AND MOLLY SHANNON’S PAT DUBEK IS A REVELATN. IF YOU HAVEN’T FALLEN UNR S SPELL YET, NOW IS CERTALY THE TIME.POWERED BYJTWATCHMORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR“IT’S RAG TEENS” AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?THE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)TYLER BREFELLER

And although ’s absolutely lovely to see a film for kids embrace explic gay romance, the queerns of Nick Bno and Troy Quane’s film, adapted om the graphic novel by ND Stevenson, go further and extends to the tle character. In a sea of gay ntent that aims to be excellent, “First Kill” has the bravery to be pellgly terrible, and for that we mt pay our rpects.

Charmg voice work om a mostly queer st of voice actors — cludg Sean Hay, Matt Rogers, Wanda Syk, and Patti Harrison — boosted the show’s lighthearted tacklg of stutnal homophobia, and ma for a seri that had real potential before got Netflix’s axe.

IN ‘SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT,’ A DRAG IN SASHAYS AWAY WH THE WHOLE SHOWNO SMALL PARTS, JUST SMALL ACTORS“DRAG RACE” LOVERS KNOW AND LOVE THE INIC QUEEN PEPPERMT. HER SMALL ROLE A NEW NETFLIX EDY SHOWS THAT EVERYONE ELSE WOULD LOVE HER TOO—IF SHE EVER GOT TO BE THE STAR.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 18, 2023 4:22AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THOMAS LEVSON/THE DAILY BEAST/NETFLIXSURVIVAL OF THE THICKT, THE NEW NETFLIX SERI STARRG EDIAN AND THE CIRCLE HOST MICHELLE BUTE, IS A SWEET, THOUGHTFUL, AND EFFORTLSLY WATCHABLE SERI. INSPIRED BY HER LLECTN OF SAYS OF THE SAME NAME, BUTE PLAYS MAVIS BEMONT, AN UP-AND-G STYLIST A RELATNSHIP WH A PROMENT PHOTOGRAPHER. MAVIS’ LIFE SEEMS TO BE FALLY LG UP THE WAY SHE’S LONGED FOR—UNTIL SHE ARRIV HOME TO FD HER BOYIEND CHEATG ON HER.WHEN THEY SAY THAT THERE ARE NO SMALL PARTS, ONLY SMALL ACTORS, THEY MEAN —AND SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT PROV . PEPPERMT, AN INIC NYC DRAG QUEEN, PLAYS ONE OF MAVIS’ IENDS, WHO ALL HELP HER FD HERSELF POST-BREAKUP. BUT PEPPERMT HAS THE SMALLT ROLE OF MAVIS’ IENDS. SHE DON’T HAVE A MAJOR STORY ARC, AND HER CHARACTER DON’T GO ON ANY PARTICULAR JOURNEY OF HER OWN. SHE DON’T EVEN APPEAR EVERY EPISO. BUT THAT DON’T MATTER: EVERY MOMENT PEPPERMT APPEARS SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT, THE SHOW IS BETTER FOR .PEPPERMT’S IS THE KD OF PERFORMANCE OVERFLOWG WH SO MUCH CHARISMA AND CHARM THAT SHE TOWERS OVER EVERYONE ELSE THE BT WAY. WHENEVER PEPPERMT WASN’T ON SCREEN, I WONRED WHY; WHEN SHE WAS, I ULDN’T TAKE MY EY OFF HER. HER WORK REMDS ME OF A MOMENT OM ONE OF MY FAVORE SIMPSONS EPISOS: “WHENEVER POOCHIE’S NOT ON SCREEN, ALL THE OTHER CHARACTERS SHOULD BE ASKG: ‘WHERE’S POOCHIE’?” JT REPLACE AN ANIMATED DOG WH A GLOR DRAG QUEEN, AND YOU HAVE SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT’S BT CHARACTER. IT TAK LS THAN A SEND FOR PEPPERMT TO MAKE AN IMPACT. (Y, I TIMED .) FROM THE MOMENT WE FIRST SEE HER, WORKG AS A WARS A DRAG BAR LLED CC BLOOMS, PEPPERMT MANDS OUR ATTENTN. “AREN’T YOU GOG TO TRODUCE ME TO THIS BABY RROT SO I N DIP HIM TO MY HUMM?” SHE SAYS TO MAVIS, ABOUT MAVIS’ IEND KHALIL (TONE BELL). THERE’S NOTHG QUE LIKE STARTG OFF WH AN OUTRAGEOLY FLIRTY ONE-LER TO GET ME TO FALL HEAD-OVER-HEELS LOVE WH A CHARACTER. WHEN KHALIL FLIRTS BACK THAT THERE’S NOTHG “BABY RROT” ABOUT HIM, PEPPERMT GASPS, SCREECHG LIGHTFULLY UNISON WH MAVIS. PEPPERMT HAS BEEN ON SCREEN FOR A MERE 16 SENDS (AGA, I TIMED ) AT THIS POT, BUT BOTH HER CHARACTER AND HER RELATNSHIP TO MAVIS ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR. IT’S NO WONR MAVIS LIGHTS UP WHEN SHE SE PEPPERMT—SHE’S ABSOLUTELY RADIANT. SHE’S EXQUISELY DRSED EVERY TIME MAVIS SE HER, CLUDG WHEN SHE’S WEARG HER ADORABLE SKY-BLUE UNIFORM ADORNED WH LORFUL POLKA DOTS. AND THE ENERGY PEPPERMT EXUS IS TOTALLY FECT: SHE MANDS ATTENTN A WAY THAT NEVER FEELS FORCED. THE SHOW MAK CLEAR THAT SHE’S THE KD OF PAL YOU’D LL WHEN YOU NEED A PICK-ME-UP—OR TO SHARE SOME GOOD NEWS WH BEE YOU KNOW EHER WAY, SHE’S GOG TO MAKE YOU FEEL ON TOP OF THE WORLD. (L-R) GARCELLE BEVAIS, ANTHONY MICHAEL LOPEZ, AND PEPPERMT SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT.NETFLIX IN THE SAME SCENE AS WE FIRST MEET HER, PEPPERMT ALSO KICKS OFF A MAJOR PLOTLE, SETTG MAVIS UP WH A STYLG JOB WH A NIGHTMARE CLIENT (PLAYED BY GARCELLE BEVAIS). “YOU SEEM SPERATE ENOUGH TO PUT UP WH HER SH,” SHE TELLS MAVIS. WHAT MORE ULD YOU WANT OM A IEND THAN BOTH A JOB AND SOME BG SNARK?PURVEYORS OF NEW YORK CY NIGHTLIFE OR FANS OF REALY TELEVISN ARE LIKELY ALREADY FAIAR WH PEPPERMT. A STAPLE THE CY’S DRAG SCENE FOR YEARS, PEPPERMT TOOK HER STARDOM TO THE NEXT LEVEL BY APPEARG RUPL’S DRAG RACE SEASON 9. ON THE SHOW, WHICH AIRED 2017, SHE BLEW DIENC AWAY WH HER LIP SYNCS AND HER UNSTOPPABLE PERSONALY, AND SHE’S BEEN ENSHRED AS A FAN FAVORE EVER SCE. HER REER HAS ONLY BEE MORE IMPRSIVE SCE THEN. IN 2018, PEPPERMT BEME THE FIRST TRANSGENR WOMAN TO ORIGATE A PRCIPAL ROLE ON BROADWAY, THE SHOW HEAD OVER HEELS. SHE’S ALSO BEEN A PROMENT PART OF THE DRAG PETN SHOW CALL ME MOTHER AND HAS APPEARED ON TELEVISN POSE AND GOD FRIEND ME. SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT, HOWEVER, IS HER MOST EXCG ACTG ROLE YET. WHILE DRAG PERFORMERS LIKE PEPPERMT ARE BELOVED THE QUEER MUNY, 'S STILL A MASSIVE CHALLENGE TO PROPERLY BREAK THROUGH TO THE MASTREAM, AND APPEARG A NETFLIX SHOW IS A HUGE PLATFORM FOR HER.BUT PEPPERMT’S EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT NFIRMS THAT WE NEED MORE QUEENS ON TV, AND BIGGER ROL AT THAT. SHOWS LIKE NETFLIX’S RECENT GLAMORO HAVE GIVEN QUEENS MORE SPACE TO SHOW THEY’RE MORE THAN JT NIGHTCLUB PERFORMERS, AND PEPPERMT PROV SHE’S WORTHY OF A STARRG ROLE EACH OF HER BRIEF APPEARANC. EVERY SEND THAT PEPPERMT IS ON SCREEN SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT IS MAGIL—WHETHER SHE’S GOG WILD ( THE BT WAY) OVER A LOGY (AND LATER DOG AN EPIC LIP SYNC TO THE SAME SPEECH), HELPG MAVIS EMBRACE WHO SHE IS, OR PUTTG ON A QUEER PROM. IF THERE IS A SEASON 2, I N ONLY HOPE PEPPERMT GETS A MAJOR STORY ARC OF HER OWN. PEPPERMT SURVIVAL OF THE THICKT.NETFLIX MY ENDLS APPRECIATN OF PEPPERMT’S PERFORMANCE IS AMPLIFIED BY THE UNAVOIDABLE ELEPHANT THE ROOM: LAST WEEK, SAG-AFTRA, HOLLYWOOD’S UNN OF ACTORS, THORIZED STRIKE ACTN FOR THE FIRST TIME SCE THE 1960S. THE STRIKE THE FACE OF UNTLS ACTORS UNABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE AS THE RISE OF STREAMG AND DIGAL MEDIA HAS DRASTILLY ALTERED THE WAY PERFORMERS MAKE MONEY. WHILE ’S EASY TO JT THK OF THE BIG NAM AT TIM LIKE THE—AND HOW THEY’LL BE GONE OM OUR SCREENS FOR THE FOREEABLE FUTURE—PEPPERMT’S GLOR, UPLIFTG PERFORMANCE SERV AS A VAL REMR THAT ACTORS, EVEN SMALL ROL, PROVI AN SENTIAL PART OF A SHOW’S TAPTRY. BARRY LEVT

She-Ra and the “He-Man” anchise have always had a strong mpy appeal that ma at least gay-adjacent, but ND Stevenson’s acclaimed reboot of the anchise for Netflix rehgly dropped the -adjacent part pletely. Soapy teen stori are so much better when they’re gay, and “Young Royals” is one of the gayt and soapit. A marked improvement om the origal “The Ultimatum, ” which featured a st of nttants so toxic that went past entertag and to ncerng terrory, the “Queer Love” eratn stars a group of gay women and non-bary leads on the verge of marriage as they are tasked wh mglg wh other upl, and choose to pair up wh someone outsi their origal pairg to live wh for three weeks.