Thankfully, in recent years, the film and television industry has become a beacon of representation, slowly taking the correct steps forward to ensure a better cultural environment for the modern world. Though not without its faults, Netflix is one such company that seems to have taken this in stride, placing LGBTQ+ content and talent at the front and center of its programming. From Sex Education to Heartstopper, these productions have proved fruitful, with many of the most successful series in Netflix’s entire catalog proud to discuss LGBTQ+ issues. With that in mind, here is a look at the very best LGBTQ+ series Netflix has to offer.
Looking for something else? Check out the best LGBTQ+ movies on Netflix or the best shows and movies on Netflix across all genres.
Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.
‘Sense8’ (2015 – 2018)
Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 8.2/10
Sense8
- Release Date
- June 5, 2015
- Main Genre
- Drama
Co-created by the Wachowskis alongside J. Michael Straczynski, Sense8 follows eight completely different strangers, all seemingly with nothing in common. That is until each of them has an out-of-body vision of a tragic death, which quickly mentally connects them in a way none of them can understand. With such a fascinating premise, it would have been easy for Sense8 not to deliver on its promise of intriguing sci-fi fun, but fear not. It doesn’t just deliver — it over-delivers. From a stellar central ensemble to Johnny Kilmek and Tom Tykwer‘s terrific music, Sense8 nails every aspect of its production, crafting a world that is simply impossible not to be immersed in. Beyond that, the series is also an exciting exploration of the world, with the plot moving effortlessly between the likes of San Francisco, Nairobi, and Iceland. Simply put, Sense8 is well worth your time.
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‘First Kill’ (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 61% | IMDb: 6.5/10
First Kill (2022)
- Release Date
- June 10, 2022
- Cast
- Sarah Catherine Hook , Imani Lewis , Elizabeth Mitchell , Gracie Dzienny
Created by V.E. Schwab, this trippy horror mystery follows teenagers Juliette (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Calliope (Imani Lewis) as they fall in love. However, nothing is ever that simple, with the reality being that one is a vampire and the other is a vampire hunter, leading to a unique love-conquers-all tale that promises plenty of drama. Crafting devilish parallels between a vampire’s first murder and a teenager’s first love, First Kill is both a winding mystery and an indulgent romance. Like Twilight crossed with Sex Education, First Kill is an enormously entertaining teen horror as well as a poignant coming-out story — one that doesn’t suffer the many stereotypes other series fail to avoid. Immersive fun from its first moments, First Kill proves once again that falling in love is never easy for a woman named Juliette.
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‘Heartstopper’ (2022 – Present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 8.6/10
Heartstopper
- Release Date
- April 22, 2022
- Cast
- Joe Locke , Kit Connor , William Gao , Yasmin Finney , Tobie Donovan , Olivia Colman
Criticism of LGBTQ+ media for young people often centers on the trope that their lives are disastrously challenging. Heartstopper subverts this pre-conception with a tale that is just as uplifting as it is honest. Based on Alice Oseman‘s webcomic and graphic novel of the same name, Heartstopper follows two teenage boys, Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor), as they navigate through the trials and tribulations of adolescent education, all whilst slowly growing a romantic connection. Not just interested in representing one area of the LGBTQ+ community, this show has been praised for emphasizing almost all areas, with transgender and asexuality just two of the topics covered. Refreshingly, the series is more interested in shining a light on the many issues young people face than anything else, making for a welcomed and important addition to Netflix’s catalog.
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‘Feel Good’ (2020 – 2021)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 7.5/10
Feel Good
- Release Date
- March 18, 2020
- Creator
- Mae Martin, Joe Hampson
Comedian and actor Mae Martin uses Feel Good as a way to tell their story, with this a tale bathed in their real experiences. The show follows Mae, a recovering addict, as they attempt to piece back together both their life and career as a comedian. A tough solo struggle is made easier after entering into a romantic relationship with George (Charlotte Ritchie). However, the course of true love never did run smooth and threatens to knock Mae off their journey toward sobriety. Equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and desperately relatable, Feel Good already feels like Martin has made their magnum opus despite being just 37 years old. During a recent trend of quasi-autobiographical comedian series on British television, this stands out as one of the best, with both Martin and Ritchie oozing chemistry. Bold and bittersweet, Feel Good certainly deserved its BAFTA nomination.
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‘Orange is the New Black’ (2013 – 2019)
Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 8.0/10
Orange is The New Black (2013)
- Release Date
- July 11, 2013
- Creator
- Jenji Kohan
Let us take you back in time. The year is 2013, and all anyone can talk about is Orange is the New Black. Jenji Kohan‘s series was a cultural phenomenon for many years, depicting the harsh realities of life behind bars in an all-female prison. The story follows Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), an ordinary girl who is sentenced for a crime she committed a decade prior, with nothing able to prepare her for what surprises lay in store. Based on a memoir by Piper Kerman, whose face interestingly appears in the title sequence, Orange is the New Black is both hilarious and harrowing, with each of the many ensemble characters given their time to shine. With no topic off limits, the show digs deep into an analysis of race, gender, and sexuality, emphasizing bringing real and nuanced opinions as opposed to an educationally two-dimensional message. The series won an impressive four Primetime Emmys across its seven-season run.
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‘Baby Reindeer’ (2024)
Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 7.8/10
Baby Reindeer (2024)
- Release Date
- April 11, 2024
- Cast
- Richard Gadd , Jessica Gunning , Danny Kirrane , Nava Mau
No one could have expected just how popular Baby Reindeer would become. This surprising smash hit tells the semi-autobiographical tale of its creator and star, Richard Gadd, who portrays failing comedian Donny. Whilst working a shift at his bartending job, which he has to fund his comedy, Donny meets Martha (Jessica Gunning), a woman who changes his life forever. After one small act of kindness towards her, Martha becomes obsessed, with her actions quickly devolving into severe stalking. This causes Donny to come face-to-face with the demons of his past as the terrifying realities of the seedy television industry rear their ugly head. A visceral gut-punch of a series, Baby Reindeer is a magnificently performed but difficult-to-watch experience that pulls no punches — nor should it, with this project Gadd’s way of dealing with his trauma. Originally a one-man stage show, millions across the globe will be thankful that Netflix took a chance on this story, with the lives of all who watch it changed for the better as eyes are opened and jaws dropped.
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‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 7.4/10
From the mind of gothic horror icon Mike Flanagan, The Haunting of Bly Manor follows Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti), a young woman hired to be the new nanny for manor-owner Henry’s (Henry Thomas) niece and nephew. This follows the tragic death of the former au pair, with the unsettling origin of Dani’s arrival at the manor just the beginning of her paranormal experience. As the second entry in The Haunting anthology, Flanagan uses many of the factors that turned The Haunting of Hill House into an institution once again — to great effect. From an infectious atmospheric score to the endless tension, The Haunting of Bly Manor is a triumph of the horror genre. Pedretti’s lead performance is hailed by many as the show’s best, with her talents appreciated with multiple awards and nominations.
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‘One Day at a Time’ (2017 – 2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 8.1/10
One Day at a Time (2017)
- Release Date
- January 6, 2017
- Developer
- Gloria Calderón Kellett, Mike Royce
Inspired by the 1975 series of the same name, One Day at a Time is a cross-generational sitcom following the lives of a Cuban-American family living in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Echo Park. On its surface, One Day at a Time is a standard sitcom, with plenty of gags and quirky side characters to keep viewers entertained. However, as lovers of the show will know, this is no average sitcom, with creators Gloria Calderón Kellett and Mike Royce making sure to use their platform to tackle topical and often difficult themes. Throughout the show’s four seasons, issues such as immigration, diaspora, racism, and gender identity are analyzed to great effect, with the central cast all managing to thrive with both the comic and dramatic material given. Adored by both the public and critics, One Day at a Time even won two Primetime Emmys.
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‘Sex Education’ (2019 – 2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDb: 8.3/10
One of Netflix’s biggest-ever series, Sex Education is a groundbreaking teen comedy that tore down stereotypes and inspired wardrobes the world over. The series follows insecure Otis (Asa Butterfield), a boy for whom both school and home life are a struggle, with his academic experience hurt by a lack of popularity and his time at home difficult to navigate thanks to his sex therapist mother, Jean (Gillian Anderson). However, all that is about to change when Otis meets Maeve (Emma Mackey), with the two forming their own sex therapy clinic at the school and earning themselves the gratitude of many. However, adolescence was never meant to be easy, with Otis soon finding himself infatuated with his partner. A series that birthed some of the best of the current generation of British actors, from the aforementioned Mackey to Ncuti Gatwa, Sex Education is both marvelously tender and gloriously loud. Brimming with quotable moments that will live long in the minds of fans, the series has won multiple awards across its four seasons, highlighted by a BAFTA and an International Emmy.
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‘Warrior Nun’ (2020 – 2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% | IMDb: 7.0/10
Warrior Nun
- Release Date
- July 2, 2020
- Cast
- Alba Baptista , Kristina Tonteri-Young , Lorena Andrea , Tristan Ulloa
- Seasons
- 2
A series that does exactly what it says on the tin, Warrior Nun follows Alba Baptista‘s Ava, a 19-year-old who awakens in a morgue to find herself the owner of a divine artifact in her back. Confused but revitalized, Ava soon discovers she is now a member of The Order of the Cruciform Sword, a secret sect of the Catholic Church that she must help fight evil forces. Action-packed and brimming with fantasy, Simon Barry‘s ambitious tale has captured the minds of millions. Baptista is a shining star in the midst of other top performances, with the young actress proving to have all the talent to lead any series. Given the gorgeous angst that permeates through much of the dialogue, Warrior Nun is unlike anything else on Netflix and brings better representation to a fantasy genre that so often lacks it.
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