With a cast including Bob Balaban, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jessica Lange, it’s a show that makes queerness essential to its characters while not letting it be the whole of its characters.
Have you been looking for a TV series that combines the glossy melodrama of Riverdale with the dry, dark comedy of Rushmore and Election? Of course not! Somehow though, The Politician really makes it work. What makes The Queen legendary though is Crystal LaBeija’s iconic and extremely quotable meltdown in the last five minutes of the film, part of the impetus for her founding the New York Ballroom scene later documented in 1990’s Paris is Burning. While ostensibly following Flawless Sabrina as she prepares for the Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest, the real meat here is the contestants’ dressing room chat about the draft, drag, and gender identity. Johnson is more resonant now than ever.įrank Simon’s 1968 fly-on-the-wall documentary is a fascinating time capsule of mid-century queer culture. With the ongoing global Black Lives Matter protests, and the growing visibility of transgender people in the media, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, this documentary is a stark and confronting look at the violence faced by the trans community, particularly by black trans women. Following eight strangers from around the globe who find themselves developing a mysterious psychic connection, Sense8 uses its kaleidoscopic storytelling to break down the superficial barriers that divide its protagonists culminating in glorious pansexual pangender pandemonium.įollowing transgender anti-hate-crime advocate Victoria Cruz as she investigates the suspicious 1992 death of Gay Liberation icon Marsha P. The Wachowski sisters’ foray into television was also going to be a wild ride, and while not quite hitting the high bar of The Matrix or Speed Racer, Sense8 definitely delivers on their particular brand of big-brained and even bigger-hearted sci-fi. Plus, you can’t say no to a bit of Olivia Colman, can you? Take a minute to get to grips with the tweeness of it all, and Heartstopper delivers a delicately observed and uplifting high-school romance in the grand British tradition of Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging. Seasons five and six are some of the strongest and early enough to onboard you with the running gags, or just jump into the latest season, season 13.Īdapted from Alice Oseman’s cult webcomic of the same name, Heartstopper is an overwhelmingly wholesome take on a gay coming-of-age story. If you’re a first-timer, it’s best not to start with season one.
While even the most die-hard fan will struggle to defend the likes of Secret Celebrity Drag Race (what is a secret celebrity?), for the most part, the core show is excellent viewing, elevating the reality competition format through humour, heart, and the talent of the contestants.
Since its premiere in 2009, RuPaul’s Drag Race has gone from a tongue-in-cheek cult favourite to an international franchise that’s taken drag from the stage to the stadium.