The 10 Best Queer Shows of 2022
2022 has been an incredible year for television. Whether you were more impressed by the quality or by the sheer volume coming out this year, it was memorable nevertheless. Unfortunately, 2022 was not a great year for queer representation on screen though, with numerous LGBTQ shows being canceled or coming to their natural end, and some shows still stuck in limbo.
The fact that we are ending the year with significantly less LGBTQ representation on screen than we did at the start is disappointing and discouraging, especially as it becomes clear that the Peak TV squeeze impacts minority-focused storytelling before it touches these series’ straighter and whiter counterparts. From the fun and schlocky vampire romance First Kill to Prime Video’s survivalist drama The Wilds, through the destruction of The CW network and the cancellations of nearly their entire queer line-up (Batwoman and Tom Swift, to name a few), even Hulu’s Love, Victor bit the dust this year. And while it’s nice that shows like Stranger Things and Vampire Academy included LGBTQ side-plots this season, sometimes you just want to watch a show that really gives the queer community its spotlight.
This list is not exhaustive, but rather meant to highlight some of the best LGBTQ storytelling on screen this year, as well as bring attention to some series that flew under the radar when stacked against the year’s biggest hits. And even though some of these shows are now gone, their impact still remains in making 2022 a memorable year for queer representation on television—for better and for worse. Without further ado, here are our picks for the best queer shows of 2022:
10. Charmed
Status: Canceled earlier this year.
The CW’s Charmed reboot is, for lack of a better word, endlessly charming, but never more so than in its fourth season. Despite having to deal with major shifts both in front of and behind the camera (series lead and third Charmed One Madeleine Mantock left after Season 3’s finale, and three new showrunners were brought in ahead of Season 4), Charmed’s final outing was its best season since its first, delivering magical fun and sisterly shenanigans. The series also did right by its queer audience in Season 4, righting some of the series’ previous wrongs by delivering fun and poignant queer stories in its final season; the newest Charmed One, Kaela Danso (Lucy Barrett) is bisexual, which, along with lesbian Charmed One Mel Vera (Melonie Diaz), made two out of three series leads sapphic, and guest star Mareya Salazar provides great trans representation through the Charmed Ones’ cousin, Joséfina Reyes. Even though Charmed met its untimely end with The CW’s wave of cancellations, the series as a whole is still worth seeking out, especially if you’re in the mood for magic and mystery that feels akin to the original Charmed, just with a touch of modern flair.
9. Legends of Tomorrow
Status: Canceled earlier this year.
There might not be a show more queer than Legends of Tomorrow. In its cut-short seven-season run, the series saw multiple lesbian, bisexual, gay, and asexual characters arrive through the Waverider’s revolving doors. Originally assembled by Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), the Legends started as a group of heroes from The CW’s Arrowverse whose disappearance from the present would have no impact on the historical timeline; in other words, Rip Hunter gathered up all the nobodies he could find, put them on a timeship, and turned that rag-tag group into bonafide time-traveling superheroes. The show’s first season is notoriously rocky, trying too hard to capture the same essence as its predecessors Arrow and The Flash, but in the show’s second season and beyond, Legends of Tomorrow embraces the weirdness.
In spite of its wackiness, or maybe because of it, the show found its home in the hearts of queer superhero fans across the globe, and then rewarded them by continually adding more and more LGBTQ+ characters until there were 5 queer series regulars at one single time, and they were just a fraction of the total representation seen on the show. Co-captains/wives Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) and Ava Sharpe (Jes Macallan), affectionately known as Avalance, were even about to have a baby together before the show was unceremoniously canceled. Despite the cancelation, Legends of Tomorrow’s focus on telling joyful stories with their abundance of queer characters makes it a stand out in both the superhero genre and in queer representation.
8. The Owl House
Status: Final season in progress.
What do you do when your show is canceled prematurely by Disney? You make it gayer than ever—at least, according to The Owl House’s final, three-episode season. The show comes from the mind of Dana Terrace, and has become somewhat of a cult classic since its premiere in 2020. The series follows Luz (Sarah-Nicole Robles) after she stumbles upon a magical world, stumbling into the arms of the eccentric Owl Lady Eda (Wendie Malick), who promises to teach her how to use magic when she’s unable to return to her home. From the beginning, the series is a genuine delight, filled with incredible heart and just enough cheese to remind you it’s still kids’ programming.
Featuring Disney’s first animated same-sex kiss between leading characters, The Owl House is a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ representation in animation. Following in the footsteps of Netflix’s She-Ra, the storyline between Luz and her girlfriend Amity (Mae Whitman) is nothing short of adorable. The Owl House’s queer storytelling has always been central, since the beginning, but to see Luz and Amity get together before the series is even over (an unfortunate rarity) is incredibly important, truly paving the way for the next wave of animated LGBTQ+ representation. Despite the target audience being on the younger side, The Owl House’s storylines are surprisingly mature and enjoyable for all ages.
7. Our Flag Means Death
Status: Renewed for Season 2.
Midlife crises manifest as many things, and in HBO Max’s Our Flag Means Death, Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) checks off all the usual criteria. A flashy new vehicle? Yep. A flashy new relationship? Of sorts. A drastic career change? Well, that’s an understatement. Inspired by the stranger-than-fiction true story, the 10-episode historical adventure comedy follows the aftermath of Bonnet leaving his cushy aristocratic life to become a pirate during the Golden Age of Piracy. “Pirate workplace comedy” provides an entertaining entry point, and Darby serves as the show’s hapless but well-meaning boss, bringing a Ted Lasso-esque mentality to the captain who wants his crew to grow as people, not just pirates. Taika Waititi co-stars as the legendary Blackbeard who’s having a midlife crisis of his own, and poses a perfect foil to Bonnet’s antics. While the first few episodes are uneven, creator David Jenkins ultimately strikes a satisfying balance between exploring Blackbeard and Bonnet’s relationship and adding dimension to supporting players. By the affecting finale, Our Flag Means Death charts its course in the right direction. —Annie Lyons
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