Greetings, reader!
Well, it's Pride Month, and I hope you're all having a good one! I've already done posts on the best LGBTQ+ themed movies in a previous year's June, as well as one on the best LGBTQ+ cult films (ah, the post where I publicly came out, to all 10-20 of my readers). So, this year, I'm giving out recommendations on episodes to watch from various TV shows, with themes centering around pride for those of us who are gay, lesbian, bi, pan, trans, nonbinary, queer, intersex, genderfluid, asexual, or anything else under the vast and beautiful rainbow umbrella.
Here are my honorable mentions: Dibley Live (The Vicar of Dibley, Season 2 Episode 2), Episode 7 (Sex Education, Season 3 Episode 7), Fuck Anyone Who's Not a Sea Blob (Euphoria, special between seasons 1&2), Gay Witch Hunt (The Office, Season 3 Episode 1), Homer's Phobia (The Simpsons, Season 8 Episode 15).
15. Willie Pete (The Newsroom, Season 2 Episode 3)
This episode of Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom doesn't revolve around the LGBTQ+ community like some of theses episodes, but it earned a spot on the list for its shivers-down-your-spine cold open. We follow the main character, fictional reporter Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels), reacting to what is somehow an actual news story from 2012: for the Republican Presidential Debate, a gay U.S. soldier had submitted a video question about his human rights, to which the right-wing audience reacted by booing, and not one of the candidates stood up for the soldier being booed (I think about this every time a Republican has the audacity to talk about "respecting our troops").
McAvoy's reaction to this outrageous homophobia is filled with the fury of a true ally, making one long for reporters like this in real life (as opposed to the news media that still often presents "Gay rights, yes or no?" as a controversial and many-sided question).
14. Queer Studies & Advanced Waxing (Community, Season 6 Episode 4)
After five seasons of a delightful sense of ambiguity in Dean Pelton's (Jim Rash) sexual orientation, my all-time favorite sitcom did an episode where he comes out - but not under the most ideal circumstances. Along with the gradual progress of gay rights and tolerance in our society, there have been many who have missed the point with their bad takes, among them the various corporations who love to signal their allyship with the calculated appointment of one 'token gay'. And this phenomenon is brilliantly satirized in this episode, where Dean Pelton is asked to join the school board for the exact reason of how good an openly gay Dean would look, specifically as the board is coming back from a PR scandal.
Jim Rash's performance in this episode is awesome - he's as funny as always, but also very real and endearing with the conflict he's facing. Bonus points for the soundtrack's rendition of Dolly Parton's Jolene with the words "Gay Dean", as well as the delivery of the line "I'm not openly anything, and gay doesn't BEGIN to cover it" being an excellent testament to the beautiful fluidity of sexual orientation.
13. The Midterms (The West Wing, Season 2 Episode 3)
The West Wing has many episodes centering on gay rights, ranging from 'aged well' to 'it was a different time'. However, the episode I chose is like the Newsroom episode seen above: LGBTQ+ matters aren't the main focus otherwise, but there's an individual scene that resonated deeply with me.
In it, President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen) confronts a conservative radio host who belongs to the "gay people don't deserve rights because the Bible says so" camp. Y'know, religiously extremist bigots. In one of the best-written takedowns of homophobic attitudes I've ever seen, Bartlet (a devout Catholic himself) absolutely obliterates her logic with other examples of taking the Bible word for word: what would be a reasonable price when selling his daughter into slavery, the manner in which his Chief of Staff should be executed for working on the Sabbath, being obligated to burn his mother for wearing garments made of two different threads et cetera. To any queer readers with family members or other acquaintances who use scripture as an excuse to be bigots, this scene will give you solid ammunition to fight back with.
12. Forget Me Not (Star Trek: Discovery, Season 3 Episode 4)
I looked for a nice balance for today's list: the most memorable and powerful LGBTQ+ stories in cinema and television often are the ones about victimhood and survival in a homophobic world, and while those stories are important to tell and many of today's picks belong to that category, I didn't want my list to be only that, as there are so many beautiful and uplifting stories to tell as well. As long as homophobia prevails in our society, we will need stories that show people how much bigotry and abuse hurts, but when dreaming that one day the world could be better and equal rights would be achieved, one imagines a world where the LGBTQ+ themed films and TV shows being made are love stories from a spectrum as wide as all the straight love stories we've seen.
And that brings us to Star Trek. The fictional Star Trek universe is a sort of utopia, where humanity has overcome its greed and hatred and inequality, and this has been portrayed throughout the show's history by having the main characters include all sorts of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, but without negative stereotypes or racial tensions being in the plot. If they would've been smart, they would've had characters belonging to sexual minorities and gender minorities already in the earlier shows, to show that this better future would treat everyone as equals, but due to the homophobic norms of the time, the writers either didn't come up with the idea or were too scared to include something so "controversial".
Luckily, the franchise has kept on going, and Star Trek: Discovery added this crucial element to the franchise's worldbuilding. In the third season, we meet nonbinary character Adira (Blu del Barrio) as well as trans character Gray (Ian Alexander), and in a testament to the show's message of the better future, they don't have to explain themselves to anyone and aren't met by any hostility but rather immediately accepted for who they are without question. What I wouldn't give to see humanity taking the Star Trek path in real life!
11. Uncle Naseem (Ramy, Season 2 Episode 9)
In one of the many genius moves by writer Ramy Youssef in his series, the recurring character Uncle Naseem (Laith Nakli), who had been loudly homophobic throughout his appearances in the series, is revealed to be gay himself in the first episode to really focus on him and his backstory. It's a perfect character study on inner struggles, internalized homophobia, how bigoted worldviews are formed and why systems like toxic masculinity really need to be dismantled so that the world could become a better place.
For anyone who has ever wondered why the term 'homophobia' is called just that, a phobia as opposed to an -ism, this episode sheds light on why it's called that: for many of the loudest homophobes, it comes from an inner place of perhaps not being straight themselves. For the fictional Uncle Naseem, as well as countless real-life counterparts, the trauma of not being able to safely be himself in his own youth due to his society's homophobic norms has turned into bitterness when seeing how the openly gay people of today have it slightly better. Some may feel sympathy for Naseem while others will feel that his own trauma doesn't justify how he treats others, but in any case, this episode sheds light on a fascinating psychological issue that's important for people to understand so that we can make things better.
10. Long, Long Time (The Last of Us, Season 1 Episode 3)
Here we have what is simply one of the most beautiful and touching queer love stories told on television. The third episode of HBO's acclaimed video game adaptation The Last of Us zeroes in on the backstory of a supporting character and his lover, and the end result is moving and ultimately heartwrenching. Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett provide amazing performances as Bill and Frank, with the episode's set design and cinematography creating the perfect backdrop for the unfolding of their romance. You will smile, and you will cry.
9. Suddenly, Last Summer (Modern Family, Season 5 Episode 1)
For a long time, 'gay TV' was very much its own genre, partially because homophobia was so widespread that queer characters and storylines in mainstream television would've resulted in controversy and boycotts by angry man-children (y'know, the thing that happens these days when a TV show dares to include trans or nonbinary characters - ah, the painfully slow pace of social progress).
Anyways, Modern Family was one of the first totally mainstream shows to have a gay couple among its main characters, which was quite a milestone. The discourse of Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cam's (Eric Stonestreet) relationship is complex and interesting - some argue that a couple that was toxic so often wasn't the best representation, while others have argued that it's a sign of progress that a TV series doesn't have to signal its allyship by painting queer characters as perfect angels, but rather as humans who have their flaws just like the straight characters.
Anyhow, I think we can all agree that at their best, Mitch and Cam are awesome. While there are many episodes I could've chosen to represent their love story, I went with the season 5 premiere, where they get engaged. Not only is the proposal scene silly and touching, the episode is also a celebration of the long-overdue legalization of gay marriage.
8. Asexual Healing (Big Mouth, Season 6 Episode 8)
Ah, the glow-up of Netflix's raunchy coming-of-age comedy Big Mouth has been a joy to follow - each season has been a bit more wholesome and educational than the last, so that amidst all of the crude and chaotic humor, the series also functions as a learning platform for more privileged viewers, and full of validation and affirmation for those already familiar with the bullshit that sexual minorities and gender minorities have to go through in today's society.
Over the years, Big Mouth has tackled tons of issues and phenomena regarding sexuality in general, and the many different facets of the LGBTQ+ umbrella. This season 6 episode is notable for highlighting a few different elements often overlooked in mainstream media: one storyline deals with asexuality, and another with children's gender roles and gender neutrality.
Following Elijah (Brian Tyree Henry) on his journey to self-discovery as asexual is moving, as it really shows how powerful and important it can be for a young person to realize there's nothing wrong with them and that there's a term and a community for people just like them. Similarly, Jessi's (Jessi Klein) storyline sheds much-needed light on the conversation regarding gender roles imposed on children, and makes a case worth considering for the idea of raising babies gender-neutrally.
7. Mac Finds His Pride (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Season 13 Episode 10)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the weirdest f**king show: after thirteen seasons filled to the brim with unapologetically cynical dark humor with pretty much no heart, they pulled a rabbit out of the hat and produced a season finale that was, against all odds, heartfelt and touching.
The character Mac (Rob McElhenney) being obviously gay but in the closet had been the butt of many jokes throughout the series, but in this episode, it's taken seriously for the first time as he wants to come out to his intense and disapproving father. I never expected an episode of It's Always Sunny to make me cry, but the ending moments of Mac Finds His Pride were such an unexpected emotional gut punch, with an honest humanity at its core, that it really got to me.
6. La Locker Room Aux Folles (Ted Lasso, Season 3 Episode 9)
Oh man, this one was needed. I'm a big fan of football/soccer, and especially the Premier League, but it's a painful truth to deal with that the world of professional sports has produced some massive shortcomings in LGBTQ+ allyship, with the culture changing with an excruciatingly slow pace as the homophobia and toxic masculinity of the loudest and most obnoxious football fans often seems to dictate the discourse.
Enter Ted Lasso, the thoroughly wholesome football series that has injected a strong message of inclusion into the veins of the football world and attidues within it. In this episode, AFC Richmond's player Colin (Billy Harris) comes out as gay to his teammates. He was extremely nervous of their reaction beforehand, as were any viewers who know anything about what it's like to be a queer kid in the midst of 'tough guys' and jocks.
However, instead of showing how unfortunately a real-life men's team might still react in today's world, the episode shows how any human beings should react, as they're all loud and clear with their acceptance and authentically happy that their mate can now publicly be himself. Colin's whole season 3 storyline is a beautiful tear-jerker, but its most powerful moments come in this heartwarming episode.
5. Masked Ball (Twin Peaks, Season 2 Episode 11)
There's a lot of talk these days about movies and TV shows that haven't aged well, and that's a good thing - these are important conversations to have, as even if you view something as a product of its time and want to enjoy it, it's important to acknowledge how poorly aged media reflects the systemic injustices in our society, and how they have affected the attitudes of the people making the product, whether it's intentional or not. Still, as it's easy to get bummed out when realizing how many of your favorite things are problematic in one way or another, it's nice to occasionally point out media that has aged particularly well - the body-positive attitudes in The School of Rock (2003), the anti-racist messages throughout the Star Trek franchise et cetera. And this brings us to the trans character Denise (David Duchovny) in Twin Peaks.
Sure, if the show was done today, Denise wouldn't be played by a cis man. But other than that, the character is by and large a positive representation of a community who were only represented as offensive punchlines in the mainstream movies and TV of the early 90's, and thus her character is widely seen as miles ahead of its time.
When Denise made her debut in the 1990 episode Masked Ball, she was met with an overwhelming positive reaction from the trans community - one expects the worst when a mega-popular series from that era introduces a trans character, but despite expectations, she's not a joke or a parody, but rather an empowering badass whose gender is no joke. Dale Cooper's (Kyle MacLachlan) reaction, having previously seen her years ago when she went under a different name, is something a lot of people should learn a lot from: Denise explains she goes by this name now, and Cooper is immediately enthusiastic and on board, not questioning this or acting like she owes any further explanations. Hell yes.
4. Game Night (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Season 5 Episode 10)
In Brooklyn Nine-Nine's 100th episode, Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) comes out as bisexual. This episode is a quintessential Pride classic for many reasons, one of them being the significance of her being the second member of the main cast of characters to come out as something other than straight. Hollywood often treats various minorities with a token approach, and having two of the seven main characters belong to a sexual minority really revealed the underlying homophobia in many viewers - Captain Holt (the late great Andre Braugher) being gay had been token enough for casual homophobes to swallow, but a woman in the main cast turning out to be bi caused a whole lot of "This is too much, why do there have to be two?" from the loudest idiots on the internet. Usually, the loudest idiots on the internet getting angry over their culture wars is a sign that someone has done something right, and that was the case with Brooklyn Nine-Nine expanding its rainbow representation with this episode.
Also, remember how I said earlier in this post that gripping stories about the effects of homophobia are important to tell and to show to people, but that heartwarming stories of the love and acceptance and pride in the LGBTQ+ community are also important to tell because it would be depressing if one's recommended Pride month viewing was just Boys Don't Cry over and over again? Well, this episode manages to do both - the reaction of Rosa's parents is heartbreaking, and will likely resonate with viewers who have been unfortunate enough to hear such bullshit from their families, while hopefully making parents and future parents think long and hard of how they'd react in such a situation. But, as a beautiful contrast, the Nine-Nine squad reacts with just the validation and acceptance that Rosa had needed from her family, making the episode's final note uplifting despite the drama.
Also, the episode contains the quote that I decided to use in the post in which I officially came out myself:
"Every time someone steps out and says who they are, the world becomes a better, more interesting place"
-Raymond Holt
3. Begin the Begin (Grey's Anatomy, Season 2 Episode 13)
Grey's Anatomy has an abundance of episodes fit for Pride month viewing, from its respectable and wholesome trans representation all the way to Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) being the viewer's (at least this viewer's) emotional support lesbian couple for multiple consecutive seasons. However, the episode I went with was season 2's underrated Begin the Begin, where the simple and has-been-told-many-times tale of how to react to someone being who they are (and, on the other hand, how not to react) is told in such a powerful manner that the end result had be in tears.
In this episode of Shonda Rhimes' hospital drama, George O'Malley (T.R. Knight) treats a teenage patient who turns out to be intersex, something they or their parents had never realized. The parents react in a heartbreaking manner, truly showcasing how harmful the gender norms imposed by our society can be, causing trauma to their child by denying to acknowledge who they are and instead trying to force them to fit into a mold.
But George, in a moment that sealed him as one of my favorite characters and someone who has a place in my heart even through his unlikable moments in later seasons, listens to Bex's truth, helping them find themselves and even cutting their hair at their request. In a world where more and more people belonging to gender minorities are finally able to say who they are and live a life true to them, it's important that we're all George O'Malley in that situation, not Bex's parents.
2. San Junipero (Black Mirror, Season 3 Episode 4)
I hope that one day our society will be so done with homophobia that the most acclaimed LGBTQ+ movies and TV shows won't always be about the same old "Look at all this bullshit this person had to go through just because of who they are, it's truly heartbreaking", but rather a similar range of all sorts of love stories that have always existed for heterosexual cis people. A glimpse into this utopic future can be found, ironically, from a TV show that is generally as far from the term 'utopia' as one can be - Black Mirror.
From what is probably the most grim TV series I've ever watched, comes this colorful and creative lesbian love story that is, against all odds, ultimately uplifting. There are definitely some heavy moments, as well as mind-boggling sci-fi to make it feel like proper Black Mirror, but the romance at the heart of the story is just so damn beautiful and touching. It's Black Mirror's most humane episode, and one of the most unforgettable queer love stories I've witnessed in television or film.
1. Quinces (One Day at a Time, Season 1 Episode 13)
Really, watching the whole series (the 2017-2020 one loosely based on the similarly titled 1970's series) is recommended Pride month viewing - the story of the main family's daughter Elena (Isabella Gomez) finding her sexuality, coming out to her family and being a kick-ass activist for LGBTQ+ rights is a well-written coming-of-age arch that many queer youths are bound to relate to.
It was difficult to pick just one episode to recommend on these themes - I considered the season 1 episode Pride & Prejudice for how it showcases an elderly family member with many outdated opinions coming to terms with her granddaughter's sexuality and becoming an ally, as well as the season 2 episode To Zir, With Love for how it educates viewers on gender pronouns. However, the episode that moved me the most with its LGBTQ+ themes has got to be the season 1 finale.
It's an emotional roller coaster, with different members of Elena's family reacting differently to who she is, including a gripping depiction of judgemental and intolerant attitudes as well as some mega-touching depictions of unconditional love and support. The former serves as a reminder to all parents that people who can't love their children because of their sexual orientation are scum-of-the-earth assholes who never should've become parents to begin with, while the latter is many things - a roadmap for straight family members of LGBTQ+ people on how to be allies, and an often-needed reminder for queer viewers that there is nothing wrong with them, that they deserve love, and a family that can't do that is no family at all. Despite its heavy moments, Quinces will ultimately leave you with a big smile on your face, after you've wiped away the inevitable tears.
Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for my top 10 predictions about the upcoming EURO2024 football tournament.
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