The 20 Best LGBTQ Movies and TV on Peacock: ‘Her Story,’ ‘We Are Lady Parts,’ and More

What it is: Before ‘Drag Race’ blew up and everyone and their mother became a drag expert, ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ was one of the first mainstream hits to really give a positive platform to the art form. Stephen Elliot’s popular Australian comedy stars Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce as two drag queens who embark on a tour bus across the Australian Outback to Alice Springs, where Weaving’s Tick has accepted an offer to perform at the resort his estranged wife manages. Accompanying them is Bernadette (Terence Stamp), Tick’s best friend and a trans woman. 

Why we love it: At the time a refreshingly breezy portrayal of the queer community, ‘Priscilla’ has its fair share of drama, but at its heart it’s a laugh-out-loud funny and tender story of LGBT friendship anchored by three exceptional performances. Watch it now if you haven’t in prep for the long-awaited sequel set to come out. 

What it is: A modernization and Americanization of the 1973 French play ‘La Cage Aux Folles,’ Mike Nichols’ ‘The Birdcage’ stars Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as a gay couple who manage a Florida drag club. The two dote over their beloved son Val (Dan Futterman), who complicates their lives when he gets engaged to the daughter of a Republican politician, forcing them back in the closet around his new in-laws. 

Why we love it: A classic farce, ‘The Birdcage’ features hilarious performances from its wonderful ringer cast, from Lane and Williams to Hank Azaria as the couple’s catty housekeeper. Its hilarity is equaled by its heart, in its portrayal of a loving gay couple as positive parental figures at a time when that was nearly unheard of. Its ultimate conclusion that conservatives can be reasoned with and made allies is more than a little of its time, but otherwise, ‘The Birdcage’ is a soothing balm of a comedy. —WC

What it is: Ang Lee’s classic adaptation of an Annie Proulx short story queers the western by focusing on the love affair between two male ranchers in 1963, Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis (Heath Ledger). 

Why it’s great: One of the most beloved queer films of all-time, ‘Brokeback Mountain’ is an exquisitely rendered romance filled with emotion as big as the open Wyoming plains Lee captures on camera. Key to the film’s success are Gyllenhaal and Ledger, who both give career-best performances that feel perfectly calibrated to break your heart. —WC

What it is: Derek Jarman’s adaptation of Christopher Marlowe’s Renaissance play focuses on the downfall of Edward II (Steven Waddington) from the machinations of Roger Mortimer (Nigel Terry). Spurring Mortimer’s successful revolution is his relationship with Edward’s wife Isabella (Tilda Swinton), which formed after Edward took on nobleman Piers Gaveston (Andrew Tiernan) as a lover. 

Why we love it: Marlowe’s play already had a very strong charge of homoerotic subtext running through its political machinations, but Jarman’s postmodern staging forgoes the idea of subtext entirely. The relationship between Edward and Gaveston is now explicitly a romance, and Edward’s army is portrayed as a group of gay rights protestors. It’s a radical and yet truthful reimagining of a classic play, one that makes a convincing case that queer art has been around longer than people have been paying attention. —WC

What it is: A queer spin on reality TV dating, ‘Couple to Throuple’ follows four pairs as they spend a month at a tropical resort. There, they experiment with adding a third to their monogamous relationship and ultimately must choose whether to open themselves to polyamory, stay exclusive, or say goodbye entirely. 

Why we love it: Is 2024 the year of the throuple? ‘Challengers’ hubbub points to yes, and anybody who was taken by that film’s blurry romantic lines will likely get a kick out of ‘Couple to Throuple.’ In a sea of messy hetero romance series like ‘Love is Blind,’ ‘Couple to Throuple’ recognizes that queer people can generate just as much if not more drama, and the results are deliciously trashy fun. —WC

What it is: Karyn Kusama and Diablo Cody’s iconic feminist horror film stars Megan Fox as Jennifer, a popular girl in a toxic friendship with the dorkier Needy (Amanda Seyfried). When Jennifer turns into a demon following a sacrifice and begins feasting on the flesh of teen boys, it’s up to Needy to end her killing spree. 

Why it’s great: A box-office bomb and panned at release, ‘Jennifer’s Body’ has since been thoroughly reclaimed as a feminist horror classic. While Jennifer might be the ultimate monster Needy has to defeat, she’s ultimately a victim of the band that sacrificed her in the first place, and the film shrewdly comments on gender roles and misogyny through its seemingly trashy premise. Fox and Seyfried are both wonderful as the leads, providing a sexual charge to the relationship that creates a sensual slasher dynamic for the ages. —WC 

What it is: A delightfully off-kilter hour-long special from comedic actors Kate Berlant and John Early, ‘Would It Kill You to Laugh’ flits between several bizarre sketches and the loose framing device, which sees the duo as bitter former co-stars reuniting for the anniversary of their beloved sitcom touchstone, ‘He’s Gay, She’s Half-Jewish.’

Why we love it: Early and Berlant are two of the funniest comedic actors working today, and they apply their signature skills to a truly all-killer, no-filler lineup of sketches, including a runner about paying restaurant tabs with hot caramel that delights as much as it baffles. There’s a very alt-queer energy to the overall production, particularly the lunatic sketch where Berlant hits on the very, very gay Early in increasingly bizarre ways. Anyone who thinks ‘SNL’ is too mainstream and too straight will find a lot to love in ‘Would It Kill You to Laugh?’ —WC

What it is: An anime adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi’s (probably best known in the West for ‘Inuyasha’) popular comedy manga, ‘Ranma 1/2’ follows the titular teen boy and his misadventures after he gets cursed via a Chinese hot spring to turn into a female version of himself when he’s exposed to cold water. It’s not an ideal situation for any cishet boy, but for Ranma, it’s a particularly big problem because his father (cursed to transform into a panda) is a world-class asshole who promised his hand in marriage to at least three separate women: temperamental Akane, who he’s forced to live and attend school with; Chinese Amazon Shampoo; and childhood friend Ukyo. Add in a pair of psychopathic rich siblings who are each in love with a different version of Ranma and a martial artist cursed to transform into a piglet who’s in love with Akane, and you have one of the most complex web of love triangles in media history.  

Why we love it: ‘Ranma 1/2’ has a ton of cheap gay jokes that haven’t aged well. But the show’s genderfluid premise and raft of characters with ambigious orientations made it a hit with queer audiences at the time. And even today, there’s a campy vibe and a ‘gawk at these dumb straights’ appeal to the show that makes it catnip for a gay anime fan. —WC

What it is: The mega-popular ABC domestic sitcom focuses on a large extended family that supports each other through thick and thin. One third of each episode typically focuses on the squabbles of Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), a gay couple with an adopted daughter from Vietnam (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons). 

Why we love it: ‘Modern Family’ received some criticism over the years for its portrayal of Mitch and Cam — specifically how it often shied away from demonstrating physical affection between the two and reduced them to stereotypes. As unfortunate as that tendancy was, overall, the two were fairly groundbreaking characters at the time the show premiered, playing a happy gay couple in a committed relationship that never wavered over the course of the series. The show admirably treated them as actual characters with Cameron providing some of the show’s best comedy, and Mitchell receiving one of the show’s most complicated storylines, as he deals with his resentment over his father’s (Ed O’Neil) struggles with accepting his sexual orientation. —WC 

What it is: A TV sequel to the iconic killer doll franchise ‘Child’s Play,’ with Brad Dourif voicing cinema’s most notorious ginger as Chucky comes into the posession of gay teenager Jake (Zackary Arthur) and proceeds to wreck havoc on the lives of him and the people he loves.  

Why we love it: Where were you when Chucky said ‘gay rights?’ The show went viral shortly after it premiered thanks to the scene where Chucky expresses his support for the LGBTQ community and calls homophobes ‘monsters.’ It’s a hilarious joke, perfect for the wacky, campy, and very gay world the iconic doll gets to terrorize. —WC

What it is: A five-woman girl group from the early 2000s with one hit reunite 20 years later following the death of one of their members to mount the greatest comeback in pop history.  

Why we love it: Everything Renée Elise Goldsberry is doing on ‘Girls5eva’ is probably worth crowning her a gay icon, but beyond her, Paula Pell gives a great performance as Gloria, a member of Girls5eva that didn’t come out until years after the band initially disbanded, and navigates a divorce from her life and her struggles in the gay dating world. In a flawless comedic ensemble, she’s the highlight, and her bumbling failures in her romantic relationship are alternatively hilarious and relatable. —WC 

What it is: One of the weirdest shows to ever hit streaming, Peacock’s ‘Saved by the Bell’ sequel series is simultaneously a reboot of the original cheesy ’90s sitcom, a parody of the original show, and a modern satire of class dynamics. When several underfunded schools in California get shut down by Governor Zach Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), those schools’ students are transferred to the affluent Bayside High, where they struggle to fit in with the institution’s culture — which has changed very little since the early ’90s. 

Why we love it: ‘Saved by the Bell’ is a truly baffling show, which is part of what makes it a delight to watch, especially with the talented young actors playing the Bayside students. The MVP, bar none, is Josie Totah as Lexi, a trans cheerleader with a self-absorbed streak and a style of humor that can best be describe as Jenna Maroney meets Regina George. Totah walks away with the entire show through her sharp-tongued line readings, and the series’ earnest explorations of her vulnerabilities as a young trans woman sees her become the show’s emotional core as much as its comedic standout. —WC

What it is: Created by Nida Manzoor for Peacock/Channel 4, this charming musical comedy follows a British punk band made up of five Muslim women. They navigate friendship, romance, and cultural differences in their all while pursuing musical success.  

Why we love it: With their obvious Riot grrrl influences, naturally at least one character had to have her queer awakening, courtesy of swaggering drummer Ayesha. Playful with enough flair and distinct twists to shake up its more familiar pieces, ‘We are Lady Parts’ is an energetic merging of aspiring artists and the fictional frame that presents them. For Lady Parts, those harmonies aren’t always tidy: They’re a punk quartet filling up any kind of rehearsal space with as much sound as the room can handle. —SG 

What it is: U.K. favorites Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie star in this detective show with plenty going on below the surface. A conspiracy thriller set on a submarine, Jones plays a DCI sent aboard the HMS Vigil to look into the death of a crew member. Of course, It doesn’t take too many questions before the crew members of the Vigil start to outwardly bristle at her presence on board.

Why we love it: An unraveling mystery about secret knowledge and who has access to key whispers of information, Jones and Leslie anchor the drama as detectives with a personal history of their own to detangle. There are some fireworks along the way that wouldn’t feel out of place in an action-driven series, but ‘Vigil’ finds a different kind of strength in wringing tension from beneath the surface. —SG 

What it is: A romantic dramedy about three women living in Los Angeles, ‘Her Story’ made trans herstory when it was nominated for a short form Emmy in 2016. Writer/creator Jen Richards stars as Violet, a trans woman who must confront her attraction to women when she meets plucky reporter Allie, played by co-creator Laura Zak.  

Why we love it: In addition to the genuine chemistry and banter shared by Richards and Zak, ‘Her Story’ also saw the debut of ‘Pose’ star Angelica Ross, who plays a power lawyer juggling romance and career. The sharply crafted 9-minute episodes fly by, weaving a compelling and charming narrative about two trans women living normal lives — a groundbreaking concept at the time. —JD

What it is: The only thing 13-year-old Bea wants in this world is a best friend, and when her lazy summer is interrupted by the introduction of the outspoken Kate, it appears as if she is finally getting her wish. But in lauded Canadian filmmaker Ingrid Veninger’s ‘Porcupine Lake,’ what initially seems like a fast-moving friendship takes on a new dimension as the pair grow even closer together over one fateful summer.

Why we love it: This sensitively told coming-of-age film from takes an insightful look at youth and its many emotions. Long compelled by exploring youth and the heightened emotions that go hand-in-hand with growing up, ‘Porcupine Lake’ looks to fully express Veninger’s stirring vision. —KE 

What it is: Based on Emily Danforth’s YA novel of the same name, ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ is a moving coming-of-age drama set at a gay conversion camp for Christian teens circa 1993. The film stars Chloë Grace Moretz as the eponymous teenager Cameron, who is shunted off to gay conversion camp after she’s caught in flagrante with her best friend. It also features a steely Jennifer Ehle, as well as compelling turns from Sasha Lane and Forrest Goodluck.  

Why we love it: For Desiree Akhavan, the filmmaker behind the disarmingly honest ‘Appropriate Behavior,’ the film offered the chance to put a different spin on the stories she likes to tell. Akhavan’s wide compositions and innocuously searing long-takes provide plenty of room for her characters to feel things out, every moment of silence and square inch of negative space inviting them to question if they should take God’s Promise at its word. If the kids evoke John Hughes, their environment reeks of Todd Haynes. —DE

What it is: A giant step up from ‘The Slope’ and ‘F to the 7th,’ the popular web series Ingrid Jungermann created prior to this feature-length debut, ‘Women Who Kill’ follows straight-faced podcasters Morgan (Jungermann) and Jean (Ann Carr), a former couple whose popular digital show finds them profiling the eponymous murderers. When Morgan meets the mysterious and alluring Simone (Sheila Vand), Jean suspects she may be in danger.

Why we love it: This whip-smart satire offers a wry snapshot of self-involved New York lesbians that’s both enjoyably smarmy and unsettling in equal doses. A clever riff on the ‘kill your gays’ trope, you can bet Jungermann knows exactly what she’s doing when she toys with the idea of lesbian sex as something potentially lethal. A self-professed stickler for story, Jungermann’s dialogue is naturally witty, but never overpowers the plot by meandering pointlessly. —JD

What it is: Austin Winsberg’s deeply weird two season musical series stars Jane Levy as the titular computer programmer Zoey. After an earthquake causes an accident while she’s in an MRI, Zoey gains the power to read people’s minds by hearing them sing songs that express their innermost thoughts to her. 

Why we love it: The indisputable highlight of ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,’ both from an acting and musical standpoint, is Alex Newell, who plays Zoey’s neighbor and eventual best friend Mo. Newell won a Tony Award for their performance in Broadway musical ‘Shucked,’ and ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist’ gives them plenty of opportunity to utilize their astonishing pipes. But the material that focus on Mo’s genderfluid identity are also series high points, including a great early episode about them finding courage to dress femme for a church choir performance. —WC  

What it is: Julian Fellowes’ popular period piece soap opera aired from 2010 to 2015, and focused on the titular English estate from 1912 to 1926. The series split its time equally between the aristocratic Crowley family that owns the estate, and the large staff of domestic servants tending to their needs.  

Why we love it: In the often chummy ensemble of ‘Downton,’ one of the most multifaceted and memorable characters is Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier), a footman and butler at the estate. Social-climbing, scheming, and cruel, Thomas causes the majority of the issues that befoul the servants and is an expert at getting away with his worst deeds. But Thomas also has a hidden soft side, and the show eventually digs into the pain he experiences as a closeted gay man in the 1910s. Thomas’ sexuality is never used to explain or excuse his behavior, instead acting as a dimension that keeps him from reaching mustache-twirling levels of deviousness —WC