We'll miss these queer shows.
2023 is more than halfway done, and several of our beloved LGBTQ-inclusive shows have already been canceled. Over 20 LGBTQ-inclusive television and streaming series were canceled last year, including some of our favorites.
Shows like Saved by the Bell, Love, Victor, Queer as Folk, Los Espookys, Legendary, and Warrior Nun all deserved more seasons than they got. But unfortunately, there are few things executives love more than canceling a TV show, and the queer ones always seem to be an easy target.
So far this year, some queer shows that we really love have already been canceled (and more are sure to come). Scroll through to find out which LGBTQ+ series won't make it past 2023...
Glamorous
After just one season, Netflix has canceled Glamorous, which starred Miss Benny as a young influencer who goes to work for a cosmetics mogul (Kim Cattrall) and along the way discovers her trans identity. The show also starred Jade Payton, Zane Phillips, Ayesha Harris, Graham Parkhurst, and Michael Hsu Rosen.
Shadow & Bone
Shadow and Bone is coming to an end at Netflix after two seasons. The show, based on a series of fantasy novels, follows a young orphan who discovers she has special gifts. In season two, the characters Jesper Fahey and Wylan Hendricks started a queer romance.
1899
Mind-bending German show 1899 was supposed to be a hit followup show from the creators of Dark, but Netflix canceled it after just one season. The show followed a group of immigrants aboard a ship that encounters a series of mysterious events.
Dead End: Paranormal Park
This cute and queer-forward cartoon from creator Hamish Steele was a delight to watch for two seasons, but unfortunately, Netflix has canceled it. The horror comedy follows trans teen Barney Guttman and queer teen Norma Khan as they get jobs at a local theme park that happens to be home to demons and supernatural beings.
Fear the Walking Dead
AMC announced that its popular Walking Dead spinoff, Fear the Walking Dead, will end with its upcoming eighth season. The final season has 12 episodes, six of which will begin airing on Sunday, May 14. The remaining six episodes are scheduled to air later in the year.
Snowpiercer
Although production on the fourth season of Snowpiercer is already complete, TNT has decided to cancel the show and not air the final season. The show's creators are hoping they can find a new home for the show.
Uncoupled
We loved this Netflix comedy series starring Neil Patrick Harris as a gay man in his mid-forties who has to figure out how to navigate single life after he's dumped by his partner of 17 years. Unfortunately, Netflix canceled it after one season.
Gossip Girl
After two seasons, HBO Max canceled its diverse and queer-inclusive Gossip Girl reboot. The show was recently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for its depiction of queer characters, but that couldn't stop it from being canceled. Creator Joshua Safran has said he's looking for another home for the show.
One of Us Is Lying
Peacock canceled this YA series about a group of five high schoolers who walk into detention, but only four make it out alive. The series had two seasons and featured a nonbinary lesbian character named Janae who had a romance with a girl in the series. The creators are trying to find another home for the show.
Vampire Academy
Peacock also canceled this YA drama from Julie Plec after just one season. The show follows young vampires as they navigate the social stratification of the vampire world as they prepare to complete their education and enter royal vampire society. It featured a lesbian romance between two vampires of different statuses.
Doom Patrol
In late January, HBO Max announced that two of its beloved live-action DC Comics shows had gotten the axe -- Doom Patrol and Titans.
Doom Patrol also had several queer characters, including some of the main team. Larry Trainor, a.k.a. Negative Man, is played by Matt Bomer and is a gay man in the series. Crazy Jane, another team member played by Diane Guerrero, is a lesbian. Many side characters are also queer.
Titans
Alongside Doom Patrol, Titans got canned from HBO Max in late January ahead of the airing of the second hald of its fourth season.
Titans, which followed a teen superhero team, had several queer characters, including trans actor Chella Man as Deathstroke's bisexual son Jericho. It also featured lesbian villain Mercy Graves.
In the latest season, Tim Drake joined the cast of Titans, and so did someone very close to him from the comics. In 2021, Tim Drake's Robin came out in the comics, asking out his friend Bernard. In season 4 of Titans, Bernard and Tim are both a part of the show.
A League of Their Own
This remake of the popular movie about a women’s league of baseball players during World War II was one of the best TV shows we’ve ever seen, and will always be one of the best queer shows to air. However, Amazon Prime Video has canceled it and the show will end on a four-episode final season.
Astrid & Lilly Save the World
This monster-of-the-week series followed two fat teen best friends trying to save the world. One of them, Lilly, had a gay romance with her former friend turned popular girl. It was canceled after one season on Syfy.
Big Mouth
Netflix’s longest-running original show explored teen sexuality, including gay and trans characters, with humor and honesty. It’s been canceled after eight seasons.
Soulmates
This anthology series explored different stories about love and sex in a world where technology exists that will accurately tell you who your soulmate is. It had several episodes with queer themes and characters, but was canceled after one season.
Physical
The second season of this dark comedy about a woman (Rose Byrne) trying to build a fitness empire in the '80s featured a rival fitness instructor played by out actor Murray Bartlett. It was canceled after three seasons.
Monarch
Queer musician Beth Ditto played a lesbian country star in this short-lived series about a dynasty of country singers. It was canceled after one season.
The L Word: Generation Q
We absolutely loved this inclusive, fresh, and sexy continuation of the classic sapphic show The L Word. Unfortunately, the show with one of our favorite casts on TV has been canceled after four seasons on Showtime.
Willow
Willow, which featured a teen lesbian protagonist, has not only been canceled but is completely deleted from Disney+, the platform that created it.
Call Me Kat
This Mayim Bialik-starring Fox sitcom also featured Cheyenne Jackson and a beloved character played by Leslie Jordan until his death. The show was canceled after three seasons.
Gotham Knights
This CW superhero show followed members of the Batfam, including Carrie Kelly, Harper and Cullen Row, Stephanie Brown, and Harvey Dent. Harper, who is queer in the comics, started a relationship with Stephanie Brown, who has been both a Robin and Batgirl, as well as the superhero Spoiler, in the comics. Brown was made into a lesbian for the show. The show was canceled after one season.
Human Resources
Netflix’s spinoff of Big Mouth starred Aidy Bryant, Randall Park and Keke Palmer. It followed Lovebugs, Logic Rocks, Shame Wizards, and Hormone Monsters as they represented the feelings of humans. It was canceled after two seasons.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies
This utterly delightful origin story for the iconic girl gang from Grease was unfortunately canceled after one wonderful season at Parmount+. Among the girls who founded the Pink Ladies was Cynthia Zdunowski (nonbinary actor Ari Notartomaso), who is a lesbian and begins a relationship with a girl in the drama club.
The Idol
The Weeknd and Sam Levinson’s disastrous attempt at making Abel Tesfaye an actor crashed and burned after just one season. It starred a ton of queer faves, including Lily-Rose Depp, Troye Sivan, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, and Dan Levy. It was canceled after one season.
Los Espookys
The funniest show on Max was this Spanish-language show created by Ana Fabrega and Julio Torres. The Peabody-winning series followed a group of horror-obsessed friends in a fictional Latin American country who turn their obsession into a business, providing horrors for those who need it. It starred Torres, Fabrega, Bernardo Velasco, Cassandra Ciangherotti, and Fred Armisen. It was canceled after two seasons.
The Peripheral
This near-future science fiction drama starred Chloë Grace Moretz as a VR gamer who connects with an alternate timeline and has to stop a dark future from coming. It also starred T’Nia Miller and featured queer characters. After initially renewing it, Prime Video decided to cancel it after one season.
Queen of the Universe
Graham Norton hosted this drag queen singing competition on Paramount+ that featured queens like Grag Queen, Taiga Brava, Ada Vox, and Trevor Ashley. Unfortunately, it was canceled after two seasons.
Sex/Life
This show, which revolved around a suburban mom whose wild-child past starts catching up with her married life starred Sarah Shahi and also featured out actor Wallis Day. Dylan Bruce played the gay brother of the main character’s husband. It was canceled after two seasons.
Tom Swift
This CW show based on the book series of the same name reimagines the billionaire inventor friend of Nancy Drew as a young, Black, gay man. It was canceled after just one season.