33 Must-See TV Shows for LGBTQ Viewers in Fall 2018

Fall TV for LGBTQ Viewers

When curating a list of TV recommendations for LGBTQ viewers, the editors at The Advocate considered several criteria. Is the show entertaining? Is it diverse? Is there queer representation? Does it make us laugh or cry, or inspire us to rise up and resist the forces that oppress us? Or does it help us forget our troubles? The following shows check at least one (if not more) of these boxes. They're also the comedies, dramas, and dramedies we'll be watching and reporting on throughout the rest of 2018.

So relax, pull up a chair, and happy viewing!

I Love You, America

Button-pushing funny woman and longtime lefty Sarah Silverman has a history of reaching across the aisle, as it were. And she's back on Hulu beginning September 6 with the second season of her show I Love You, America, a mash-up of a politically tinged stand-up show and a travelogue in which she journeys to various parts of the country to interact with folks who may not share her ideals. LGBTQ ally Silverman has said of the show that interacting with like-minded people is necessary but that connecting with "un-like-minded" people is crucial. She's called I Love You, America an "accumulation of everything I've learned up to this point and then juxtaposed with this moment in time."

Premieres September 6 on Hulu.

American Horror Story: Apocalypse

Ryan Murphy is back, and he's brought Jessica Lange. This season of the anthology series will include elements of the first edition, Murder House, and the most racially inclusive season, Coven. Lange returns in her most iconic role in the series, Constance, while Sarah Paulson is back as Cordelia Goode, the head witch. One of today's most acclaimed lesbian actresses, Paulson will make her directorial debut with Apocalypse, which is full of queer-centric and queer-beloved talent. Tune in to watch Kathy Bates, Billy Eichner, Evan Peters, Cheyenne Jackson, Emma Roberts, and even Stevie Nicks.

Premieres September 12 at 10 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on FX.

The Good Place

There is nothing overtly queer about The Good Place per se, except everything about it is totally queer! An LGBTQ icon since her Veronica Mars days and an unwavering ally, Kristen Bell stars as Eleanor, the bad girl who thought she was accidentally transferred to "the good place" and not "the bad place" upon her untimely death. There she meets Michael (Ted Danson) a devilish angel (or is he an angelic devil?) with impeccable grooming and bow ties to spare who guides her and her friends through the afterlife. Eleanor's joined on her journey by the philosopher and her on-again, off-again love interest Chidi (William Jackson Harper), her friend and perpetual crush Tahani (Jameela Jamil), the lovable bro Jason (Manny Jacinto), and the omniscient, shape-shifting cyborg-ian Janet (D'Arcy Carden). The series, from Parks and Recreation creator Michael Schur, is arguably the quirkiest show on television. While we haven't encountered out characters in The Good Place yet, fingers crossed this will be the season Eleanor pursues that crush she's fostered for Tahani.

Premieres September 27 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on NBC.

BoJack Horseman

The adventures of BoJack Horseman -- the animated series about a failed '90s actor who is also a horse, voiced by Will Arnett -- continue this fall on Netflix. Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the show is a humorous satire of the politics of Tinseltown, as seen through the eyes of various anthropomorphized animals like BoJack and his feline agent Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris). Many other Hollywood stars lend their voices throughout the run of this comedy, including queer actors like Natalie Morales and Lance Bass. BoJack's best friend, Todd (Aaron Paul), is also going through a journey of self-discovery regarding his sexuality this season.

Premieres September 14 on Netflix.

Single Parents

A necessary look at unconventional families and the struggles single parents face, this comedy is a must-see for queer viewers. Created by Liz Meriwether (New Girl), the show features a diverse cast that includes Taran Killam, Leighton Meester, Kimrie Lewis, Marlow Barkley, Tyler Wladis, Devin Trey Campbell, Mia Allan, Ella Allan, Brad Garrett, and Jake Choi.

Premieres September 26 at 9:30 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on ABC.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a new supernatural show from gay Hollywood mogul Greg Berlanti, is a far cry from the Melissa Joan Hart vehicle of yore. The show, which was originally meant to be a CW companion to Riverdale before it moved to Netflix, stars Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men) as Sabrina Spellman, a half-witch on the eve of her 16th birthday, who must reckon with her dual identity while also fighting the forces of evil. It's not easy being a teen these days! Each episode will be framed as a mini-film, with one reportedly inspired by horror classic The Exorcist.

Premieres October 26 on Netflix.

Empire

This look into the world of hip-hop brought viewers sass and an unflinching portrayal of the struggles black gay men face. The empowering gay character, Jamal Lyon, is no longer the black sheep, but the CEO of his family's music empire. While the rest of his family plots for power, the new season will reveal if the singer can keep the respect of his once-homophobic father he's worked so hard to earn.

Premieres September 26 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on Fox.

Murphy Brown

The Trump administration, with its relentless attacks on the news media, spurred journalists like Dan Rather to come out of retirement to defend the freedom of the press. Murphy Brown -- the acclaimed CBS sitcom about investigative journalist Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen) and her news team -- has followed in Rather's spiritual shoes. The show aired from 1988 to 1998, and is returning for a new season because, as Bergen put it in the teaser, "we had an election." The sitcom is certain to continue its Emmy-winning tradition of providing political satire and storylines tied to current events, and is sure to be must-see viewing for any member of The Resistance. Created by Diane English, the revival will also see the return of alumni like Faith Ford, Joe Regalbuto, Tyne Daly, and Grant Shaud as well as the appearance of newcomers like Jake McDorman and out actor Nik Dodani.

Premieres September 27 at 9:30 p.m. EasternPacific on CBS.

Will & Grace

Get ready, honey! Will & Grace, which was revived last year as a result of the U.S. presidential election, is continuing to make America gay again with a new 18-episode season this fall. Our favorite foursome, Will Truman (Eric McCormack), Grace Adler (Debra Messing), Karen Walker (Megan Mullally), and Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes), will return with "big sweeping changes" in their lives, Messing promised Entertainment Weekly, including a wedding and a divorce. There will also be a bevy of snazzy guest stars, including Chelsea Handler, Minnie Driver, Matt Bomer, and (gay gasp!) Adam Rippon.

Premieres October 4 at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on NBC.

Modern Family

You may be asking, "Wait, Modern Family is still on?" Indeed, but not for long. The 10th and last season premieres this fall -- with the hope from some reviewers that the show will severely shake things up before the final send-off. Though the mockumentary style has worn thin for many viewers, let's not forget how groundbreaking the critically acclaimed show was when it premiered in September 2009 -- a male couple raising a child were two of the main characters. Cam and Mitchell got knocked for their sexless existence, but many think their portrayal of loving dads to little Lily helped soften gay folks to America. What awaits Cam and Mitchell in this season is unclear, save for the fact that they are now taking care of Cal, a little boy whose mother is in jail.

Premieres September 26 at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on ABC.

Atypical

Atypical, created by Robia Rashid, made television history last year for its lead character, Sam (Keir Gilchrist), a teenager with autism. Through Sam, viewers of the Netflix show could understand the struggles that come from living with a developmental disorder as well as the impact on a family. Many queer fans could also relate to Sam and his difficulty fitting into a society that was not made for them.

Season 2 of Atypical continues to bring more cultural focus to autism by casting autistic actors in supporting roles, which addressed one of the show's chief criticisms last season. It also spends more time with Sam's family members, including his mother, Elsa (Jennifer Jason Leigh), whose infidelity last season has caused a rift in the family, as well as sister Casey (Brigette Lundy-Paine), who has her own difficulties adjusting to a prestigious boarding school away from her brother. Nik Dodani, who portrays Sam's best friend, Zahid, is an out actor, which is another reason to celebrate and support this heartfelt comedy.

Premieres September 7 on Netflix.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Rachel Bloom is back for a final season portraying the Ivy League lawyer who still clumsily falls in and out of love like the rest of us. The show has already been nominated for Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association and GLAAD Media Awards. With powerful portrayals of mental illness, difficult women, and a damn good soundtrack, this is not one to be missed.

Premieres October 12 at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on the CW.

The First

Set in a near future that on its surface appears to be post-racial and beyond issues of gender and sexuality, House of Cards creator Beau Willimon's The First tackles space exploration and its relation to mounting problems here on earth. LisaGay Hamilton, who won hearts on The Practice back in the day, plays Colonel Kayla Price, a queer woman of color and an astronaut who champions the importance of science in a planned mission to Mars that comes on the heels of one that ended in swift disaster. But despite the varied genders and races of those chosen for the mission, it's still a straight white man's world, and she finds herself butting heads with mission captain Tom Hagerty (Sean Penn).

A welcome break from the standard all-American cheering on for the space race, The First takes into consideration issues like funding the space program when environmental and social programs to help people lack money.

The always-wonderful Tracie Thoms (Rent) plays Kayla's partner while Natasha McElhone (Californication, Designated Survivor) plays the wealthy Elon Musk-esque character spearheading the mission.

Premieres September 14 on Hulu.

Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow, The Flash

Super-producer Greg Berlanti and the CW continue to provide some of the most forward-thinking queer representation in television with the ever-growing list of LGBTQ characters on the superhero-themed shows. Season 2 of Supergirl saw Supergirl Kara Danvers's sister Alex (Chyler Leigh) come out and fall in love with a woman. This season, the series introduces TV's first transgender superhero with Nia Nal, or Dreamer (played by trans actress Nicole Maines).

Last season, the CW's outstanding Black Lightning introduced a lesbian superhero of color in Anissa Pierce (Nafessa Williams), whose superhero name is Thunder. But even before Supergirl and Black Lightning, Berlanti's shows with masked and/or caped characters already featured plenty of LGBTQ characters including Legends of Tomorrow's Sarah Lance (Caity Lotz), who began her stint on Arrow, which now features a married gay superhero with Mister Terrific (Echo Kellum). The Flash's queer characters include Wentworth Miller's Citizen Cold, who appeared on Legends for a time but will return to Star City for a few episodes this season, where he won't be the only out character, considering Police Captain David Singh (Patrick Sabongui) is gay and married.

If that weren't enough, it was announced at Comic-Con that The Flash is getting another queer character this season, but just who that will be is top secret so far.

The Flash premieres October 9 at 8 p.m., Supergirl premieres October 14 at 8 p.m., Arrow premieres October 15 at 9 p.m,, and Legends of Tomorrow premieres October 22 at 8 p.m. on the CW. All times are Eastern/Pacific.

Black Lightning

The CW superhero world has a reputation for being big on LGBTQ representation, but that universe really outdid itself with Black Lightning, about a family of superheroes of color who battle racism amid other social problems by day and villains by night. While Cress Williams's Black Lightning is the patriarch and main crime-stopper, his daughter Anissa (Nafessa Williams) really tipped the scales for queer viewers when she became TV's first black lesbian superhero. Anissa's alter ego Thunder works with her father, and eventually with her sister Jennifer (China Anne McClain) and their genius scientist mother, Lynn (Christine Adams), to save their city. The series's second season promises a lot more from our new favorite crime-fighting family, especially since the daughters are just fully coming into their powers. If that weren't enough, the show boasts the coolest theme song and soundtrack of any on TV.

Premieres October 9 at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on the CW.

The Conners

While transphobic Trump supporter Roseanne Barr was fired in the wake of her racist tweet, for which she made lame excuses, the show will go on for the working-class Conner family in the fictional Midwestern town of Lanford. The Conners will feature many of the actors from the 1980s-'90s Roseanne series and its recent reboot, including John Goodman as Dan Conner, Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris, out actress Sara Gilbert as Darlene Conner, and Ames McNamara as Darlene's gender-nonconforming son, Mark. How the show will explain Roseanne's absence is a closely guarded secret; ABC will say only that the family has experienced "a sudden turn of events." They will deal with the challenges of "parenthood, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging and in-laws," the network adds.

Premieres October 18 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on ABC.

Black-ish

As problematic as Raven-Symone may be, her portrayal of Dre's lesbian sister is a rare instance of a gay actor playing gay on television. But the cultural significance of this sitcom does not end there. On Black-ish, intersectional, heartfelt storytelling is just a given. The candid look at blackness, family, and suburbia is full of teaching moments that never feel didactic. Emmy nominations aside, the last season has earned a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so it's worth the watch if you want to be educated or entertained.

Premieres October 16 at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on ABC.

New Warriors

Marvel's New Warriors are a diverse team of superheroes looking for a TV home. The show, which is to feature a queer woman of color -- Deborah Fields, a.k.a. Debril -- as one of the titular heroes, was set to air on Freeform this fall, but the network reportedly couldn't find a time slot for it despite the high quality of the pilot, featuring Kate Comer as Debril, Milana Vayntrub as Squirrel Girl (a fan favorite from the comics), and other talented young actors. So the producers are shopping it around, and it may yet find a home; it's been speculated that Freeform parent ABC is interested. So stay tuned!

House of Cards

The sixth and final season of this political potboiler will have President Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) front and center -- her husband, former president Frank Underwood, is now dead. Disgraced gay harasser Kevin Spacey, who played Frank, was fired from the Netflix show after dozens of his accusers went public. So get ready for eight Cards episodes where conniving Claire runs the world -- Hillary had the presidency stolen from her, but at least we can live vicariously through Claire Underwood.

The season drops November 2 on Netflix.

Tell Me a Story

Gay screenwriter Kevin Williamson (Scream, The Vampire Diaries) has created a new horror show for CBS: All Access. Inspired by an Argentinean series, Tell Me a Story is a modern take on classic fairy tales like "Little Red Riding Hood," "The Three Little Pigs," and "Hansel and Gretel," which skews away from the supernatural in order to tell morality tales for the current political era. "There's nothing on TV like it," Williamson promised at a recent event for the Television Critics Association. Since it's on CBS: All Access, the show also has the freedom to be "a lot sexier," he said, joking that they get to "have sex and murder people pretty gruesomely." Cast members include Billy Magnussen, Dania Ramirez, Danielle Campbell, Dorian Missick, Davi Santos, and Kim Cattrall.

Premieres October 31 on CBS: All Access.

Superstore

America Ferrera has stepped up as a major voice of The Resistance, and her sitcom, which explores class and family, is no exception. The diverse, heartfelt comedy is back for its fourth season, which features out Filipino-American actor Nico Santos (who's coming off his beloved role in Crazy Rich Asians).

Premieres October 4 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on NBC.

The Orville

Despite being wrongly marketed as a pure Star Trek parody as well as having a few well-intentioned but misguided attempts to represent the transgender community and deal with other sexuality-based issues, by the end of its first season The Orville finally started to show potential as a spiritual successor to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Premiering within weeks of Trek's triumphant return to TV with Star Trek: Discovery, The Orville found a home with those who felt alienated by Discovery's more serialized approach and were pining for the days of Patrick Stewart monologuing about morality. In true Trek tradition, each episode of The Orville is a stand-alone morality play about current issues such as social media or mob mentality mixed with Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane's love-it-or-hate-it brand of low-brow humor. While the show doesn't always match the greatness of those it's attempting to imitate, The Orville creates moments that warm the heart and discusses major issues in a simplified, digestible fashion in the way only science fiction allows.

Premieres December 30 on Fox.

The Bad Seed

Since The Bad Seed -- the 1956 film version -- is a camp classic, we're very invested in this Lifetime remake, airing Sunday night. A horror film about a literal girl from hell, the original movie was silly, shocking, and, at times, terrifying. The dynamic between the mother and daughter is at the heart of the movie, so swapping the maternal character for a paternal one (played by executive producer Rob Lowe) is a tad concerning. We'll keep our minds open for Mckenna Grace, the now-12-year-old actress tackling this devilishly rich role.

Premieres September 9 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on Lifetime.

The Voice

For fans of reality singing competitions, The Voice is a must-see for its diverse lineup of powerhouse ingenues. The show returns to NBC this fall, featuring divas Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson as judges alongside veteran hunks Blake Shelton and Adam Levine. The gimmick of the blind audition (and the big reveal!) also never gets old.

Premieres September 24 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on NBC.

Madam Secretary

Sara Ramirez made history as TV's longest-running bisexual character as Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy before coming out as bisexual herself in 2016. Now she's turning heads on CBS's Madam Secretary as Kat Sandoval, a bisexual woman and a sartorial trendsetter in the finest suits who advises Tea Leoni's Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord. Beyond breaking gender stereotypes in the finest ties, Kat was afforded a teachable moment in her first season when she came out to a colleague at the State Department and actually said the word "bisexual" on network TV --something that doesn't happen often enough.

"My heart was so full of hope and joy we need to be seen in all spaces," Ramirez told The Advocate when she took on the role. "Especially those particularly powerful political ones. And so my intention is for Madam Secretary's Kat Sandoval to continue normalizing, strengthening, and celebrating these outcomes in the real world."

Premieres October 7 at 10 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on CBS.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Emmy nominee Rachel Brosnahan is an absolute delight as Midge Maisel, the '50s-era Upper East Side Jewish housewife who, after her husband leaves her, tries her luck at stand-up comedy and crushes it in the seedy clubs of the Village.

Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino's quick-witted, lush rendering of Manhattan on the brink of social change is impeccably cast, written, shot, costumed, and designed, down to its lively soundtrack. Scratch under the surface of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's cotton candy-colored production and viewers will discover Midge's burgeoning feminism and her blossoming friendship with her manager, Suzie (Alex Borstein), a gruff butch whose sexuality the show has yet to fully explore. At its core thus far, the show is about women's friendship depicted in an entirely fresh way.

If that's not enough to get viewers to tune in, Marin Hinkle, as Midge's tight-lipped, neurotic mother, Rose, is a gay icon in the making.

The second season premieres this fall on Amazon.

Riverdale

The CW's deliciously noir reimagining of the Archie comics returns for its third season, in which the red-headed hero (K.J. Apa) is in jail, and the gang is trying to free him. The series kicked off two seasons ago with unabashed gay character Kevin Keller (Casey Cott). The series amped up its queer quotient last season with the introduction of bisexual woman of color and all-around badass Toni Topaz (Vanessa Morgan), who befriends Jughead (Cole Sprouse), and romances the most wonderfully bitchy resident of Riverdale, Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch). Following Cheryl's realization that she was bisexual, the pair became a full-on couple, and arguably the cutest on TV. Add to all of that Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Veronica's (Camila Mendes) close friendship, which has launched a few internet "ships" of its own.

Premieres October 10 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on the CW.

Shameless

Showtime's longest-running scripted series premieres its ninth season on Sunday. This year, the large, dysfunctional Chicago family that makes up Shameless seems to have more serious concerns than the usual drinking and carousing. "Make the Gallaghers Great Again" is the theme for the 14-episode season, with patriarch Frank Gallagher running for political office and female Gallaghers working to dismantle the patriarchy. Meanwhile, expect more sexual exploration from liberated Ian Gallagher.

Premieres September 9 at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on Showtime.

Doctor Who

This season, for the first time, the time-traveling, regenerating Doctor will take the form of a woman: The 13th Doctor will be portrayed by by Jodie Whittaker. Some cast members have intimated that this Doctor will be bisexual and will have a same-sex relationship, but there has been no confirmation on that. At any rate, the beloved sci-fi series has long been LGBTQ-inclusive and culturally diverse, and you can expect that to continue. The Doctor will have some new companions, Graham, Yasmin, and Ryan (portrayed by Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill, and Tosin Cole, respectively).

Premieres October 7 on BBC America.

This Is Us

This Is Us is one of the best series on network television. Created by Dan Fogelman, the award-winning NBC tearjerker not only features a talented ensemble cast with actors like Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, and Justin Hartley, it is an intersectional ode to the ties that bind, rather than the violence and divisiveness that pervades other arenas of culture. The show also has a commitment to diversity both in front of and behind the camera, boasting a writers' room that is 30 percent African-American (the industry average is 5 percent).

Premieres September 25 at 9 p.m. Easter/Pacific on NBC.