13 of the Best Lesbian TV Shows of All Time and Where to Watch Them
Whenever Chia and I get into a new lesbian TV show, we’ll both stay up all night to finish watching the entire series in a day or two and not do anything else 😅, which is why we often prefer watching lesbian movies instead unless the show is really really good.
Hence, we’ve put together this list of the best lesbian TV shows and must-watch series of all time that are truly binge-worthy. Because if you’re going to spend the next 60 hours of your life watching , then it should at least be worth your time and feature a great lesbian romance , storyline, kiss scenes, etc. 😉
1. The L Word (Completed, Seasons 1–6)
The L Word was truly a groundbreaking show during its time. Back when I was young and closeted, this show gave me something that I could see myself in and I would go to my local Blockbuster just to rent the newest season as soon as it came out.
While most TV shows and series only feature a lesbian side character, the best part about L word is that EVERY main character is a lesbian or gay so you don’t have to wait until 5 episodes later to finally see the two lesbian side characters get together. We all fell in love with Bette and Tina (#Tibette), one of the OG lesbian TV ships. Shane became another lesbian icon and we all wanted to find a Carmen.
The writers did a great job making each character three-dimensional people who at times you loved and then hated. The plot consists of intertwined stories about the lives and loves of a group of lesbians and bisexuals in Los Angeles. The characters date, get into committed relationships, consider having families, hook up, break up, question their sexuality, stay in the closet, come out or sleep around — sometimes all of the above. It’s full of drama, tears, heartbreak, and triumph.
How lesbian is the show? 💯 5/5 (True lesbian storyline)
▶️ Watch the entire The L Word series on Hulu now.
2. The L Word Generation Q (Ongoing, Season 1)
This is the sequel to The L Word that launched 10 years later! Featuring some of the original cast members and storylines as well as a new generation of fresh faces and characters, it’s a nice continuation and revamp of the original L Word series.
The show picks up ten years after the previous events, where the original group of friends (i.e. Bette, Alice, Shane) are joined by new faces as they continue their journey through the trials of life and love in Los Angeles.
How lesbian is the show? 💯 5/5 (True lesbian storyline)
▶️ Watch the entire The L Word Generation Q series on Hulu now.
3. The Haunting of Bly Manor (Completed, 9 episodes)
I’m normally not a fan of scary movies and shows but The Haunting of Bly Manor is absolutely worth it. The storyline was gripping, the cast was superb, and the lesbian love story will melt your heart. There aren’t scary monsters or ghosts that jump out at you every scene so it’s not the scariest thing we’ve ever seen, but we were definitely on the edge of our seats the whole time.
The show is about a young au pair who arrives at Bly Manor and begins to see apparitions haunting the estate. It’s created by the same people who created The Haunting of Hill House which also features a minor lesbian character.
While the premise of the show isn’t about Dani and Jamie’s relationship and their romance doesn’t pick up until later episodes (and it’s not obvious from the beginning at all), once it gets going, you won’t want to take your eyes off of them for a second (even despite all of the scary stuff happening in the background). Dani and Jamie’s relationship never feels forced and there’s a lot of chemistry between the two actresses.
How lesbian is the show? 🔥 (4/5) The main characters are lesbian and a main focus
▶️ Watch the entire The Haunting of Bly Manor series on Netflix now.
4. Wynonna Earp (Completed, Seasons 1–4)
Wynonna Earp has one of the best lesbian ships to ever be featured in a TV show. I will admit that at times the show and its plot can be silly, but the lesbian romance between Waverly and Nicole is done really well and is such a positive representation of LGBTQ relationships, that it makes up for the other parts of the series that are missing. They also have one of the best ships name of all time #Wayhaught.
The show is about the main character, Wynonna Earp, who has been away from her hometown, Purgatory, for years but reluctantly returns to take on the role that her grandfather, Wyatt Earp’s, heir is destined for — demon protector. Her task is to take out Revenants, the resurrected souls of the criminals who were taken down at one time by her great-grandfather. She teams up with her sister Waverly and Doc Holliday to stop the Revenants from taking over Purgatory and escaping into the world.
If you want to skip the series and just fast track to all the cute, romantic scenes between Waverly and Nicole, then check out our post here.
How lesbian is the show? 🔥 (4/5) The main characters are lesbian and a main focus
▶️ Watch the entire Wynonna Earp series on Netflix now.
5. Orange is the New Black (Completed, Seasons 1–7)
One of the most watched TV shows of all time on Netflix, Orange is the New Black (OITNB) is definitely a must-watch series in general. It features emotionally complex and well developed characters that all come together to portray a diverse show about prison life.
OITNB centers around Piper Chapman, a successful PR executive who ends up in prison for her association with a drug runner 10 years earlier and reunites with her ex-girlfriend, Alex. Piper makes her way through the corrections system and adjusts to life behind bars, making friends with the many eccentric, unusual and unexpected people she meets. We love the roller coaster lesbian relationship between Piper and Alex that actually has a happy ending!
How lesbian is the show? 🔥 (4/5) The main characters are lesbian and a main focus
▶️ Watch the entire Orange is the New Black series on Netflix now.
6. Wentworth (Ongoing, Seasons 1–8)
Another great prison drama series and lesbian TV show is Wentworth. It’s an Australia drama series about inmates struggling to survive in the violent environment of a contemporary women’s prison. The story begins when Bea Smith who is charged with the attempted murder of her abusive husband arrives at the prison and has to adapt to her new life.
Wentworth feels like a more intense and harsh version of OITNB when it comes to depicting prison life and while there’s no Piper and Alex romance to start off with, the show does have Franky Doyle, the beautiful and charismatic leader of the prison who easily makes our list of hottest TV lesbian characters. Franky starts off as an antagonist on the show but ultimately ends up becoming a beloved protagonist.
How lesbian is the show? 🔥 (4/5) The main characters are lesbian and a main focus
▶️ Watch the entire Wentworth series on Netflix now.
7. Dickinson (Ongoing, Seasons 1–2)
Dickinson is a great modern rendition about the life of writer Emily Dickinson. Born in the 19th century, Dickinson uses her outsider’s perspective to explore the constraints of society, gender and family during those times. While the show takes some liberties when it comes to her lesbian romance with her sister-in-law, Sue, we’re not ones to complain. Overall, the show is well made, funny, entertaining, and features some steamy scenes between Emily and Sue.
How lesbian is the show? 🔥 (4/5) The main characters are lesbian and a main focus
▶️ Watch the entire Dickinson series on Apple TV+ now.
8. Gentleman Jack (Ongoing, Season 1)
Gentleman Jack is a historical drama television series based on the real life of landowner and industrialist Anne Lister. Set in 1832 in West Yorkshire, England during the evolution of the Industrial Revolution, Anne Lister is determined to save her faded ancestral home, Shibden Hall, even if it means bucking society’s expectations.
The charismatic Lister who dresses head-to-toe in black, charms her way into high society and has no intention of marrying a man so instead, she marries a wealthy heiress named Ann Walker. Lister is often known as the first modern lesbian and this TV series showcases all of the intimate details of her life that she recorded meticulously in code in her diaries. It’s a beautiful love story about a woman who was not afraid to break barriers during that time.
How lesbian is the show? 🔥 (4/5) The main characters are lesbian and a main focus
▶️ Watch the entire Gentleman Jack series on Amazon now.
9. The Fosters (Completed, Seasons 1–5)
This was the first TV series of its kind to feature a loving, married interracial lesbian couple raising biological, adopted and fostered kids together. Stef, a dedicated police officer, is married to Lena, a Vice Principal at a charter school and the two have built a close-knit family with Stef’s biological son, Brandon, and adopted twins, Mariana and Jesus.
One day, Stef brings home Callie, a teen hardened from life in and out of foster homes, thinking it’s only temporary and the story evolves from there. The Fosters earned two GLAAD Media Awards and one Teen Choice Award. After the series ended, a spinoff called “Good Trouble” was started based on the lives of the characters Callie and Mariana.
How lesbian is the show? 🔥 (4/5) The main characters are lesbian and a main focus
▶️ Watch the entire The Fosters series on Amazon now.
10. Feel Good (Ongoing, Season 1)
Feel Good is funny, heartwarming, and relatable in many ways. The show is a semi-autobiographical comedy series by comedian Mae Martin about the unique pressures of navigating the modern-day fluid landscape of gender and sexuality.
The storyline follows recovering addict and comedian Mae, who attempts to control the addictive behaviors and intense romanticism that permeate every facet of her life. Things become even more complicated for her, as she gets into an all-consuming relationship with her new girlfriend, George, who has yet to come out to her friends and family.
How lesbian is the show? 💯 5/5 (True lesbian storyline)
▶️ Watch the entire Feel Good series on Netflix now.
11. Supergirl (Ongoing, Seasons 1–5)
If you’re a fan of superheroes and badass women saving the world, then Supergirl is a great TV series to watch. Yes, it has silly, nonsensical Superhero stuff and cheesy scenes, but it features one of my favorite lesbian ships of all time, between Maggie Sawyer and Alex Danvers (#Sanvers) . Their beautiful love story is a must-watch and you can see a compilation here if you prefer to skip the series.
Essentially, the show is about Kara, who is Supergirl and also Superman’s cousin, had escaped planet Krypton to find protection on Earth with the Danver family, where she grows up with her foster sister, Alex, and learns to hide the extraordinary powers she has. As an adult now, she works for a media corporation as well as a super-secret agency that enlists her to help protect the city’s citizens from threats.
How lesbian is the show? 🔥 (4/5) The main characters are lesbian and a main focus
▶️ Watch the entire Supergirl series on Netflix now.
12. Grey’s Anatomy (Ongoing, Seasons 1–17)
One of the longest running shows of all time, Grey’s Anatomy is IMO, Shonda Rhimes ‘ best show (and she has many great shows). It’s a fictional medical drama that focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into seasoned doctors while balancing personal and professional relationships.
Throughout its run, Grey’s Anatomy has been critically acclaimed and has received numerous awards, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series — Drama and a total of 38 Primetime Emmy Award nominations. The cast members have also received accolades for their individual performances.
Grey’s Anatomy has also had a huge impact on popular culture from the friendship between Meredith Grey and Christina Yang (played by “ Sandra Oh who also plays Eve in You’re my person.” Killing Eve) that inspired the popular phrase, to one of the most famous and hottest lesbian relationships between Callie and Arizona (#Calzona) . There’s so much to love about this show and its diverse characters and storylines. There’s no shortage of love, heartbreak, triumph, and tears in this drama.
Even though there are many characters and not every episode features a lesbian storyline, when they do showcase LGBTQ relationships, they are always done well.
There’s also a spinoff of Grey’s Anatomy called Station 19 that’s based on the lives of the men and women at Seattle Fire Station 19 where the characters often interact and work with characters from the Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital. We also recommend watching Station 19 for the lesbian romance between Dr. Carina and Capt. Maya (#Marina).
How lesbian is the show? ✨ (3/5) Lesbian main characters but not always the focus
▶️ Watch the entire Grey’s Anatomy series on Netflix now.
13. San Junipero from Black Mirror (Completed, Season 3, Episode 4)
San Junipero is the fourth episode in the third season of the sci-fi series Black Mirror. The episode is set in a beach resort town named San Junipero, that’s part of a simulated reality that the elderly can inhabit, even after death.
A shy, introverted Yorkie (played by Mackenzie Davis who also plays Harper in Happiest Season ) meets the more outgoing Kelly (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and the two develop a beautiful and heartwarming romance with a happy ending.
In addition to several other accolades, “San Junipero” won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Television Movie and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special.
While this is our favorite Black Mirror episode and the only lesbian love story of the series, the rest of the Black Mirror series is still definitely worth watching. Each episode is thoughtful, gripping and will make you contemplate about how technology is affecting our lives in both positive and frightening ways. Each episode is also distinct and separate from the others so you don’t need to watch them in any particular order.
How lesbian is this episode? 💯 5/5 (True lesbian storyline)
Let us know what your favorite lesbian TV shows of all time are!
Originally published at https://sesamebutdifferent.com on March 9, 2021.
