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When it comes to TV romance, it’s only in recent years that the LGBTQ community has started to get real representation. And when I say real, I mean that two gay characters can kiss without it being front-page news. It means that every lesbian character doesn’t have to be a butch stereotype. And it means that queer relationships are treated with all the romance, intrigue, and heart-wrenching complications that TV couples like Friends’ Ross and Rachel or The O.C.‘s Seth and Summer have enjoyed for so long. While every straight teen got numerous templates for how their first romance might play out, LGBTQ teens had little to go on with TV couples for way too long.
The truth is, most queer people can remember a movie or TV character that first clued them in that they might not be all-the-way hetero (mine is Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted). But until this past decade, we didn’t have LGBTQ romance we could do more than lust after — romance we could really see ourselves in, with queer characters realistically falling in and out of love. Thanks to shows like Modern Family, Orange Is The New Black, How to Get Away with Murder, and so much more, we finally do.
It’s Pride Month, which means it should be a national requirement that you spend some time watching the best queer love stories on TV — and thankfully, we have this handy guide of where to start. Here are all the LGBTQ TV couples that made us believe in love (and yes, who are also very nice to look at). Happy binging!
A version of this article was originally published on June 2020.
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Ian & Mickey on ‘Shameless’
Image Credit: ©Showtime Networks Inc./Courtesy Everett Collection Who expected such a sweet love story on a show like Shameless? Ian Gallagher meets the love of his life in Mickey Milkovich, and every moment from their first meeting to Ian’s (spoiler!) adorable proposal is stan-worthy.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Shane & Carmen on ‘The L Word’
Image Credit: ©Showtime Networks Inc./Courtesy Everett Collection Shane “I Don’t Do Relationships” McCutcheon is knocked off her feet when she meets Carmen, and their off-the-charts chemistry shows Shane is in big trouble right away. While they’re torn apart and thrown back together multiple more times, it really seems like Carmen is Shane’s kryptonite.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Callie & Arizona on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Image Credit: ©ABC/Courtesy Everett Collection Callie and Arizona’s love story captured so many aspects of queer love that we desperately needed to see more of on screen — what it’s like to date a co-worker, what it’s like to come out at work, what it’s like to go through a custody battle with your ex-partner, and so much more.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Sol & Robert on ‘Grace and Frankie’
Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection We know that LGBTQ representation has only recently become mainstream — so what does that mean for the older generation? Grace and Frankie takes that on with Sol and Robert, business partners who have been secret lovers and decide to come out later in life. Their context is a hugely important aspect of the LGBTQ community that’s often overlooked.
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Piper & Alex on ‘Orange Is The New Black’
Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection Piper and Alex are a classic on-again off-again romance for the ages. They can’t be together without fighting, but they can’t be apart without longing for each other — which makes for plenty of steamy make-up scenes.
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Kurt & Blaine on ‘Glee’
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection While Glee may be tough to rewatch now, we’ll always be grateful for the fabulousness of Chris Colfer’s Kurt — and when the strapping, golden-voiced Blaine comes along, it’s clear he’s the man of Kurt’s dreams. Their rendition of ‘Teenage Dream’ is pretty much peak high school love.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Connor & Oliver on ‘How to Get Away with Murder’
Image Credit: ©ABC/Courtesy Everett Collection Connor was a total playboy, hitting on anything that moved — and then along came sweet, nerdy Oliver, who changed his whole life. This couple dealt with Oliver’s HIV status, serious breaches of trust, and, oh yeah, a couple murder plots, but they came out stronger than ever.
Watch on Apple TV.
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Elena & Syd on ‘One Day At A Time’
Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection Elena and Syd’s pure, wholesome teen romance on One Day At a Time shows a new generation who can have open conversations about their sexuality and gender identity while pursuing crushes and having first dates just like any other teen, and it’s beautiful.
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Cheryl & Toni on ‘Riverdale’
Image Credit: ©CW Network/Courtesy Everett Collection Cheryl and Toni are two of the baddest chicks at Riverdale High, so it makes sense that they found each other. Their mutual love for long flowing hair, a coordinated lewk, and being the boss of every room they enter makes them a teen power couple like we’ve never seen.
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Willow & Tara in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’
Image Credit: Courtesy: Everett Collection. One of the best couples, if not the best couple, in all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was Willow and Tara. Years later, and we still feel robbed that these two didn’t end up being endgame. While this couple is a favorite, we do have to mention that they did play into the trope of killing off gay/queer characters once they find true happiness.
Watch it on Hulu!
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Anissa & Grace on ‘Black Lightning’
Image Credit: Annette Brown/The CW. Anissa, AKA Thunder, has a fierce supporter and girlfriend in Grace, and TV has been waiting for a relationship like the one between this strong lesbian superhero and her love
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Mitch & Cam on ‘Modern Family’
Image Credit: ABC. Mitch and Cam of Modern Family were your classic bickering married couple, solid as a rock but always at odds. Their relationship and growing family was a story of its own, and one fans invested right away.
Watch it on Hulu!
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Alex & Maggie on ‘Supergirl’
Image Credit: Dean Buscher/The CW. When Alex Danvers and Maggie Sawyer first meet, there’s tension — almost immediately revealed as sparks flying between the two. While Maggie is a lesbian and open about it, it’s Alex’s relationship with Maggie that makes her realize her sexuality for the first time, and then slowly become brave enough to pursue the relationship.
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Nico Minoru & Karolina Dean in ‘Runaways’
Image Credit: photo: Michael Desmond / ©Hulu / Courtesy: Everett Collection. Marvel favorites Nico Minoru and Karolina Dean finally got together in Runaways back in 2018 after fans waited literal years. However, the two did end up breaking up for a few years before reuniting, and it showed a beautiful glimpse of what it’s like when one’s honest with themselves.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Patrick & David on ‘Schitt’s Creek’
Image Credit: Pop Media Group LLC. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Schitt’s Creek‘s David right away, but he doesn’t find a worthy partner until Patrick comes along. Patrick grapples with his sexuality and the process of coming out, but it’s clear that he and David’s bond is like nothing either has felt before.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Magnus & Alec on ‘Shadowhunters’
Image Credit: Freeform. Bisexual warlock Magnus dates Alec on Shadowhunters, a Shadowhunter who struggles with feeling secure enough to come out. Magnus’ gentle encouragement, and the relationship that blossoms, won’t leave a dry eye in the house.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Dani & Jamie in ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’
Image Credit: photo: Eike Schroter / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection. Dani and Jamie’s romance in The Haunting of Bly Manor was truly a highlight of the hit show, with the fan-favorite romance having years of happiness together while they wait for Dani’s paranormal entities to take over. The ending was left intentionally ambiguous, with many fans wondering if they ended up together again or not. It gave such a beautiful, vulnerable depiction of love, especially love during tragic circumstances.
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Brittany & Satana in ‘Glee’
Image Credit: ph: Adam Rose/©Fox/courtesy Everett Collection. This loving couple was such a roller coaster at times, but our prayers were answered and Brittany and Satana were endgame in Glee! It was a relatable tale of two lovers keeping their romance behind close doors until feeling ready to come out, along with touching on the importance of sexuality playing a role in one’s identity and coming of age.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Susan & Carol in ‘Friends’
Image Credit: ph: Paul Drinkwater / ©Warner Brothers / courtesy Everett Collection. Who could forget the iconic couple in Friends? They were unproblematic, loved each other dearly, and loved their son. It was ahead of its time and it gave a much-needed loving glimpse into unproblematic love.
Watch on Max.
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Emily & Sue in ‘Dickinson’
Image Credit: photo: ©Apple TV+ / Courtesy Everett Collection. Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Hunt’s portrayal of forbidden lovers in Dickinson was one to remember. Sue was not only Emily’s best friend, but her sister-in-law and the two carry out a passionate, loving affair. It touched on the complicated nature of their relationship to the societal standards of the 19th century, and showed an honest look of passionate and heartbreak.
Watch on Apple TV.
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Freya & Keelin in ‘The Originals’
Image Credit: photo: Bob Mahoney / ©The CW Network / courtesy Everett Collection. Fans of The Originals remember the enemies-to-lovers relationship between Freya and Keelin. While it had very dark origins, many fans loved their pairing, and when Freya turned to good and let her guard down. And let’s face it, many fans cried when both got their happy ending with the wedding in season five. The actress who played Freya named Riley Voelkel revealed in an interview for the spinoff Legacies, that the characters are happy years later with their son.
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Ray & Kevin in ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’
Image Credit: ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection Ray Holt is the commanding officer of the 99th police precinct, the boss of everyone. He’s supportive of everyone, including his husband Kevin!
While he tries to keep his work life separate from his home life, he has faced discrimination. But they make his sexuality a part of him, and shows the ups and downs of marriage. It’s a beautiful depiction.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Lena & Stef in ‘Good Trouble’
Image Credit: ©Freeform, formerly ©ABC Family/courtesy Everett Collection So, Good Trouble is the spinoff of The Fosters, both of which beloved couple Lena and Stef are in. They’re a loving couple who are raising their adopted twins and Stef’s biological son; and there’s no obstacle that’ll stop them from continuing to give their family the best life.
Watch it on Hulu.
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Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy in ‘Harley Quinn’
Image Credit: ©DC Universe/Courtesy Everett Collection Okay, we know it’s a cartoon but Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy’s romance in the hit HBO show needs to be talked about. Spoilers ahead if you haven’t watched far enough, but this tender romance juxtaposes their wild antics; adding to how intimate and wonderful this friends-to-lovers romance is.
Watch on Max.
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Clarke & Lexa in ‘The 100’
Image Credit: ©CW Network/Courtesy Everett Collection This enemies-to-lovers romance between Clarke and Lexa instantly became a fan-favorite. Their romance shows the plights of war, and sacrifice amid it all. They relied on each other, and it made for a truly captivating romance.
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