The Best LGBTQ Series and Films Streaming on HBO Max, from ‘Los Espookys’ to ‘Our Flag Means Death’
The streaming service soon to be known as Max may be losing a lover’s name in HBO, but there’s no forgetting that HBO Max had some of the best queer TV shows of the pandemic age.
In the ever-shifting streamer landscape, it can be exhausting to navigate a different user experience each time you want to watch something. And surprisingly, for the network that brought us “Six Feet Under” and “Sex and the City,” HBO Max never had an LGBTQ tag to filter its offerings. Instead, queer and trans inclusive storylines were embedded in the plots of prestige dramas (see everything from “Game of Thrones” to “The Last of Us”) and half-hour comedies (here’s looking at you, “Our Flag Means Death”) in and outside of the HBO Max Original brand, ripe for the finding and worthy of celebrating.
More from IndieWire
'Euphoria' Season 3 Likely Won't Air Until 2025, Says HBO's Drama Chief
'Succession' Secured Its Place Among TV's Greats with One Massive Bet
In the absence of a dedicated category, this list was intended to serve as a guide for the queer TV-phile — quality control included. But the Warner Bros. Discovery merger has meant saying goodbye to the surprisingly effervescent HBO Max catalogue in bits and pieces over a span of months. Countless titles — including voguing competition series “Legendary,” young adult dramedy “Generation,” and miniseries “Mrs. Fletcher” — are no longer streaming on the platform. Sure, “The Other Two” is returning for a third season, but the futures of plenty of other projects hang in the balance ahead of the May 23 Max launch date.
When, how, and if this particularly strong assemblage of titles will reappear remains to be seen. But HBO has never forgotten queer audiences, as its more recent offerings prove, and these TV shows still exist even if they’re not readily available. Between “Euphoria,” “Veneno,” and “It’s a Sin,” all of which we highlight here, HBO has produced some of the best queer TV shows of the last few years.
Here’s a list of some of the hits that appeared on HBO Max, eminently binge-able and delightfully queer. They are listed in no particular order, but titles removed from the platform are at the end.
With editorial contributions by Ryan Lattanzio and Wilson Chapman.
Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.