It is not news to hear that LGBTQ+ shows are getting cancelled at an alarming rate. With the news that A League Of Their Own and The L Word Generation Q are both ending, fans of queer shows are still waiting for one they can hold onto without fear of their favourite character being killed off or the show getting cancelled.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) have found that there has been a 6% drop in LGBTQ+ character representation in scripted TV shows during 2022 and 2023. Additionally, 29% of these characters will not be returning, with 24% of those being features on shows that have since been cancelled or are finishing their run.
GLAAD states that this “[leaves] a large demographic of viewers constantly searching for new programs only for them to ultimately be cancelled before a satisfying conclusion.”
Here is a salute to some of our favourite LGBTQ+ shows that have been cancelled too soon.
First Kill
First Kill hit Netflix in 2022 and immediately saw an army of queer women take to the show. Based on a Victoria Schwab story of the same name, the show centres around Juliette, a vampire, and Calliope, a vampire hunter. In this modern Romeo and Juliet style narrative, the two sworn enemies fall for each other and must make the hard decisions.
Despite First Kill garnering over 100 million hours of viewing in its first month, the show was cancelled after just one series.
Q-Force
Q-Force is an adult animated show that aired on Netflix in 2019, created by TV legends Gabe Liedman, Todd Milliner and Sean Hayes. It follows a group of LGBT superspies who are unappreciated in their field.
The main character, Steve Maryweather, otherwise known as Agent Mary wishes to prove himself by embarking on a great case, with the help of his colleagues.
Despite backlash surrounding the show perpetrating queer stereotypes, this was mainly drowned out by the applause the show received for its authentic queer representation. Sadly, Q-Force was cancelled after its first series.
The Wilds
The Wilds came out of the gate on Amazon Prime with strong audience attraction, currently still having 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. It was even nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at GLAAD’s Media Awards in 2021.
The Wilds follows a group of girls (and in season two, boys) who are forced to band together and survive after their plane crashes on a remote island.
Despite the show’s massive success and audience appreciation, The Wilds was cancelled after its second season. In response, a petition was created to try to bring back the show. The Change.org petition currently has over 39,000 signatures.
1899
The German show, 1899, has over a dozen different languages spoken and an array of international and diverse casting. The show follows a group of European immigrants travelling to New York on a ship, encountering mysterious and troubling events.
There is a significant queer love triangle which had twitter going mad, as usual. 1899 was created as a follow-up to Netflix’s successful show Dark. However, the show was cancelled after only one season due to dwindling viewing figures.
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