The first time I knew I liked women was at thirteen when, in the front row at a concert, I jumped really high and the singer who looked like Bob Dylan if he was a lesbian pointed at me and winked. It took me years to admit it, mainly because I didn’t think bisexuality would be taken seriously. This was until a friend of mine came out to me, and I thought “Oh, here is someone I can share this with”. I grew up with some (important) representation, but I can’t imagine how much faster I would have shed my internalised homophobia had there been more, and better, examples. Let alone what the same could have done for my parents’ generation.There’s nothing that tugs on my heartstrings more than a relatable story about queerness, so here are a few picks from my favourites.
“There’s nothing that tugs on my heartstrings more than a relatable story about queerness, so here are a few picks from my favourites.”
Mae & George in Feel Good (2020)
Feel Good is comedian Mae Martin’s semi-autobiographical show which they wrote, starred in, and won a BAFTA for. It follows the relationship between Mae and George (Charlotte Ritchie). When they meet, George isn’t out yet and hides her relationship from her family and friends, which makes Mae, an ex-addict running away from a traumatic past, very anxious and needy, to the point where she self-destructs and relapses. Despite loving each other very deeply and trying their best, Mae’s restlessness and dependency on George overwhelm her, and in turn, George becomes distant and often gaslights Mae – making for some truly heartbreaking moments in the show, which has you rooting for them from the beginning. Ultimately, love leads them to choose to heal, and we follow them on their respective journeys, as their paths separate and cross again. The show deals with themes such as gender identity (“I don’t really identify as a girl these days – more like an Adam Driver or a Ryan Gosling”), difficult parent-child relationships (Lisa Kudrow playing an hilariously avoidant mother), addiction, trauma, and class in their most intimate manifestations.
Eve & Villanelle in season 1 of Killing Eve (2018)
Eve (Sandra Oh) is an MI6 agent investigating a series of high-profile murders. Sharp-witted and observant, she is the first to suspect that the culprit is likely a woman. From the onset, we know that the killer is a very sophisticated psychopath by the name of Villanelle (Jodie Comer). Despite her murderous nature, we can’t help but be coaxed into loving her for her wit and sarcasm, incredible fashion sense, and the almost adolescent crush she develops for Eve. Villanelle loves being chased, and Eve loves chasing her. Soon enough, the two get swept up in a thrilling spiral of sexual tension (lots of gay staring), fear, and excitement, complicated by the inevitable blurring of the lines between good and evil, justice and crime. I specifically recommend season one, which was written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. I believe the seasons made after she stepped down are worse, primarily because they lose track of our heroines’ romance to focus on secondary plot points. Disregarding the latter seasons’ shortcomings, Killing Eve definitely remains worth watching.Is the tumultuous love story between a government spy and a cold-blooded hitwoman representative of most queer experiences? Probably not. Should you watch it anyway? Absolutely.
“Is the tumultuous love story between a government spy and a cold-blooded hitwoman representative of most queer experiences? Probably not. Should you watch it anyway? Absolutely.”
Fred & Sam in Crashing (2016)
Yes, I am recommending another show by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, sue me. Her lighthearted comedy Crashing aired on Channel 4 in 2016 and was eventually released as a Netflix Original series. It follows six lost twenty-somethings who are temporarily living together in an abandoned hospital to save money, on the way to bigger and better things; which is really what the friendships you make in your twenties are – the people you wait with. Lulu’s (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) arrival to visit her now engaged childhood friend Anthony (Damien Moloney) stirs things up, as she possesses an unfailing ability to read people and loves playing mind games. She quickly picks up on the fact that Sam’s (Jonathan Bailey) crassness and obsession with sex are a front to avoid dealing with his feelings of romantic attraction towards shy and sensitive Fred (Amit Shah). His overt dislike for Fred’s new boyfriend brings his feelings to light in a very intense and public way, and I found his process of coming to terms with them incredibly sweet and endearing. Once again, the Phoebe Waller-Bridge and talented theatre gay pairing proves successful.
Mildred & Gwendolyn in Ratched (2020)
Ratched is one of Ryan Murphy’s many horror-thriller productions (American Horror Story, American Crime Story, etc.), which means Sarah Paulson probably stars in it, which means there probably is a lesbian storyline. And there is! Adapted from Ken Kesey’s book One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Mildred Ratched (Sarah Paulson) is a troubled woman who tracks down the psychiatric asylum where her foster brother is interned, and pretends to be an experienced nurse to be employed. As she devises a plan to help her brother, she is faced with the ghosts of her past, which helps her find a profound empathy for her patients. Set in 1947 America, Ratched also sees the use of dangerous medical procedures such as the lobotomy being performed, largely on women, to cure various ills and sexual ‘deviances’ (including attraction to other women). It’s no surprise that when Gwendolyn Briggs (Cynthia Nixon), the state governor’s secretary, makes a move on her, Mildred responds terribly. When the situation with her brother progresses out of control and Gwendolyn is hurt along the way, however, Mildred decides to face her feelings with innocence and courage, in a way I found to be very moving (but maybe that’s just because I have a crush on Sarah Paulson and watched all of Sex & the City hoping Miranda would eventually come out). If you’re looking for the psychological thriller version of Carol, Ratched might be for you.
