Best LGBTQ+ shows and movies to watch on Hulu

Hulu is a great way to watch content online, and the service has a wide variety of LGBTQ+ hits and hidden gems. You can lose yourself in entertainment and celebrate Pride Month with these wonderful LGBTQ+ shows and movies on Hulu, including Steven Universe

Best Overall: Steven Universe

Steven Universe is a fantastic animated series that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike and has set a new bar for LGBTQ+ representation and handling related issues. The show centers on Steven and the powerful Crystal Gems, a team of magical heroes that guard against evil. Steven is half-human and half-Gem boy but as his powers develop, he discovers his place among the team to save the universe.

LGBTQ+ themes exist throughout the show, within the families, romantic relationships, and gender identities of many of the characters. The show bends the societal ideas of gender personality types, and also features a wedding between two female characters. The show has won numerous awards, and received acclaim for the way it represents these issues within the community, including a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Program. It also provides a great opportunity for viewers of all ages to see a part of themselves represented in the story.

Pros:

• Fun, adventurous storytelling
• Groundbreaking representation
• Positive messages

Cons:

• Hulu doesn't have Season 5 or Future yet

Best LGBTQ+ Film: Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an artistic French film about an artist and her subject bonding and falling in love. This tale covers topics including forbidden love, loss, suicide, the roles of women in society, and arranged marriage. It won several awards as the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, and now it's available to stream on Hulu.

In our review of the fim , we examined how the focus of this love story is on the journey the two women share, and not unexpected twists or turns towards the outcome. Audiences are fortunate to be able to enjoy this streaming so soon. It was due to remain in theaters during the spring, but that run was cut short when theaters were forced to close.

Pros:

• Emotional performances
• Patience in its pacing
• Beautiful cinematography

Cons:

• Not a traditional happy ending

Best Chuckles: Will & Grace

Will & Grace could be considered a controversial choice because the show isn't for everyone. This sitcom started in the late 1990's, and it was long running hit featuring two lead gay characters. While the show came after Ellen's seminal TV moment, it was still groundbreaking, bringing in these stories week after week to millions of viewers.

However, Will & Grace has gotten some criticism from people within the LGBTQ+ community for using many of the tired cliches that have been a part of gay characters for years. However, others point to the fact that Will & Grace gave audiences a chance to learn and understand that people are people, no matter their differences. Will & Grace had a chance to see the world that changed around them, as the show was revived in 2017 — a full 11 years after the first run ended.

Pros:

• A trailblazing show for gay main characters
• Lots of laughs with 11 seasons to enjoy
• Hulu has original series and revival

Cons:

• Uses some tired cliches of LGBTQ+ characters

Best Drama: The L Word

The L Word has a basic premise that expands as the characters branch out, cross paths, and hook up. At its core, the show follows the lives of lesbians in Los Angeles in a core friend group. The series originally aired on Showtime, and it uses sharp writing to make audiences feel like they are sneaking into the characters' homes.

The show does lean on a soap opera feeling at times, which could be a good or bad thing depending on what you are looking for. The series led to several sequel series, including Generation Q and the Real L Word. It is also considered a forerunner to the excellent Queer As Folk, which was also on Showtime.

Pros:

• Open discussions of difficult topics
• Alluring storylines

Cons:

• Soap opera feeling
• Show gets weaker as seasons go on

You Better Work: RuPaul's Drag Race

Sometimes TV is meant to be fun, and you can't find more fun than searching for America's next drag superstar. RuPaul has been synonymous with drag for decades, while also maintaining a career as a musician, model and actor. He brings his reputation to this reality show, which shines a light on the next generation of drag queens.

The show has been running for over a decade, and it follows a tried and true reality competition format. Contestants arrive with a dream, and then face challenges, get mentorship, work the runway, and face the judges. Hulu has six seasons for you to binge (out of 12, including All Star seasons), so grab your remote and give a twirl. Just note that the show has received some criticism for being behind on LGBTQ+ representation, especially as it deals with trans contestants. Some of the early seasons even feature some transphobic humor, which was rectified in the later seasons.

Pros:

• Fun competition
• Famous mentors
• Fashion galore
• Huge personalities

Cons:

• Reality isn't for everyone
• Can be somewhat repetitive
• Not inclusive towards trans people
• Only has six seasons

All in the Fam: Modern Family

Modern Family started out with representation in mind, but it had to grow into greater representations of love for LGBTQ+ fans. The show, which focuses on the new shape of family that goes beyond the 1950's nuclear family, includes a now famous gay couple in Cam and Mitchell. They may have started out with some common stereotypes and without displays of affection, but they grew through the run of the show with on-camera kissing, marriage, and having two kids.

Modern Family also dealt with the rest of the family dealing with LGBTQ+ issues, and not just revolving around Cam and Mitchell. Instead of tired tropes of bigots learning to be accepting, they showed how members of the community are like everyone else, and come in all shapes and styles.

Pros:

• An outstanding cast of comic players
• Fred Willard excellent as Phil's Dad
• Cam and Mitchell are iconic
• A lot of seasons to watch

Cons:

• Show became weaker as seasons went on
• The integrated sponsorships are a bit too obvious

Bottom line

Hulu has so many shows and movies that deal with LGBTQ+ themes, characters and actors that it's hard to narrow down a list like this, but Steven Universe is worthy of a primary recommendation. The show touches so many areas with acceptance, love and representation that can be comforting or even a jumping off point for healthy discussions with the family. The show has adventure and storylines that makes you want to keep watching the next episode everytime you click to watch.

If you are looking for something more serious, check out Portrait of a Lady on Fire . This French love film will take you on an emotional journey, and give you a chance to watch a film at home that could have still been in theaters.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Roy Delgado is a freelance writer for CordCutters. He focuses on a wide range of streaming topics, including sports, prestige series and award-winning films. He loves binges, marathons, and representation of all kinds.