Thursday
*Grey’s Anatomy Season Twelve (ABC), September 24th, 8pm
…to be really boring and get in the way of all the lesbian parts
Callie and Arizona are getting exciting new relationships this season! According to Shonda Rhims via TVLine: Callie and Arizona will be embarking on in “exciting new romances” in season 12. “For starters, their new squeezes will not be characters we’ve met before … They’re going to both be dating women … I do want to honor the fact that Callie is bisexual, and we’ve established that she’s dated guys. But in terms of where she’s going now, she’s going to be dating a woman.” That’s four queer women on one primetime show on broadcast network television, which will set a new world record!
Scandal (ABC), September 24th, 9pm
Definitely number one on my list of “shows I’m obsessed with despite the lack of a lesbian character.”
Angel From Hell (CBS), November 5th, 9:30 PM
Lesbian actress Jane Lynch stars as the titular angel in this single-camera sitcom who has been watching over Allison Fuller (Maggie Lawson) since childhood. It’s not queer, but it does look hilarious and Jane Lynch deserves her own show, don’t you think? Jane plays a day-drinking guardian angel who intervenes in her person’s life when she finds out her jerk boyfriend is cheating on her with her best friend. Heather caught a screening of the pilot over the weekend and says it’s Jane Lynch and her Jane Lynch-iest: bawdy, cutting, and misanthropic (but in an endearing way).
*The Vampire Diaries Season Seven (The CW), October 8th, 8:00 PM
Teressa Laine will play Nora and Scarlett Byrne will play Mary Louise, described as “two girls who met in the 1900s where they had to be closeted, and they lived a closeted life and then basically sent away to the prison world, basically a day that repeats on a loop every single day, and they’re the only people in the world. They’re in a group of, like, five other people. And so they were in love on earth and then they sent to this prison world, which is a replication of this world but with no one else in it, and time stands still, basically. So then poof! in the finale of last season, they come out in this world and they’re happy—they’re like, ‘Oh thank god, we got out of there.”
Friday
*Transparent Season Two (Amazon), December 4th
Here is one of probably a few important things to know about this show when you set up a countdown clock on your mobile telephone: YOUR FAVORITE ACTRESS AND AUTOSTRADDLE/A-Camp SUPERSTAR BRITTANI NICHOLS HAS A THREE-EPISODE PART THIS SEASON! Also uh, this show is about a trans woman and basically every female on the show is queer.
*A.K.A. Jessica Jones (Netflix), November 20th
The first LGBT characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Trish Walker and Harper, will appear in this series, played by Rachael Taylor and Carrie-Ann Moss. Well, the first LGBT characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe if you don’t count the super shitty way Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. treated the two canonically queer book characters it brought onto the show to murder. ANYWAY, this is the new show Heather is most excited for, despite being burned by every comic book TV show in history when it comes to queer women.
*Master of None (Netflix), November 6th
Stand-up comic Lena Waithe will play Denise in this comedy series from comedian Aziz Ansari, who will play an aimless 30-year-old actor. Denise will be part of his friend group, and it wasn’t until the show’s team met Waithe that they decided to make the character a lesbian.
Saturday
*Survivor’s Remorse Season Two (Starz) – 9:30 pm
Survivor’s Remorse is four episodes into its second season, and it’s already been renewed for a third. The show follows the life Cam Calloway, a professional basketball player who brought his family along when he made it big in the NBA. His sister, M-Chuck, is an out-and-proud lesbian who refuses to hear homophobia from the church or from anyone in her family. She raised Cam as much as their mom did, so she feels more responsible for him than pretty much anyone else in his family. But that doesn’t mean her storylines focus only on him; she’s had a couple of girlfriends already!
Sunday
*Once Upon a Time Season Five (ABC), September 21, 8:00 pm
Jamie Chung is finally returning as Mulan this season. You’ll remember, of course, that the last time you saw her, she was making a face to indicate that she is a queer women in love with Aurora — and then she walked off the camera, never to be heard from again, like Dr. Erica Hahn from the days of yore and the Parking Lot of No Return on Grey’s Anatomy. It seems like Chung would be excited to explore Mulan’s latent lesbian leanings. She told E! she wanted Mulan to enjoy a full-blown romance to “sink [her] teeth into.” WELL THEN.
Quantico (ABC), September 27th, 10 PM
Pretty much every review of this show — which stars Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra as FBI recruit Alex Parrish — describes it of taking cues from the book of Shonda Rhimes. (Also, like Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder, the first season appears to feature a gay male character but no gay ladies to be seen). That being said; it’s a damn good formula.
*Home Fires (PBS), October 4th, 8pm
Who wants another “stuff women got up to while the men were at war” period drama? EVERYBODY HERE! This British show about the life of Women’s Institute members in rural Cheshire debuted on ITV and will have its turn on PBS this fall — and features a lesbian character, Teresa, the new girl in town, with her girlfriend, Connie, showing up in later episodes. Every time I look at the word “home fires” I think it says “home fries,” though.
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I fully respect your love of the Muppets. Although I did recently attempt to watch Muppets Most Wanted and couldn’t stick with it.
THANK YOU FOR THIS.
The AV Club recently did something similar, except each time they’d list the strengths and weaknesses of a particular show, I would just think “Okay, but get to the important part – is there a queer woman on it?!”
EXACTLY.
After reading about all these shows I still really just want Jane The Virgin to start up again ASAP.
ME TOO! I can’t believe how fast and wholly I fell in love with that show!
doesn’t kristen vangsness identify as queer?
I think so. She definitely doesn’t identify as lesbian and never has. On the podcast she did with AE she mentioned that she has a boyfriend.
fixed!
You seem to have forgotten Person Of Interest.
Its final season isn’t returning ’til 2016, as far as we know — so that’s why it’s not part of the Fall TV preview. That could change but as of yet it’s not scheduled for any fall television slots.
Oh okay. :) I was under the impression it started this fall haha. Never mind then :)
If only it WERE coming back in the fall. Siiiiigh. I miss that show.
Thanks for the excellent round-up!
One comment: given Ryan Murphy’s track record with lesbian characters and fans alike, one might well feel morally obligated to NOT watch “Scream Queens”.
Just sayin’…..
Exactly. 100% agree.
….a private pathologist???
Well, then.
The possibility of 4 QUEER WOMEN ON GREY’S ANATOMY!!
The possibility of COOKIE LYON BISEXUAL!!!!!
Marissa Tomei playing Bette Porter.
The return of bisexual “you gotta girl on the side, well so do I” Tiana.
A reoccurring lesbian character on Fresh Off the Boat.
I could do this list forever. Everything (except that which is made by Ryan Murphy) sounds so good!
Aaaaaaand….. MUPPPETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can’t wait. Can’t wait. Can’t wait.
Right? So promising! So much potential! Please don’t be disappointing !
Ahh Lily Rabe is back in AHS this season?! Yay!
How long is Rosewood? 1/2 hr or an hr? I’m trying to figure if it fits in my schedule lol.
Here’s hoping that we can also add “Blind Spot” to this list. A lady loving Lady Sif.
I am tempted to give OUAT one last chance since they are bringing back Mulan and we are getting Merida this season. I’m scared though.
You and me both. But bring back both Ruby and Mulan is too much for me to NOT consider starting up with that show again… if I can only get through season 4 first…
We’ll always have fanfiction…and tumblr.
There are a number of news stories today that there will be a LGBT romance of some sort on the show this season. Likely it will be Mulan + Merida, but possibly someone else as it’s been left pretty vague at the moment.
I want to believe, but they’ve hurt me before.
there’s so much here but i mostly wanted to say: 1. SO EXCITED for Aisha Tyler on Criminal Minds! 2. SO EXCITED for Priyanka Chopra on Quantico I love Priyanka Chopra I love her!!!
I’m really excited about Scream Queens despite my utter disdain for Emma Roberts. There’s enough other great folks in it (I mean JAMIE LEE CURTIS for crap’s sake! For a horror junkie like me it doesn’t get any better) and I don’t have the broken heart at Ryan Murphy since I never watched Glee and never have a clue what anyone’s talking about. I do watch American Horror Story and its best season had a lesbian protagonist who just happened to be the most interesting and compelling character the series has ever had AND she was the final girl, so I haven’t been hurt yet on how he represents queer women (in fact quite the opposite). So I imagine I’ll be disappointed very, very soon, and finally know what everyone means. Yay?
Also super-psyched for Fresh Off the Boat and returning to the Denim Turtle. I binge-viewed that show over the summer and that was one of the most delightful episodes.
Fresh off the boat was so good. I want expecting to like it that much
Aisha Tyler on Criminal Minds! I’m so excited!
Heather yes! That’s exactly how I feel about AKA Jessica Jones! I love Jessica Jones and I love Krysten Ritter and I think this show could be really really great and I’m hoping and praying so much that the queer ladies last for more than one season!
What I find interesting about them making Trish Walker AKA Hellcat queer in this is, what implications does it have for the new Hellcat series written by Kate Leth coming out in December?
Yeah! I’ve been wondering about that too! wouldn’t that be the coolest thing?!
Ehh, there’s not a lot here I’m hugely excited for. Lots of bit parts and maybes. The spring/summer season has lesbian and bi characters who are integral to and dominate their shows in leading roles, Orphan Black, OITNB, PLL, Person Of Interest, and few of these shows compare to that.
The show I’m most excited for is Jessica Jones as well. Netflix quality and kickass lady heroes! Grey’s was pretty much ruined for me when they made Arizona a cheater, but I’ll give it a look this season to see if enough time has passed to enjoy it again.
Yas Home Fires! Fill the hole in my heart left by Bomb Girls! DOOO IIIIIIIIIITTT!
Disney Princess Kate and Betty 4Eva.
Also, let us not forget the flawlessness of Vera.
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I am most excited about Downton Abbey, not gonna lie. I think it’s a show popular with queer ladies, right? We have a small army of queer ladies who watch together while drinking tea and eating Victoria sponge anyway. And I can tell you we are all very excited.
It should be on the list, maybe?
black-ish returns Wednesday, September 23, at 9:30 PM ET/PT on ABC. No word if Raven will return as Dre’s lesbian sister, but it’s another show whose second season I’m excited for.
i wish i had bravo for julie & brandy. and yes there IS a huge gaping hole left by in your box office. that was a good series :)
Alsoalsoalso steven universe!!
The only new show I’m excited for is Scream Queens. Yay for returning shows, Mindy Project, Empire and Scandal. Must catch up on Transparent and Faking It.
Lost Girl!
Ray Donovan!
Maybe they’ll put a gay lady on You’re the Worst (you hear that universe??).
So excited for the return of Thursday Shonday. It’s Wall to wall Shonda Rhimes at the CSD household.
PS: I miss Dr Hahn too. We’ll always have the “glasses” scene *sigh*
Besides that I will be watching:
Monday: super girl, jane the virgin
Tuesday: fresh off the boat, the people’s couch
Wednesday: empire
No queer women (yet), but How To Get Away With Murder will be back soon and I’m hopeful, despite the terrible treatment of its only bisexual character last season.
Home Fires promo pic looks like a classic lesbian version of Where’s Wally.
Of the possibles I think Teresa is
A, lass on bike
B, lass in wellies assuming the outdoorsy rule applies in the majority of cases or
C, Agent Carter looky likey in brown skirt suit.
I plump for C as she looks bossy and I have a weakness for bossy.
America has their own version of Gogglebox!! (Gogglebox is the UK ‘The Nations Couch’ or whatever you’ve called it.) I love love love it, but have a habit of ringing my mum while its on (‘Caitlin, seriously, i wont speak to you when Gogglebox is on.’) Any other Brits want to croon over Leon and June with me. <3 Although, now I think about it they don't have any queer women that i know of. But the regional accents make me feel all safe and warm.
No offense but this is so pale
And, why, why doesn’t anyone ever cast two queer black people together? Why do they have to date a white person every time? It’s really invalidating, as if our queer is only considered possible if we date white. Black people are not inherently heterosexual. It’s possible to be gay and still date another brown person. There are a lot of us. We are capable of loving each other and we do it all the time. It’s time to show it.
I won’t be watching any of these tbh
It’s actually legitimately bonkers. Somebody did an actual analysis of this — I can’t remember where I read it, though — and on television, interracial relationships are infinitely more popular amongst same-sex couples than opposite-sex couples. It’s like so weird for the white male powers-that-be to imagine two girls together that without one of them also being white their entire head explodes.
Reminds of that idea homosexuality is the white man’s sickness or a Western sickness.
Still it’s a bit amusing there’s any inter-racial couple is over-represented in some category. I say this a someone who’s been a part of an interracial couple and had experiences of people thinking totes not a couple. Why would we be? No body like us they could think of.
Right, it’s a weird idea to discuss in the context of ‘over-representation’ — because on the one hand, it’s actually awesome that so many white women are in relationships with women of color on television. but what’s not awesome is that it happens at the expense of two women of color of the same race ever actually dating each other.
Yep.
I remember the first time I went to a Pride thing at club and there was this femme Glamazon dancing and doing that slow dancing hugging with sweet little kisses thing with her petite butch Latin@ partner who in a 40’s style sort of outfit that I wanted to steal.
There just was so much representation across the board that night with no fighting just everybody grooving.
It made me wonder why isn’t there anything like their life being represented or am I just missing it.
But no, apparently not with what you’re saying.
Kju I’m sorry the tv world is stupid and treats you like you don’t exist outside the scope of a white person, it’s ridiculous and shitty.
Things should change, everyone should start calling for it.
i mean, as far as i know (and i haven’t seen EVERY show ever, but i’ve seen a lot of them):
white women w/ women of color:
Bette & Tina – The L Word
Tiana & India – Empire
Emily & Paige – PLL
Emily & Sara – PLL
Emily & Samara – PLL
Santana & Brittany – Glee
Amanita & Nomi – Sense8
Willow & Kennedy – Buffy
Tara & Pippy – Rosewood
Rose & Luisa – Jane the Virgin
Amy & Reagan – Faking It
Ramona & Elizabeth – AHS: Hotel
Callie & Arizona – Grey’s Anatomy
Jean & Deborah – The Mindy Project
Carolyn & Alice – Under the Dome
Alex & Paige – Degrassi
Kalinda & Donna – The Good Wife
Kalinda & Sophia – The Good Wife
Kalinda & Lana – The Good Wife
Kay & Hailey – Marry Me
Jack & Imogen – Degrassi
Lena & Stef – The Fosters
Suzanne & Maureen – Orange is the New Black
Poussey & Franziska – Orange is the New Black
Renee Montoya & Barbara Kean – Gotham
Shana & Jenna – PLL
Root & Shaw – Person of Interest
Tara & Naomi – True Blood
Tara & Pam – True Blood
Kate & Caroline – Last Tango in Halifax
Alice & Tasha – The L Word
Shane & Carmen – The L Word
Jenny & Carmen – The L Word
Papi & Gabby – The L Word
Bette & Jodi – The L Word
Nyssa & Sara – Arrow
Tess & Fin – Lip Service
Julie & Nikki – The Returned
Sugar & Kim – Sugar Rush
black lesbian couples:
Kima & Cheryl – The Wire
Sophia & Crystal – OITNB (kinda, their romantic relationship seems to be over by the time the show starts)
Bette & Candace – The L Word (kinda, it was a fling)
latina couples:
Camilla & Jocelyn – East Los High
Santana & Dani – Glee
Emily & Lucy – The Bridge
Natalie & Hillary – Switched at Birth
interracial couples where both women are of color
Emily & Maya – PLL
Poussey & Soso – OITNB (alluded to)
Emily & Talia – PLL
Dayum.
So that couple I saw, unless one of them was Afro-Latin@ and we’re just counting her as Latin@, their grouping as an interracial couple of colour’s TV representation is that of about 2.5 to what ever number that is over 12 (possibly 20) of white partnered interracial queer lady relationship.
Get meta with those lists and think about how many queer women of colour exist in the world that aren’t being represented
Brick meet brain.
Omg, seeing this laid out reminds me how much I used to internalized my queerness only being validated when I’m dating a white girl. To be attractive I had to have white women find me attractive. Practicing a double standard where a white girl can be mediocre but other women of color (especially Black women) had to be near perfection because for me to participate in predominantly white queer spaces, I had to be operating at a near perfection level.
Narrow Queer representation like that added to that mess into my budding queer baby gay days, now I’m different, grown and it is important that all relationships are represented. To see representation of two WOC dating and loving each other is radical and essential for me in decolonizing my queerness.
In the famous words of Kevin G, “Not to hurt your feelings but I only date women of color.” It’s liberating and my practice of self-love.
holy shit
A.K.A. Jessica Jones and Supergirl are on my list, but it seems I will have to wait to 2016 for my main shows: Person of Interest, The 100 and The X-Files revival.
Gillian Anderson and Lucy Lawless are kind of a religion for me, I can watch any crap they’re on (for example Hannibal), I don’t care what the show is about.
By the way, about Lucy Lawless, not a line about Ash vs. Evil Dead? That show is out on October 31. It doesn’t seem to have any queer content, but come on, it’s Lucy Lawless, the possibility is always there when she’s around.
About Supergirl, i might be alone in this but watching Kara and Lucy interact my thought process was “Jimmy, leave now. The baes need to be together.”