Streaming Queer: February 2023
February is a month of love and following your heart. Its streaming offering invites us to reconnect with some beloved queer characters, and find our way to magical places far and wide — into an adaptation of "Elite" that takes place in India; creating porn based on Cara Delevingne's sexual fantasies; following a young girl traveling the world's oceans alone; and spending time with a group of Black women living it up in Harlem.
"Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" Season 2
This colorful, joyous Disney+ reboot lives up to its name. "Louder and Prouder" has all the spirit of the beloved original, with even more inclusivity and explicit queerness, including gay dads! Michael Collins (voiced by EJ Johnson), one of Penny's prominently featured friends, is gender nonconforming, incredibly fashionable, and openly queer.
"Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" Season 2 premieres February 1 on Disney+
"Gunther's Millions"
This film is not queer, but it is very camp! "Gunther's Millions" is a documentary about "the $400 million dollar dog" who inherited wealth from his owner, who was a Countess. Gunther is living a life more lavish than we could ever dream of. It's a film about the building of his empire, and the drama and deception that ensues (Madonna's mansion! Cult-like monitoring! Conspiracy theories questioning whether the Countess ever existed! Cloned dogs???) with the humans — his employees — who are tasked with making that all happen.
"Gunther's Millions" premieres February 1 on Netflix.
"True Spirit"
"True Spirit" is a film based on the emotional, inspiring true story of Jessica Watson, who embarked on a journey to be the youngest person to sail around the world — nonstop, by herself. She vlogs her travels, struggles with dyslexia, and calls her parents for support when she needs it most. Her mom is played by out queer actress Anna Paquin ("True Blood," "Flack").
"True Spirit" premieres February 3 on Netflix.
"Harlem" Season 2
The first season of this fantastic show, focused on the careers and dating lives of a close friend group of Black women, already featured the escapades of one queer main character, Tye (Jerrie Johnson). At the end of the season, one of the other women (Quinn, played by Grace Byers) began falling for a female friend, and she's been enthusiastic about her queerness since the awakening to this new side of herself. "Harlem" is hilarious, flirtatious, and each episode delivers profound cultural commentary. Legendary comedian Whoopi Goldberg also guest stars as Camille's (Meagan Good) professor.
"Harlem" Season 2 premieres February 3 on Prime Video.
"Class"
"Class" is Netflix's glamorous adaptation of its hit teen murder drama "Elite," now set in India with a gorgeous local cast. There's no evidence of queerness in the trailer but with the success the original show saw from including hot gay characters stirring up secrets and boldly enjoying each other's bodies, it's very likely there will be some queer drama.
"Class" premieres February 3 on Netflix.
"Somebody I Used to Know"
This heartfelt comedy, written by married comedy couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco, stars Brie as Ally, a woman who goes back to her hometown and ends up rekindling a charming but problematic romantic relationship with Sean, her ex from 10 years ago. Queer actor Kiersey Clemons plays Sean's (surprise!) wife-to-be, Cassidy, who strikes up a passionate connection with Ally that seems to create a bisexual twist in the film.
"Somebody I Used to Know" premieres February 10 on Prime Video.
"Your Place or Mine"
In "Your Place or Mine," we have the delightful chance to watch a friends-to-lovers second chance romance bloom via house-swap à la "The Holiday." Peter (Ashton Kutcher) and Debbie (Reese Witherspoon) have been best friends for 20 years. They spent the night together when they first met, but never again. It takes advice from friends, going on dates with other people, and living in each other's worlds to realize there's potential for real romantic love between them. Queer comedian Tig Notaro has a supporting role in the romcom, and out actor Griffin Matthews ("The Flight Attendant) is among the cast.
"Your Place Or Mine" premieres February 10 on Netflix.
"Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne"
This Valentine's Day brings unfiltered adventures with queer model and actress Cara Delevingne. She's made this docu-series traveling the world and meeting people who help her explore questions of human nature, desire, and sexuality, telling the camera that this is the first time she's going to talk about her sex life. "I love men," she begins, "But oh, I love women... and everyone else!" Delevingne attends a women-only sex party, experiences a body of a different gender through virtual reality, meets intersex and trans people who share their stories, and helps create a porn film based on her fantasies. Better buckle up!
"Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne" premieres February 14 on Hulu.
"Sharper"
"Let me give you a piece of advice: If you're gonna steal, steal a lot." The trailer for "Sharper" opens with this intriguing line, set to the opening chimes of Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" suddenly sounding more chilling than cute. That should be more than enough to get you hooked, but we'll give you some more. This family-focused psychological thriller stars queer actor Justice Smith alongside Julianne Moore, John Lithgow, and Sebastian Stan. Is it a scammer drama? Is it a twisted billionaire family game? Perhaps it's both, but it certainly is dark and sinister.
"Sharper" premieres February 17 on AppleTV+.
"Bel Air" Season 2"
The "Fresh Prince" reboot is every bit as stylish, slick, and entertaining as the original. This season looks like it will show more of the younger sister, Ashley Banks (Akira Akbar), who was revealed (casually, and with warm grace through a conversation with her older sister, played by Coco Jones) to be crushing on a girl and questioning her sexuality in the first season. The trailer features a scene where the original show's Ashley Banks (Tatyana Ali) makes a cameo appearance to fiercely tell the young woman to "Never ever let anyone try to change you." We can't wait to see where Ashley's story goes with this encouragement.
"Bel Air" season 2 premieres February 23 on Peacock.
"Grey's Anatomy" Season 19
The long-running medical drama returns from winter break to complete its 19th season. This season introduced its new main cast of interns; Queer actors Midori Francis ("The Sex Lives of College Girls") and Adelaide Kane ("Reign") among them. Amidst a hospital full of life-threatening and emotional drama, "Grey's" also continues to tell the stories of its longstanding queer side characters. This winter premiere is when we'll start saying our goodbyes to Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), who is leaving the show.
"Grey's Anatomy" returns February 23 on Hulu.
"The Consultant"
The tense, chilling corporate thriller follows the effects of introducing business consultant Regus Patoff (Christoph Waltz), into a company. His extreme efforts to "improve the business" push ethical limits, creating a stressful race not only for the employees to keep their jobs, but to survive the horrors. The series stars Brittany O'Grady ("The While Lotus") and Nat Wolff, while also listing trans actor Sydney Mae Diaz ("Genera+ion") among its main cast.
"The Consultant" premieres February 24 on Prime Video.
Also in Entertainment