Olle Lindholm

Pride shows

In honour of Stockholm Pride, I want to share some good shows on the subject.

Watching LGBTQ+ characters on the screen has given me courage to live more openly. I hope these gems can inspire you as much as they've inspired me. Or, at the very least, start a meaningful discussion with friends and family.

Happy Pride and enjoy watching!

Pride moments

Soap operas and teen dramas paved the way for LGBTQ+ representation in the mainstream media.

First, there was the Dawson's Creek gay kiss in 2000, not to mention Ian and Teddy's kiss on Beverly Hills ten years later.

Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis led to the first male-male wedding in US daytime drama history and the first Days of Our Lives same-sex supercouple.

Yes, these initial portrayals were awkward and the motivation was probably to increase screen ratings. But still, as a young teenager, those moments mattered.

The romance between Matthew Rhys and Luke Macfarlene on Brothers & Sisters (2006) remains an all-time favourite; it felt more wholesome and realistic, much less forced compared to previous screen representations. The two actors did a phenomenal job.

Other, perhaps more serious, pride favourites include:

Swedish pride

Closer to home, the Swedish show Torka aldrig tårar utan handskar (2012, English: Don't Ever Wipe Tears without Gloves) has a special place in my heart. A special shout out to the actors Adam Lundgren and Adam Pålsson for doing this show justice. It remains one of my favourite Swedish gay shows out there. The show was based on a book trilogy, written by Swedish gay icon Jonas Gardell.

Pride drama

In recent years, we've been blessed with some truly great shows.

On top of my list stands Fellow Travellers, which star Matthew Bomer and Jonathan Bailey. It follows their romantic relationship during the Lavender Scare. The show ticks most boxes for me: entertaining, educational, emotional, great acting and so on. If you like Jonathan Bailey as much as I do, then the show Crashing (2016) is another must watch.

Man in an Orange shirt (2017) is a two-part British television movie, produced by the BBC. The film tells three love stories from two generations of a family, in the 1940s and in 2017. It's a really good show!

Another highlight is the 2014 American comedy-drama television series Looking, where we see Jonathan Groff and Murray Bartlett in leading roles. We follow the lives of three gay men in San Francisco and their personal relationships.

I must of course mention Queer Eye (2018), which offers transformation, hope, and a whole lot of love. (I also watched the earlier version of the show Fab Five (2003) when I was younger.) Who doesn't want to have the support of a bunch of Fab Five experts?

Pride (2014) and Prose (2018) are two special shows well worth a watch. I also really liked Our Flag Means Death (2022), which unfortunately got cancelled after two seasons.

Other feel-good movies include Love, Simon (2018), Heartstopper (2022), and the latest sensation Heated Rivalry (2025).

Pride sports

Heated Rivalry (2025) makes my younger teenage self so happy. It centers around two hockey players falling in love. Hopefully, this show can boost LGBTQ+ representation in team sports, but I doubt it will happen anytime soon. Social change takes time. At least, it's a step in the right direction.

Pride watchlist

I've got the following shows on my radar:

See this list from Out TV and Letterboxd for more recommendations.

Where to watch LGBTQ+ shows?

It's difficult to stream or access some films and TV shows. If you're in Sweden, the Swedish broadcaster SVT and the public library service Cineasterna have a very good offering, especially around Pride month.

Related: Check out the article Pride books for tips on LGBTQ+ literature.

Note: This is a first draft, and I'll update it to include more recommendations and tips for LGBTQ+ films and TV shows as I learn about them. Please contact me if you have any favourites you want me to add to my watchlist. :)

#LGBTQ