10 queer shows that stood out in 2024: 'Hacks,' 'Baby Reindeer,' 'Ripley,' 'Somebody Somewhere' and more

From limited series like “Baby Reindeer” and “Ripley” to the final season of “Somebody Somewhere,” the best queer-inclusive TV moments of 2024 got viewers talking.

From limited series such as “Baby Reindeer” and “Ripley” to the final season of “Somebody Somewhere,” the best queer-inclusive television moments of 2024 were the ones that got viewers talking. Below is a list of 10 stand-out, small-screen titles (in alphabetical order) that sparked conversations in front of TV sets and online this year.

Richard Gadd as Donny and Jessica Gunning as Martha in "Baby Reindeer."Ed Miller / NetflixRichard Gadd’s “Baby Reindeer,” an autobiographical miniseries inspired by Gadd’s alleged experiences with a female stalker and sexual assault, became a source of public fascination after premiering this spring. The confronting Netflix series — which stars Gadd as a fictionalized version of himself, Jessica Gunning as his stalker, and Nava Mau as his love interest — received rave reviews upon its release, but it also sparked a wave of speculation about the identity of Gadd’s male abuser and a defamation suit. Luckily, the controversy, which has been mostly put to bed since the series’ six Emmy wins and numerous other nominations, never overshadowed the acclaim, ensuring “Baby Reindeer” will be remembered as one of the year’s best TV titles.

Julio Torres in "Fantasmas."HBOPlucked from the one-of-a-kind mind of Julio Torres, “Fantasmas” was the most brilliantly mind-boggling show of 2024. Featuring a string of amusing vignettes set in a semi-dystopian world and starring a who’s who of queer actors and creatives who circulate in Torres’ orbit — from visual artist Martine Gutierrez to pop culture icons such as Kim Petras, Bowen Yang and Julia Fox — the surreal HBO series took a while to catch on. But as is customary for a Torres production, it eventually became a favorite among critics who are now singing its praises in the year’s “best of” lists, hoping to generate a similar enthusiasm among audiences.

Hannah Einbinder, left, and Jean Smart in "Hacks."HBORarely do shows pick up steam as the seasons go on, but “Hacks” seems determined to buck that trend, delivering its best season yet in 2024. The key to the Max series’ success has been evolving the dynamic between its protagonists — a legendary Las Vegas comedian played by Jean Smart and her twentysomething writing partner played by Hannah Einbinder — while handing its peripheral characters substantial, but often laughable, storylines. In the acclaimed third season, which won this year’s Emmy for outstanding comedy series, the two comedians find themselves on fairly equal footing, resulting in an abundance of verbal sparring and backhanded high jinks that will be hard to top when the show returns for season four.  

Jacob Anderson as Louis De Point Du Lac in "Interview With the Vampire."Larry Horricks / AMCAfter its debut season featured dewy mid-air sex and an erotic, sky-high lovers’ quarrel, the second chapter of AMC’s “Interview With the Vampire,” starring Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid as Louis and Lestat, faced lofty expectations. But thanks to a healthy infusion of humor — and the sultry love triangle among Louis, Lestat and Assad Zaman’s Arman, who runs the campy Théâtre des Vampires — the show, based on the novels of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles series, delivered. This time around, even critics were convinced, joining in with libidinous fans to praise the blood-sucking second season, which was recently nominated for two Critics Choice Awards after being largely snubbed by voting bodies last year.

https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-pop-culture/queer-shows-2024-tv-series-review-rcna185231

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