Since Amazon didn’t add any LGBTQ+ representation to the new adaption of Lord of the Rings, I’ve brought three series which are also available on Amazon Prime but have plenty of representation.
Among all the streaming services, Prime takes the least off my bank card and the content offered is surprisingly plentiful. In the last few years, among their own original productions The Boys was the biggest success. It basically represents superheroes, not in their Marvel-sense, but in their narcissistic and divine do-everything nature, which is refreshing after Disney. Later I’ll talk a little more about that, but first two other series to consider for the rainy November weekends.
Harlan Coben’s Shelter
Years ago, a series called UnReal starring Shiri Appleby and Constance Zimmer aired, and my entire tumblr, well the part of the internet I moved around on (read: lesbian), agreed that it was a missed opportunity not to pair the two main characters. So, practically since 2018, I’ve been waiting for Constance Zimmer to appear in an LGBTQ+ role. Finally, it has happened! Let all my dreams come true like that! The story takes place in New Jersey and is about the local teenagers trying to find their missing classmate, while at the same time finding out strange things about the death of the main character’s father. The story is at times slow and doesn’t build up enough, and sometimes too much is left unknown. But the characters are good and there is a lot of good LGBTQ+ representation. The last part ties everything together. Overall, Constance Zimmer is worth a watch, and if you like mystery teen adventure series, this is for you.
Class of ‘07
This Australian comedy series found me completely by accident, but I wasn’t disappointed. The basic story starts with a class reunion organized by a Catholic girls-school on a hilltop. Why is this important? At the end of the meeting, the world is filled with floodwater and the participants survive because the top of the hill is sticking out of the water. From then on, it’s a post-apocalyptic survival series with an all-girls cast and teenage emotions. The idea is not so original, but the execution is excellent. Since there is no outside enemy, for example, zombies, the series is built completely on the characters, their relationships, and their teenage and adult coping mechanisms. It’s hilariously funny. The main character, portrayed by Emily Browning (from American Gods), isn’t exactly the best character, but, overall, the characters fit well together. My absolute favorite is the American exchange student who comes back to the reunion after spending one year at the school as a freshman. It’s 8 parts of entertainment. You could even finish it in an afternoon, a super Sunday program.
Gen V
This is the university version of The Boys universe which was previously mentioned in the introduction. It’s worthwhile to watch The Boys for a more nuanced understanding of the story and to see the characters, but it’s not a prerequisite to be able to follow this series. The basic idea is that a company can use a special material to “manufacture” babies into superhumans, who then live scattered around the world, either acting as superheroes or making a profit for the company itself in some way. The Gen V characters are younger than in the original series: they are students at Godolkin University. The main character Marie Moreau comes from an orphanage to the university, where she suddenly finds herself surrounded by a group of young LGBTQ+ superheroes, including Ambrose from Netflix’s Sabrina, and they are on to reveal the school’s secrets. The story is basically well put together and the characters are very good and complex. The imagery is sometimes stomach-turning, but this is necessary to build complexity. If you’re bored of Marvel superheroes and want something different, it’s the perfect choice.
Translated by Amy Soto
