You’re sitting in front of your TV or laptop, watching a series and witnessing sparks between two characters, but nothing happens between them. Countless misunderstandable situations, conversations and hugs are regular, but not even a kiss, not ever. We can’t help but wonder why?
Quite possibly because both of them are women. Meanwhile, it’s obvious that if one of them were male, they would have gotten together like 3 seasons ago. The big American cable TVs - although they are progressing - are mostly taking it one minor mandatory LGBTQ+ character at a time. So we’re left with reading between the lines, dreaming about the day when someone finally has the guts to show the happy ending of two women on prime time.
Let’s take a look at some of the examples of missed connections in the world of TV series:
Emma and Regina - Once upon a time
I’ll have to be honest, I only followed the series until its third season, but to this day I think it was one of the biggest missed opportunities ever to not make the two main characters Emma and Regina a pair. The series starts with Henry who is the son of both Emma and Regina. Emma is the biological mother and Regina adopted Henry after his birth. The two women are raising the boy jointly in a small town where sometimes supernatural things occur. Sadly, ABC Channel is not known for screening same-sex couples on prime time. Fortunately, this never stopped fans to share their own theories and conceptions. The show has already ended, but the LGBTQ+ community carries on its legacy.
Beca and Chloe - Pitch Perfect
I am personally offended by the fact that I had to see Beca Mitchell and Chloe Beale as straight protagonists for three whole movies. Even the first movie had a scene that made the whole LGBTQ+ community of the internet beg the creators to stop queerbaiting us and just make them a couple already. Perhaps it’s not a spoiler: this did not happen. Anna Kendrick has brilliant and undeniable chemistry with the ladies, so the missed potential is hard to understand. Some moments of the film show that the creators did play along with the thought of it, but they never made real progress, so we’re left with hetero romances and fanfictions.
Kara and Lena - Supergirl
In case you’ve read my Supergirl recommendation or my article about fanfiction, you probably know what’s coming. The CW Channel’s show that’s based on DC comics is about Kara Danvers (Supergirl) saving the world from the evil aliens along with her sister, the lesbian DEO agent. Kara’s previous two romantic relationships were with men, and while one of them definitely had questionable morals, none of those relationships could be considered healthy. On the contrary Lena Luthor, Kara’s best friend has never had a chance at a romantic storyline. The two actresses have sparks in almost every scene, Luthor’s character floods Kara’s office with roses one time, and - as you can see on the gif below - Supergirl sometimes carries Miss Luthor to the balcony of her office. The series could possibly have a chance at taking a 180 degree-turn and make Supergirl become lesbian, so I’m not giving up hope.
Mulan
Although it might not fit perfectly with the series theme, Mulan is undeniably the most badass, the bravest and the smartest classic Disney princess, who never sits around waiting for the knight in shining armor to save her from any situation. She takes control and stands on her own two feet in a world dominated by men, and miraculously saves all of China from the huns. In the currently 20(!)-year-old cartoon, this girl has the guts to say that she won’t listen to men, and while her fellow soldiers chase after flirty ladies, she talks about women who have their own opinion. To make it even better, the creators made one of the ancestors’ grandchild to be a transvestite (this movie is fantastic). Not to brag, but Mulan even says the sentence “I never want to see a naked man again”. I’m not saying that every spirited leading lady should be a lesbian, but with this one, it would have made me feel better to see her live happily ever after with a girl, and not a commander who’s incapable of expressing emotion.
Translated by Éva Csermendy
