In This Year - 2020

An overview of queer events that occurred in 2020.

Deltas compare against 2019

2020 in review

1,117 queer characters on air, 164 premieres, and 37 we lost.

2020 has 1,117 queer characters on air across 544 shows, up 12 from 2019. 164 series premiered and 178 wrapped, while we lost 37.

Veneno
Veneno
01

The shape of the year

Click a metric to explore it

544 shows this year

New 164 Continuing 202 Canceled 178

2010–2020

Characters on air

1,117 in 2020
2010 2020

By role type

Regular581
Recurring344
Guest214
  • In two or more shows 20
  • Debuting this year 603
  • Non-binary characters 28
All characters on air →

2010–2020

Characters we lost

58 in 2020
2010 2018 2020

2010–2020

Shows on air

544 in 2020
2010 2018 2020

By country of origin

USA332
United Kingdom59
Canada24
Germany24
Japan23
Other102
All shows on air →

2010–2020

New shows

164 in 2020
2010 2019 2020

By format

TV Show128
Mini-Series17
Web Series14
TV Movie5
All new shows →

2010–2020

Shows that ended

178 in 2020
2010 2020

Longest runs that ended

Lindenstraße35
Malhação25
Will & Grace22
Scrubs19
Little Britain17
Red vs. Blue17
All canceled shows →

The 37 we lost

Full death statistics →

Placed on the calendar year, grouped by month.

4
3
2
3
4
7
3
4
3
3
02

Where it came from

Where the shows come from

All 544 shows on air, by country of origin.

USA332
United Kingdom59
Canada24
Germany24
Japan23
Other102
All countries →

Formats and roles

What kind of shows, and how central the characters are in them.

Formats

TV Show485
Web Series35
Mini-Series19
TV Movie5

Roles

Regular581
Recurring344
Guest214
03

Standouts

Biggest premiere

Veneno

A Mini-Series from Spain with 16 queer characters, the most of any new show this year.

Leading nation

USA

100 of this year's new shows come from USA, more than any other country.

Longest-running character we lost

Tina Carter

On air since 2013 on EastEnders (for a total of 9 years), the longest tenure of anyone we lost this year.

Biggest ensemble

The L Word: Generation Q

21 queer characters on air at once, the largest cast of any show this year.

Ended this year

Lindenstraße

On air 1985–2020, after 35 years it was the longest-running show to end this year.

Busiest actor

Vico Ortiz

Playing 4 queer roles on air this year.