2026 in review
199 queer characters on air, 14 premieres, and 5 we lost.
2026 has 199 queer characters on air across 181 shows, down 135 from 2025. 14 series premiered and 26 wrapped, while we lost 5.
The shape of the year
Click a metric to explore itBy role type
- In two or more shows 14
- Debuting this year 63
- Non-binary characters 12
Who we lost
- Ava Mar 2
- Amanda Wagner Apr 15
- Rue Bennett May 31
- Fatima Stevens Jun 28
- Marielle Sinclair Jun 28
By country of origin
All shows on air →By format
All new shows →Longest runs that ended
All canceled shows →Where it came from
Formats and roles
What kind of shows, and how central the characters are in them.
Formats
Roles
Standouts
Biggest premiere
A Mini-Series from Thailand with 15 queer characters, the most of any new show this year.
Longest-running character we lost
On air since 2019 on Euphoria (for a total of 5 years), the longest tenure of anyone we lost this year.
Biggest ensemble
15 queer characters on air at once, the largest cast of any show this year.
Ended this year
On air 2002–2026, after 24 years it was the longest-running show to end this year.
This year is still in progress, and data will change as we continue to document everything. Last recalculated August 12, 2026 at 1:15 PM ET.