What’s New in Queer TV #5: Young Millionaires, In The Mud, Fit for TV
Casual gay representation in a French teen drama, lesbian couples in prison & the two infamous Biggest Loser queer trainers
Welcome to the weekly post where I discuss new additions to my 2025 queer streaming guide.
Aurelie Chazal
Disclaimer: All the shows listed below came out about one month ago because I've noticed that's how long it usually takes me to be able to confidently verify whether a show has queer representation. I'm not able to watch everything, but I'll only include shows that have proven queer characters as verified online through reputable sources.
Young Millionaires • Season 1
Queer-o-meter: 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
In the first episode, David, one of the guys in the friend group, hooks up with a guy when they go to a club to party. His sexuality is not really commented on, and the friend group seems very accepting of him. He's also a pretty average guy who fits none of the usual gay stereotypes, which makes the representation surprisingly refreshing.
My thoughts on it: I only saw the first episode of the show, so my opinion might change, but it's a really fun watch so far. Every character is multidimensional and built to fight stereotypes. It's done subtly, and the show seems more concerned with building a strong story than passing a message, which I really appreciate.
In The Mud • Season 1
Queer-o-meter: 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
The show features a lot of lesbian inmates making out within the prison. It also has a more focused storyline featuring a lesbian couple, but it seems to be more secondary. In episode 1, one of the inmates is introduced to a trans inmate named Coco Viridi who acts as the prison's councelor.
My thoughts on it: I haven't seen this one yet, but it sounds very similar to Orange is the New Black. What I mean by that is that it's set in a women's prison, and there is a lot of lesbian action happening. I found reviews that mentioned the lesbian couples are relegated to the background and used to fuel a porn content storyline, so proceed with some caution.
Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser • Season 1
Queer-o-meter: 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
The documentary features interviews with trainer Bob Harper, who is openly gay. It also features clips of his co-star Jillian Michaels, who is a lesbian, even though she refused to participate in the series. Their sexuality is not explicitly addressed within the documentary, as it's not the focus of the show. It's also worth noting that Jillian is a pretty despicable person with multiple controversies under her belt. Bob doesn't come off very likable from the documentary either, as he doesn't seem to regret his actions on the show.
My thoughts on it: Listen, there have to be some terrible queer people out there. Not all of us can be kind and respectful to others. Jillian is one of those awful people who also happen to be queer. Bob is not great either, and he really comes off as a self-absorbed prick in the show, but I don't think it's fair to put him on the same level as Jillian. All of this to say, don't watch the show for the queer representation. Watch it because of the former contestants and the story they tell. You can read more of my thoughts on the show here.
I also write a weekly newsletter on Substack, sharing pop culture news and a round-up of new shows (queer and not) I've watched during the week. You can see examples of some of my posts throughout this guide 😃
