2026 in review
284 queer characters on air, 25 premieres, and 8 we lost.
2026 has 284 queer characters on air across 196 shows, down 87 from 2025. 25 series premiered and 36 wrapped, while we lost 8.
The shape of the year
Click a metric to explore itBy role type
- In two or more shows 15
- Debuting this year 133
- Non-binary characters 12
Who we lost
- Ava Mar 2
- Amanda Wagner Apr 15
- Zee May 11
- Rue Bennett May 31
- Fatima Stevens Jun 28
- Marielle Sinclair Jun 28
- Shelia Drury Aug 7
- Korra Oct 9
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 17 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
17 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 October 26, 2026 at 10:25 PM ET.
