Best of the decade: What were the top 10 LGBTQ+ shows of the 2010s?

Orange Is the New Black (Netflix, 2013-2019)

One of the first Netflix originals that helped put the streaming service on the map, Orange Is the New Black is based on the real memoir of a woman and her experiences living in a minimum-security federal prison. The show has gone on to become Netflix’s most-watched original series and focuses on a group of women living together in a federal prison. The series featured many queer characters, including Laverne Cox’s Sophia Burset, one of the first instances of a trans actress playing a trans character on television.

Main LGBTQ+ characters included Taylor Schilling’s Piper Chapman, Laura Prepon’s Alex Vause, Samira Wiley’s Poussey Washington, and Lea DeLauria’s “Big Boo.” OITNB was known for giving extensive backstories to the inmates that would simultaneously shed light on relationships as well as a sort of road map leading up to the character’s incarceration. It stressed the realities of what it’s like for women in prison, the harassment and sometimes cruel treatment they have to put up with from each other as well as prison officials. The series struck a chord with it’s rich characterization of these women who never let each other give up hope, even in the most horrendous of situations.

The enduring legacy of OITNB is one of sisterhood and acceptance. Everyone didn’t always get along, but they usually had each other’s backs against the prison guards. They tried to help each other out with as much as they could, even when possessions ran low. They found comfort in each other’s arms and hearts, and will be remembered as one of the best television series to have a (mostly) all-female cast.