These endings are always bittersweet.
(L-R) Heartstopper; Wynonna Earp; Looking
Netflix; HBOWho needs a final season when you can have a movie?
Heartstopper fans were recently surprised by the news that the beloved Netflix teen romance show will not have a full fourth season, but will instead end with a movie finale. According to Netflix's blog, Tudum, the movie will pick up right after the end of season 3.
A lot of queer shows simply get canceled and are left with unresolved storylines. Many times, this happens after just one or two seasons. There are, obviously, some shows that do get a second chance and are revived by other networks based on fan demand. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen as often as we'd like.
Not only do fans know how often queer shows get canceled on networks and streaming services, but audiences have also been following along as certain LGBTQ+ shows wrap up their storylines in a movie, two-episode special, or similar formats.
Scroll through to learn about seven TV shows centered on queer people — and/or of queer interest — that ended with a movie.
'Heartstopper'
After season 3 of Heartstopper saw Nick and Charlie take their relationship to the next level, the newly announced movie will follow them as they continue to grow.
"Nick and Charlie are inseparable, but with Nick preparing to leave for university and Charlie finding new independence at school, the reality of a long-distance relationship begins to weigh on them. Doubts take hold, and their relationship faces its biggest challenge yet. Meanwhile, their friends are also navigating the ups and downs of love and friendship, confronting the bittersweet challenges of growing up and moving on," the film's official logline reads. "Can first loves really last forever?
Filming begins on the Heartstopper movie in the summer of 2025.
Streaming on Netflix.
'Looking'
Michael Lannan's groundbreaking series about a group of gay men livng in San Francisco starred Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Alvarez, Murray Bartlett, Russell Tovey, and Raúl Castillo, and only lasted for two seasons on HBO. the show returned with Looking: The Movie in 2016, which picks up eleven months after the final episode.
Streaming on Max.
'Sense8'
This trippy and sexy sci-fi series, created by the Wachowskis for Netflix, ran for two seasons, following a group of eight strangers around the world who are connected through a psychic link that allows them to share their skills, knowledge, and language. After it was canceled by Netflix, Lana Wachowski announced the series would have a two-hour special released in 2018 to tie up the characters' stories, but leave the future open-ended.
Streaming on Netflix.
'Transparent'
Joey Soloway's innovative dramedy about a family who's patriarch comes out as trans, and opens up the rest of the family's eyes to the queer community was praised for its groundbreaking portrayal of trans lives.
Unfortunately, in 2017 and 2018, Jeffrey Tambor, who starred in the show as Maura Pfefferman, was accused of sexual misconduct by several trans women who worked on the show, including Trace Lysette, Van Barnes, and Rain Valdez.
Following Tambor's exit, Soloway wrote a two-hour musical movie to end the series, called The Transparent Musicale Finale, which begins with Maura's death and sees the family reflecting on the last several years.
Streaming on Prime Video.
'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist'
This musical comedy starred Jane Levy as Zoey, a woman who can perceive people's innermost thoughts through pop songs and dance numbers. It also starred Skyler Astin, Mary Steenburgen, Peter Gallagher, and Alex Newell, who played Mo, Zoey's neighbor and a genderfluid DJ. It was canceled after two seasons, but aired the special Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas as a series finale, where "on her first holiday without her father, Zoey attempts to create a magical Christmas for her family just like the ones Mitch used to do."
Streaming on Roku.
'Wynonna Earp'
Despite airing its fourth and final season in 2021, this super queer and campy fantasy western show came back with a 90 minute special titled Wynonna Earp: Vengeance in 2024. In the special, fan-favorite lesbian couple Waverly and Nicole return alongside Wynonna Earp and Doc Holliday to fight off a "psychotic seductress hellbent on revenge."
Streaming on Tubi.
'Sex and the City'
The original run of Sex and the City lasted from 1998-2004 on HBO, and in 2008, Sex and the City: The Movie was released. It followed Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte, picking up a few years after the series ended. The movie was followed by a sequel and the reboot seriesAnd Just Like That….
Streaming on Max.
