MikelleStreet
A bit of a "what to stream" guide.
Netflix puts out a load of content. In addition to rolling out shows that we know and love, they push out an overwhelming amount of original content each year -- each month -- and it can be increasingly difficult to keep track of it all. Considering they are certainly one of the major names in adding queer visibility to television, it's conveient to have everything in one list.
Here, we run through the new television and movie projects we can expect from the platform for 2020 -- you know, besides our old favorites like Elite, Special, and Sex Education returning for new seasons.
Cheer
Though it premiered last week, this docuseries about cheerleaders contains an empowering and at times heartbreaking storyline. As a part of the overall examination of college cheerleading, La'Darius Marshall tells his story of suffering homophobia and toxic masculinity from his own family and how that's helped shape him into the performer he is.
AJ and the Queen
RuPaul stars as the down on her luck drag queen, Ruby Red, turned nanny to the 10-year-old tough talking AJ in this series. The show just debuted this weekend and features more than a few RuPaul's Drag Race alum cameos.
I Am Not Okay With This
Based on the Charles Forsman graphic novel of the same name, this series is aimed at young adults. It stars Sophia Lillis as a teenaged girl "dealing with the complexities of her family, her budding sexuality, and mysterious superpowers that are beginning to awaken within her" all while going to high school. The show's eight half hour episodes will release some time this year.
Douglas
After Nanette, Hannah Gadsby is back with a new Netflix comedy special. Titled for her dog, "Douglas," began touring in 2019 and is still on tour now. According to the comedian, the special is "about expectations and how labels can set them up to fail."
The Half Of It
As a follow up to her 2004 film Saving Face, this Alice Wu-created teenaged rom-com will star Leah Lewis, Daniel Diener, and Alexxis Lemire. Lewis will appear as Ellie Chu, "a shy, introverted, Chinese-American, straight-A student," helping the school jock try to win the affection of a girl he loves. The twist: she loves her too.
The Boys In The Band
After producing a Broadway revival of the 1968 play The Boys in the Band, Ryan Murphy is bringing his all star cast to film in an adapted screenplay. Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, and Matt Bomer will all star in the work that follows a group of gay friends meeting up for a friend's birthday party. At the party, the cracks in their friendships begin to show.
The Prom
Meryl Streep, James Corden, and Nicole Kidman are set to star in this Ryan Murphy film. It's the story of a lesbian teenager who was banned from attending prom with her girlfriend and a Broadway cast comes to her rescue.
Hollywood
Ryan Murphy has quite a few Netflix projects out as a part of his big dollar contact with them, but the Hollywood series is said to be one of the larger components -- it's also technically the first as Fox owns The Politician. He's cast Darren Criss, Jack Picking, Patti LuPone, and Dylan McDermott to play roles like Hattie McDaniel, Rock Hudson, Archie Coleman and more. As Hudson was famously bisexual, one would imagine the show will certainly include a bit of queerness.
It's set to release in May 2020, and is being pushed as a "love letter to the Golden Age of Tinseltown."
