TV shows to watch while quarantining in the closet!

The following are some TV shows that are a good option to watch, along with where to watch them. These shows in particular have queer themes, but ones which are included in a way that is less than obvious. These shows are particularly good for queer people who are still in the closet but would like to see relationships and dynamics not often seen in popular media. Trigger warnings and tags will be included, as will any other non-plot related details a viewer would need.

Ghosts is a British Sitcom from 2019, produced by the BBC and as such can be found on their website. Fair warning, this one requires a British TV license to gain legal access, but there have been rumors of an American remake coming in the near future. As it stands, this show was written and acted by the same people who made Horrible Histories, leading to solid jokes and fun historical details mixed with good acting and a pleasant story. This show has two seasons so far, but it has been renewed for both a third season and a Christmas special, the latter of which is planned for release this year.

This show is accessible to both children and adults, but trigger warnings include general mentions of death along with some depictions of non-graphic deaths. Such deaths include a man getting an arrow through the neck, another man getting shot, and a woman falling from a second story window on more than one occasion. There is also mild gore, as one of the ghosts is decapitated. So, if any of the aforementioned bothers you, I do recommend steering clear or at least watching with some caution.

Ghosts follows the lives of a young married couple, Alison and Mike, who inherit an estate through Alison’s side of the family. The estate itself is not only in a state of major disrepair, but it is also haunted by a number of ghosts. After an accident while repairing the house, Alison is left with the ability to both see and talk with ghosts. The rest of the series details the daily goings-on of the couple as they struggle to gather the finances necessary to renovate the estate to be used as a hotel, all while dealing with a colorful cast of ghosts.

Said cast consists primarily of nine ghosts, all of whom reside on the surface level floor of the estate. There are other ghosts, of course, namely the victims of a plague that reside in the basement of the estate, but the series primarily focuses on these nine. From left to right we have Robin, a caveman who, as expected, has been around the longest. On the floor we have Humphrey, a Tudor nobleman who was executed by decapitation, so his head and body often move independently of each other. Next, we have Mary, a Stuart era village woman who was a victim of a witch trial, and as such is covered in ashes. Thomas, a poet in the Romantic era who was shot in a duel and tries to pursue Alison despite her marriage to Mike. Kitty, a noblewoman from the Georgian era, who is very, very friendly, though her cause of death is not known. The Captain, an army officer during the Second World War, though his cause of death is similarly unknown. Pat, a scoutmaster from the 80’s, who died after being shot through the neck with an arrow during an archery class. Fanny, a noblewoman from the Edwardian era, Alison’s closest relative and died after being pushed from a window after catching her husband having an affair with two members of the staff. The last, and youngest, of the ghosts is Julian, a former member of parliament who died in the estate during a sex scandal, and as such does not wear any pants throughout the show.

While not immediately obvious, queer themes come through primarily in the character and story of the Captain, who was a closeted gay man. His episode in the second season, while not detailing his death like the others, deals with his feelings towards his second in command, a man he is implied to have been in love with. He is shown to be attracted exclusively to other men, especially those in a leadership role. A case could also be made for Robin’s sexuality, given he comes from a time when both heterosexuality and monogamy were yet to be established. There is also the matter of Fanny’s husband, who is repeatedly mentioned, having been a closeted gay man himself, given the aforementioned members of staff were the family’s butler and groundskeeper, both men. Most explicitly, the final episode in the second season centers around a wedding between two women held at the estate. No homophobic comments are made, though there is some confusion about the attire of the brides.

Overall, I do highly recommend Ghosts if you can find a way to view it. Queerness aside, it is a rather funny and entertaining show.