20 LGBTQ+ TV Shows That Are Ending (or Got Cancelled) in 2020

So many queer, fan-fave shows are ending (or got canned) this year!

2020 has been a very, very, VERY rough year. While we always try to look on the bright side of things, sometimes we can't help thinking about all the things that we're probably going to have to say goodbye to soon, and unfortunately, that includes some of our fave queer TV shows. 

While many left a lasting impact on many fans all over the world, nothing lasts forever! In no particular order, here are some shows that are taking a bow (or got the boot) in 2020. 

Modern Family

ABC's long-running comedy, which originally premiered in 2009, ended its nearly 11 year-run in April with a two-hour series finale. The series broke ground for introducing the world to gay husbands Mitch and Cam (Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet).

Schitt's Creek

The hilarious, feel-good, Canadian comedy series (which premiered in 2015 and tells the story of a rich family that loses its money and was forced to move to the small town of Schitt's Creek where they end up learning how to be better people) aired its finale in April, along with a documentary about the show's skyrocketing popularity and impact.

The last episode ended with David (Dan Levy) marrying his fiancé, Patrick (Noah Reid), the end of a long-running relationship that was considered a game-changing story for LGBTQ+ representation on TV.

Steven Universe

Cartoon Network's beloved and groundbreakingly queer animated series ended in March after seven amazing years of entertainment and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

The fan-favorite series, which started back in 2013 as the brainchild of animator, director, and writer Rebecca Sugar, is notable for being one of the most LGBTQ-diverse kids shows ever, and made history with the first same-sex wedding to ever be featured in children's programming. Steven Universe was also a pioneer in animated nonbinary and female representation and garnered a huge, diverse fanbase of young viewers with its themes of empowerment and inclusivity.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

DreamWorks Animation and Netflix's empowering, queer-inclusive animated series is ending after its fifth and final season drops in May. She-Ra creator and showrunner Noelle Stevenson told Entertainment Weekly that she created the series with a 52-episode run in mind. 

"It has been such an incredible journey so far just getting to share these seasons that are already out and seeing the reactions," Stevenson told EW. "I do feel very lucky because we knew from the very beginning what our episode order was, so we got to tailor the story very specifically to how long the show was gonna be. It was tailored to be 52 episodes, the length that it is, and that’s a real blessing for a storyteller because it means everything happens when it’s meant to happen."

How to Get Away with Murder

Peter Nowalk and Shonda Rhimes' hit ABC drama, which stars Oscar winner Viola Davis and helped introduce the world to one of our fave gay ships Connor and Oliver (played by heartthrobs Jack Falahee and Conrad Ricamora respectively), is ending in its sixth and final season, with the finale scheduled for May 2020.

The Magicians

The cult-favorite SyFy series, which ran into some controversy when the show's bisexual protagonist Quentin Coldwater (played by actor Jason Ralph) was killed off during the finale of the fourth season, ended its five-season run in April 2020 after the network decided not to renew it for a sixth round.

Vida

Starz's critically-acclaimed familial drama series will air its third and final season in April. The series has taken on issues affecting Latinx culture, LGBTQ+ identity, and gentrification as sisters Lyn (In the Heights' Melissa Barrera) and Emma (Riverdale's Mishel Prada) have navigated the intersections of their lives in the wake of their mother's death.

AJ & the Queen

RuPaul's Netflix series AJ & the Queen, which premiered earlier this year and followed the story of drag queen Ruby Red (RuPaul) who travels across the country with a ten-year-old orphan named AJ (Izzy G), didn't get picked up for a second season.

The 100

It's hard to believe that it's already been nearly six—yes, six—years since The CW's dystopian, sci-fi series The 100 first premiered, but after a long, emotional, and controversial run, the show is set to air its seventh and final season in May. While the show was beloved for being queer-inclusive (main character Clarke is openly bisexual), The 100 did face some controversy in 2016 when queer character (and Clarke's love interest) Commander Lexa was killed off, with many fans rightfully angry about the use of the harmful Bury Your Gays trope.

The Good Place

NBC's existential comedy The Good Place, which featured a canonically bisexual lead and had other gay moments, ended its four-season run in January of 2020.

Élite

Netflix's popular, murderous teen drama may not technically be ending (production has apparently already started for a fourth & fifth season), but the third season (which dropped in March) will be the final one where we see the original cast of characters we've grown to love (including our fave queer coupling Omar and Ander), so it really feels like the show as we know it has come to an end. 

High Fidelity

The gender-flipping, queer AF romantic comedy series got axed by Hulu after only one season! (A total crime!) Starring Big Little Lies star Zoë Kravitz (whose mom, Lisa Bonet, starred in the original 2000 movie the series is based on), the show followed the misadventures of a record shop owner named Rob who is down on her luck when it comes to her love life. Rob's relationships with men and women were prominently featured in the series, and one of the show's supporting characters named Simon (played David H. Holmes) was also openly gay. One whole episode was even dedicated to his rollercoaster love story with his boyfriend.

Considering the queer rep we got with the show, the cancelation of High Fidelity was a big loss in 2020, and fans weren't happy!

13 Reasons Why

The queer-inclusive, messy as hell teen drama ended its three-year, four-season run after many, many, many controversies. (And we're all better off for it, tbh.)

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Netflix's bewitching teen fantasy series had a big queer fanbase and featured a pansexual warlock character, but that didn't save the series from being cancelled after its fourth and final season, which is set to air sometime later this year.

The Society

Though it initially got greenlit for a second season, fans of the gay-inclusive, mysterious teen drama series were bitterly disappointed after finding out that Netflix pulled the plug on the series due to pandemic-related production concerns. The show was beloved for being inclusive, featuring queer couple Sam and Grizz, with the character of Sam being played by deaf actor Sean Berdy.

I Am Not Okay With This

On the same day Netflix announced The Society wasn't coming back for a second round, the streaming giant's critically-acclaimed super-powered teen series I Am Not Okay With This was also, unfortunately, canned after only one season. Unlike other straight, male-centric superhero shows, the series was notable for starring a teen girl with powers named Sydney who has feelings for and falls in love with her best friend Dina. 

Stumptown

Although the Cobie Smulders-led crime drama was originally scheduled to return in Fall 2020, in September, ABC announced that they were reversing their renewal decision for the series and not going forward with a second seaon, shocking many fans. The show was prominent for featuring a bisexual lead character, something that is still extremely rare in mainstream network TV. According to Deadline, one of the reasons for the Stumptown cancellation had to do with production delays caused by the ongoing global pandemic. 

GLOW

Despite originally getting renewed for a fourth and final season, Netflix went back on its renewal and cancelled the woman-led LGBTQ-inclusive series comedy-drama, even after it had already started filming the few episodes of the fourth season, Deadline reports. 

"COVID has killed actual humans. It’s a national tragedy and should be our focus. COVID also apparently took down our show," GLOW creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch told Deadline. "Netflix has decided not to finish filming the final season of GLOW. We were handed the creative freedom to make a complicated comedy about women and tell their stories. And wrestle. And now that’s gone. There’s a lot of sh*tty things happening in the world that are much bigger than this right now. But it still sucks that we don’t get to see these 15 women in a frame together again."

DuckTales

Although the Disney XD animated series made headlines in 2020 when they introduced two gay duck dads to the show, the network revealed that the show will not be returning for a fourth season. 

"The talented creative team, led by Matt Youngberg and Francisco Angones, have delivered exceptional storytelling with uniquely reimagined characters for three seasons of 75 episodes and more than 15 shorts," a Disney XD spokesperson said in a statement. "While physical production is wrapping, DuckTales continues to be available daily on Disney Channels and Disney+ around the world and fans will get an epic season finale in 2021."

One Day at a Time

Will the beloved, queer-inclusive sitcom ever catch a break? Guess not...

After the pandemic interrupted production of the reboot of Norman Lear's iconic series' fourth season earlier this year, ViacomCBS straight-up canceled the sitcom's run on Pop TV. This was the queer series' first season on the network following its jump from Netflix, where it was canceled after three seasons in 2019. According to Deadline, Sony is still looking for a new home for the show.