Here’s 10 Of The Best Coming Out Episodes To Rewatch This Pride Month
Entertainment has long been a medium in which people can express themselves to the masses. More recently, it’s also been a platform that has allowed the LGBTQ+ community to see themselves authentically represented in the media and have their experiences validated. For some, entertainment fosters a society in which they feel comfortable being their true selves in the time they get to watch these shows. So, for Pride Month, Pop Culture Planet’s Danielle Forte is celebrating in the way she knows best — rewatching her favorite coming out episodes.
Schitt’s Creek | “Honeymoon” (Season 1, Episode 10)
I had to start this list with one of my all time favorite episodes from one of my all time favorite show, Schitt’s Creek. For fans of the show, you all know the iconic scene — David describes his sexuality to Stevie utilizing wine at the Schitt’s Creek General Store. From this episode, we were blessed with the metaphoric and perfect coming out quote: “I like the wine and not the label. Does that makes sense?”
Schitt’s Creek is streaming on Hulu and Prime Video.
This Is Us | “The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning" (Season 3, Episode 9)
In this unbelievably heartwarming This Is Us episode, Tess slowly walks down the stairs, with tears streaming down her face. Her parents are inevitably worried, but once she starts speaking, their faces relax. Tess comes out to her parents and they embrace her, telling her they love her no matter what. Talk about a serious tear-jerker. This scene seemingly encapsulates the perfect coming out to parents scenario.
Stranger Things | “The Bite” (Season 3, Episode 7)
This scene in season three of Stranger Things was an absolute record scratch moment for Steve, which it made all the more hilarious and enjoyable to watch. A twist on the classic girl-meets-boy trope, Robin comes out to Steve as they're coming down from a Russian truth serum... and after Steve asked her out.
Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine | “Game Night” (Season 5, Episode 10)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine employed one of their more reserved characters to come out as bisexual in the season finale of season five, which in my humble opinion, made the episode stronger and all the more effective in its message. Rosa first tells her sexuality to Officer Charles Boyle, and then decides she's ready to tell the rest of the squad.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is streaming on Peacock and Netflix.
Derry Girls | Season 1, Episode 6
Ah, Derry Girls, what better show than this to convey coming out in the 1990s of Northern Ireland? Okay, a tad niche, but this candid, comedic coming-of-age series navigates coming out in high school in a hilarious way that has had a recent resurgence online.
Derry Girls is streaming on Netflix.
Shameless | “Father Frank, Full of Grace” (Season 1, Episode 12)
Shameless is known for its realistic portrayal of a dysfunctional family uprooted by drug abuse while living in poverty. This being said, I would expect nothing less than Fiona’s reaction to Ian coming out — a smile followed by “I know, but you’re still on my shit list.” It was all the confirmation Ian needed to know that he was accepted by his sister — Shameless perfection!
Shameless is streaming on Netflix.
Heartstopper | “Boyfriend” (Season 1, Episode 8)
Nick’s mom apologizing for possibly making him feel as though he couldn’t tell her sooner had me in tears. Then came the hug, thanking him for telling her, accompanied with an earnest discussion of when he knew and his blossoming relationship with Charlie. This scene will have you feeling all the right feels and maybe should be the blueprint of how parents should react to their children coming out.
Heartstopper is streaming on Netflix.
Ted Lasso | “La Locker Room Aux Folles” (Season 3, Episode 9)
On the surface, Ted Lasso is a show about sports. But, once you delve into the great, quirky, and dynamic world of the AFC Richmond football team, you realize it’s so much more than that. Others tend to agree, being that it’s Apple TV+'s most-watched series of all time. It’s the biggest sports-comedy series in the world and shows a male sports player coming out to his team, making it all the more poignant in portraying sexuality acceptance within the hyper-masculine setting of a sports team.
Side note and fun fact: the episode’s name is a reference to La Cage Aux Folles, the play about a gay couple.
Ted Lasso is streaming on Apple TV+.
The Bold Type | “To Peg or Not to Peg” (Season 4, Episode 6)
It’s in the title folks, Kat was certainly bold in this episode of The Bold Type, particularly because she doesn’t like labels. But as she considers her feelings about gender roles in the bedroom, she comes out as bisexual.
The Bold Type is streaming on Hulu.
The Umbrella Academy | “Viktor's Transition” (Season 3, Episode 2)
Honoring Elliot Page’s real-life transition, The Umbrella Academy gave Page’s character an empowering transgender storyline as he explains to his brothers that he is Viktor. He describes the discomfort he once felt seeing himself in the mirror and is met with nothing but love and acceptance from his family.
The Umbrella Academy is streaming on Netflix.
