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The Rainbow Age of Television: An Opinionated History of Queer TV
A fun and accessible blend of pop culture, entertainment, and queer history that celebrates LGBTQ+ television and examines the past, present, and future of queer representation on the small screen.
The Rainbow Age of Television is a fun and accessible blend of pop culture, entertainment, and queer history that celebrates LGBTQ+ television and examines the past, present, and future of queer representation on the small screen.
From Abbott Elementary to The White Lotus to Yellowstone and the hundreds of other gems across a multitude of platforms in between, American audiences are being treated to a second Golden Age of Television. But something completely new is stirring, too—the first Rainbow Age. For the first time in the history of American television, we have queer women who fight the trope of inevitable on-screen death (Jane the Virgin, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Grey’s Anatomy); gay men who are more than just a flamboyant best friend (How to Get Away with Murder; Looking; OK, maybe we also still have Will and Grace); and trans people played by trans actors (The Fosters, Transparent, Pose, Euphoria, Tales of the City). But our screens certainly haven’t always been this colorful. How did we get to this veritable wealth of representation and sometimes glitter-strewn dimensionality? What sacrifices were made along the way?
The Rainbow Age of Television explores these questions and more as author Shayna Maci Warner tracks the evolution of LGBTQ+ icons across the televised ages and into the future of streaming—from the first queer kiss to rock the airwaves to the shows that are making household names and heroes of queer characters today. Through conversations with critics, creators, stars, and detailed historical reference, The Rainbow Age of Television examines the rise of today’s entertainment culture in which LGBTQ+ viewers are finally beginning to see themselves proudly on the screen and highlights the importance of such representation on television. Above all, it’s a proud celebration of the shows and their characters and creators that define this new age in television.
The Rainbow Age of Television is a fun and accessible blend of pop culture, entertainment, and queer history that celebrates LGBTQ+ television and examines the past, present, and future of queer representation on the small screen.
From Abbott Elementary to The White Lotus to Yellowstone and the hundreds of other gems across a multitude of platforms in between, American audiences are being treated to a second Golden Age of Television. But something completely new is stirring, too—the first Rainbow Age. For the first time in the history of American television, we have queer women who fight the trope of inevitable on-screen death (Jane the Virgin, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Grey’s Anatomy); gay men who are more than just a flamboyant best friend (How to Get Away with Murder; Looking; OK, maybe we also still have Will and Grace); and trans people played by trans actors (The Fosters, Transparent, Pose, Euphoria, Tales of the City). But our screens certainly haven’t always been this colorful. How did we get to this veritable wealth of representation and sometimes glitter-strewn dimensionality? What sacrifices were made along the way?
The Rainbow Age of Television explores these questions and more as author Shayna Maci Warner tracks the evolution of LGBTQ+ icons across the televised ages and into the future of streaming—from the first queer kiss to rock the airwaves to the shows that are making household names and heroes of queer characters today. Through conversations with critics, creators, stars, and detailed historical reference, The Rainbow Age of Television examines the rise of today’s entertainment culture in which LGBTQ+ viewers are finally beginning to see themselves proudly on the screen and highlights the importance of such representation on television. Above all, it’s a proud celebration of the shows and their characters and creators that define this new age in television.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 27, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 19, 2024
A loving, deep research of queer media. It is, thankfully, difficult to touch upon every piece of media, but also clever to title this book "opinionated history" - knowing its shortcomings of missing things, still incredibly valuable.
I love the first chapter for acknowledging the difficulty of finding the "first" of something, and the discussion around "firsts" which isn't always the most influential. I also loved the breakdown of not just gay or queer, but specifically bisexual/trans/two-spirit and so on. This book also has a lot of great interviews that had me thinking about the work queer people have done to bring representation and, related, my own relationship to media.
For my own opinionated history: I would also liked more on kids animation and queerness, namely Steven Universe. My own bias would be to talk endlessly about Bryan Fuller's Hannibal. I also would have liked a chapter on queer baiting and the complicated relationship fans had with Supernatural, as well as BBC's Sherlock. Also Neil Gaiman and the Good Omens show, in which Gaiman saw the importance of having queer representation and leaned into the ineffable husbands' relationship.
Unopinionated: Paris is Burning and The Birdcage should have been mentioned. I'm not sure if the book's focus meant to stay on only tv series, but I don't see how you can't not mention them. I also think a wider discussion should have happened for Glee with the Kurt/Blaine relationship. Honestly a bit more on asexuality as well.
Anyways, do ya'll remember that episode of House where he cured asexuality? Yeah. Yikes.
But for a positive, I remember a lot of cheering when Bojack had a character realize they were asexual.
Also... what about anime?
Anyways, again, I really enjoyed learning more in queer history and have substantially added to my watch list. I'm grateful to live in a time where I don't have to pull at scraps to find any sort of representation! (Gods the lengths I went to watch logo tv with my gay boyfriend + Queer as Folk! The fanfiction I wrote and consumed!!)
Biggest criticism: I wish there were a section for further reading, unless it's just not in the kindle version?
I love the first chapter for acknowledging the difficulty of finding the "first" of something, and the discussion around "firsts" which isn't always the most influential. I also loved the breakdown of not just gay or queer, but specifically bisexual/trans/two-spirit and so on. This book also has a lot of great interviews that had me thinking about the work queer people have done to bring representation and, related, my own relationship to media.
For my own opinionated history: I would also liked more on kids animation and queerness, namely Steven Universe. My own bias would be to talk endlessly about Bryan Fuller's Hannibal. I also would have liked a chapter on queer baiting and the complicated relationship fans had with Supernatural, as well as BBC's Sherlock. Also Neil Gaiman and the Good Omens show, in which Gaiman saw the importance of having queer representation and leaned into the ineffable husbands' relationship.
Unopinionated: Paris is Burning and The Birdcage should have been mentioned. I'm not sure if the book's focus meant to stay on only tv series, but I don't see how you can't not mention them. I also think a wider discussion should have happened for Glee with the Kurt/Blaine relationship. Honestly a bit more on asexuality as well.
Anyways, do ya'll remember that episode of House where he cured asexuality? Yeah. Yikes.
But for a positive, I remember a lot of cheering when Bojack had a character realize they were asexual.
Also... what about anime?
Anyways, again, I really enjoyed learning more in queer history and have substantially added to my watch list. I'm grateful to live in a time where I don't have to pull at scraps to find any sort of representation! (Gods the lengths I went to watch logo tv with my gay boyfriend + Queer as Folk! The fanfiction I wrote and consumed!!)
Biggest criticism: I wish there were a section for further reading, unless it's just not in the kindle version?
August 26, 2024
I love learning about the history and evolution of queer media, so I was excited to read this book all about LGBTQ+ television. Even with all the research I’ve already done into the topic, this book still introduced me to older TV shows, storylines, and characters that I had never heard of before, which is awesome. Shayna Maci Warner brings up nuanced conversations about representation, queer villains, bury your gays, and explicit vs subtextual queerness.
Even though I think there’s a lot of great content in the book, I did struggle a bit while reading it. I don’t think the author’s writing style really worked for me. It felt like it was trying to be fun, humorous, and conversational. But I was constantly getting confused and having to read sentences over again to understand what was being said. Also, there were so many parts of the book that were just lists of shows that had a specific trope or character type instead of offering any insight or explanation into them.
My favorite parts of the book were the interviews that the author did with different actors, filmmakers, and media personalities about their histories with queer representation on television. It was so interesting to hear their different responses for the first queer person they remember seeing on TV and their insights into their own careers with creating queer media.
Even though I have some quibbles with the book overall, I’m still glad I read it. I think if you’re someone who is super interested in the changing landscape of queer TV over the years, it’s worth checking out. It definitely covers some shows outside of the most popularly written about ones.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Even though I think there’s a lot of great content in the book, I did struggle a bit while reading it. I don’t think the author’s writing style really worked for me. It felt like it was trying to be fun, humorous, and conversational. But I was constantly getting confused and having to read sentences over again to understand what was being said. Also, there were so many parts of the book that were just lists of shows that had a specific trope or character type instead of offering any insight or explanation into them.
My favorite parts of the book were the interviews that the author did with different actors, filmmakers, and media personalities about their histories with queer representation on television. It was so interesting to hear their different responses for the first queer person they remember seeing on TV and their insights into their own careers with creating queer media.
Even though I have some quibbles with the book overall, I’m still glad I read it. I think if you’re someone who is super interested in the changing landscape of queer TV over the years, it’s worth checking out. It definitely covers some shows outside of the most popularly written about ones.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2025
Interesting and well researched. Definitely leaned more on to the 'history' side than the 'opinionated' side.
July 3, 2024
Abrams Press provided an early galley for review.
I was a huge television fanatic growing up (a little less so in recent years as there are so many more offerings than the old network days of three channels plus the British offerings via PBS and whatever we picked up from the Canadian channels across the border). So, I was very excited to read what Warner had to say on this particular look at TV history.
After starting off with an introduction and shows I am less familiar, I was pleased to get to the early history of queer representation on shows. This was the stuff I grew up on. From the Lear offerings (I was a faithful All In the Family, and I do remember watching episodes as they aired of Hot l Baltimore) to Susan Harris' Soap (still a huge fan of the entire run), this was the history I knew well.
As the analysis moves through the 80's, 90's and into the 2000's and beyond, I was reminded of other shows I had watched. I was also presented with details from many shows I knew by reputation and name but not by my ever viewing them. Still, Warner is able to mine many examples to illustrate the points of each chapter.
The eight "Queer and A" sessions with various queer creatives were also a nice touch. They really provided additional insights, bringing in the conversation element to the whole discussion. They set the book apart from the standard "greatest hits"/listing TV history books.
I was a huge television fanatic growing up (a little less so in recent years as there are so many more offerings than the old network days of three channels plus the British offerings via PBS and whatever we picked up from the Canadian channels across the border). So, I was very excited to read what Warner had to say on this particular look at TV history.
After starting off with an introduction and shows I am less familiar, I was pleased to get to the early history of queer representation on shows. This was the stuff I grew up on. From the Lear offerings (I was a faithful All In the Family, and I do remember watching episodes as they aired of Hot l Baltimore) to Susan Harris' Soap (still a huge fan of the entire run), this was the history I knew well.
As the analysis moves through the 80's, 90's and into the 2000's and beyond, I was reminded of other shows I had watched. I was also presented with details from many shows I knew by reputation and name but not by my ever viewing them. Still, Warner is able to mine many examples to illustrate the points of each chapter.
The eight "Queer and A" sessions with various queer creatives were also a nice touch. They really provided additional insights, bringing in the conversation element to the whole discussion. They set the book apart from the standard "greatest hits"/listing TV history books.
October 25, 2024
This is absolutely everything to me.
January 8, 2025
i ate this shit up. review coming soon.
May 14, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for a review.
I loved the interviews in this book and I loved hearing from the author on the good and the bad of queer representation on television.
The only reason this rating isn’t higher is because I felt like the history parts were essentially a bulleted list of every queer thing on tv. Some stuff was interesting but other parts seemed to just drag.
I loved the interviews in this book and I loved hearing from the author on the good and the bad of queer representation on television.
The only reason this rating isn’t higher is because I felt like the history parts were essentially a bulleted list of every queer thing on tv. Some stuff was interesting but other parts seemed to just drag.
August 31, 2024
This book was very well researched & I loved the interviews with the cast & crew members of the shows mentioned. This is the perfect book for those who enjoyed 2023's “Hi Honey, I'm Homo!”
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.
August 27, 2024
Rainbow Age is more academic and less lighthearted than 2023's Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture, although it covers some of the same territory. In addition to retracing the history of queer TV, Warner addresses delicate issues such as cishet characters with whom queers felt a connection (Jo from The Facts of Life, Buddy on Family, and...Bugs Bunny?); whether the scarcity of queer characters requires them to be likeable; the ridiculously high mortality rate of lesbian characters; queers on reality TV; and cis actors playing trans characters.
The end of each chapter features interviews with queer actors, writers, and directors, which add a welcome jolt of energy to the book. There is a stronger emphasis on lesbians and trans TV characters than in Hi Honey! and a sobering acknowledgement that queer rep on TV is likely to decline in 2024's toxic political environment.
This book is best read one or two chapters at a time, as it is a bit dry in some parts. Shayna Maci Warner's portfolio includes articles written for both general and queer publications about the entertainment media. I recommend perusing them to determine if her voice works for you.
ARC received from Net Galley and Abrams Press in exchange for objective review.
The end of each chapter features interviews with queer actors, writers, and directors, which add a welcome jolt of energy to the book. There is a stronger emphasis on lesbians and trans TV characters than in Hi Honey! and a sobering acknowledgement that queer rep on TV is likely to decline in 2024's toxic political environment.
This book is best read one or two chapters at a time, as it is a bit dry in some parts. Shayna Maci Warner's portfolio includes articles written for both general and queer publications about the entertainment media. I recommend perusing them to determine if her voice works for you.
ARC received from Net Galley and Abrams Press in exchange for objective review.
March 10, 2025
Super dense, but well researched. It was difficult at times for me to find the motivation to finish. I appreciate that this is the first piece I've read on queer rep that focused heavily on sapphic rep. Usually, the pieces I see, even from regular TikTokers, focus heavily or solely on yt male rep, so this difference was such a pleasant surprise.
I was surprised to see a some crossover material from "Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV" with references to An American Family and The Real World's Pedro. It delves very briefly into reality TV and how shows centering queer people have grown in popularity. I wish more time was spent on RuPaul (in general) and RuPaul's Drag Race because it's truly grown from that first season with such a small budget to the current seasons, crossovers, etc with the winners being a lot more recognized and way more brand deals. It's amazing to see as someone that watched Logo a lot as a young queer person in a red state.
I appreciated the in depth look at Bury Your Gays/Dead Lesbian Syndrome including a dive into what "started" it (Tara from Buffy) and what made it come to a head (Lexa from the 100). I wasn't into either of those shows, but I'm seen how it's changed fandom's take on when it happens. I haven't really seen as much attention paid to when it happens to Black characters though. For instance, I hated Poussey's death on Orange is the New Black so much that I quit the show. It was that hard to watch.
The focus on the cancellations of sapphic shows was highlighted as well. No mention of the 3 big ones from Netflix - First Kill, Warrior Nun, and I Am Not Okay With This. But it did talk about Sense8 with an interview with one of the Wachowski's. Sense8's cancellation still hurts.
For the interviews, I found Stephanie Beatriz', Sasha Colby's, and Jennifer Beals' interviews very informative and cool to read. I liked seeing the POV of actresses who wanted to provide rep for queer women of color and how they drew from their racial identities in their portrayals. I didn't watch Sasha's season of Drag Race, but I'm going to have to. I really liked their vibe.
Overall, if you're curious about stats and history of queer rep on TV, this is a tentative recommend. It didn't go as in depth into some of the referenced shows as I would've liked. Especially shows like How to Get Away with Murder, High Fidelity, Noah's Arc - shows that centered Black queer leads. It's still such a rarity so I wish it was highlighted a bit more. Also, at times, it read like one sentence summaries of many shows that we know had cultural impact, but weren't delved into for whatever reason. However, I understand that this book very well could've been over 600 pages if the author had gone into everything. I appreciate what we got while also wishing it didn't read quite so much like an academic text.
I was surprised to see a some crossover material from "Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV" with references to An American Family and The Real World's Pedro. It delves very briefly into reality TV and how shows centering queer people have grown in popularity. I wish more time was spent on RuPaul (in general) and RuPaul's Drag Race because it's truly grown from that first season with such a small budget to the current seasons, crossovers, etc with the winners being a lot more recognized and way more brand deals. It's amazing to see as someone that watched Logo a lot as a young queer person in a red state.
I appreciated the in depth look at Bury Your Gays/Dead Lesbian Syndrome including a dive into what "started" it (Tara from Buffy) and what made it come to a head (Lexa from the 100). I wasn't into either of those shows, but I'm seen how it's changed fandom's take on when it happens. I haven't really seen as much attention paid to when it happens to Black characters though. For instance, I hated Poussey's death on Orange is the New Black so much that I quit the show. It was that hard to watch.
The focus on the cancellations of sapphic shows was highlighted as well. No mention of the 3 big ones from Netflix - First Kill, Warrior Nun, and I Am Not Okay With This. But it did talk about Sense8 with an interview with one of the Wachowski's. Sense8's cancellation still hurts.
For the interviews, I found Stephanie Beatriz', Sasha Colby's, and Jennifer Beals' interviews very informative and cool to read. I liked seeing the POV of actresses who wanted to provide rep for queer women of color and how they drew from their racial identities in their portrayals. I didn't watch Sasha's season of Drag Race, but I'm going to have to. I really liked their vibe.
Overall, if you're curious about stats and history of queer rep on TV, this is a tentative recommend. It didn't go as in depth into some of the referenced shows as I would've liked. Especially shows like How to Get Away with Murder, High Fidelity, Noah's Arc - shows that centered Black queer leads. It's still such a rarity so I wish it was highlighted a bit more. Also, at times, it read like one sentence summaries of many shows that we know had cultural impact, but weren't delved into for whatever reason. However, I understand that this book very well could've been over 600 pages if the author had gone into everything. I appreciate what we got while also wishing it didn't read quite so much like an academic text.
August 27, 2024
4.5 stars and my eternal thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC.
This book truly opened my eyes to how long queer characters have been on our television sets. I knew we didn't pop out of nowhere with Ellen and Will & Grace in the 90s, but seeing the history in black and white was truly wonderful. Even if the characters in question were...not ideal.
Warner takes us through the history of LGBTQIA2S+ (in my review, the umbrella term of Queer) characters in TV from someone who was never explicitly named as homosexual in 1952 to Stephanie Beatriz's Rosa Diaz coming out to her family on Brooklyn-99.
I think what fascinated me the most was how deep Warner goes into the Bury Your Gays trope, detailing a specific series of episodes from All in the Family where the Bunkers meet a "female impersonator" named Beverly. Obviously, Archie is exactly as homophobic and awful as always, but Edith is truly affected by Beverly and her subsequent death in the show. In chapter 5, Warner details so many examples of queer people, specifically queer women, are killed in TV shows over the past decades. Reading them all out in a list was a little startling, especially since some were shows I vaguely had an interest in watching.
"From this mere sampling of deaths of regular and recurring queer women characters, it almost goes without saying that one shows with primarily heterosexual ensembles and storylines, the guest-starring queer women characters had a much higher chance of being killed off than their straight guest-starring counterparts." So, not only do queer women have a hard time showing up on TV screens at all, they have a much higher chance of being killed, even if the story doesn't call for it. Granted, if you look at plain statistics, the numbers are much higher for hetero characters, only because there are more of them. Sample sizes and whatnot.
The last bit that resonated with me was the idea that we latch on to crumbs of perceived queer characters because there are so few (comparatively) we can relate to. Warner's interview with Stephanie Beatriz puts it into perspective as someone who is latina and queer and finding someone who can be a role model for her on TV was so difficult while growing up. Beatriz talks about latching on to even just dark-haired characters or female characters with short hair until she comes across real actual queer characters. She compares it to being a vegan at a buffet and trying to eat around the cheese on a cheese roll. Brilliant.
This book truly opened my eyes to how long queer characters have been on our television sets. I knew we didn't pop out of nowhere with Ellen and Will & Grace in the 90s, but seeing the history in black and white was truly wonderful. Even if the characters in question were...not ideal.
Warner takes us through the history of LGBTQIA2S+ (in my review, the umbrella term of Queer) characters in TV from someone who was never explicitly named as homosexual in 1952 to Stephanie Beatriz's Rosa Diaz coming out to her family on Brooklyn-99.
I think what fascinated me the most was how deep Warner goes into the Bury Your Gays trope, detailing a specific series of episodes from All in the Family where the Bunkers meet a "female impersonator" named Beverly. Obviously, Archie is exactly as homophobic and awful as always, but Edith is truly affected by Beverly and her subsequent death in the show. In chapter 5, Warner details so many examples of queer people, specifically queer women, are killed in TV shows over the past decades. Reading them all out in a list was a little startling, especially since some were shows I vaguely had an interest in watching.
"From this mere sampling of deaths of regular and recurring queer women characters, it almost goes without saying that one shows with primarily heterosexual ensembles and storylines, the guest-starring queer women characters had a much higher chance of being killed off than their straight guest-starring counterparts." So, not only do queer women have a hard time showing up on TV screens at all, they have a much higher chance of being killed, even if the story doesn't call for it. Granted, if you look at plain statistics, the numbers are much higher for hetero characters, only because there are more of them. Sample sizes and whatnot.
The last bit that resonated with me was the idea that we latch on to crumbs of perceived queer characters because there are so few (comparatively) we can relate to. Warner's interview with Stephanie Beatriz puts it into perspective as someone who is latina and queer and finding someone who can be a role model for her on TV was so difficult while growing up. Beatriz talks about latching on to even just dark-haired characters or female characters with short hair until she comes across real actual queer characters. She compares it to being a vegan at a buffet and trying to eat around the cheese on a cheese roll. Brilliant.
August 27, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest opinion!
I always find rating and reviewing non-fiction difficult. I don’t have an academic background and I tend to read ones on topics or people I find interesting. So bare with me:
As the title says, this is an opinionated history of queer television and it really is. The author also mentions in the first pages that this is an incomplete history. I know it’s impossible to fit everything in one book but even in 300 pages somehow it still manages to feel light on variety. Even though I know bi/pan/ace identities are much harder to show on screen, I still felt wanting for more. Maybe more about fandoms questioning if things are queercoded.
This read very much as an academic text and was less “fun” than other non-fiction I’ve been picking up. The tone tried to be funny and engaging but it didn’t work for me, came off too dry. It also could very much benefit from infographics, changes in text sizes and charts.
I found the information on the earliest examples the most interesting. The “opinionated” part of the book really came out when she seemed to focus almost solely on modern lesbian character arcs. (I’m assuming she focused on shows and characters she is a fan of) But the further into the book I got the more repetitive and dry it felt. I found myself skimming many sections toward the end. I enjoyed the interviews with queer women who have worked in television (especially Lily Wachowski and Stephanie Beatriz) but I’m hoping the final result includes photos for reference.
The coming off as very academic and text book-ish is really what put me off the most and why I finished it feeling disappointed. I wanted a fun/funny non-fiction. I also expected more examples of modern queer relationships instead of just the few that were focused on. I am biased when I say I was disappointed Alec/Magnus from Shadowhunters, Mikey/Ian from Shameless and Castiel/Dean from Supernatural and David Rose from Schitt’s Creek weren’t touched on. But again, I’m just guessing the author isn’t a fan of those shows.
Lastly, as a reminder, even if I am part of the community (pan/demi/nb female presenting person) doesn’t mean I really know much of anything about anything!
I always find rating and reviewing non-fiction difficult. I don’t have an academic background and I tend to read ones on topics or people I find interesting. So bare with me:
As the title says, this is an opinionated history of queer television and it really is. The author also mentions in the first pages that this is an incomplete history. I know it’s impossible to fit everything in one book but even in 300 pages somehow it still manages to feel light on variety. Even though I know bi/pan/ace identities are much harder to show on screen, I still felt wanting for more. Maybe more about fandoms questioning if things are queercoded.
This read very much as an academic text and was less “fun” than other non-fiction I’ve been picking up. The tone tried to be funny and engaging but it didn’t work for me, came off too dry. It also could very much benefit from infographics, changes in text sizes and charts.
I found the information on the earliest examples the most interesting. The “opinionated” part of the book really came out when she seemed to focus almost solely on modern lesbian character arcs. (I’m assuming she focused on shows and characters she is a fan of) But the further into the book I got the more repetitive and dry it felt. I found myself skimming many sections toward the end. I enjoyed the interviews with queer women who have worked in television (especially Lily Wachowski and Stephanie Beatriz) but I’m hoping the final result includes photos for reference.
The coming off as very academic and text book-ish is really what put me off the most and why I finished it feeling disappointed. I wanted a fun/funny non-fiction. I also expected more examples of modern queer relationships instead of just the few that were focused on. I am biased when I say I was disappointed Alec/Magnus from Shadowhunters, Mikey/Ian from Shameless and Castiel/Dean from Supernatural and David Rose from Schitt’s Creek weren’t touched on. But again, I’m just guessing the author isn’t a fan of those shows.
Lastly, as a reminder, even if I am part of the community (pan/demi/nb female presenting person) doesn’t mean I really know much of anything about anything!
June 12, 2024
Warner’s book is well-researched and an overall interesting read for those interested in the history of Queer television. It covers a ton of ground without devolving into a dry list of dates or accomplishments or using a ton of jargon, which makes the book approachable for everyone. Likewise, the interviews with Queer individuals involved in television will likely be of interest, both academically and to a lay audience. I thought the most interesting chapter was the one on non-fiction television, but I appreciated the effort specifically to cover lesbians and trans/gender fluid individuals.
The one potential weakness in the book, I think, is that readers may not be familiar with (or not care about) the particular series of interest discussed and/or wish for more representation. For example, I would have liked more looks at animated shows and/or more non-binary and ace-spec identities However, given that the book admits to being opinionated, no one could reasonably cover everything, and the dearth of nonbinary and ace-spec representation, I think that’s a very slight weakness.
The one potential weakness in the book, I think, is that readers may not be familiar with (or not care about) the particular series of interest discussed and/or wish for more representation. For example, I would have liked more looks at animated shows and/or more non-binary and ace-spec identities However, given that the book admits to being opinionated, no one could reasonably cover everything, and the dearth of nonbinary and ace-spec representation, I think that’s a very slight weakness.
November 7, 2025
I was so excited to see this book existed because this is truly my greatest passion in life. Reading intellectual PRINT discourse on Lexa and Wynonna Earp and ClexaCon and Supergirl is CRAZY having lived through that. Gained a lot of insight into the history of representation in TV that I never really knew; made the stats on how many LGBTQ+ women are killed versus live really hit. Love the point it ended on, talking about how you need the writers room to be as diverse as your characters. Would love to see even more discourse because there are so many avenues to explore in more recent years: the dual cancellation of the wilds & first kill, youth shows like Heartstopper and Atypical, and Disney’s big moment with Agatha. Also, sad to say no Riverdale mention (but I understand that that should be a book on its own ;). Would love the author’s take on what just happened on Grey’s with Monica and the baiting, as she referenced Grey’s heavily!
September 30, 2024
The Rainbow Age of Television by Shayna Maci Warner 3 stars: Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Press for the digital ARC. THE RAINBOW AGE OF TELEVISION by Shayna Maci Warner covers quite a bit of queer TV history and the author delivers it all in a distinctive voice. One thing I would like to counter in other reviews is this book’s leaning (or “emphasis”) on lesbian characters. So often when LGBTQIA+ characters are the focus of books, it’s mostly gay white male characters in the spotlight. Good for this author for going with where the research took them. All of that said, however, I don’t know that I’m the right audience for this book. I’ve done so much work and research on LGBTQIA+ characters in various forms of media (books, tv, movies) that nothing here felt new. If this content is new to a reader, this book is an approachable way into queer representation on tv.
April 26, 2024
I adored reading this book, and I'm the first to admit I'm not the biggest fan of non-fiction. Shayna Maci Warner provides a cohesive overview of the history and growth of queer television. There is an emphasis on the importance of representation, especially when it comes to intersectionality. I came away with an expanded understanding of queer media, the work that goes into it, and the fight there was to bring every moment of it to the screen. I adored the interviews with so many talents that gave personal voice to the text, and I've come away with a lot of shows I want to binge-watch as soon as possible.
April 27, 2024
Anyone interested in queer representation or pop culture would like this book, which covers the earliest coded gay characters up to contemporary shows on streaming services. Along the way, the author interviews queer producers, directors, and performers, for a well-rounded, engaging survey appropriate for public, high school, and academic libraries alike.
June 5, 2024
A good analysis of TV across US history from a queer perspective. I learned a lot reading this, though it was quite dense with information. I found myself putting it down between chapters to process things. However, it was enjoyable and it's likely I'll read it again!
* Thank you to the publisher Abrams Books via Netgalley for an advanced copy!
* Thank you to the publisher Abrams Books via Netgalley for an advanced copy!
June 10, 2024
I really enjoyed some of the stories about queer television and how it exists. In particular, I thought as a collection of interviews it was at its strongest. Hearing first hand from actors about these roles and why they are important was a nice read. I don't think this is the vigorously non-fiction account I might have wanted but I don't regret it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
March 5, 2025
This was an interesting book that I found more analytical and academic, and not as celebratory of the genre as I maybe expected or anticipated. I will say that the author covers a lot of content, and the book is very well-researched. As I listened to the audiobook, I did wish that she would have included the original audio of multiple interviews that she did with TV creators and actors.
September 30, 2024
Justice for Sailor Moon!
September 8, 2024
Full of familiar and new information, this is such a loving history of rainbow TV and all its successes, failures, heartfelt attempts, and promising hope for the future. Not just a statement of facts, it confronts the negative (and at times positive) stereotypes around queers on TV, and the impact representation can have on those inside and outside of the community.
If you had an awakening to a tv character you’ll probably find it here. Mine was Jo on reruns of Facts of Life and I was not alone 🤣
If you had an awakening to a tv character you’ll probably find it here. Mine was Jo on reruns of Facts of Life and I was not alone 🤣
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February 8, 2025The Rainbow Age of Television is such an incredibly detailed and well organized compilation of queer characters and roles in the history of television, and how those roles/lack thereof relate to the real world and the struggles/growth of queer people. Wow. I'm blown away by the extent of the material in this book, so much work went into this and you can tell! As a queer person myself, I appreciate the deep dive into the LGBTQIA+ community's history in the media!
I will admit, many of the names of characters/shows were lost on me, as I have a bad habit of only watching modern television, and even so, not always the most well known TV shows... but this isn't an issue at all if you're in the same boat, thankfully! Every section is well explained and you need no prior "knowledge" going in. A very well written piece!
Such a fascinating read!
I will admit, many of the names of characters/shows were lost on me, as I have a bad habit of only watching modern television, and even so, not always the most well known TV shows... but this isn't an issue at all if you're in the same boat, thankfully! Every section is well explained and you need no prior "knowledge" going in. A very well written piece!
Such a fascinating read!
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