A celebration of queer TV’s past, present and exciting future.

In Out of the box, Emily Garside takes the reader on a tour through the colourful, complicated world of queer television – where representation is never just entertainment. Examining a wide array of programmes, from Queer as Folk and Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Schitt’s Creek and Heartstopper, she explores how queer viewers find themselves in the stories TV tells.

Part I dives into the genres that have shaped queer visibility on screen, from the closeted tensions of TV drama to the evolving landscape of sitcoms, musicals, sci-fi and period pieces. Whether it’s gay aliens, campy dance numbers or the queerness hidden in historical narratives, these chapters reveal how genre both limits and liberates LGBTQ+ storytelling.

Part II turns to the stories themselves: queer teens navigating first love, coming-out arcs, the thorny politics of sex on screen and the lasting need for AIDS narratives. The book also tackles the negative sides of queer TV, from queerbaiting to the ‘bury your gays’ trope, and looks at how fans push back through creativity and fanfiction.