What it is: A teen drama about identity and sexuality in 2021.
Where to watch: Peacemaker (opens in a new tab) is streaming on HBO Max. As long as they're over 18 and don't mind heads exploding all over the place.
Throw in John Cena's delicate performance as an out bisexual supervillain trying to make good Freddie Stroma performing acutely romantic worship as Peacemaker's sidekick, Vigilante and Danielle Brooks leading as the queer daughter of a big-time DC movie character (to say who is a spoiler) - you've got a show that every superhero fan needs to see. The cognitive dissonance between Christopher Smith's unhinged savior complex and his insisting that his racist, abusive, and traumatizing upbringing forged him into a great American hero is a fascinating example of using television to extend on-screen universes. Peacemaker's protagonist, however, is a villain to his peers. (Sometimes you just want to watch a dumb hunk fight a bunch of baddies). Why we like it: Superhero movies aren't known for nuanced critiques of hypermasculinity, which isn't always a bad thing.
What is it: John Cena's oxymoronic villain from 2021's The Suicide Squad gets a spinoff series wherein peace is rarely the answer. Where to watch: (opens in a new tab) Harley Quinn (opens in a new tab) is streaming on HBO Max. Adam Rosenberg, Senior Entertainment Reporter Constantly surprising viewers with complex, nuanced considerations of life and love while also delivering gigantic laughs, Harley Quinn's combo of wild plot twists, tender handling of queer relationships, and riotously hilarious send-ups of the classic Batman rogue's gallery easily make it one of the best things you can watch on HBO Max right now. Smoove) - is where we find the show's heart. Kaley Cuoco anchors the whole thing as Harley herself, but her main crew - Poison Ivy (Lake Bell), Clayface (Alan Tudyk), Doctor Psycho (Tony Hale), King Shark (Ron Funches), Sy Borgman (Jason Alexander), and Frank the Plant (J.B. Why we like it: Harley Quinn is a show with hidden delights. What it is: An animated Batman spinoff series that follows Gotham City's Harley Quinn as she re-evaluates her life following a cataclysmic break-up with Joker. Where to watch: (opens in a new tab) The Owl House (opens in a new tab) is streaming on Disney+. Seriously, its devoted fanbase makes it trend on Twitter any time a new episode comes out. While the show's end is nearing, there's no understating the impact it's had on audiences. The Owl House also makes history by introducing Disney's first-ever nonbinary character: bard Raine Whispers. The show's main character, Luz Noceda, is unapologetically queer and in a blossoming romance with her former rival, Amity. Why we love it: Zany and epic in equal measures, The Owl House is a celebration of individuality that joins other animated shows such as Steven Universe and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power in breaking new ground in LGBTQ representation. What it is: An animated show about a human girl who gets stuck in the demon realm, where she learns magic under the tutelage of a charismatic witch. 'Schitt's Creek' glances back as it moves ahead in emotional finale Where to watch: (opens in a new tab) Everything's Gonna Be Okay (opens in a new tab) is streaming on Hulu. Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor Through their journeys, this brilliantly empathetic comedy explores coming of age, queerness, asexuality, and the true meaning of family. Far from a one-man show, Everything's Gonna Be Okay also explores the inner life of Josh's boyfriend (Adam Faison), anxious little sister Genevieve (Maeve Press), and music prodigy Matilda ( Kayla Cromer), who is on the autism spectrum. Why we like it: Starring as neurotic but lovable Josh Moss, writer/actor Josh Thomas playfully pitches himself in a fish-out-of-water scenario, where culture clashes, generation gaps, and sibling rivalries collide to comedic and heart-hitting effect. What it is: A dramedy series that centers on an Australian man (creator Josh Thomas) raising his American teen stepsisters in the wake of their father's death. HBO Max's 'Legendary' will bring you back to fierce, fearless life