June is pride month, with LGBTQ+ people and their allies celebrating how far the community has come, while coming together in solidarity for future battles. Some folks like to watch content that tells queer stories during this time, and there are a number of Netflix shows that have great gay representation. But I think that one of the streaming service's first shows is especially worth a watch: Lana Wachowski's Sense8.
Those with a Netflix subscription were treated to two seasons of the show before Sense8 was cancelled back in 2017. But fans campaigned for more, especially after the wild cliffhanger that Season 2 ended on. Eventually Netflix green lit a finale movie, which wrapped things up in an epic and moving way. And I think that it's the perfect show to watch for newbies during Pride Month, or re-watch for longtime fans like me.
Sense8 Is Queer AF, And Is An Empowering Watch For Pride Month
Sense8 is a fascinating sci-fi story, where eight strangers scattered across the planet suddenly are given a unique psychic connection to each other. They can "visit" with each other and speak, or can inhabit each other's body. Their connection gets deeper as more episodes go on, and with the group (called a Cluster) are able to experience their individual lives and their "siblings" at the same time. The show was shot across various countries, and is a visual treat.
The series originally introduces a few queer characters. First and foremost there's Jamie Clayton's Nomi, an American trans woman who is hacktivist with impressive skills on the computer. Then there's Lito (Miguel Ángel Silvestre) a closeted Spanish actor who is trying to keep his same-sex relationship a secret for the sake of his career. Both of these stories are handled with care by The Wachowskis, who are trans women themselves that came out in the 2010s.
As The Cluster harness their psychic connection get to know each other, the characters fiercely stand up for their LGBTQ+ siblings, including action sequences and gun fights. The Wachowskis put their signature sensibilities for action into the show, in addition to the sweet, character-driven stories. Eventually the lines of sexuality begin to fade away among The Cluster, including a number of "psychic orgies", where the characters have sex simultaneously across multiple countries.
The show includes moving coming out scenes, standing up to transphobia and bigotry, as well as the main cast accepting each other unconditionally. And Sense8's finale movie takes things even further with crazy action, a wedding, and (yes) one more wild psychic orgy. I give the show a re-watch every few years, and I think June might be the perfect excuse to it another go.
Sense8 is streaming in its entirety over on Netflix. While the show ended too soon, it's impact is still very much felt by those who followed The Cluster.
