# List of dramatic television series with LGBTQ characters: 1960s–2000s

This article split has been titled per [[WP:NCSPLITLIST]] preference. This article was split from *List of dramatic television series with LGBT characters* on 24 September 2019. It is the first in a series of related lists. This is a list of dramatic television series (including web television and miniseries) that premiered in the 1960s–2000s which feature lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender characters. Non-binary, pansexual, asexual, and graysexual characters are also included. The orientation can be portrayed on-screen, described in the dialogue or mentioned.

## 1960s

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| The Asphalt Jungle | ABC | Miss Brant | Virginia Christine | Miss Brant is a repressed lesbian, and serial killer who kills girls who give themselves up to boys. Broadcast in 1961. The show was inspired by the 1950 film The Asphalt Jungle. | 1961 |
| The Eleventh Hour | NBC | Hallie Lambert | Kathryn Hays | Dr. Starke (Ralph Bellamy) treats Hallie, a lesbian and an unstable actress, who has fallen in love with the female director of the play she is appearing in. | 1962–1964 |
| The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | NBC | Nurse Betty Ames | T. C. Jones | Nurse Ames is a transvestite serial killer who preys specifically on nurses, in episode "An Unlocked Window". Broadcast in 1965. | 1962–1965 |
| The Bold Ones: The Lawyers | NBC | Barry Goram | Morgan Sterne | Barry is gay, and worked for Gubernatorial candidate Stephen Patterson (Craig Stevens). When Stevens discovers that Barry is gay, he forces him to resign to avoid a scandal. Barry gets revenge by framing Patterson for murder. | 1968–1972 |
| The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | NBC | Jack Melino | Robert Hogan | Fourteen year old Cory Melino (Ron Howard) discovers that his divorced father Jack is gay, when he makes a surprise visit to his house. Jane Wyman has a guest role as Dr. Amanda Fallon, who scolds the mother and grandfather (Jim Davis) for hiding this information from Cory, in episode "Discovery at Fourteen" | 1969–1973 |
| The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | NBC | Valerie DeMarco | Donna Mills | Valerie and Eleanor are in a lesbian relationship. Valerie is a nurse, while Eleanor is earning her degree in clinical psychology. | 1969–1973 |
| The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | NBC | Eleanor | Hildy Brooks | Valerie and Eleanor are in a lesbian relationship. Valerie is a nurse, while Eleanor is earning her degree in clinical psychology. | 1969–1973 |
| Medical Center | CBS | Dr. Annie Claymore | Lois Nettleton | Dr. Claymore is a lesbian and a psychiatrist called in to handle a heart patient, Tobi, who is not taking her medicine. Tobi's boyfriend believes that Dr. Claymore is out to convert his girlfriend, in episode "Impasse". In his book Alternate Channels, author Steven Capsuto cites Annie Claymore as "American TV's first productive, happy lesbian character." | 1969–1976 |
| Medical Center | CBS | Dr. Ben Teverly | Paul Burke | A gay research scientist becomes the target of a smear campaign. Dr. Gannon (Chad Everett) defends Teverly against the smears, by reminding his colleagues that "it was a homosexual who painted the ceilings" of the Sistine Chapel. | 1969–1976 |
| N.Y.P.D. | ABC | Bert Gaffer | James Broderick | Bert is a closeted construction worker, who agrees to cooperate with the police to catch a gang of blackmailers who are robbing and targeting homosexuals, with threats to out them unless they pay money to them. | 1967–1969 |
| N.Y.P.D. | ABC | Charles Spad | John Harkins | Charles is an openly gay businessman and activist, who also agrees to help the police with the gang of blackmailers. When he is initially asked to help, Spad makes it clear to them that "just because I'm a homosexual...doesn't mean I know every other one in the country". | 1967–1969 |
| The Wednesday Play | BBC One | Robin Fletcher | Nicol Williamson | A cosmopolitan London couple, Peter and Cathy Young (Alfred Lynch and Glenda Jackson), find their outwardly charmed lives upended by Robin, a troubled homosexual friend. Broadcast in 1965. | 1964–1970 |

## 1970s

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Angels | BBC | Ken Hastings | Michael Howarth | Ken is gay and fighting to save the hospital from closing. Paul is his lover. | 1975–1983 |
| Angels | BBC | Paul | Michael Troughton | Ken is gay and fighting to save the hospital from closing. Paul is his lover. | 1975–1983 |
| Baretta | ABC | Tommy Rankin | Barry Miller | Tommy is a 14-year-old gay street hustler, who witnesses the murder of his friend. Baretta befriends him and investigates the murder. | 1975–1978 |
| The Baxters | Syndication | Gay teacher | actor unknown | Fred Baxter (Larry Keith) learns that one of Jonah's (Chris Petersen) teachers is gay. Homophobic neighbor Jerry Johnson (Chuck McCann) circulates a petition demanding that the teacher be fired. | 1979–1981 |
| Bronk | CBS | Sara Mitchell | Julie Sommars | Sara is the first female officer assigned to patrol duty in Bronk's (Jack Palance) department. Sara is accused of being a lesbian after an arrest of a female. The series was created by Carroll O'Connor, who was also the executive producer. | 1975–1976 |
| Days of Our Lives | NBC | Sharon Duval | Sally Stark | Sally is a housewife who realizes she is bisexual and in love with a female friend. | 1976–1977 |
| Executive Suite | CBS | Julie Solkin | Geraldine Brooks | Julie is in an abusive marriage with her husband, and comes out as lesbian to her best friend Leona (Patricia Smith). Leona responds to Julie that she likes her too, and then feeling upset about this, walks into traffic with Julie right behind her. Consequently, Julie is hit by a truck and dies. | 1976–1977 |
| Family | ABC | Flora Jessup | Blair Brown | Miss Jessup is a lesbian teacher who gets Buddy (Kristy McNichol) interested in reading. Stacey (Helen Hunt) bullies Buddy for being a teacher's pet. Stacey's mother (Joyce Van Patten) outs her at a school board meeting and tries to get her fired, but nobody cares because Miss Jessup is the best teacher anybody has ever had. | 1976–1980 |
| Lou Grant | CBS | Mike Tynan | Joe Penny | Mike is a gay detective that investigates a fire at a gay bar. | 1977–1982 |
| Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law | ABC | Meg Dayton | Kristina Holland | Meg writes for a lesbian newspaper, and is the ex-roommate of Ann Glover (Meredith Baxter), a collegiate diving superstar. When Ann is accused of trying to seduce a 15-year-old student, Meg testifies on her behalf. It turns out that her accuser was in such a panic over her own feelings for Ann, she lied about Ann, in episode "Words of Summer". Meg was the first young adult character to state unequivocally that she was a lesbian on a TV drama. The character of Ann was inspired by Babe Didrikson Zaharias. | 1971–1974 |
| Play for Today | BBC One | Lewis Duncan | Anton Rodgers | Lewis is a gay writer of romantic novels, and Richie is his young on-off boyfriend. Lewis writes an article on gay issues under the pseudonym of "Zippy Grimes", and the article is a great success. Several fans write letters in support and when he meets some of these fans, he is forced to come out. Broadcast in 1979. | 1970–1984 |
| Play for Today | BBC One | Richie | Nigel Havers | Lewis is a gay writer of romantic novels, and Richie is his young on-off boyfriend. Lewis writes an article on gay issues under the pseudonym of "Zippy Grimes", and the article is a great success. Several fans write letters in support and when he meets some of these fans, he is forced to come out. Broadcast in 1979. | 1970–1984 |
| Play for Today | BBC One | Kim | Jane Lapotaire | Kim is a motorbike-riding artist, who seduces seventeen-year-old debutante Niki, into a brief lesbian relationship. Broadcast in 1976. | 1970–1984 |
| Play for Today | BBC One | Niki | Lynne Frederick | Kim is a motorbike-riding artist, who seduces seventeen-year-old debutante Niki, into a brief lesbian relationship. Broadcast in 1976. | 1970–1984 |
| Play for Today | BBC One | Stephen Piper / Susan | Paul Henley | Stephen is a young, pre-transition bank clerk. She is bullied and belittled by her volatile mother (Sylvia Kay), a teenage girl-next-door, and a homophobic colleague. Susan is British TV drama's first transgender lead character. Broadcast in 1979. | 1970–1984 |
| Police Woman | NBC | Mame | Fay Spain | A trio of lesbians are stealing from and killing off residents in a nursing home. Pepper (Angie Dickinson) goes undercover as a nurse to expose the killing-and-stealing scheme, in episode "Flowers of Evil". | 1974–1978 |
| Police Woman | NBC | Janet | Lynn Loring | A trio of lesbians are stealing from and killing off residents in a nursing home. Pepper (Angie Dickinson) goes undercover as a nurse to expose the killing-and-stealing scheme, in episode "Flowers of Evil". | 1974–1978 |
| Police Woman | NBC | Gladys | Laraine Stephens | A trio of lesbians are stealing from and killing off residents in a nursing home. Pepper (Angie Dickinson) goes undercover as a nurse to expose the killing-and-stealing scheme, in episode "Flowers of Evil". | 1974–1978 |
| Police Woman | NBC | Marlena | Patricia Crowley | Marlena is a lesbian and a successful business executive, she was Pepper's roommate in college. Marlena is called on to testify on Pepper's behalf when she is accused of sexually molesting a female suspect, in episode "Trial by Prejudice". | 1974–1978 |
| Prisoner | Network Ten | Franky Doyle | Carol Burns | Franky is a nicotine-stained lesbian biker who was imprisoned for armed robbery and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. | 1979–1986 |
| Prisoner | Network Ten | Sharon Gilmour | Margot Knight | Sharon is Judy's lover and a scheming, spoiled young woman who is imprisoned for drug dealing. | 1979–1986 |
| Prisoner | Network Ten | Judy Bryant | Betty Bobbitt | Judy is an American ex-pat lesbian who deliberately committed a crime to join her lover Sharon in prison. | 1979–1986 |
| Prisoner | Network Ten | Joan Ferguson | Maggie Kirkpatrick | Joan is a sinister and cold lesbian prison officer known to the prisoners as "the Freak". | 1979–1986 |
| Prisoner | Network Ten | Terri Malone | Margot Knight | Terri is a bisexual young officer who temporarily became Joan Ferguson's live-in lover. The actor Margot Knight played two characters in this series, inmate Sharon Gilmour in 1980 and prison officer Terri Malone in 1985. | 1979–1986 |
| Second City Firsts | BBC Two | Jackie | Alison Steadman | Jackie and Chrissie, two officers in the Women's Royal Army Corps, are in a lesbian relationship. The 1974 episode "Girl", featured the first lesbian kiss on British television. | 1973–1978 |
| Second City Firsts | BBC Two | Chrissie | Myra Frances | Jackie and Chrissie, two officers in the Women's Royal Army Corps, are in a lesbian relationship. The 1974 episode "Girl", featured the first lesbian kiss on British television. | 1973–1978 |
| The Streets of San Francisco | ABC | Jackie Collins | Devon Ericson | Jackie and Tina are a lesbian couple. Jackie murders Tina's best friend out of jealousy. Jackie explains to Tina that the knife just slipped. | 1972–1977 |
| The Streets of San Francisco | ABC | Tina Harrington | Joanne Nail | Jackie and Tina are a lesbian couple. Jackie murders Tina's best friend out of jealousy. Jackie explains to Tina that the knife just slipped. | 1972–1977 |
| Tatort | ARD | Robert Karow | Mark Waschke | Robert is the first openly bisexual detective. | 1971– |
| Tatort | ARD | Liz Ritschard | Delia Mayer | Liz is lesbian. | 1971– |
| Tatort | ARD | Julia Grosz | Franziska Weisz | Julia is either lesbian or bisexual. | 1971– |
| Tatort | ARD | Linda Selb | Luise Wolfram | Linda Selb is bisexual. | 1971– |
| Upstairs, Downstairs | BBC | Alfred Harris | George Innes | Alfred leaves Eaton Place to work as a footman for his lover, Baron Klaus von Rimmer, after their affair is discovered. In the third season, Alfred returns to Eaton Place seeking refuge after he murdered Von Rimmer. | 1971-1975 |
| Upstairs, Downstairs | BBC | Baron Klaus von Rimmer | Horst Janson | Alfred leaves Eaton Place to work as a footman for his lover, Baron Klaus von Rimmer, after their affair is discovered. In the third season, Alfred returns to Eaton Place seeking refuge after he murdered Von Rimmer. | 1971-1975 |

## 1980s

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| All My Children | ABC | Dr. Lynn Carson | Donna Pescow | Donna Pescow had a recurring role as lesbian doctor, Dr. Lynn Carson, who worked at Pine Valley Hospital. | 1983 |
| As the World Turns | CBS | Hank Elliot | Brian Starcher | Hank was the openly gay designer who worked for Barbara Ryan (Colleen Zenk) but made the decision to leave the town to care for his lover, Charles, who was dying of AIDS. | 1988-1989 |
| Bare Essence | NBC | Robert Spencer | Ted LePlat | Robert is gay, and Larry, a professional football player was his lover. | 1982–1983 |
| Bare Essence | NBC | Larry DeVito | Morgan Stevens | Robert is gay, and Larry, a professional football player was his lover. | 1982–1983 |
| Cagney & Lacey | CBS | Tony Stantinopolis | Barry Sattels | Tony moves in next door to Cagney in the episode, "Rites of Passage" and the two become fast friends. He was a recurring character for the last two seasons of the show. | 1986-1988 |
| CBS Schoolbreak Special | CBS | Todd Bowers | Richard Joseph Paul | In the episode "What If I'm Gay?", Todd comes out after his friends find a gay magazine in his desk. Todd confronts his friend Kirk (Manfred Melcher) about his homophobia, which may be rooted in his own anxiety about his sexual orientation, because of the sexual experimentation he and Todd engaged in when younger. | 1984–1996 |
| Celebrity | NBC | Mack Crawford | Joseph Bottoms | This 1984 miniseries' storyline includes the murder of a closeted gay movie star. | 1984 |
| Dress Gray | NBC | David Hand | Patrick Cassidy | David Hand is a gay cadet at the fictional Ulysses S. Grant Military Academy. David is raped and murdered and the prime suspect is Ry Slaight (Alec Baldwin). To clear his name, Ry initiates his own investigation and discovers that Cadet Winant (Joseph Kell), is the actual murderer. | 1986 |
| Dynasty | ABC | Steven Carrington | Al Corley (left after season 2) | Self-identifies as homosexual. He is among the earliest gay main characters included in an American television series. When Coleman took over the role, his change in appearance was explained by plastic surgery due to an oil rig explosion. | 1981–1989 |
| Dynasty | ABC | Steven Carrington | Jack Coleman (started in season 3) | Self-identifies as homosexual. He is among the earliest gay main characters included in an American television series. When Coleman took over the role, his change in appearance was explained by plastic surgery due to an oil rig explosion. | 1981–1989 |
| Dynasty | ABC | Ted Dinard | Mark Withers | Steven Carrington's former boyfriend from New York City. | 1981–1989 |
| Dynasty | ABC | Luke Fuller | Billy Campbell | Has a relationship with Steven Carrington. Luke was killed in the "Moldavian Massacre". | 1981–1989 |
| Dynasty | ABC | Chris Deegan | Grant Goodeve | Chris is Steven's gay lawyer, and lived with him platonically for a few episodes. | 1981–1989 |
| Dynasty | ABC | Bart Falmont | Kevin Conroy | Bart was a closeted gay, until he was outed by Adam Carrington (Gordon Thomson). In the 1991 reunion show, Steven had followed Bart (then played by Cameron Watson) to Washington D.C. and become his lover. | 1981–1989 |
| Ellis Island | CBS | Vanessa Ogden | Kate Burton | Vanessa falls in love with a lesbian gallery owner. | 1984 |
| HeartBeat | ABC | Marilyn McGrath | Gail Strickland | Marilyn and Patty are a lesbian couple. Marilyn is a nurse practitioner and co-founder of a women's clinic, and Patty is a chef. HeartBeat is the first prime time series in the U.S. to include a lesbian (Marilyn McGrath) as a main character. | 1988–1989 |
| HeartBeat | ABC | Patty | Gina Hecht | Marilyn and Patty are a lesbian couple. Marilyn is a nurse practitioner and co-founder of a women's clinic, and Patty is a chef. HeartBeat is the first prime time series in the U.S. to include a lesbian (Marilyn McGrath) as a main character. | 1988–1989 |
| Hill Street Blues | NBC | Eddie Gregg | Charles Levin | Belker (Bruce Weitz) befriends a gay prostitute named Eddie Gregg, in episode "Trial By Fury". And in episode "Phantom Of The Hill", Eddie's lover is involved in a drug-related murder. Eddie dies of AIDS in episode "Slum Enchanted Evening". | 1981–1987 |
| Hill Street Blues | NBC | Officer Kate McBride | Lindsay Crouse | Officer McBride comes out after being falsely accused of sexually harassing a female suspect, in episode "Look Homeward, Ninja". | 1981–1987 |
| Hill Street Blues | NBC | Detective Art Bradley | Lawrence Pressman | Detective Bradley, who is off-duty, is the only witness at a deadly shooting at a gay bar. He is reluctant to come forward for fear that he'll be outed, in episode "Here's Adventure, Here's Romance". | 1981–1987 |
| Hill Street Blues | NBC | Coach Beasley | James Tolkan | Officer Coffey (Ed Marinaro) is propositioned by Coach Beasley, his former high school football coach, during a prostitution sting, in episode "Queen for a Day". | 1981–1987 |
| The Hitchhiker | HBO | Diane Hampton | Penelope Milford | In the 1985 episode 'Man at the Window', Diane is bisexual. She is in love with Carla. | 1983-1991 |
| The Hitchhiker | HBO | Carla Magnuson | Belinda Montgomery | In the 1985 episode 'Man at the Window', Diane is bisexual. She is in love with Carla. | 1983-1991 |
| Hollywood Beat | NBC | George Grinsky | John Matuszak | George was a gay informant whose business was used by undercover cops working in Hollywood. Actor John Matuszak was best known for his role as Sloth in the 1985 movie The Goonies. | 1985 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Norman Chaney | Loren Janes | In the pilot episode, the firm discovers that their late senior partner Norman was gay. | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Christopher Appleton | Peter Frechette | (Season 1) Christopher is gay and has AIDS. Christopher is prosecuted by Grace Van Owen (Susan Dey) for the mercy-killing of his lover, who also had the disease in episode "The Venus Butterfly". Mark is Christopher's openly gay attorney. In Season 4, Mark Gilliam returns in episode "Blood, Sweat and Fears" where he is representing a widow suing a doctor, represented by Victor Siefuentes (Jimmy Smits), who refused to perform a surgical operation on her husband who was infected with AIDS. One year later in the Season 5 finale episode "Since I Fell For You", Victor represents Mark, who is in the middle stages of AIDS himself, in suing a pharmaceutical company who will not pay for Mark's experimental treatment for AIDS. | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Mark Gilliam | Stanley Kamel | (Season 1) Christopher is gay and has AIDS. Christopher is prosecuted by Grace Van Owen (Susan Dey) for the mercy-killing of his lover, who also had the disease in episode "The Venus Butterfly". Mark is Christopher's openly gay attorney. In Season 4, Mark Gilliam returns in episode "Blood, Sweat and Fears" where he is representing a widow suing a doctor, represented by Victor Siefuentes (Jimmy Smits), who refused to perform a surgical operation on her husband who was infected with AIDS. One year later in the Season 5 finale episode "Since I Fell For You", Victor represents Mark, who is in the middle stages of AIDS himself, in suing a pharmaceutical company who will not pay for Mark's experimental treatment for AIDS. | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Judge Lawrence O'Neil | Donald Moffat | (Season 3) In episode "The Accidental Jurist", Michael Kuzack (Harry Hamlin) chooses retired Judge O'Neil, whom he knows is secretly gay, to hear the case of his client Matthew Leonard, an Olympic athlete suing a corporation when Leonard loses an endorsement deal after coming out. | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Matthew Leonard | Brian McNamara | (Season 3) In episode "The Accidental Jurist", Michael Kuzack (Harry Hamlin) chooses retired Judge O'Neil, whom he knows is secretly gay, to hear the case of his client Matthew Leonard, an Olympic athlete suing a corporation when Leonard loses an endorsement deal after coming out. | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Stan Vlasic | Michael Medeiros | (Season 4) Stan is gay, and a former policeman, being represented by Michael Kuzak, who sues a journalist who outed him without permission in episode "Outward Bound". | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | James Campbell | Kevin Kilner | (Season 5) James is gay and is being represented by Ann Kelsey (Jill Eikenberry) who is suing the homophobic parents of his lover, who is dying of ALS, when they refuse visitation rights to James, in episode "Smoke Gets in Your Thighs". | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Cara Jean "C.J." Lamb | Amanda Donohoe | Introduced in Season 5, C.J. is bisexual, and after a celebratory dinner, her and Abby share an intimate kiss, in episode "He's a Crowd". According to Out Magazine, it was the first same-sex kiss on American television. | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Abby Perkins | Michele Greene | Introduced in Season 5, C.J. is bisexual, and after a celebratory dinner, her and Abby share an intimate kiss, in episode "He's a Crowd". According to Out Magazine, it was the first same-sex kiss on American television. | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Susan Convers | Claudia Christian | (Season 5) Susan is a transgender model represented by Douglas Brackman Jr. (Alan Rachins), who sues the cosmetics company where she worked, when her status is discovered, in episode "Speak, Lawyers, For Me". | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Maggie Barnes | Elizabeth Kemp | (Season 6) Maggie is a lesbian, and one of C.J.'s former lovers, who is being represented by Arnie Becker (Corbin Bernsen) who is being sued by her ex-husband for full custody of their two children after Maggie recently came out of the closet in episode "The Nut Before Christmas". | 1986–1994 |
| L.A. Law | NBC | Simon Matz | Anthony Fusco | (Season 7) Simon Matz is gay and being defended by Jonathan Rollins (Blair Underwood) which Matz claims that the LAPD detective, Greg Riley (Jason Beghe), who arrested him entrapped him by becoming his lover in episode "Cold Shower". | 1986–1994 |
| One Summer | Channel 4 | Kidder | James Hazeldine | Kidder is a reclusive gay painter in this five-part drama series about two teenage boys from Liverpool who run away to Wales, and briefly stay with Kidder. | 1983 |
| Santa Barbara | NBC | Channing Chapwell Jr. | Robert Brian Wilson | While Channing, who was bisexual, was shot to death in a flashback during the series' first episode, he reappeared in many future episodes during flashbacks. | 1984-1985 |
| Scene | BBC | Matthew | Jason Rush | Matthew is gay and has a brief sexual relationship with Phil. In the hostile atmosphere of Section 28, a nervous BBC first avoids showing Two of Us (part of BBC Schools TV series) at all, then does, but only at 23.30. | 1988 |
| Scene | BBC | Phil | Lee Whitlock | Matthew is gay and has a brief sexual relationship with Phil. In the hostile atmosphere of Section 28, a nervous BBC first avoids showing Two of Us (part of BBC Schools TV series) at all, then does, but only at 23.30. | 1988 |
| Scruples | CBS | Alan Wilton | Michael Callan | This 1980 miniseries is based on the bestselling novel by Judith Krantz. | 1980 |
| St. Elsewhere | NBC | Kevin O'Casey | John Scott Clough | Kevin and Brett are lovers who had recurring roles on the series from 1986 to 1988. | 1986-1988 |
| St. Elsewhere | NBC | Brett Johnson | Kyle Secor | Kevin and Brett are lovers who had recurring roles on the series from 1986 to 1988. | 1986-1988 |
| thirtysomething | ABC | Russell Weller | David Marshall Grant | Peter has a one-night stand with Russell, in episode "Strangers" The actors were not allowed to touch during the scene and the episode generated controversy and alienated advertisers. | 1987–1991 |
| thirtysomething | ABC | Peter Montefiore | Peter Frechette | Peter has a one-night stand with Russell, in episode "Strangers" The actors were not allowed to touch during the scene and the episode generated controversy and alienated advertisers. | 1987–1991 |
| Valley of the Dolls | CBS | Vivienne Moray | Camilla Sparv | Vivienne is a Parisian lesbian artist. | 1981 |
| The Women of Brewster Place | ABC | Lorraine | Lonette McKee | Lorraine and Theresa are a lesbian couple that move into Brewster Place, where they become the subject of malicious gossip. They are the first black lesbian couple portrayed on American television. | 1989 |
| The Women of Brewster Place | ABC | Theresa "Tee" | Paula Kelly | Lorraine and Theresa are a lesbian couple that move into Brewster Place, where they become the subject of malicious gossip. They are the first black lesbian couple portrayed on American television. | 1989 |

## 1990s
### 1990

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| 21 Jump Street | FOX Off-network syndication (S5) | Evelyn Marks | Olivia Negron | Evelyn is a lesbian history professor and an environmentalist, who is murdered. The team goes undercover at the school to investigate, in episode "A Change of Heart". | 1990–1991 |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | FOX | Ben Wester | Esteban Powell | Ben is a gay teenager, thrown out of the house, living in the car wash garage, where he is befriended by David Silver. | 1990–2000 |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | FOX | Mike Ryan | Jack Armstrong | Mike is gay and the president of his fraternity. At a wardrobe fitting for a charity event, a fraternity brother gay-baits Steve (Ian Ziering), who in response outs Mike, in episode "Blind Spot". | 1990–2000 |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | FOX | Samantha Sanders | Christine Belford | Samantha and Karen are a lesbian couple. Samantha is Steve's adoptive mother | 1990–2000 |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | FOX | Karen Lewis | Lisa Thornhill | Samantha and Karen are a lesbian couple. Samantha is Steve's adoptive mother | 1990–2000 |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | FOX | Elle | Monika Schnarre | Elle is transgender, and briefly dates Steve. | 1990–2000 |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | FOX | Alison Lash | Sara Melson | Alison is a lesbian, who had a crush on Kelly. Dana is Alison's girlfriend, and not happy about Kelly. | 1990–2000 |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | FOX | Dana | Kristine Mejia | Alison is a lesbian, who had a crush on Kelly. Dana is Alison's girlfriend, and not happy about Kelly. | 1990–2000 |
| Law & Order | NBC | Serena Southerlyn | Elisabeth Röhm | After being fired, Southerlyn came out as a lesbian in her final appearance in the series, in episode "Ain't No Love". | 1990–2010 |
| Northern Exposure | CBS | Ron Bantz | Doug Ballard | Ron and Erick are a gay couple who buy a house from Maurice (Barry Corbin) to open an upscale bed and breakfast called the Sourdough Inn. They get married in the fifth season of the series. | 1990-1995 |
| Northern Exposure | CBS | Erick Hillman | Don McManus | Ron and Erick are a gay couple who buy a house from Maurice (Barry Corbin) to open an upscale bed and breakfast called the Sourdough Inn. They get married in the fifth season of the series. | 1990-1995 |
| Northern Exposure | CBS | Cicely | Yvonne Suhor | The fictitious town of Cicely Alaska, where the show takes place, was founded by lesbian partners Cicely and Rosyln in 1908 when their car broke down in the Alaskan wilderness. Their story was told in the final episode of 1992. | 1990-1995 |
| Northern Exposure | CBS | Rosyln | Jo Anderson | The fictitious town of Cicely Alaska, where the show takes place, was founded by lesbian partners Cicely and Rosyln in 1908 when their car broke down in the Alaskan wilderness. Their story was told in the final episode of 1992. | 1990-1995 |
| Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit | BBC | Jess | Charlotte Coleman | Jess is a lesbian schoolgirl who grows up in a repressive Lancashire industrial district and finds love. | 1990 |

### 1991

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Silk Stalkings | CBS USA | Rita Lee Lance | Mitzi Kapture | Rita is accused of being a lesbian when an old female friend is found murdered, and she was the last to see her alive. | 1991–1999 |
| Silk Stalkings | CBS USA | Roxy | Kimberly Patton | Roxy is bisexual, and the owner of a health club found murdered after having sex. | 1991–1999 |
| Sisters | NBC | Norma Lear | Nora Dunn | Norma was a minor character; a TV producer introduced in Season 4 who was an out-and-proud lesbian (though her partner, Chris, never appeared onscreen). | 1991–1996 |
| Street Justice | Syndication | Danny Malloy | Sean O'Byrne | Malloy's gay brother Danny comes to visit looking forward to a birthday celebration, but is beaten to death by a group of young thugs just because he is gay. | |

### 1992

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Melrose Place | FOX | Matt Fielding | Doug Savant | After coming out, Matt is physically assaulted and fired from work because of his sexual orientation. Fox pulled a scene where Matt kissed another man after their first date. The scene included a kiss when it was filmed, but when the show aired, viewers only saw the two men shake hands and share a meaningful look. | 1992–1999 |
| Melrose Place | FOX | Jeffrey Lindley | Jason Beghe | Jeff was a closeted Navy officer, and after being outed was quickly transferred to the East Coast. He was a brief love interest of Matt. | 1992–1999 |
| Melrose Place | FOX | Dr. Paul Graham | David Beecroft | Paul was a doctor at fictional Wilshire Memorial Hospital, and had a brief sexual encounter with Matt. | 1992–1999 |
| Melrose Place | FOX | Alan Ross | Lonnie Schuyler | Alan was a closeted film actor who had a brief sexual encounter with Matt. | 1992–1999 |
| Melrose Place | FOX | Dave Erickson | Rob Youngblood | Dave was a gay friend of Matt's, and took an interest in Matt, though the sentiment was not returned. | 1992–1999 |
| Picket Fences | CBS | Lydia | Cristina Rose | Lydia has a lesbian affair while in college. | 1992–1996 |
| Picket Fences | CBS | Louise Talbot | Natalija Nogulich | Louise is a transgender teacher, revealed in episode "Pageantry". | 1992–1996 |
| Picket Fences | CBS | Gerald 'Gerry' Bey | Lenny von Dohlen | Gerry and Gordy are a gay couple raising a baby, given up by Gerry's sister, in episode ""Bye-Bye, Bey-Bey". | 1992–1996 |
| Picket Fences | CBS | Gordy Hartman | Bill Brochtrup | Gerry and Gordy are a gay couple raising a baby, given up by Gerry's sister, in episode ""Bye-Bye, Bey-Bey". | 1992–1996 |

### 1993

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Babylon 5 | PTEN TNT (S5) | Susan Ivanova | Claudia Christian | Susan's relationship with Talia was never explicitly shown on screen, but only implied. Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski and actors Claudia Christian and Andrea Thompson made it clear that there was always intended to be a romantic relationship between the two characters. | 1993–1997 |
| Babylon 5 | PTEN TNT (S5) | Talia Winters | Andrea Thompson | Susan's relationship with Talia was never explicitly shown on screen, but only implied. Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski and actors Claudia Christian and Andrea Thompson made it clear that there was always intended to be a romantic relationship between the two characters. | 1993–1997 |
| Babylon 5 | PTEN TNT (S5) | Marcus Cole | Jason Carter | Marcus and Stephen travel undercover as a gay couple on their honeymoon, they find out nobody on Mars knows about the shadow war. | 1993–1997 |
| Babylon 5 | PTEN TNT (S5) | Stephen Franklin | Richard Biggs | Marcus and Stephen travel undercover as a gay couple on their honeymoon, they find out nobody on Mars knows about the shadow war. | 1993–1997 |
| CBS Schoolbreak Special | CBS | Linda Jurgenson | Joanna Cassidy | Linda and Paula are a lesbian couple raising a teenage son, Will (Justin Whalin), who is confronted with the conservative views of his new school. Stephen Tropiano writes in his book, The Prime Time Closet, "the hour drama does an excellent job at introducing the subject of gay parenting to young viewers by exposing how prejudice is rooted in fear and ignorance". | 1993 |
| CBS Schoolbreak Special | CBS | Paula Hensen | Meredith Baxter | Linda and Paula are a lesbian couple raising a teenage son, Will (Justin Whalin), who is confronted with the conservative views of his new school. Stephen Tropiano writes in his book, The Prime Time Closet, "the hour drama does an excellent job at introducing the subject of gay parenting to young viewers by exposing how prejudice is rooted in fear and ignorance". | 1993 |
| Homicide: Life on the Street | NBC | Tim Bayliss | Kyle Secor | Tim, a main character, came out as bisexual in season 6. | 1993–1999 |
| NYPD Blue | ABC | John Irvin | Bill Brochtrup | John Irvin was a recurring character introduced in season 2 as the openly gay 15th precinct's administrative aide. | 1993–2005 |
| NYPD Blue | ABC | Officer Abby Sullivan | Paige Turco | Abby was a uniformed police officer in Seasons 4 and 5 who was a friend of Greg Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) and an open lesbian involved with a woman named Kathy (played by Lisa Darr). | 1993–2005 |
| Tales of the City | Channel 4 | Anna Madrigal | Olympia Dukakis | Anna Madrigal is a trans woman. The miniseries is adapted from the novel of the same name by Armistead Maupin. | 1993 |
| Tales of the City | Channel 4 | Michael Tolliver | Marcus D'Amico | Michael Tolliver is an openly gay resident of Anna Madrigal's boarding house. | 1993 |
| Tales of the City | Channel 4 | Jon Fielding | Billy Campbell | John Fielding is a closeted doctor who casually dates Michael. | 1993 |
| Tales of the City | Channel 4 | Dorothy Wilson | Cynda Williams | Dorothy is a closeted lesbian model who has a romantic history with Mona Ramsey (Chloe Webb). | 1993 |
| Tales of the City | Channel 4 | Beauchamp Day | Thomas Gibson | Beauchamp is bisexual, having an affair with Mary Ann Singleton and later Jon Fielding. | 1993 |

### 1994

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| ER | NBC | Kerry Weaver | Laura Innes | Dr. Weaver and firefighter Sandy Lopez, are a lesbian couple. | 1994–2009 |
| ER | NBC | Sandy Lopez | Lisa Vidal | Dr. Weaver and firefighter Sandy Lopez, are a lesbian couple. | 1994–2009 |
| ER | NBC | Yosh Takata | Gedde Watanabe | Yosh is an openly gay nurse. | 1994–2009 |
| ER | NBC | Maggie Doyle | Jorja Fox | Maggie is a lesbian, she was the show's first major gay character. | 1994–2009 |
| ER | NBC | Kim Legaspi | Elizabeth Mitchell | Legaspi is openly lesbian. | 1994–2009 |
| ER | NBC | Courtney Brown | Michelle Hurd | Courtney is a lesbian and was a TV producer interested in doing segments about the doctors at the hospital. | 1994–2009 |
| ER | NBC | Charles "Chaz" Pratt Jr. | Sam Jones III | Chaz is a gay resident and Dr. Pratt's half-brother. | 1994–2009 |
| Family Album | NBC | Lionel Thayer | Joe Flanigan | Lionel comes out to his parents. His mother is surprised, and accepts the news, but his father is outraged and cuts him out of his life, and forbids his other children to ever contact him again. Based on Danielle Steel's novel of the same name. | 1994 |
| Family Album | NBC | John | Joel Gretsch | John is Lionel's boyfriend, they get into a car accident and John dies. | 1994 |
| Family Album | NBC | Paul Steel | Paul Satterfield | Paul Steel is a drug addicted actor who was recently fired. He becomes romantically involved with Lionel. | 1994 |
| My So-Called Life | ABC | Enrique 'Rickie' Vasquez | Wilson Cruz | Rickie is an openly gay teenager who lived with an abusive uncle who threw him out, and then moved away without telling him. Homeless and nowhere to go, he asks his gay teacher Mr. Katimske for help, who takes him in. In an interview for The Advocate, Wilson Cruz, who is openly gay, said he identified with his character as his dad also threw him out when he came out. | 1994–1995 |
| My So-Called Life | ABC | Mr. Katimski | Jeff Perry | Rickie is an openly gay teenager who lived with an abusive uncle who threw him out, and then moved away without telling him. Homeless and nowhere to go, he asks his gay teacher Mr. Katimske for help, who takes him in. In an interview for The Advocate, Wilson Cruz, who is openly gay, said he identified with his character as his dad also threw him out when he came out. | 1994–1995 |
| Party of Five | Fox | Ross Werkman | Mitchell Anderson | Ross is openly gay and a violin teacher. | 1994–2000 |
| Party of Five | Fox | Perry Marks | Olivia d'Abo | (Season 5) Perry is lesbian and a university professor. | 1994–2000 |
| Party of Five | Fox | Victor | Wilson Cruz | (Season 6) Victor is openly gay and the nanny of Owen Salinger. | 1994–2000 |
| Touched by an Angel | CBS | Tony Du Bois | Lawrence Monoson | Danny is gay, and has come home to die due to AIDS. | 1994-2003 |

### 1995

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Courthouse | CBS | Judge Rosetta Reide | Jennifer Lewis | Judge Reide is a single mother involved in a lesbian relationship with her housekeeper. | 1995 |
| Courthouse | CBS | Danny Gates | Cree Summer | Danny is a housekeeper for Judge Rosetta Reide and involved in a lesbian relationship with her. | 1995 |
| Liberty Street | CBC Television | Nathan Jones | Billy Merasty | Nathan is gay, and an ex-bicycle courier. He is a tenant of a warehouse converted into apartments, which is the premise of the show. | 1995 |
| Liberty Street | CBC Television | James Wilder | Keith Knight | James is a banker and Nathan's boyfriend, introduced at the start of the second season. | 1995 |
| Live Shot | UPN | Lou Waller | Tom Byrd | Waller is the sports anchor at fictional television station KXZX. He comes out as gay in the final episode of the series, "Decisions, Decisions". | 1995–1996 |
| Murder One | ABC | Louis Hines | John Fleck | Louis is gay and the personal assistant to lead attorney Ted Hoffman (Daniel Benzali). | 1995–1997 |

### 1996

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Matt Waters | CBS | Russ Achoa | Felix A. Pire | Russ is a gay high school student. | 1996 |
| Pacific Drive | Nine Network | Zoe Marshall | Libby Tanner | Zoe is a bed-hopping lesbian who gets pregnant and married a male prostitute to keep him in the country. | 1996-2001 |
| Pacific Drive | Nine Network | Margeaux Hayes | Virginia Hey | Margeaux is lesbian and Zoe's first love interest. | 1996-2001 |
| Pacific Drive | Nine Network | Dior Shelby | Clodagh Crowe | Dior is lesbian and Zoe's second girlfriend. | 1996-2001 |
| Pacific Drive | Nine Network | Kay West | Brigid Kelly | Kay is lesbian and Zoe's third girlfriend. | 1996-2001 |
| Pacific Drive | Nine Network | Sondra Westwood | Helen Dallimore | Sondra is lesbian and Zoe's fourth girlfriend. | 1996-2001 |
| Pacific Drive | Nine Network | Gemma Patterson | Katherine Lee | Gemma is lesbian and Zoe's fifth girlfriend. | 1996-2001 |
| Pacific Drive | Nine Network | Jo | Jason Langley | Jo is transgender and Tim's friend. | 1996-2001 |
| Profiler | NBC | George Fraley | Peter Frechette | George is an openly gay computer hacker, a member of the Violent Crimes Task Force. | 1996–2000 |
| Relativity | ABC | Rhonda Roth | Lisa Edelstein | Rhonda is the lesbian sister of lead character Leo. | 1996–1997 |
| Sweat | Network Ten | Snowy Bowles | Heath Ledger | Snowy is a 17-year-old gay cyclist at a fictional Australian school for athletically gifted teens. Ledger's character was the first time a gay teenager had been portrayed on Australian television. | 1996 |
| This Life | BBC | Warren Jones | Jason Hughes | Warren is gay and one of the lead characters from season one. | 1996–1997 |
| This Life | BBC | Ferdinand "Ferdy" Garcia | Ramon Tikaram | Ferdy is bisexual and Warren's on-off love interest (season 1). He begins coming to terms with his sexuality when he develops a relationship with Lenny (season 2). | 1996–1997 |
| This Life | BBC | Lenny | Tony Curran | Lenny is gay. | 1996–1997 |
| This Life | BBC | Sarah Newly | Clare Clifford | Sarah is lesbian. She is attracted to Anna Forbes and tries to seduce her. | 1996–1997 |
| Water Rats | Nine Network | Sergent Helen Blakemore | Toni Scanlan | Helen is an openly lesbian police officer. The series was based on the work of the Sydney Water Police. | 1996-2001 |

### 1997

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | WB UPN | Willow Rosenberg | Alyson Hannigan | Willow is bisexual. While she was in a relationship with Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in seasons three to four, she later enters a relationship with Tara in season 4. | 1997–2003 |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | WB UPN | Tara Maclay | Amber Benson | Tara is lesbian. | 1997–2003 |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | WB UPN | Kennedy | Iyari Limon | Kennedy is lesbian. Introduced in season 7, she becomes involved with Willow. | 1997–2003 |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | WB UPN | Andrew Wells | Tom Lenk | Andrew was confirmed to be gay by series creator Joss Whedon although it was never directly stated on-screen. | 1997–2003 |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | WB UPN | Larry Blaisdell | Larry Bagby | Larry, Xander's bully from season one, tells Xander he's gay in season two. | 1997–2003 |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | WB UPN | Scott Hope | Fab Filippo | Scott, a character in season three, is revealed to be gay in season seven. | 1997–2003 |
| Oz | HBO | Tobias Beecher | Lee Tergesen | Tobias and Christopher have an intense love/hate relationship. | 1997–2003 |
| Oz | HBO | Christopher Keller | Christopher Meloni | Christopher and Tobias were lovers. | 1997–2003 |
| Oz | HBO | Alonzo Torquemada | Bobby Cannavale | Bobby was a gay drug dealer. | 1997–2003 |
| Oz | HBO | Billie Keane | Derrick Simmons | Billie self-identifies as gay. | 1997–2003 |
| Oz | HBO | Richie Hanlon | Jordan Lage | Richie represented gay inmates on the fictional Em City council. | 1997–2003 |
| Oz | HBO | Jason Cramer | Rob Bogue | Jason was gay and in prison for murdering his lover. | 1997–2003 |
| Oz | HBO | Nat "Natalie" Ginsberg | Charles Busch | Natalie was a member of the gay faction. | 1997–2003 |
| Wilde | BBC | Oscar Wilde | Stephen Fry | Oscar was a gay poet who was arrested and prosecuted for his homosexual relationships | 1997 |
| Wilde | BBC | Robbie Ross | Michael Sheen | Robbie was Oscar Wilde's first male lover | 1997 |
| Wilde | BBC | Lord Alfred Douglas | Jude Law | Alfred was Oscar Wilde's second male lover | 1997 |

### 1998

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| All Saints | Seven Network | Dr. Charlotte Beaumont | Tammy MacIntosh | Started out in the series identifying as a lesbian, but then had a relationship with a man, had a child, and is now more bisexual than gay. | 1998–2009 |
| Dawson's Creek | WB | Jack McPhee | Kerr Smith | Jack comes out as gay in season 2. Jack also shares a passionate kiss with Ethan in an episode titled "True Love". This kiss sparks a conversation with Jack's father in which he opens up about the struggle of feeling so different and finally earns acceptance from his father. | 1998–2003 |
| Dawson's Creek | WB | Doug Witter | Dylan Neal | Doug constantly denied he was gay through most of the show but he finally came to terms with his relationship with Jack in the final episode of the series. | 1998–2003 |
| Dawson's Creek | WB | Ethan Brody | Adam Kaufman | Ethan and Jack share a passionate kiss. Ethan and Jack's kiss was the first passionate gay kiss on an American primetime TV show. | 1998–2003 |
| Dawson's Creek | WB | Toby | David Monahan | Toby is the founder of a Gay-Straight coalition and a passionate LGBT activist. | 1998–2003 |
| Dawson's Creek | WB | Eric | Ryan Bittle | Eric was closeted and a former fraternity brother of Jack, who helped him come out. | 1998–2003 |
| Dawson's Creek | WB | David | Greg Rikaart | David was a boyfriend of Jack. | 1998–2003 |
| Felicity | WB | Javier Clemente Quintata | Ian Gomez | Javier is gay and manager of a coffee house; his partner throughout most of the series is Samuel. | 1998–2002 |
| Felicity | WB | Samuel | Austin Tichenor | Samuel and his partner Javier get married in episode "The Biggest Deal There Is", the 1999–2000 series finale. | 1998–2002 |
| Felicity | WB | Ryan Crane | Eddie McClintock | Ryan comes out as gay in the episode "Love and Marriage". | 1998–2002 |
| Playing the Field | BBC One | Gabrielle Holmes | Saira Todd | Gabrielle is in a lesbian relationship with her soccer teammate Angie. | 1998–2002 |
| Playing the Field | BBC One | Angie Gill | Tracy Whitwell | Angie is in a lesbian relationship with her soccer teammate Gabrielle. | 1998–2002 |
| Stingers | Nine Network | Christina Dichiera | Jacinta Stapleton | Chris is bisexual (Seasons 6–8). She is a young constable recruited into a deep undercover unit of the Victorian Police, who had a brief affair with the daughter of her unit's commander, as well as sharing a kiss with the female protagonist of the series, Angie Piper (Kate Kendall}. | 1998–2004 |

### 1999

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Helen Stewart | Simone Lahbib | Helen is bisexual and the wing governor of G-Wing. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Nikki Wade | Mandana Jones | Nikki is a lesbian inmate sent to prison after killing a police officer she caught raping her girlfriend, Trisha. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Denny Blood | Alicya Eyo | Denny is lesbian and is serving time for arson. Her girlfriend is Shaz and is sometimes involved with Shell. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Shaz Wiley | Lindsey Fawcett | Shaz is bisexual, serving time for manslaughter and the girlfriend of Denny. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Shell Dockley | Debra Stephenson | Shell is a bisexual inmate involved with Denny and Jim Fenner. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | "Mad" Tessa Spall | Helen Schlesinger | Tessa is an aggressive lesbian prisoner that bullies Nikki, resulting in a fight between them. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Pat Kerrigan | Liz May Brice | Pat is bisexual, sent to prison for stabbing her ex-boyfriend. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Sheena Williams | Laura Rogers | Sheena is lesbian, serving time for drugs and hooks up with Pat. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Lorna Rose | Luisa Bradshaw-White | Lorna is lesbian and a prison officer. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Al McKenzie | Pauline Campbell | Al is a lesbian and a member of the fictional Peckham Boot Gang. She is poisoned and dies in season 6. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Cassie Tyler | Kellie Bright | Cassie is lesbian, and serving three years for fraud and embezzling from her own company. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Roisin Connor | Siobhan McCarthy | Roisin is bisexual, serving four years for covering up embezzling at her work. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Kris Yates | Jennifer Ness | Kris is lesbian, sent to prison for murdering her father, it is later revealed that her younger sister killed their father. but Kris protected her. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Selena Geeson | Charlotte Lucas | Selena is lesbian, and became a prison guard to be close to her lover Kris. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Arun Parmar | Rebecca Hazlewood | Arun is a bisexual trans woman, serving three years for credit card fraud. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Mandy Goodhue | Angela Bruce | Mandy is lesbian, and a correctional officer in G-Wing. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Trisha | Victoria Pritchard | Trisha is lesbian and Nikki's partner. She breaks up with Nikki. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Neil Grayling | James Gaddas | Neil is a closeted gay and G-Wing governor, he dies of a heart attack in season 8. | 1999–2006 |
| Bad Girls | ITV | Natalie Buxton | Dannielle Brent | Natalie is lesbian, and is beaten to death with a brick by fellow inmates, her body was disposed of down the drain. | 1999–2006 |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | NBC | Dr. George Huang | B. D. Wong | Dr. Huang is a psychiatrist and FBI agent who frequently consults with the Special Victims Unit. He first casually mentions his homosexuality in the 2009 episode "Hardwired". | 1999– |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | NBC | Ken Randall | Ernest Waddell | Ken is openly gay and is the son of Detective Odafin Tutuola (Ice-T). | 1999– |
| Once and Again | ABC | Jessie Sammler | Evan Rachel Wood | Jessie is bisexual, and in episode "The Gay-Straight Alliance", she confesses her feelings for Katie and they start a relationship. | 1999–2002 |
| Once and Again | ABC | Katie Singer | Mischa Barton | Katie is lesbian, and starts dating Jesse after revealing her feelings for her in episode "The Gay-Straight Alliance". | 1999–2002 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Stuart Alan Jones | Aidan Gillen | Stuart is an openly gay public relations executive. Stuart is best friends with Vince and Nathan. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Vince Tyler | Craig Kelly | Vince is an openly gay super market manager. Vince is best friends with Stuart and Nathan. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Nathan Maloney | Charlie Hunnam | Nathan is an openly gay 15-year-old student. Nathan is best friends with Vince and Stuart. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Alexander Perry | Antony Cotton | Alexander is gay and Vince and Stu's friend. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Lisa Levene | Saira Todd | Lisa is the lesbian partner of Romey. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Romey Sullivan | Esther Hall | Romey and Lisa are a lesbian couple who conceive a baby with the help of their gay best friend Stuart. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Cameron Roberts | Peter O'Brien | Cameron is a gay accountant who began a relationship with Vince. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Siobhan Potter | Juley McCann | Siobhan is lesbian and a friend of Romey and Lisa. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Dane McAteer | Adam Zane | Dane is gay and was prone to having accidents. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Phil Delaney | Jason Merrells | Phil is gay and a close friend of Vince and Stuart. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Daniel "Dazz" Collinson | Jonathon Natynczyk | Dazz is a bartender who has a brief relationship with Nathan. | 1999–2000 |
| Queer as Folk | Channel 4 | Suzie Smith | Sarah Jones | Suzie is Siobhan's girlfriend. | 1999–2000 |
| The Sopranos | HBO | Vito Spatafore | Joseph R. Gannascoli | Vito was murdered in season 6 for being gay. | 1999–2007 |
| Wasteland | ABC | Russell Baskind | Dan Montgomery, Jr. | Russell is a closeted soap opera star. | 1999 |
| Wasteland | ABC | Cliff Dobbs | Frank Grillo | Cliff is a reporter. | 1999 |

## 2000s
### 2000

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Dark Angel | Fox | Cynthia 'Original Cindy' McEachin | Valarie Rae Miller | Cynthia is a lesbian. She has a short reunion with her ex-lover Diamond (Tangelia Rouse) in episode "Shorties in Love". | 2000–2002 |
| Frank Herbert's Dune | SyFy | Vladimir Harkonnen | Ian McNeice | Vladimir has been described as a predatory homosexual given to pederasty and incest, and is an unrepentant rapist and murderer. The miniseries is based on the 1965 eponymous novel. | 2000 |
| Hospital Central | Telecinco | Esther García | Fátima Baeza | Esther is bisexual and had several relationships with men until she fell in love with Macarena. | 2000–2012 |
| Hospital Central | Telecinco | Macarena "Maca" Fernández | Patricia Vico | Maca is a lesbian pediatrician, who marries Esther. | 2000–2012 |
| Hospital Central | Telecinco | Verónica Solé | Carolina Cerezuela | Vero is a lesbian psychiatrist and briefly dated Maca. | 2000–2012 |
| Hospital Central | Telecinco | Beatriz "Bea" Lasa Maldonado | Sandra Ferrús | Bea is a bisexual and briefly dated Esther, until she became obsessive and attempted to kill them both. | 2000–2012 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Melanie Marcus | Michelle Clunie | Melanie is lesbian, and in a relationship with Lindsay and are raising a daughter and son together. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Lindsay Peterson | Thea Gill | Lindsay is bisexual, and in a relationship with Melanie and are raising a daughter and son together. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Ben Bruckner | Robert Gant | Ben is married to Michael, he has HIV. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Brian Kinney | Gale Harold | Brian is gay and the soulmate of Justin Taylor. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Justin Taylor | Randy Harrison | Justin is gay and has an on-and-off open relationship with Brian, and had been with another romantic partner named Ethan for a short period of time. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Ted Schmidt | Scott Lowell | Ted is openly gay and uncomfortable with his age. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Emmett Honeycutt | Peter Paige | Emmett is gay and good friends with Ted Schmidt. He is notable for his airy witticisms and flamboyant fashion sense. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Dr. David Cameron | Chris Potter | David is gay and a chiropractor, he has a brief relationship with Michael before moving back to Portland, Oregon. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Michael Novotny | Hal Sparks | Michael is married to Ben and they adopt a teenager together. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Vic Grassi | Jack Wetherall | Vic is gay and old enough to remember the gay culture of the 1970s and early 1980s. He would sometimes reminisce about his carefree life as a young 20-something during the disco era. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Dusty | Rae Ellen Bodie | Dusty is lesbian and a friend of Melanie and Lindsay. She dies in a bomb explosion at the local gay nightclub during the final season of the show. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Drew Boyd | Matt Battaglia | Drew was a closeted football player, who eventually came out as gay. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Ethan Gold | Fab Filippo | Ethan is gay and a violin player, and had a short-lived relationship with Justin Taylor. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Kiki | Greg Campbell | Kiki is a trans woman and takes over the fictional Liberty Diner when Deb retires. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Leda | Nancy Anne Sakovich | Leda is lesbian and engages in strings of one-night stands, hates gay marriage, and hires lesbian strippers. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Blake Wyzecki | Dean Armstrong | Blake is gay and a drug addict. He gets involved with Ted who attempts to get him help for his addiction. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | Kip Johnson | Barna Moricz | Kip is gay and gets hired by Brian at his ad agency. Kip seduces Brian into having sex on his desk. | 2000–2005 |
| Queer as Folk | Showtime | George Schickle | Bruce Gray | George is a gay millionaire, and owns a successful pickle company, he has a brief sexual relationship with Emmett. | 2000–2005 |

### 2001

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| 24 | Fox | Mandy | Mia Kirshner | Mandy is bisexual and a recurring character who is a professional assassin for hire. | 2001–2005 |
| 100 Centre Street | A&E | Judge Atallah Sims | LaTanya Richardson | Attallah is a conservative lesbian African American judge. | 2001–2002 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Marco Del Rossi | Adamo Ruggiero | Marco is gay, and also a good dancer. He has brief relationships with Dylan and Tim. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Dylan Michalchuk | John Bregar | Dylan is Marco's boyfriend, also Paige's older brother. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Paige Michalchuk | Lauren Collins | Paige is bisexual and an overachiever. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Tim | Alex House | Tim is gay and briefly dates Marco. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Alex Nuñez | Deanna Casaluce | Alex is lesbian and Paige's girlfriend. She went into sports therapy, and was a stripper on the side. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Riley Stavros | Argiris Karras | Riley is gay and initially struggles with his sexuality. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Zane Park | Shannon Kook-Chun | Zane is Riley's boyfriend. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Adam Torres | Jordan Todosey | Adam is a heterosexual trans man, that died in a car crash while texting. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Fiona Coyne | Annie Clark | Fiona briefly dates Adam, then realizes she is lesbian. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Tristan Milligan | Lyle O'Donohoe | Tristan is gay. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Imogen Moreno | Cristine Prosperi | Imogen is a pansexual who fell for Fiona. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Jack Jones | Niamh Wilson | Jack is a lesbian, and a dancer, that briefly dates Imogen. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Miles Hollingsworth III | Eric Osborne | Miles begins dating Tristan, eventually coming out as bisexual. He frequently skips school to smoke pot. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Zoe Rivas | Ana Golja | Zoe struggles with her sexuality until admitting to herself she is lesbian. | 2001–2015 |
| Degrassi: The Next Generation | CTV Much TV MTV | Charlie Lima | Tamara Duarte | Charlie is a lesbian artist and model, and dates Fiona for a while. | 2001–2015 |
| The Education of Max Bickford | CBS | Erica Bettis | Helen Shaver | Erica is a heterosexual trans woman. She is a good friend of Max. | 2001–2002 |
| Leap Years | Showtime | Gregory Paget | Garret Dillahunt | This series follows characters in three different time settings, 1993, 2001 and 2008. Gregory pursues heterosexual relationships in 1993, but in 2001 and 2008 time settings, he is exclusively gay. | 2001–2002 |
| Metrosexuality | Channel 4 | Max | Rikki Beadle-Blair | Kwame attempts to reunite his separated dads, Jordan and Max, but Max has placed a dating ad. | 2001 |
| Metrosexuality | Channel 4 | Jordan | Karl Collins | Jordan is one of Kwame's dads, and has a new lover. | 2001 |
| Metrosexuality | Channel 4 | Dean | Paul Keating | Dean is gay, and a talented footballer who has a crush on Max. | 2001 |
| Metrosexuality | Channel 4 | Bambi | Davey Fairbanks | Bambi is gay and a skateboarder, who is trying to secure a commitment from his boyfriend Robin. | 2001 |
| Metrosexuality | Channel 4 | Cindy | Carleen Beadle | Cindy is bisexual and her partner is Doris. | 2001 |
| Metrosexuality | Channel 4 | Doris | Dee Dee Samuels | Doris is lesbian, and Cindy's partner. | 2001 |
| The Secret Life of Us | Network 10 | Simon Trader | David Tredinnick | Simon is gay and a bartender. | 2001–2005 |
| The Secret Life of Us | Network 10 | Richie Blake | Spencer McLaren | Richie is a gay actor, and had a very brief relationship with Miranda. | 2001–2005 |
| The Secret Life of Us | Network 10 | Miranada Lang | Abi Tucker | Miranda is bisexual, and Chloe's girlfriend. | 2001–2005 |
| The Secret Life of Us | Network 10 | Chloe | Nina Liu | Chloe is bisexual, and Miranda's girlfriend. | 2001–2005 |
| Six Feet Under | HBO | David Fisher | Michael C. Hall | David is gay, a funeral director, and his partner is Keith. | 2001–2005 |
| Six Feet Under | HBO | Keith Charles | Mathew St. Patrick | Keith is a gay police officer and David's partner. | 2001–2005 |

### 2002

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Everwood | WB | Carl Feeney | Dylan Walsh | Carl comes out as gay after his wife Nina, catches him having an affair with a man. | 2002–2006 |
| Everwood | WB | Kyle Hunter | Steven R. McQueen | Kyle is the sensitive gay character and music student tutored by lead character Ephram Brown. | 2002–2006 |
| Firefly | Fox | Inara Serra | Morena Baccarin | Inara is pansexual. She hires herself out as a courtesan to upper-class clients and dignitaries, male or female, that seek sexual pleasure and accompaniment at social functions. | 2002–2003 |
| Firefly | Fox | The Councillor | Katherine Kendall | Appearing in episode "War Stories", the Councilor is lesbian, and one of the few female customers of Inaras. | 2002–2003 |
| The Shield | FX | Julien Lowe | Michael Jace | Julien was a police officer who struggled with his homosexuality due to his devout Christian beliefs. | 2002–2008 |
| Tipping the Velvet | BBC Two | Nan Astly | Rachael Stirling | Nan is a lesbian, and is entranced by Kitty when she sees her perform. Nan is also a Drag king. | 2002 |
| Tipping the Velvet | BBC Two | Kitty Butler | Keeley Hawes | Kitty is bisexual, and a male impersonator who Nan falls for. | 2002 |
| Tipping the Velvet | BBC Two | Diana Lethaby | Anna Chancellor | Diana is a wealthy lesbian, who makes Nan her live-in girl toy for a year. | 2002 |
| Tipping the Velvet | BBC Two | Florence Banner | Jodhi May | Florence is a lesbian and socialist activist, who Nan moves in with after being kicked out by Diana. | 2002 |
| Tipping the Velvet | BBC Two | Zena Blake | Sally Hawkins | Zena is lesbian, and a love interest of Nan. | 2002 |
| The Wire | HBO | Kima Greggs | Sonja Sohn | Kima is lesbian, and a police detective, who becomes Bunk's love interest. | 2002–2008 |
| The Wire | HBO | Omar Little | Michael K. Williams | Omar is openly gay, and robs drug dealers for a living. He has several boyfriends throughout the show, until his murder by drug dealers. | 2002–2008 |
| The Wire | HBO | Felicia "Snoop" Pearson | Felicia Pearson | Snoop is lesbian and was killed by a drug dealer, who correctly believed she was about to shoot him. | 2002–2008 |
| The Wire | HBO | William Rawls | John Doman | William's sexuality is not openly discussed, but he is seen in a gay bar during Season 3. John Dorman said in an interview that he gets asked a lot if his character was gay, and replied, "I think people have to decide if they think Rawls was actually gay or if he was just hanging out on some police business". | 2002–2008 |
| The Wire | HBO | Cheryl | Melanie Nicholls-King | Cheryl is lesbian, and was Kima's girlfriend. After they have a child together, Kima realizes she does not want to be a parent and they break up. | 2002–2008 |
| The Wire | HBO | Brandon Wright | Michael Kevin Darnall | Brandon is gay, and was a boyfriend of Omar. He was tortured and murdered by drug dealers. | 2002–2008 |
| The Wire | HBO | Dante | Ernest Waddell | Dante is gay, and became Omar's new boyfriend a year after Brandon was murdered. | 2002–2008 |
| The Wire | HBO | Renaldo | Ramon Rodriguez | Renaldo is gay, and was a getaway-taxi driver. He was also a boyfriend of Omar. | 2002–2008 |
| The Wire | HBO | Kimmy | Kelli R. Brown | Kimmy is lesbian, and Tosha's girlfriend. They rob drug dealers together. | 2002–2008 |
| The Wire | HBO | Tosha Mitchell | Edwina Findley | Tosha is lesbian, and Kimmy's girlfriend. They rob drug dealers together. She was accidentally killed by Omar's boyfriend Dante. | 2002–2008 |

### 2003

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Angels in America | HBO | Prior Walter | Justin Kirk | Prior is gay, and dying from AIDS. Louis is his lover who cannot bare to watch Prior suffer. Angels in America is a saga that intertwines the fates of four gay men. | 2003 |
| Angels in America | HBO | Louis Ironson | Ben Shenkman | Louis is gay and Prior's lover. He works in a courthouse as a chief clerk to a judge. | 2003 |
| Angels in America | HBO | Joe Pitt | Patrick Wilson | Joe is a closeted gay, conservative judge, and a Mormon. | 2003 |
| Angels in America | HBO | Belize | Jeffrey Wright | Belize is a gay nurse, and the go-between for Prior and Louis. This drama was nominated for 21 Emmys, and won 11, including outstanding miniseries. It was based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning 1991 play of the same name. | 2003 |
| Bright Young Things | Prime Video | Miles Maitland | Michael Sheen | Miles is a gay socialite in the 1930s who is forced to flee the country to avoid prosecution for his homosexuality | 2003 |
| Carnivàle | HBO | Sofie Agnesh Bojakshiya | Clea DuVall | Sophie is bisexual, and the tarot card reader at the traveling carnival. | 2003–2005 |
| Carnivàle | HBO | Libby Dreifuss | Carla Gallo | Libby is bisexual, and a dancer in her family's Cooch Show for the traveling carnival. | 2003–2005 |
| Crystal Boys | PTS | A-Qing | Fan Chi-wei | A-Qing is gay, and is expelled from school because of scandalous relations with classmate Zhao Ying. After his father kicks him out, he hangs out at a park, known for gay cruising. | 2003 |
| Crystal Boys | PTS | Zhao Ying | Yang Youning | Zhao Ying is gay, and has a sexual relationship with A-Qing. This series is based on the novel, Crystal Boys, written by Pai Hsien-yung. | 2003 |
| NCIS | CBS | Ned Dorneget | Matt L. Jones | Ned was a cyber operations special agent who comes out as gay in episode, "Need to Know". | 2003– |
| Nip/Tuck | FX | Liz Cruz | Roma Maffia | Liz is openly lesbian, and head anesthesiologist at the clinic. | 2003–2010 |
| Nip/Tuck | FX | Sophia Lopez | Jonathan Del Arco | Sophia is a lesbian transgender, who has a romantic relationship with Liz. | 2003–2010 |
| Nip/Tuck | FX | Ava Moore | Famke Janssen | Ava is a transgender sexual predator, who seduces her own son as well as other young men. | 2003–2010 |
| Nip/Tuck | FX | Dr. Quentin Costa | Bruno Campos | Dr. Costa is intersex and openly gay. | 2003–2010 |
| Nip/Tuck | FX | Kit McGraw | Rhona Mitra | Kit is bisexual, and a British detective who is brought in to help investigate a case in Miami. She has an incestuous relationship with her brother. | 2003–2010 |
| Nip/Tuck | FX | Vanessa Bartholomew | Kate Mara | Vaness is bisexual, and Matt's girlfriend in season one. | 2003–2010 |
| Nip/Tuck | FX | Cherry Peck | Willam Belli | Cherry is transgender and was beaten up by Matt, who was not pleased to find out she had a penis. They later become good friends. | 2003–2010 |
| Nip/Tuck | FX | Julia McNamara | Joely Richardson | Julia is bisexual and was married to Dr. Sean McNamara, but following their divorce, she fell in love with Olivia. | 2003–2010 |
| Nip/Tuck | FX | Olivia Lord | Portia de Rossi | Olivia is lesbian, and an expert in Eastern medicine. She died during a facelift. | 2003–2010 |
| The O.C. | Fox | Marissa Cooper | Mischa Barton | Marissa is bisexual, and has a brief relationship with Alex Kelly in season 2. | 2003–2007 |
| The O.C. | Fox | Alex Kelly | Olivia Wilde | Alex is bisexual, and has a brief relationship with Marissa Cooper in season 2. | 2003–2007 |
| The O.C. | Fox | Carson Ward | Brian McNamara | Carson is secretly gay, until his son Luke, catches him kissing another man. Carson eventually comes out to his family. | 2003–2007 |
| The O.C. | Fox | Todd | Todd Sherry | Todd and Patrick are a gay couple who reside in Sandy and Kirsten Cohens' first home in Berkeley, California. After an earthquake in Newport destroys their house, the Cohens' want to buy back their first home from Todd and Patrick, who end up selling it back to them. This episode was the series finale. | 2003–2007 |
| The O.C. | Fox | Patrick | Jim Pirri | Todd and Patrick are a gay couple who reside in Sandy and Kirsten Cohens' first home in Berkeley, California. After an earthquake in Newport destroys their house, the Cohens' want to buy back their first home from Todd and Patrick, who end up selling it back to them. This episode was the series finale. | 2003–2007 |
| One Tree Hill | WB | Anna Taggaro | Daniella Alonso | Anna is bisexual and a classmate of Peyton's. She eventually comes out after being harassed. | 2003–2011 |
| One Tree Hill | WB | Josh Avery | Paul Teal | Josh is a secretly gay actor. After confiding in a friend and getting acceptance, he decides to come out to his family and friends. | 2003–2011 |

### 2004

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Battlestar Galactica | Syfy | Felix Gaeta | Alessandro Juliani | In the webisodes The Face of the Enemy, Felix is shown to be in a romantic relationship with Lieutenant Louis Hoshi. | 2004–2009 |
| Battlestar Galactica | Syfy | Six | Tricia Helfer | Six, D'Anna and Gaius were shown to be in a relationship together. | 2004–2009 |
| Battlestar Galactica | Syfy | D'Anna | Lucy Lawless | Six, D'Anna and Gaius were shown to be in a relationship together. | 2004–2009 |
| Battlestar Galactica | Syfy | Helena Cain | Michelle Forbes | Helena had a romantic relationship with a civilian network analyst, Gina Inviere, who she later discovered was one of the model Six Cylons. | 2004–2009 |
| Deadwood | HBO | Joanie Stubbs | Kim Dickens | Joanie is a lesbian, and along with her friend Maddie, opens a brothel that imports high-class and experienced prostitutes from the East. She also gets involved with Jane in a relationship. | 2004–2006 |
| Deadwood | HBO | Jane Canary | Robin Weigert | Jane is a lesbian, and a frontierswoman and former scout for General George Armstrong Custer. She first arrived in Deadwood with Wild Bill Hickok and Charlie Utter. Jane also gets involved with Joanie in a relationship. | 2004–2006 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | Andrew Van de Kamp | Shawn Pyfrom | Andrew is the first gay character on the show. Justin was his first boyfriend, whom he was caught with naked in a swimming pool making out. Andrew gets engaged to Alex Cominis in season 5. | 2004–2012 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | Justin | Ryan Carnes | Justin comes out to Gabrielle; he is also Andrew's first boyfriend. | 2004–2012 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | Alex Cominis | Todd Grinnell | Alex is a gay plastic surgeon, and engaged to Andrew in season 5, but eventually leaves him over Andrew's drinking. | 2004–2012 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | Peter McMillan | Lee Tergesen | Peter is bisexual, and had an affair with both Bree, and her son Andrew. | 2004–2012 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | Bob Hunter | Tuc Watkins | Bob and Lee are the first gay couple that move to Wisteria Lane. Bob is a lawyer, while Lee is a real estate agent. | 2004–2012 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | Lee McDermott | Kevin Rahm | Bob and Lee are the first gay couple that move to Wisteria Lane. Bob is a lawyer, while Lee is a real estate agent. | 2004–2012 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | Katherine Mayfair | Dana Delany | Katherine is bisexual, and moves to Paris with Robin, an ex-stripper. She later moves back to Wisteria Lane, after becoming a successful businesswoman. | 2004–2012 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | Robin Gallagher | Julie Benz | Robin is a lesbian, who quits her job as a stripper, and moves in with Katherine Mayfair; becomes her lover and moves with her to Paris. | 2004–2012 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | Glen Wingfield | Richard Chamberlain | Glen is Lynette's stepfather, who finally comes out as gay; revealing the real reason he left her mother 20 years ago. | 2004–2012 |
| Entourage | HBO | Lloyd | Rex Lee | Lloyd is gay and the flamboyant but self-assured assistant to highly abrasive super-agent Ari Gold. At the time, Lloyd was one of the few gay Asian Pacific-Islander characters on television. Rex Lee, the actor who portrays Lloyd, is openly gay as well. | 2004–2011 |
| Hex | Arena Sky One | Thelma Bates | Jemima Rooper | Thelma is a lesbian, and gave her life to save Cassie, who she had a crush on. When Cassie dies, they finally get together as ghosts. | 2004–2005 |
| Hex | Arena Sky One | Maya Robertson | Laura Donnelly | Maya is a lesbian, and is killed after being hit by a car. | 2004–2005 |
| Hex | Arena Sky One | Tom Wright | Samuel Collings | Tom is secretly gay and in love with Leon. | 2004–2005 |
| House | Fox | "Thirteen" (Dr. Remy Hadley) | Olivia Wilde | "Thirteen" is bisexual and has been shown in relationships with both men and women. | 2004–2012 |
| House | Fox | Jackson Smith | Dominic Scott Kay | Jackson is 13 and questioning. He is admitted to the hospital because of his genetic mosaicism, a condition where Jackson was born with male and female DNA and ambiguous genitalia. | 2004–2012 |
| House | Fox | Max | Dahlia Salem | Max is a lesbian, and the girlfriend of Hannah, who was suffering from insomnia. Max knew that Hannah was going to leave her, so she got a dog, but it gave Hannah bubonic plague. | 2004–2012 |
| House | Fox | Spencer | Angela Gots | Spencer is a lesbian, and has a one-night stand with Thirteen. After having sex, Spencer has a seizure and is admitted to the hospital, seen is episode "Lucky Thirteen". | 2004–2012 |
| House | Fox | Amy | Jaclyn Jonet | Amy is a lesbian, and Thirteen's girlfriend at the end of the series. They leave for Greece together but come back for House's funeral. | 2004–2012 |
| Jack & Bobby | WB | Jimmy McCallister | Tom Cavanagh | Jimmy is gay, and really has not amounted to much. He drinks a lot, parties a lot, and does not really have a serious job. | 2004 |
| Jack & Bobby | WB | Matt Kramer | Patrick J. Adams | Matt is a closeted gay, who comes out to his friend Jack (Matt Long), who he has a secret crush on. He later commits suicide without telling anyone why, in episode "The Lost Boys". | 2004 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Bette Porter | Jennifer Beals | Bette is a lesbian. She opened an art museum with her college roommate Kelly Wentworth, where she was the director. She was in a relationship for seven years with Tina, prior to the show's beginning. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Dana Fairbanks | Erin Daniels | Dana was a lesbian, funny and likable. During season 3, she develops breast cancer and dies, in episode "Losing the Light". According to Ilene Chaiken, killing off Dana was the one thing that she regretted. She said the audience never forgave her for it, and it's the one thing that she maybe would change if she could go back and change anything. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Marina Ferrer | Karina Lombard | Marina is bisexual and the owner of the hangout spot, The Planet, seen in season one. She has an affair with Jenny while Jenny is still in a relationship with her boyfriend. Marina is also in a long term open relationship with her girlfriend, Francesca. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Tina Kennard | Laurel Holloman | Tina is bisexual, and is Bette Porter's long-term on-and-off partner, before finally getting married. They later divorce, but remain on good terms because of their daughter Angie. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Shane McCutcheon | Katherine Moennig | Shane is a lesbian, and a successful owner of a chain of hair salons. She was formerly a vagrant, crashing on her friends couches and in other people's beds as often as she could, before she became successful. She has slept with men for money in the past. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Alice Pieszecki | Leisha Hailey | Alice lives in Los Angeles, California, and mostly hangs out in West Hollywood. During the first seasons, she is often seen with her best friends, Shane McCutcheon and Dana Fairbanks. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Jenny Schecter | Mia Kirshner | Jenny is bisexual and the most hated character on the show, due to her dark and destructive ways. In the series finale, she is killed off when she is found floating face-down in Bette and Tina's swimming pool. Sergeant Marybeth Duffy (Lucy Lawless) is brought in to investigate her death, and the series ends with all of the friends going to the police station to make their statements. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Jodi Learner | Marlee Matlin | Jodi is a lesbian, and a deaf artist who teaches at the university, where Bette is the Dean of. They eventually end up having an affair. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Carmen de la Pica Morales | Sarah Shahi | Carmen is a lesbian and was engaged to Shane, but started on the show in a relationship with Jenny. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Cherie Jaffe | Rosanna Arquette | Cherie, also known as Cherie Peroni, is bisexual. At one time, she was married to Steve, and she also had an affair with Shane, | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Molly Kroll | Clementine Ford | Molly is bisexual and Phyllis' daughter. She had a crush on Shane and later slept with her. Clementine Ford, the actress who portrays Molly, is the daughter of Cybill Sheperd, who plays her mother Phyliss in the show. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Moira/Max Sweeney | Daniela Sea | Max is a bisexual trans man. He transitioned with grey market male hormones and no medical assistance. He has a relationship with Jenny Schecter through most of the third season. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Tasha Williams | Rose Rollins | Tasha is a lesbian and an Army National Guard Captain and a Military Police officer, she eventually gets kicked out under Don't ask, don't tell. She is Alice's girlfriend for seasons 4–6. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Lara Perkins | Lauren Lee Smith | Lara is a lesbian, and a soup chef. She was Dana's girlfriend for a short period of time. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Phyllis Kroll | Cybill Shepherd | Phyllis is a lesbian, and Molly's mother. She has an on-again/off-again relationship with her divorce attorney, Joyce. Cybill Sheperd, the actress who plays Phyliss, is the mother of actress Clementine Ford, who portrays her daughter Molly in the show. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Nadia Karella | Jessica Capshaw | Nadia is a lesbian, and was a student in Bette's class at the university She had a crush on Bette and successfully convinced her to hire her as a teacher's assistant. She then aggressively pursued Bette, and they end up having sex in Bette's car. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Niki Stevens | Kate French | Niki is a lesbian, and a famous movie star who dates Jenny, hooks up with Shane, and has an affair with Paris Hilton. Her character was based on Lindsay Lohan. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Joyce Wischnia | Jane Lynch | Joyce is a lesbian, and the lawyer for most of the characters on the show. She dated Phyllis off and on since the 70s. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Paige Sobel | Kristanna Loken | Paige is bisexual and begins a relationship with Shane in season four. They meet after Shane's brother, Shay (Aidan Jarrar), makes friends with her son, Jared (Jackson Allan). | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Helena Peabody | Rachel Shelley | Helena is a spoiled lesbian, and heir to the fictional wealthy Peabody Foundation, who loses it all then gets it all back. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Adele Channing | Malaya Drew | Adele is bisexual and is Jenny Schecter's personal assistant. She kissed Niki while pretending to be Jenny. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Catherine Rothberg | Sandrine Holt | Catherine is a lesbian and a professional gambler. She gets involved in a relationship with Helena, seducing her into a world of high stakes betting on poker games and horse races. Helena soon realizes she is being scammed, and snaps, cleaning out Catherine's safe. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Dylan Moreland | Alexandra Hedison | Dylan is bisexual, and seduces Helena Peabody into having an affair. She then files sexual harassment charges against Helena as a means of extortion. She later develops real feelings for Helena. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Eva "Papi" Torres | Janina Gavankar | Papi is a lesbian and according to Alice Pieszecki's "chart" (an undirected labeled graph in which nodes represent individuals and lines represent affairs or hookups); Papi has slept with the most characters on the show. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Kelly Wentworth | Elizabeth Berkley | Kelly is bisexual and is Bette's college roommate. They opened an art gallery together and Kelly tried to seduce Bette, but failed. | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Tonya | Meredith McGeachie | Tonya is a lesbian, and met Dana when she was assigned as Dana's hospitality assistant during a golf tournament. When the tournament was over, she ended up moving in with Dana and appointed herself Dana's manager. After Dana discovered Tonya was skimming 15% off her earnings, they broke up. Tonya then began a relationship with Melissa Rivers (portrayed by herself). | 2004-2009 |
| The L Word | Showtime | Peggy Peabody | Holland Taylor | Peggy is a lesbian, and the founder of the Peabody Foundation and mother of Helena. Bette attempts to convince her to lend her collection "Provocations" to the California Art Center, where Bette works. She passes on her fortune and foundation to Helena, and resumes her relationship with her former lover, Marilyn, who she was in a relationship with in 1973. According to co-creator Ilene Chaiken, when production began, the show was called "Earthlings", not "The L Word", but it sounded just too sci-fi, Chaiken said. | 2004-2009 |
| The Long Firm | BBC 2 | Harry Starks | Mark Strong | Harry is a homosexual East End gangster. | 2004 |
| Lost | ABC | Tom Friendly | M. C. Gainey | Tom is revealed to be gay in season 4, and is a member of The Others, who resided on the island before the plane crash. | 2004–2010 |
| Lost | ABC | Arturo | Francesco Simone | Arturo is gay, and has a brief fling with Tom Friendly. | 2004–2010 |
| Moorat (Eunuch's Wedding) | ARY TV | Reshma | Abid Ali | Moorat is a 33-episode series that tells the story of the trans community in Pakistan. The series focuses on a woman who is engaged to be married, but her fiancée is transgender. The trans woman eventually escapes from her family's strictness, and being shunned, for the love of her intersex friends. The series was directed by Kamran Qureshi. | 2004–2005 |
| Moorat (Eunuch's Wedding) | ARY TV | Babra | Kashif Mahmood | Moorat is a 33-episode series that tells the story of the trans community in Pakistan. The series focuses on a woman who is engaged to be married, but her fiancée is transgender. The trans woman eventually escapes from her family's strictness, and being shunned, for the love of her intersex friends. The series was directed by Kamran Qureshi. | 2004–2005 |
| Moorat (Eunuch's Wedding) | ARY TV | Bijli | Ehtasham Warsi | Moorat is a 33-episode series that tells the story of the trans community in Pakistan. The series focuses on a woman who is engaged to be married, but her fiancée is transgender. The trans woman eventually escapes from her family's strictness, and being shunned, for the love of her intersex friends. The series was directed by Kamran Qureshi. | 2004–2005 |
| Moorat (Eunuch's Wedding) | ARY TV | Chamki | Rashid Farooqi | Moorat is a 33-episode series that tells the story of the trans community in Pakistan. The series focuses on a woman who is engaged to be married, but her fiancée is transgender. The trans woman eventually escapes from her family's strictness, and being shunned, for the love of her intersex friends. The series was directed by Kamran Qureshi. | 2004–2005 |
| Moorat (Eunuch's Wedding) | ARY TV | Shola | Mehmood Akhtar | Moorat is a 33-episode series that tells the story of the trans community in Pakistan. The series focuses on a woman who is engaged to be married, but her fiancée is transgender. The trans woman eventually escapes from her family's strictness, and being shunned, for the love of her intersex friends. The series was directed by Kamran Qureshi. | 2004–2005 |
| Rescue Me | FX | Mike Silletti | Michael Lombardi | Mike's sexuality throughout the series is ambiguous. He is sexually involved with his gay roommate, receiving oral sex, but never reciprocating. He gets sexually involved with a brother and sister and then self-identifies as bisexual, but later reverts to stating he is heterosexual. | 2004–2011 |
| Shameless | Channel 4 | Ian Gallagher | Gerard Kearns | Ian is gay, and has been involved with Kash Karib, Sean Bennett, and an ongoing relationship with Micky Maguire. | 2004–2013 |
| Shameless | Channel 4 | Kash Karib | Chris Bisson | Kash is secretly gay, married, and involved with Ian Gallagher. When Kash's wife finds out, she insists it remain a secret. | 2004–2013 |
| Shameless | Channel 4 | Jez | Lindsey Dawson | Jez is a lesbian, and owner of the local pub. | 2004–2013 |
| Shameless | Channel 4 | Monica Gallagher | Annabelle Apsion | Monica is bisexual, and the ex-wife of Frank Gallagher. She left Frank for a lorry driver named Norma Starkey. | 2004–2013 |
| Shameless | Channel 4 | Norma Starkey | Dystin Johnson | Norma is a lorry driver who is involved with Monica Gallagher. | 2004–2013 |
| Shameless | Channel 4 | Mickey Macguire | Ciarán Griffiths | Mickey is gay and is in a long-term relationship with Ian Gallagher. | 2004–2013 |
| Veronica Mars | UPN The CW | Seth Rafter | Robert Clark | Seth is an openly gay student at fictional Neptune High. Seth helps in a scheme to bring Tad down, because Tad used to bully him. Tad is blackmailing his girlfriend who wants to break up with him, in episode "M.A.D.". | 2004–2007 |
| Veronica Mars | UPN The CW | Ryan | Bradford Anderson | Ryan is a closeted gay, who runs a website called The Pirates SHIP (Student Homosexual Internet Posting). The website is for closeted students to anonymously communicate with each other. The website gets hacked by blackmailers who threaten to out them unless they pay. | 2004–2007 |
| Veronica Mars | UPN The CW | Marcos Oliveres | Jeremy Ray Valdez | Marcus is gay, and ran the underground radio show Ahoy, Mateys!. Marcos' parents send him to an anti-gay camp. | 2004–2007 |
| Veronica Mars | UPN The CW | Kelly Kuzzio | Lucas Grabeel | Kelly was the closeted gay baseball player, seen in episodes "Versatile Toppings" and "Ahoy Mateys". | 2004–2007 |
| Veronica Mars | UPN The CW | Kylie Marker | Kristin Cavallari | Kylie is a lesbian, and hires Veronica to help protect her from a blackmailer, but it turns out, she was the blackmailer all along. | 2004–2007 |
| Veronica Mars | UPN The CW | Marlena Nichols | Miriam Korn | Marlena is a lesbian, and Kylie's girlfriend. | 2004–2007 |
| Veronica Mars | UPN The CW | Julia Smith | Melissa Leo | Julia is a heterosexual trans woman. She comes down to see her son for 45 seconds a week, never revealing to him that she was his father. | 2004–2007 |
| Veronica Mars | UPN The CW | Selma Hearst Rose | Patty Hearst | Selma is bisexual, and a wealthy heiress and college board trustee. Her husband was blackmailing her, because he caught her with another woman, and he wanted a bigger divorce settlement, in episode "Lord of the Pi's". | 2004–2007 |
| Wonderfalls | Fox | Sharon Tyler | Katie Finneran | Sharon inadvertently came out in the first episode. | 2004 |
| Wonderfalls | Fox | Beth | Kari Matchett | Beth is bisexual and dated Sharon on and off throughout the series. | 2004 |

### 2005

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Beating Heart | MBC | Kim Hae-jung | Harisu | Hae-jung is a trans woman and sibling of lead character Kim Chang-wan. | 2005 |
| Bones | Fox | Angela Montenegro | Michaela Conlin | Angela is bisexual, and a genius who invents software to render 3D art. She had a brief relationship with college friend Roxie, but later married Dr. Jack Hodgins. | 2005–2017 |
| Bones | Fox | Roxie Lyon | Nichole Hiltz | Roxie is a lesbian, an artist and Angela's ex-girlfriend. | 2005–2017 |
| The Book of Daniel | NBC | Peter Webster | Christian Campbell | Peter is a gay medical student, and the son of Daniel (Aidan Quinn), a priest who is addicted to narcotic painkillers. There was some controversy when the show first aired, and it was dropped after four episodes. | 2005 |
| The Book of Daniel | NBC | Michael Vaporelli | Danny Mastrogiorgio | Michael is gay, and a member of the mob. After Peter is the victim of three gay bashers, Michael helps Peter's dad Daniel, confront one of them to ask him why. Daniel ends up outraged when the attacker tells him that his "fag son got what he deserved", and punches him in the face; Michael intervenes and tells the punk, "You know who I am. You were never here. You fell. You got that?" | 2005 |
| The Book of Daniel | NBC | Victoria Conlin | Cheryl White | Victoria is bisexual and Daniel's sister-in-law. She has a lesbian affair with her deceased husband's secretary. After the secretary disappears, she gets involved with Michael Vaporelli's brother. | 2005 |
| Commander in Chief | ABC | Vince Taylor | Anthony Azizi | Vince is gay and HIV-positive and is the chief of staff for the first female President (Geena Davis). The show only ran for one season and received a nomination for GLAAD Outstanding Drama Series. | 2005 |
| Criminal Minds | CBS, Paramount+ | Campus Patroller | Christopher Mowod | He broke up with his girlfriend because he is gay and wants to date a man named Brian. (S1.E2) | 2005- |
| Criminal Minds | CBS, Paramount+ | Maggie Lowe | Katheryn Winnick | She had a twisted obsession and was madly in love with a rising actress named Lila Archer. (S1.E18) | 2005- |
| Criminal Minds | CBS, Paramount+ | Pinky Robertson | Jackie Geary | She is a lesbian. (S1.E18) | 2005- |
| Criminal Minds | CBS, Paramount+ | Miguel Trejo | Jorge Antonio Pérez | He is a closet gay Mexican man who was accused of murdering his mother and was vindicated soon after. (S1.E19) | 2005- |
| Criminal Minds | CBS, Paramount+ | Roberto Gonzalez | Andres Saenz Hudson | He is a bisexual Mexican man who divorced his wife and is now in a secret relationship with Miguel. (S1.E19) | 2005- |
| Criminal Minds | CBS, Paramount+ | Peter Chambers | Jamie McShane | He has a daughter and is now in a secret relationship with a man named Glenn Donahue. (S2.E7) | 2005- |
| Doctor Who | BBC | Captain Jack Harkness | John Barrowman | Jack is an omnisexual character from the 51st century. John Barrowman said that the character is "bisexual, but in the realm of the show, we call him omnisexual". Jack was the first openly queer character to appear in the history of Doctor Who. | 2005– |
| Doctor Who | BBC | River Song | Alex Kingston | River is bisexual and was conceived on the TARDIS. She was born Melody Pond, and she has been married 428 times. River was also married to the Doctor. In May 2012, Steven Moffat, one of the writers for the show, stated that River, like Jack, is bisexual. | 2005– |
| Doctor Who | BBC | Madame Vastra | Neve McIntosh | Madame Vastra is a lesbian, and a Silurian detective who marries a human, Jenny Flint. She has been on earth longer than humans. | 2005– |
| Doctor Who | BBC | Jenny Flint | Catrin Stewart | Jenny is a lesbian, and a 19th-century sword fighting Victorian maid who marries Madame Vastra. | 2005– |
| Doctor Who | BBC | Clara Oswald | Jenna Coleman | Clara is bisexual, and describes Jane Austen as a great kisser. She is also set to die in one minute, but since she is time traveling, that minute never comes. | 2005– |
| Doctor Who | BBC | Bill Potts | Pearl Mackie | Bill is a lesbian and the twelfth Doctor's companion. After being shot, she is turned into the first Cyberman. Her liquid alien girlfriend (Heather), returns to save her, by having her brain copied into another liquid alien body. | 2005– |
| Doctor Who | BBC | Thirteenth Doctor | Jodie Whittaker | The Doctor is pansexual, and a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, who travels through time and space in her transcendental time machine: the TARDIS. | 2005– |
| Doctor Who | BBC | Cassandra O'Brien | Zoë Wanamaker | Cassandra is a trans woman, and the last human. She was on a space station orbiting Earth in the year 5,000,000,000, set to witness the destruction of the planet by the expansion of the Sun. | 2005– |
| Doctor Who | BBC | Missy (The Master) | Michelle Gomez | Missy is pansexual, and was the Doctor's childhood friend. She was kept prisoner by the Doctor for her crimes. In the end, she was killed by an older version of herself, whom she also killed. | 2005– |
| Doctor Who | BBC | Alonso Frame | Russell Tovey | Alonso is gay, and after meeting Jack Harkness in a bar, he hooked up with him for a one-night stand. | 2005– |
| Eyes | ABC | Chris Didion | Rick Worthy | Chris is a gay African-American, and a senior partner in a high-tech, high-risk investigation firm. | 2005 |
| Fingersmith | BBC | Sue Trinder | Sally Hawkins | Sue is a lesbian, and an orphan brought up by pickpockets. She becomes Maud's maid only to try and rob her. It turns out she and Maud were swapped at birth. | 2005 |
| Fingersmith | BBC | Maud Lilly | Elaine Cassidy | Maud is a lesbian, who will inherit a fortune when she marries, but through a convoluted set of coincidences and trickery, that is not what happens. | 2005 |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Callie Torres | Sara Ramirez | Callie is bisexual, and in a romantic relationship with Erica, until Erica abruptly leaves the hospital. Shortly after, Callie establishes a relationship with Arizona. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Erica Hahn | Brooke Smith | Erica is lesbian, and a cardiothoracic surgeon. She and Callie have sex, which blows Erica's mind, but not Callie's though. Erica was last seen walking into the parking lot. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Arizona Robbins | Jessica Capshaw | Arizona is a lesbian pediatric surgeon. She was previously married to Callie Torres. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Lauren Boswell | Hilarie Burton | Lauren is lesbian, and a craniofacial surgeon. She slept with Arizona during a storm. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Leah Murphy | Tessa Ferrer | Leah is bisexual and was fired for not being fit to be a surgeon. She slept with Arizona for a while. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Joe | Steven W. Bailey | Joe is gay. He's the bartender and owner of the bar that the doctors frequent. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Walter | Jack Yang | Walter is gay and Joe's off-again on-again boyfriend. They end up adopting twins together. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Eliza Minnick | Marika Dominczyk | Eliza is lesbian, and a consultant hired by fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to revamp their surgical residency program. She has a relationship with Arizona. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Penny Blake | Samantha Sloyan | Penny is lesbian, and the really boring girlfriend of Callie. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Carina DeLuca | Stefania Spampinato | Carina is bisexual, and an OB/GYN. She has relationships with Arizona and Owen. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Casey Parker | Alex Blue Davis | Casey is a trans man and war veteran who a first-year surgical intern. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Levi Schmitt | Jake Borelli | Levi is gay and came out after Nico kissed him in the elevator. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Nico Kim | Alex Landi | Nico is the first openly gay surgeon in the series. He is in a relationship with Levi. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Teddy Altman | Kim Raver | Teddy is bisexual, and has been in a relationship with Owen, and was in a love triangle with Allison and Claire in the past. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Amelia Shepherd | Caterina Scorsone | | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Kai Bartley | E.R. Fightmaster | Kai is non-binary. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Mika Yasuda | Midori Francis | | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Taryn Helm | Jaicy Elliot | Taryn is a lesbian, and is a surgical intern, with a crush on Meredith Grey. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Cece Colvin | Caroline Clay | Cece is a lesbian, and is a matchmaker who boasts an 85% success rate. She's had two heart transplants and is waiting on a third. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Aliyah Hamed | Sade Benyaminov | Aliyah is a lesbian. When she learns that her girlfriend, Jessica, is going to be sent to a gay conversion camp by her mother, they attempt suicide by train together. They both survive the impact and are sent to Grey Sloan Memorial. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Donna Gibson | Alexandra Billings | Donna is a trans woman, who is diagnosed with breast cancer while being evaluated for gender reassignment surgery. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Allison Browne | Sherri Saum | Allison is lesbian, and was Teddy's roommate in New York City back in 2001. She also lived with her girlfriend, Clarie, but was having an affair with Teddy behind Claire's back. Allison ends up dying in the September 11 terrorist attacks. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Bex Singleton | Becca Gardner | Bex's sexuality is undefined. She is intersexual, and came in to the hospital with a hormonal imbalance and was found to have a tumor. She was raised as a girl, but at the end of the episode, she was cutting her hair to possibly live as a boy. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Toby Donnelly | Arielle Hader | Toby is non-binary, and they were brought to the hospital after being in a snowmobile accident. Their sexuality is undefined. | 2005– |
| Grey's Anatomy | ABC | Jess | Matt Pascua | Jess is a trans woman, who helps her boyfriend (who is also transitioning) reconcile with his father. | 2005– |
| Inconceivable | NBC | Scott Garcia | David Norona | Scott is a gay attorney who works at the Family Options Fertility Clinic. In the pilot episode, he and his partner Jim have their child. | 2005 |
| Inconceivable | NBC | Jim | Jonathan Slavin | Jim is gay and Scott's partner. Actor Jonathan Slaving is out as well. | 2005 |
| Noah's Arc | Logo | Noah Nicholson | Darryl Stephens | Noah is gay, and an aspiring screenwriter, who was later hired by Brandy King of Paramount Studios to do a re-write of Wade's scripts "Bait and Switch". He is best friends with Alex, Chance, and Ricky. | 2005–2006 |
| Noah's Arc | Logo | Alex Kirby | Rodney Chester | Alex is gay, and works as a counselor at the HIV Treatment and Prevention Center until quitting, and opens his own non-profit HIV-awareness treatment center called "Black Aids Institute". | 2005–2006 |
| Noah's Arc | Logo | Ricky Davis | Christian Vincent | Ricky is gay, and the owner of a men's clothing store called Trade Analysis. Ricky is sexually promiscuous and has had sex with over 100 guys. | 2005–2006 |
| Noah's Arc | Logo | Chance Counter | Doug Spearman | Chance is gay, and an economics professor at a college. Noah's Arc made history as the first American series with a cast of all-Black and gay characters. | 2005–2006 |
| Noah's Arc | Logo | Wade Robinson | Jensen Atwood | Wade is gay, and a former screenwriter. He later gets a job at a furniture store as a delivery driver. | 2005–2006 |
| Rome | HBO BBC Two (2005-2007) | Servilia of the Junii | Lindsay Duncan | Servilla is bisexual. She was the wife of Julius Caesar and had a sexual relationship with Octavia. | 2005-2007 |
| Rome | HBO BBC Two (2005-2007) | Octavia of the Julii | Kerry Condon | Servilla is bisexual. She was the wife of Julius Caesar and had a sexual relationship with Octavia. | 2005-2007 |
| Sleeper Cell | Showtime | Salim | Omid Abtahi | Salim is a closeted gay member of an Islamic terrorist cell. He has a secret sexual relationship with Jason. | 2005–2006 |
| Sleeper Cell | Showtime | Jason | Michael Rady | Jason is gay, and after meeting the terrorist Salim in a health club, he starts a sexual relationship with him. | 2005–2006 |
| South of Nowhere | The N | Spencer Carlin | Gabrielle Christian | Spencer is a lesbian, and in a romantic relationship with Ashley Davies. | 2005–2008 |
| South of Nowhere | The N | Ashley Davies | Mandy Musgrave | Ashley is bisexual, and in a relationship with Spencer. They eventually move in together. | 2005–2008 |
| South of Nowhere | The N | Carmen | Brooke Vallone | Carmen is a lesbian, and was briefly Spencer's girlfriend. She was abusive and crazy jealous. | 2005–2008 |
| South of Nowhere | The N | Lily Zee | Michelle Ang | Lily is a lesbian, and working on a documentary about a drive-by shooting. She is friends with Ashley and Spencer. | 2005–2008 |
| South of Nowhere | The N | Jonica | Lisa Pace | Jonica is a lesbian, and is constantly flirting with other girls, even though she has a girlfriend. | 2005–2008 |
| South of Nowhere | The N | Paige | Angela Sarafyan | Paige is a lesbian, and likes to party, she is into the L.A. party scene, where she thrives. | 2005–2008 |
| South of Nowhere | The N | Kelly | Ashley Schneider | Kelly is a lesbian, who tries to seduce Spencer. | 2005–2008 |
| Sugar Rush | Channel 4 | Kim Daniels | Olivia Hallinan | Kim is a lesbian who is in love with her best friend Sugar. Kim attends a Christian group where she meets Beth and the two begin a brief relationship. | 2005–2006 |
| Sugar Rush | Channel 4 | Beth | Laura Donnelly | Beth is a lesbian, and meets Kim at a Christian group in the hopes of curing homosexuality. The two begin a brief relationship. | 2005–2006 |
| Sugar Rush | Channel 4 | Saint | Sarah-Jane Potts | Saint is bisexual and works at a female-orientated sex toy shop, and is also a DJ. She hooks up with Kim and they move in together. | 2005–2006 |
| Sugar Rush | Channel 4 | Dave | Matthew Vaughan | Dave and David are a gay couple, and the next-door neighbors who immediately befriend Stella. They also have a son Tom. | 2005–2006 |
| Sugar Rush | Channel 4 | David | Daniel Coonan | Dave and David are a gay couple, and the next-door neighbors who immediately befriend Stella. They also have a son Tom. | 2005–2006 |
| Supernatural | The CW | Castiel | Misha Collins | Castiel confesses his love for Dean Winchester to save him, allowing himself to experience a moment of true happiness. However, Dean just watched stoically and did not reciprocate the same feelings. The series was accused of queerbaiting fans with the interactions between Castiel and Dean for a long time.) | 2005–2020 |
| Supernatural | The CW | Charlie Bradbury | Felicia Day | Charlie Bradbury is an openly lesbian computer hacker and IT employee who assisted Sam and Dean Winchester in several cases. | 2005–2020 |
| Supernatural | The CW | Chuck Shurley | Rob Benedict | Chuck, also known as God, is bisexual. | 2005–2020 |
| Supernatural | The CW | Jesse and Cesar Cuevas | Lee Rumohr; Hugo Ateo | Jesse and Cesar are married, and both monster hunters. | 2005–2020 |
| Supernatural | The CW | Lily Baker | Jessica Harmon | Lily is a lesbian, and she accidentally killed her girlfriend and was attacked and hung on a windmill by a demon. | 2005–2020 |
| Supernatural | The CW | Claire Novak | Kathryn Newton | Claire is lesbian or bisexual, and her first love was Kaia Nieves. | 2005–2020 |
| Weeds | Showtime | Sanjay Patel | Maulik Pancholy | Sanjay is gay, and a weed dealer. | 2005–2012 |
| Weeds | Showtime | Isabelle Hodes | Allie Grant | Isabelle is the teen daughter of Celia Hodes and openly lesbian. She later has sex reassignment surgery to become a trans man named Bruce. | 2005–2012 |
| Weeds | Showtime | Josh Wilson | Justin Chatwin | Josh is a weed dealer, and having a gay affair with an older man. | 2005–2012 |
| Weeds | Showtime | Captain Roy Till | Jack Stehlin | Roy and Shlatter are both gay and in a relationship. After Shlatter is tortured and murdered by a gang of drug dealers, Roy vows to get revenge on the gang who killed him, but ends up getting killed himself. | 2005–2012 |
| Weeds | Showtime | DEA Agent Shlatter | Andrew Rothenberg | Roy and Shlatter are both gay and in a relationship. After Shlatter is tortured and murdered by a gang of drug dealers, Roy vows to get revenge on the gang who killed him, but ends up getting killed himself. | 2005–2012 |

### 2006

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Big Love | HBO | Alby Grant | Matt Ross | Alby is a closeted gay Mormon, scheming to control his polygamous sect. He eventually enters into a secret relationship with Dale Tomasson. | 2006–2011 |
| Big Love | HBO | Dale Tomasson | Ben Koldyke | Dale is a closeted gay Mormon, and undergoing reparative therapy to pray away the gay. He begins a secret relationship with Alby, and eventually commits suicide when his secret life is revealed. | 2006–2011 |
| Brothers & Sisters | ABC | Kevin Walker | Matthew Rhys | Kevin is a gay attorney and part of a large family. | 2006–2011 |
| Brothers & Sisters | ABC | Scotty Wandell | Luke Macfarlane | Scotty is Kevin's husband, who has an affair with another man. | 2006–2011 |
| Brothers & Sisters | ABC | Chad Barry | Jason Lewis | Chad is gay and a former love interest for Kevin. | 2006–2011 |
| Brothers & Sisters | ABC | Jason McCallister | Eric Winter | Jason is gay, and Kevin's previous boyfriend. | 2006–2011 |
| Brothers & Sisters | ABC | Saul Holden | Ron Rifkin | Saul is gay and HIV-positive. | 2006–2011 |
| Dexter | Showtime | Isaak Sirko | Ray Stevenson | Sirko was a gay Ukrainian mobster seeking to kill Dexter to avenge the death of Sirko's lover Viktor, whom Dexter had murdered in season 7. | 2006–2013 |
| Eureka | Syfy | Vincent | Chris Gauthier | Vincent is gay, and runs the fictional diner Cafe Diem in Eureka. | 2006–2012 |
| Friday Night Lights | NBC | Lucy Rodell | Libby Villari | Lucy is lesbian and the mayor of Dillon. Barbara is her partner. | 2006–2011 |
| Friday Night Lights | NBC | Barbara Gentry | Eleese Lester | Barbara is lesbian, a lawyer, and the partner of Lucy. | 2006–2011 |
| Friday Night Lights | NBC | Devin Boland | Stephanie Hunt | Devin comes out as lesbian to Landry, after he kissed her. | 2006–2011 |
| Heroes | NBC | Claire Bennet | Hayden Panettiere | Claire is bisexual, and an evolved human with the power to rapidly heal. She dates her college roommate for a while. | 2006–2010 |
| Heroes | NBC | Gretchen Berg | Madeline Zima | Gretchen is bisexual, and Claire's college roommate. | 2006–2010 |
| Hotel Babylon | BBC One | Ben Trueman | Michael Obiora | Ben is the flamboyant, openly gay front desk receptionist at the hotel. | 2006–2009 |
| The Line of Beauty | BBC | Nick Guest | Dan Stevens | Nick is gay and a scholarship student at Oxford. His friendship with fellow student Toby Fedden (Oliver Coleman), leads to a post-graduation offer that Nick move into the Feddens' London mansion, to work on his thesis project. This series takes place in the 1980s. | 2006 |
| The Line of Beauty | BBC | Wani Ouradi | Alex Wyndham | Wani is the closeted son of a Lebanese supermarket chain tycoon. Wani and Nick begin a secret relationship, while Wani supports Nick financially. Nick colludes in Wani's cocaine and sex-fuelled spiral of self-destruction. Wani later contracts AIDS, which ends the relationship. | 2006 |
| The Line of Beauty | BBC | Leo Charles | Don Gilet | Leo is gay and is Nick's first lover after arriving to London. They eventually break up, and a few years later, Leo's sister visits Nick to inform him that Leo has died of AIDS. This three part series is an adaptation of the 2004 novel of the same name. | 2006 |
| Sinchronicity | BBC Three | Jase | Daniel Percival | Jase is a financial consultant, and has a gay encounter with Mani. | 2006 |
| Sinchronicity | BBC Three | Mani | Navin Chowdhry | Mani is a gay Doctor, and gives Jase oral sex. | 2006 |
| Sinchronicity | BBC Three | Faye | John Sheahan | Faye is a trans woman, who is awaiting her sex reassignment therapy. | 2006 |
| Torchwood | BBC Three BBC Two BBC One Starz | Jack Harkness | John Barrowman | Jack is omnisexual and has also been described as bisexual. Jack is sexually promiscuous, and has sex with many partners throughout the series. | 2006–2011 |
| Torchwood | BBC Three BBC Two BBC One Starz | Ianto Jones | Gareth David-Lloyd | Ianto is bisexual, and has a relationship with Jack. Ianto has kept his relationship with Jack secret from his family. | 2006–2011 |
| Torchwood | BBC Three BBC Two BBC One Starz | Toshiko Sato | Naoko Mori | Toshiko is bisexual, entering a relationship with an alien named Mary, while also attracted to teammate Owen. | 2006–2011 |
| Torchwood | BBC Three BBC Two BBC One Starz | Owen Harper | Burn Gorman | Owen is bisexual, having a threesome with a man and a woman, after spraying them with a magic spray. | 2006–2011 |
| Torchwood | BBC Three BBC Two BBC One Starz | Captain John Hart | James Marsters | John is gay, and former colleague and lover of Jack. He was introduced in episode "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang". | 2006–2011 |
| Torchwood | BBC Three BBC Two BBC One Starz | Brad | Dillon Casey | Brad is a gay bartender, who has a one-night stand with Jack, in episode "Dead of Night". | 2006–2011 |
| Torchwood | BBC Three BBC Two BBC One Starz | Charlotte Wills | Marina Benedict | Charlotte is lesbian, and a mole pretending to be a CIA watch analyst. | 2006–2011 |
| Torchwood | BBC Three BBC Two BBC One Starz | Angelo Colasanto | Daniele Favilli | Angelo is bisexual. He had a tryst with Jack Harkness in the 1920s. Years later he marries a woman and raises a family. | 2006–2011 |
| Ugly Betty | ABC | Justin Suarez | Mark Indelicato | Justin is gay, and the nephew of Betty. | 2006–2010 |
| Ugly Betty | ABC | Marc St. James | Michael Urie | Marc is the openly gay personal assistant of the fashion editor at MODE magazine. | 2006–2010 |
| Ugly Betty | ABC | Alexis Meade | Rebecca Romijn | Alexis is a trans woman and the sibling of lead character Daniel. | 2006–2010 |
| Ugly Betty | ABC | Cliff St. Paul | David Blue | Cliff is a fashion photographer and Marc's boyfriend in season two. | 2006–2010 |
| Ugly Betty | ABC | Austin | Ryan McGinnis | Austin and Justin begin a relationship in the final episodes of the series. | 2006–2010 |
| Waterloo Road | BBC1 | Jo Lipsett | Sarah-Jane Potts | Jo is an openly gay French teacher. | 2006–2015 |
| Waterloo Road | BBC1 | Ros McCain | Sophie McShera | Ros is lesbian, and a student, who falls for her teacher Jo. | 2006–2015 |
| Waterloo Road | BBC1 | Matt Wilding | Chris Geere | Matt Wilding is a closeted gay, and a music teacher. | 2006–2015 |
| Waterloo Road | BBC1 | Josh Stevenson | William Rush | Josh is gay, and Tom's son. He comes out after having attractions for his best friend Finn Sharkey. | 2006–2015 |
| Waterloo Road | BBC1 | Nate Gurney | Scott Haining | Nate is an openly gay teenager, with romantic connections to Josh. | 2006–2015 |
| Waterloo Road | BBC1 | Nikki Boston | Heather Peace | Nikki is a lesbian teacher at the school. | 2006–2015 |
| Waterloo Road | BBC1 | Lorraine Donnegan | Daniela Denby-Ashe | Lorraine is a lesbian, and philanthropist and businesswoman. | 2006–2015 |
| Waterloo Road | BBC1 | Colin Scott | Chris Finch | Colin is gay, and works for a capital management company and is the boyfriend of Matt Wilding. | 2006–2015 |
| Waterloo Road | BBC1 | Vix Spark | Kristin Atherton | Vix is a lesbian, and has a homemade jewellery business. She and Nikki leave to be together. | 2006–2015 |

### 2007

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Army Wives | Lifetime | Nicole Galassini | Kellie Martin | Nicole is lesbian and an Army intelligence captain. Nicole eventually proposes to Charlie | 2007–2013 |
| Army Wives | Lifetime | Charlie Mayfield | Ryan Michelle Bathe | Charlie is lesbian and the civilian partner of Nicole. | 2007–2013 |
| The Best Years | Global | Lee Campbell | Alan Van Sprang | Lee is bisexual and is HIV-positive. He owns the local hot spot nightclub Colony. | 2007–2009 |
| Damages | FX Audience | Ray Fiske | Željko Ivanek | Fiske was closeted and concealing a relationship with a witness in a court case. After he is outed, he commits suicide. | 2007–2012 |
| Dirt | FX | Leo Spiller | Will McCormack | Leo is bisexual and the brother of lead character Lucy Spiller (Courteney Cox). | 2007–2008 |
| Dirt | FX | Lucy Spiller | Courteney Cox | Lucy is bisexual and is the editor-in-chief of the fictional magazine DirtNow, a trashy tabloid. | 2007–2008 |
| Dirt | FX | Jack Dawson | Grant Show | Jack is married, and a closeted gay action movie star who has a short tryst with Leo. | 2007–2008 |
| Dirt | FX | Garbo | Carly Pope | Garbo is lesbian and a drug dealer. | 2007–2008 |
| Dirt | FX | Julia Mallory | Laura Allen | Julia is bisexual, and has a sexual relationship with Garbo. | 2007–2008 |
| Dirt | FX | Willa McPherson | Alexandra Breckenridge | Willa is a lesbian, and a reporter for the tabloid. She takes drugs, has one night stands, and befriends the mentally unstable, all to get the story. | 2007–2008 |
| Dirty Sexy Money | ABC | Carmelita | Candis Cayne | Carmelita is a trans woman, and a prostitute having an affair with Patrick Darling IV (William Baldwin), a United States Senate candidate. She is eventually killed in a revenge plot. Candis Cayne came out as transgender in 1996, and her role as Carmelita, makes Cayne the first transgender actress to play a recurring transgender character in primetime. | 2007–2008 |
| Gossip Girl | The CW | Eric van der Woodsen | Connor Paolo | Eric is gay, and had relationships in the series with Asher, Jonathan, and Elliot. The series is based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. | 2007–2012 |
| Gossip Girl | The CW | Harold Waldorf | John Shea | Harold is gay, and after his divorce, he left for France with his boyfriend Roman. | 2007–2012 |
| Gossip Girl | The CW | Roman | William Abadie | Roman is gay, and Harold's boyfriend. | 2007–2012 |
| Gossip Girl | The CW | Asher Hornsby | Jesse Swenson | Asher is gay, and was Eric's first sexual encounter with a male. They kept their relationship secret, because they were both in the closet at the time. | 2007–2012 |
| Gossip Girl | The CW | Jonathan Whitney | Matt Doyle | Jonathan is gay, and was Eric's first boyfriend. Their friends and family were very supportive of their relationship. | 2007–2012 |
| Gossip Girl | The CW | Josh Ellis | Neal Bledsoe | Josh is gay, and shares a kiss with Chuck. | 2007–2012 |
| Gossip Girl | The CW | Elliot Leichter | Luke Kleintank | Elliot is bisexual and Eric's brief love interest. | 2007–2012 |
| Greek | ABC Family | Calvin Owens | Paul James | Calvin is secretly gay when he arrives at college, but eventually comes out. He had a relationship with Heath on and off throughout the series, and at the end of the series, went to India with him. | 2007–2011 |
| Greek | ABC Family | Heath Anderson | Zack Lively | Heath is openly gay, and had several one night stands with Calvin. By the end of the series, Heath and Calvin are in a committed relationship and going to India together. | 2007–2011 |
| Greek | ABC Family | Michael | Max Greenfield | Michael is gay, and an older love interest of Calvin's for a few episodes. | 2007–2011 |
| Greek | ABC Family | Grant Ellis | Gregory Michael | Grant is gay and Calvin's college roommate. He comes out to Calvin, and at first is in a secret relationship with him. | 2007–2011 |
| Jekyll | BBC One | Miranda Calendar | Meera Syal | Miranda is a lesbian private investigator. | 2007 |
| Jekyll | BBC One | Min | Fenella Woolgar | Min is Miranda's partner and is having their baby. | 2007 |
| Mad Men | AMC | Salvatore Romano | Bryan Batt | Sal is a closeted member of the ad agency's art department. | 2007–2015 |
| Mad Men | AMC | Carol | Kate Norby | Carol is lesbian, and in love with her roommate Joan. | 2007–2015 |
| Mad Men | AMC | Joyce | Zosia Mamet | Joyce is a lesbian friend of Peggy's. | 2007–2015 |
| Mad Men | AMC | Kurt | Edin Gali | Kurt is gay, and an art director with the agency. | 2007–2015 |
| Mad Men | AMC | Bellhop | Orestes Arcuni | The bellhop is gay, and has a one-night stand with Sal while he's on a business trip, until a fire in the hotel interrupts them. | 2007–2015 |
| Mad Men | AMC | Bill Hartley | Matthew Glave | Bill is a closeted gay executive at GM. He gets arrested for offering a blow job to an undercover officer, Hartley is badly beaten and humiliated by the police. | 2007–2015 |
| Mad Men | AMC | Kenneth | Anthony Gioe | Kenneth and Hugh are a gay couple that Don encounters when he goes looking for an old girlfriend; they now live in the apartment where she used to live. | 2007–2015 |
| Mad Men | AMC | Hugh | Scot Zeller | Kenneth and Hugh are a gay couple that Don encounters when he goes looking for an old girlfriend; they now live in the apartment where she used to live. | 2007–2015 |
| Notruf Hafenkante | ZDF | Melanie Hansen | Sanna Englund | Melanie and Helen are a lesbian couple. Melanie is a police officer, and Helen is an anesthesiologist at the hospital. | 2007– |
| Notruf Hafenkante | ZDF | Helen Anneza | Dennenesch Zoudé | Melanie and Helen are a lesbian couple. Melanie is a police officer, and Helen is an anesthesiologist at the hospital. | 2007– |
| Pushing Daisies | ABC | The Coroner | Sy Richardson | The coroner is gay and has a crush on Emerson Cod (Chi McBride). | 2007–2009 |
| Skins | E4 | Maxxie Oliver | Mitch Hewer | Maxxie is a gay teenager who is proficient at several styles of dance. | 2007–2013 |
| Skins | E4 | Tony Stonem | Nicholas Hoult | Tony is bisexual, and has sexual relations with female characters and gay characters throughout the series. | 2007–2013 |
| Skins | E4 | Cassie Ainsworth | Hannah Murray | Cassie is bisexual and suffers from anorexia nervosa, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, and drug addiction. | 2007–2013 |
| Skins | E4 | Dale | Matthew Hayfield | Dale is a closeted gay, and one of Maxxie's bullies. Maxxie finds out he is gay when Dale chases him down and they share a passionate kiss. | 2007–2013 |
| Skins | E4 | Emily Fitch | Kathryn Prescott | Emily is a lesbian college student, and has an identical twin sister, Katie. | 2007–2013 |
| Skins | E4 | Naomi Campbell | Lily Loveless | Naomi is a lesbian and Emily's girlfriend. They are in a committed relationship. | 2007–2013 |
| Skins | E4 | Franky Fitzgerald | Dakota Blue Richards | Franky is an androgynous pansexual, and super-intelligent. She was bullied as a younger girl, and it affects pretty much everything she does. | 2007–2013 |
| Skins | E4 | Alex Henley | Sam Jackson | Alex is gay. | 2007–2013 |
| The Tudors | Showtime BBC CBC | Thomas Tallis | Joe Van Moyland | Thomas has a gay romp with a courtier, and a relationship with nobleman William Compton. | 2007–2010 |
| The Tudors | Showtime BBC CBC | William Compton | Kristen Holden-Ried | William is closeted and in a secret relationship with Thomas Tallis. | 2007–2010 |
| The Tudors | Showtime BBC CBC | George Boleyn | Pádraic Delaney | George is gay, and has a relationship with Mark Smeaton. | 2007–2010 |
| The Tudors | Showtime BBC CBC | Mark Smeaton | David Alpay | Mark is the gay court musician, and is involved with George Boleyn. | 2007–2010 |

### 2008

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| 90210 | The CW | Teddy Montgomery | Trevor Donovan | Teddy is gay, and has several partners during the show's run. | 2008–2013 |
| 90210 | The CW | Shane | Ryan Rottman | Shane is gay and has a relationship with Teddy Montgomery. | 2008–2013 |
| 90210 | The CW | Ian | Kyle Riabko | Ian is gay and has a relationship with Teddy Montgomery. | 2008–2013 |
| 90210 | The CW | Marco Salazar | Freddie Smith | Marco is gay and has a relationship with Teddy Montgomery. | 2008–2013 |
| 90210 | The CW | Tripp Willinson | Alan Ritchson | Tripp is gay and has a relationship with Teddy Montgomery. | 2008–2013 |
| 90210 | The CW | Adrianna Tate-Duncan | Jessica Lowndes | Adrianna is bisexual. | 2008–2013 |
| 90210 | The CW | Gia Mannetti | Rumer Willis | Gia is a lesbian. | 2008–2013 |
| Being Human | BBC Three | Carl | Steve John Shepherd | Carl is a gay vampire. He shares a flat with his human boyfriend Dan until he accidentally kills him. | 2008–2013 |
| Being Human | BBC Three | Dan | Edward Franklin | Dan is gay and is accidentally killed by his vampire boyfriend. | 2008–2013 |
| B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye | Web series | B.J. Fletcher | Lindy Zucker | B.J. Fletcher is a lesbian, and runs her own private investigator firm. Her girlfriend is Georgia Drew. | 2008–2012 |
| B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye | Web series | Georgia Drew | Dana Puddicombe | Georgia is a lesbian, and a bartender. Her girlfriend is B.J. | 2008–2012 |
| B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye | Web series | Jenna Watson | Vanessa Dunn | Jenna is a lesbian, and a politician's daughter. | 2008–2012 |
| B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye | Web series | Marjorie Matlock | Natasha Gordon | Marjorie is a lesbian, and B.J.'s ex-girlfriend. | 2008–2012 |
| Cashmere Mafia | ABC | Caitlin Dowd | Bonnie Somerville | Caitlin is bisexual, and dated Alicia, a lesbian, for a number of episodes. | 2008 |
| Cashmere Mafia | ABC | Alicia Lawson | Lourdes Benedicto | Alice is a lesbian, and dated Caitlin for a while. | 2008 |
| Física o Química (Physics or Chemistry) | Antena 3 | Fernando "Fer" Redondo | Javier Calvo | Fer is gay and falls for David, the new soccer player at the school. | 2008–2011 |
| Física o Química (Physics or Chemistry) | Antena 3 | David Ferrán | Adrián Rodríguez | David is gay and has a relationship with Fer which becomes an emotional roller coaster ride for both characters over several seasons. | 2008–2011 |
| Hvaler (Maria) | TV 2 | Lone | Lisa Loven | Lone and Heidi are a lesbian couple and the two eventually move to Cape Town together. | 2008–2010 |
| Hvaler (Maria) | TV 2 | Heidi | Kaia Varjord | Lone and Heidi are a lesbian couple and the two eventually move to Cape Town together. | 2008–2010 |
| In Treatment | HBO | Jesse | Dane DeHaan | Jesse is 16 and gay, has had multiple partners, and feels unwanted by his adopted parents. | 2008–2010 |
| Legend of the Seeker | Syndicated | Cara Mason | Tabrett Bethell | Cara is bisexual. | 2008–2010 |
| Legend of the Seeker | Syndicated | Dahlia | Laura Brent | Dahlia is a lesbian, and was killed after being touched by a confessor. | 2008–2010 |
| Murdoch Mysteries | CBC | Dr. Emily Grace | Georgina Reilly | Emily is bisexual. She was in a relationship with George Crabtree and dated Leslie Garland. In Season 8 episode "High Voltage", she meets suffragette Lillian Moss; and thereafter falls in love with her. | 2008– |
| The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency | HBO | BK | Desmond Dube | BK is gay and the owner of the fictional Last Chance Hair Saloon. | 2008–2009 |
| Raising the Bar | TNT | Charlie Sagansky | Jonathan Scarfe | Charlie is a closeted gay and a law clerk working for a powerful female judge. | 2008–2009 |
| Raw | RTÉ Two RTÉ One | Geoff Mitchell | Damon Gameau | Geoff is openly gay and works at a restaurant with his boyfriend and workmate, Pavel. | 2008–2013 |
| Raw | RTÉ Two RTÉ One | Pavel Rebien | Kryštof Hádek | Pavel is gay and works at the same restaurant as his boyfriend, Geoff. | 2008–2013 |
| The Secret Life of the American Teenager | ABC Family | Griffin | Brando Eaton | Griffin is an openly gay ninth grader, and goes out on a blind date with Peter. | 2008–2013 |
| The Secret Life of the American Teenager | ABC Family | Peter | Kristopher Higgins | Peter is a gay teenager, and goes out on a blind date with Griffin. | 2008–2013 |
| The Secret Life of the American Teenager | ABC Family | Anne Juergens | Molly Ringwald | Anne is a lesbian. | 2008–2013 |
| The Secret Life of the American Teenager | ABC Family | Nora Underwood | Anne Ramsay | Nora is bisexual. | 2008–2013 |
| The Secret Life of the American Teenager | ABC Family | Willadean | Diane Farr | Willadean is lesbian, and Anne's ex-girlfriend, and Nora's AA sponsor. | 2008–2013 |
| Sons of Anarchy | FX | June Stahl | Ally Walker | June is bisexual, and an AFT agent. She gets shot in the back of the head and killed. | 2008–2014 |
| Sons of Anarchy | FX | Amy Tyler | Pamela J. Gray | Amy is lesbian, and an AFT Agent. She is killed by her ex-girlfriend, June, to be framed for murder. | 2008–2014 |
| Sons of Anarchy | FX | Venus Van Dam | Walton Goggins | Venus Van Dam is a trans woman prostitute, and shares a kiss with Tig. | 2008–2014 |
| Sons of Anarchy | FX | Alexander "Tig" Trager | Kim Coates | Tig develops an interest in Venus Van Dam, shares a kiss with her, and tells Venus in the final season of the show, "You see all the bad in me but love me regardless; I've never had that and I want to be with you." | 2008–2014 |
| Sons of Anarchy | FX | Venus Bell | Jazzmun | Venus is a trans woman drug dealer. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Lafayette Reynolds | Nelsan Ellis | Lafayette is a gay short-order cook, drug dealer and sex worker. He's in a relationship with Jesús Velásquez, and later starts a relationship with a vampire named James. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Tara Thornton | Rutina Wesley | Tara is a lesbian vampire and Lafayette's cousin. She is killed off by a Hep-V vampire. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Jason Stackhouse | Ryan Kwanten | Jason is shown to have multiple gay sex dreams about men, and in one episode, gay vampire Lafayette got Jason to strip dance in his briefs. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Eric Northman | Alexander Skarsgård | Eric Northman is a pansexual vampire and the sheriff of the vampires in his town. He has multiple relations with men. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Eddie Gautier | Stephen Root | Eddie is a gay vampire and former accountant, one of Lafeyette's clients. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Steve Newlin | Michael McMillian | Steve is gay and starts out as the leader of an anti-vampire Christian ministry. After he is made a vampire, he comes out to Jason Stackhouse as a "gay vampire American". | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Jesus Velasquez | Kevin Alejandro | Jesus is gay and Lafayette's boyfriend. He is a nurse at the retirement home where Lafayette's mother lives and a brujo (male witch). | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Russell Edgington | Denis O'Hare | Russell is gay, and the manipulative, angry, vampire king of Mississippi who killed without abandon. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Talbot Angelis | Theo Alexander | Talbot is a gay vampire, and was the partner of Russell Edgington. He was seduced and then murdered by Eric Northman. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Pam Ravenscroft | Kristin Bauer van Straten | Pam is a bisexual vampire, and second-in-command and co-owner of Fangtasia, a vampire bar. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | David Finch | John Prosky | David is a politician and an occasional sex client of Lafayette's. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Nan Flanagan | Jessica Tuck | Nan is bisexual and the official American Vampire League spokesperson. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Nora Gainesborough | Lucy Griffiths | Nora is a bisexual vampire and dies from vampire Hep-V. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Naomi | Vedette Lim | Naomi is a lesbian, and a martial artist who slept with Tara. They broke up over concerns of vampires. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Sophie-Anne Leclerq | Evan Rachel Wood | Queen Sophie is a bisexual vampire, and is killed by a wooden bullet shot by American Vampire League snipers. | 2008–2014 |
| True Blood | HBO | Hadley Hale | Lindsey Haun | Hadley is lesbian, and one of the Queen's lovers and a waitress at the faerie nightclub. | 2008–2014 |

### 2009

| Show | Network | Character | Actor | Notes | Year |
| Being Erica | CBC SOAPNet | Dave | Bill Turnbull | Dave and Ian are in a committed relationship. Beginning in season 3, the couple purchases the local coffee shop together and are upgraded to series regulars. | 2009–2011 |
| Being Erica | CBC SOAPNet | Ivan | Michael Northey | Dave and Ian are in a committed relationship. Beginning in season 3, the couple purchases the local coffee shop together and are upgraded to series regulars. | 2009–2011 |
| Being Erica | CBC SOAPNet | Dr. Naadiah | Joanne Vannicola | Dr. Naadiah is lesbian, and Tom's therapist, she briefly replaces him as Erica's. | 2009–2011 |
| Being Erica | CBC SOAPNet | Cassidy Holland | Anna Silk | Cassidy is lesbian, and graduate student who was a close friend of Erica's in college. | 2009–2011 |
| Caprica | Syfy | Sam Adama | Sasha Roiz | Sam is gay and an assassin for the Tauron mob. Larry is his partner. | 2009–2010 |
| Caprica | Syfy | Larry | Julius Chapple | Sam is gay and an assassin for the Tauron mob. Larry is his partner. | 2009–2010 |
| FlashForward | ABC | Janis Hawk | Christine Woods | Janis is a closeted lesbian, and an FBI Special Agent, a double agent with the CIA, and also a mole, reporting to those responsible for the blackout. | 2009–2010 |
| FlashForward | ABC | Maya | Navi Rawat | Maya is a lesbian, and a chef who briefly dates Janis. | 2009–2010 |
| Glee | Fox | Kurt Hummel | Chris Colfer | Kurt is the first gay character to come out in season one of Glee. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Blaine Anderson | Darren Criss | Blaine and Kurt start dating and eventually get married. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Brittany S. Pierce | Heather Morris | Brittany is an openly bisexual cheerleader. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Santana Lopez | Naya Rivera | Santana is a lesbian. She dates Brittany and in season two and comes out to her grandmother. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Wade "Unique" Adams | Alex Newell | Unique is a transgender girl. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Danielle "Dani" | Demi Lovato | Dani is a lesbian and was Santana Lopez's girlfriend for a while. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Adam Crawford | Oliver Kieran-Jones | Adam is gay and Kurt's new love interest while he's living in New York. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | David Karofsky | Max Adler | Dave is the school bully who picks on the Glee crew, comes out in season two. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Quinn Fabray | Dianna Agron | Quinn is bisexual, and exceptionally complex. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Cody Tolentino | Bryce Johnson | Cody plays a bisexual Santa Claus in the episode "Previously Unaired Christmas". | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Hiram Berry | Jeff Goldblum | Hiram and LeRoy Berry are Rachel's fathers. They debuted in episode "Heart" | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | LeRoy Berry | Brian Stokes Mitchell | Hiram and LeRoy Berry are Rachel's fathers. They debuted in episode "Heart" | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Sebastian Smythe | Grant Gustin | Sebastian is gay and the lead singer of the fictitious Dalton Academy Warblers. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Jeremiah | Alexander Nifong | Blaine has a crush on Jeremiah, the assistant manager at a local Gap store. The Warblers accompany Blaine as he serenades Jeremiah with "When I Get You Alone", Jeremiah gets fired and snubs Blaine, in episode "Silly Love Songs". | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Sandy Ryerson | Stephen Tobolowsky | He is revealed to be gay in season two. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Elaine | Kayla Kalbfleisch | Elaine is a lesbian, and appears with Santana and the other cheerleaders. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Liz Stevens | Meredith Baxter | Liz and Jan are bisexual, and both Blaine's mentors. They are in a relationship together. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Jan | Patty Duke | Liz and Jan are bisexual, and both Blaine's mentors. They are in a relationship together. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Spencer Porter | Marshall Williams | A gay football player who has a boyfriend named Alistair. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Alistair | Finneas O'Connell | Spencer's boyfriend who joins the glee club. | 2009–2015 |
| Glee | Fox | Sheldon Beiste | Dot-Marie Jones | Sheldon is a trans man, making him the first transgender on the show. | 2009–2015 |
| The Good Wife | CBS | Kalinda Sharma | Archie Panjabi | Kalinda is bisexual and a private investigator. She has an ex-husband, female lovers, and dates Cary Agos. | 2009–2016 |
| The Good Wife | CBS | Lana Delany | Jill Flint | Lana is lesbian and an F.B.I. agent. She has been involved in an on/off relationship with Kalinda for a long time. | 2009–2016 |
| The Good Wife | CBS | Sophia Russo | Kelli Giddish | Sophia is bisexual and a private investigator. She has a husband and is lovers with Kalinda. | 2009–2016 |
| The Good Wife | CBS | Owen Cavanaugh | Dallas Roberts | Owen is the gay brother of lead character Alicia Florrick. | 2009–2016 |
| Kings | NBC | Jack Benjamin | Sebastian Stan | Jack is gay. | 2009 |
| Kings | NBC | Joseph Lasile | Michael Arden | Joseph is gay. | 2009 |
| Make It or Break It | ABC Family | Max Spencer | Josh Bowman | Max is bisexual. | 2009–2012 |
| Melrose Place | The CW | Ella Simms | Katie Cassidy | Ella is bisexual. | 2009–2010 |
| Melrose Place | The CW | Caleb Brewer | Victor Webster | Caleb is gay. | 2009–2010 |
| Misfits | E4 | Greg Adley | Shaun Dooley | Greg is gay. | 2009–2013 |
| Misfits | E4 | Stuart | Oliver Lansley | Stuart is gay. | 2009–2013 |
| Misfits | E4 | Melissa | Kehinde Fadipe | Melissa is bisexual. | 2009–2013 |
| Misfits | E4 | Emma | Hannah Britland | Emma is a lesbian. | 2009–2013 |
| The Prisoner | AMC | 11-12 | Jamie Campbell Bower | 11-12 is gay. | 2009 |
| The Prisoner | AMC | 909 | Vincent Regan | 909 is gay. | 2009 |
| Southland | NBC TNT | Officer John Cooper | Michael Cudlitz | John is gay. | 2009–2013 |
| Stargate Universe | Syfy | Camile Wray | Ming-Na | Camile is a lesbian. | 2009–2011 |
| Stargate Universe | Syfy | Sharon | Reiko Aylesworth | Sharon is a lesbian. | 2009–2011 |
| Trauma | NBC | Tyler Briggs | Kevin Rankin | Tyler is gay. | 2009–2010 |
| United States of Tara | Showtime | Marshall Gregson | Keir Gilchrist | Marshall is gay. | 2009–2011 |
| United States of Tara | Showtime | Ted Mayo | Michael Hitchcock | Ted is gay. | 2009–2011 |
| United States of Tara | Showtime | Hany | Sammy Sheik | Hany is gay. | 2009–2011 |
| United States of Tara | Showtime | Jason | Andrew Lawrence | Jason is possibly gay. | 2009–2011 |
| United States of Tara | Showtime | Lionel Trane | Michael Willett | Lionel is gay. | 2009–2011 |
| United States of Tara | Showtime | Noah Kane | Aaron Christian Howles | Noah is gay. | 2009–2011 |
| The Vampire Diaries | The CW | Bill Forbes | Jack Coleman | Bill is gay. | 2009–2017 |
| The Vampire Diaries | The CW | Luke Parker | Chris Brochu | Luke is gay. | 2009–2017 |
| The Vampire Diaries | The CW | Mary Louise | Teressa Liane | Mary is a lesbian. | 2009–2017 |
| Warehouse 13 | Syfy | Helena G. Wells | Jaime Murray | Helena is bisexual. | 2009–2014 |
| Warehouse 13 | Syfy | Agent Steve Jinks | Aaron Ashmore | Steve is gay. | 2009–2014 |
| White Collar | USA | Special Agent Diana Barrigan | Marsha Thomason | Diana is a lesbian. | 2009–2014 |