Apple TV+'s "Visible: Out on Television" Is a Must-Watch Chronicle of the Evolution of LGBTQ+ Representation on TV!

Apple TV+ continues to put out some next-level content for its subscribers, and “Visible: Out on Television” is another superb addition to their impressive list of originals.

The 5-part docu-series explores the arduous journey the LGBTQ community has had to endure in their quest for proper representation within the world of entertainment. It brilliantly chronicles the milestones and conflicts these individuals overcame in their pursuit of equality.

The Apple original accomplishes this noble endeavor with a slew of archival footage mixed with starry talking heads breaking down everything from the struggles to the inspirational moments.  

David Bender and Wilson Cruz spent 7 years putting “Visible: Out on Television” together, and their praiseworthy dedication to unveil the on-screen movement properly is shown within every frame. What started out as Kickstarter pitch has turned into a beautifully crafted Apple TV+ original that is of the same quality as any documentary program people see on HBO or Netflix. 

This comprehensive history of American Television is incredibly essential and extremely engrossing. Throughout this stunning achievement in television, a revolving lineup of storytellers bares their souls on how these iconic achievements in TV history affected them. These heart-wrenching tales are told by Janet Mock, Margaret Cho, Asia Kate Dillon, Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Eric Stonestreet, Billy Porter, Adam Lambert, and Lena Waithe, just to name a few.

Shows like “Tales of the City", “Ellen”, “Will and Grace”, and more are all discussed. Its restrained use of narration and elaborate execution allow the material to resonate with viewers easily. 

For so long, the LGBTQ community was poorly portrayed in all forms of the media. They were perceived as sick people or villains. This ignorant take was not only detrimental to the progression of tolerance, but it was also very offensive. It truly is an eye-opening experience to see these practices back to back, along with the real-world consequences. All of this really puts the struggle that these poor souls went through for no good reason into perspective.

While everyone knows that the LGBTQ community has struggled, to see the extent of the unfathomable odds they have had to overcome is whatever the word that exists that is bigger than inspirational. 

Everyone wants to be accepted and wants to be able to just be themselves without unnecessary judgment, which really isn’t asking that much when you think about it. Seeing is believing, and “Visible: Out on Television” is a fantastic reminder of those ideals.

Television and film are very powerful mediums that shape our everyday lives in more ways than one. Without knowing, we subconsciously begin to believe that what we see is how things should be, but when something is portrayed incorrectly, the consequences are more severe than one would imagine.

It is amazing to see how far the industry has come, and what is sad is there is still much further to go. The good thing is, though, that “Visible: Out on Television” shows us that getting there is entirely possible. 

“Visible: Out on Television” is now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+.