Gentleman Jack joins the long list of queer TV shows that deserved better-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

Audiences could’ve gained so much from further seasons of Gentleman Jack (Picture: Deadline/Aimee Spinks/HBO)

It’s been announced by HBO that lesbian period drama Gentleman Jack will not be renewed for a third series – and it feels like a kick in the stomach, to say the least.

Starring Suranne Jones as the formidable Anne Lister and Sophie Rundle as her wife Ann Walker, Gentleman Jack was unlike any other queer representation we’ve seen on screen, telling the story of the ‘first modern lesbian’ and her courage to live as herself in a society that demonised just that.

In a statement, the US broadcaster said: ‘When we began this journey more than five years ago, we knew the series’ creator Sally Wainwright had a uniquely compelling vision, and it’s been tremendously gratifying to see how Anne Lister’s journey has resonated with viewers.’

They added that they are ‘incredibly grateful’ to the cast and crew for ‘bringing Anne and Ann’s story to life’, although it begs the question, if this story was so valued by the production team, why does it seem to have been thrown into the trash as though it meant nothing?

Audiences could’ve gained so much from further seasons of Gentleman Jack, which makes its cancellation all the more painful because this isn’t a fictional story – it’s the lives of two very real people.

Further episodes would offer more insight into the reality of living as a lesbian in the 1800s and continue to remind LGBTQ+ people today that queer has always been here.

Fans are outraged and heartbroken following the news and rightly so, because a film or a TV show isn’t just a film or a TV show for many LGBTQ+ people – it’s their life. It becomes a safe haven. It’s a reminder that who we are is not only normal, but it deserves to be celebrated.

Watching Gentleman Jack has motivated me to live as my truest self, just like Anne Lister did.

It’s never lost on me, the bravery of two women to live unapologetically as wives back when lesbianism was shunned to such a degree that it wasn’t even deemed a crime. To think, to know, there were people like us, being themselves, 200 years ago… it inspires me every day. If they could do it then, I can do it now.

Queer people tend to latch onto TV shows in ways I never see my straight friends do.

While they can become invested in the plot and the characters, when you’ve been starved of representation for so long then finally get to see someone like you in the spotlight, it’s indescribably validating – meaning it’s all the more soul-destroying when that show is cancelled with zero regard for how that might make viewers feel.

The cancellation of lesbian TV shows isn’t a new thing, sadly. I remember binge-watching Gypsy on Netflix but having a sinking feeling in my stomach all the way through because I knew it hadn’t been renewed.

The same goes for I Am Not Okay With This, The 100, Atypical, and The Good Place, all of which star queer characters in prominent roles and were cancelled around the same time in 2020.

Gentleman Jack now joins the club of lesbian TV shows that deserved better – and it happening just a few days after the end of Pride Month makes matters even more sickening.

The show just got so much right – the season 1 finale is etched into my heart forever. It was a masterclass in romantic storytelling, as Anne and Ann agreed to marry, standing on the hilltop, sharing a kiss, before going to church and taking the sacrament together. I don’t think I’ve cried as much watching anything other than Marley & Me.

But, as powerful as that was, the show also did a sublime job of driving home that brutal homophobia lesbians faced all those years ago, like when Anne was beaten up and a thug spat in her face before calling her names – she was so hurt. That scene hit hard and showed that even the strongest people are not invincible.

Just weeks ago, BBC aired a documentary called Gentleman Jack Changed My Life. It showed the astronomical scale of the show’s fanbase across the globe and delved into the lives of women who credit the drama for saving their lives.

People came out to their families because of Gentleman Jack.

People had difficult conversations with homophobic parents because of Gentleman Jack.

People found their one true love because of Gentleman Jack.

Gentleman Jack was adored by millions of people worldwide and that’ll never change, but seeing queer content constantly disrespected like this is so tiring

For HBO to be well aware of how much Gentleman Jack meant to people but still decide the show’s impact wasn’t significant enough for it to remain on air suggests they never fully appreciated the power they held at all.

Gentleman Jack was adored by millions of people worldwide and that’ll never change, but seeing queer content constantly disrespected like this is so tiring.

As a young lesbian, I would’ve given anything to have had this story air on primetime TV, to have been able to watch it with my parents and for that to have been our normal. It would’ve made growing up much easier and reduced the trauma of having to come out and fearing my family’s reactions.

Alas, it’s another nail in the coffin for authentic, heartfelt, life-saving lesbian representation and LGBTQ+ youth are to be left without an outlet that makes them feel seen and heard.

What was always great about Gentleman Jack was, first of all, how the actors cared so deeply about the inspiring women they were portraying. Suranne and Sophie always spoke so highly of their characters and how they felt connected to them, always showing up as allies to the community. 

They wanted to give Anne and Ann’s experiences justice, fully aware of the responsibility that comes with playing a queer woman in a world of rising homophobic hate crimes and an industry rife with ‘bury your gays’ plots (aka, the literary trope where gay characters meet a grizzly end and are killed off disproportionately in comparison with straight characters and usually without rhyme or reason).

Secondly, it was bold and unapologetic, which is refreshing since a lot of queer representation feels diluted to appease a straight audience. But not Gentleman Jack – it was sharp, witty, confident, and so very gay.

Not one aspect of Anne Lister was watered down, nor was lesbianism ever explained like a Wikipedia page – it handled true events with care without refusing to sanitise Anne’s identity. She could be messy, unkind, and headstrong, but the perfect companion for a more reserved and timid, but eventually self-assured Ann Walker – their partnership was so affirming from the off.

My heart feels heavy upon learning of its cancellation.

Sure, there’s reason to hope, since a spokesperson revealed they are ‘in discussions with Sally about what’s next’ but even that doesn’t ease the sting – nothing could ever be as passionate, as romantic, or as utterly brilliant as the love story of the Ann(e)s we watched unfold.

If a third season goes ahead without HBO’s input, the magical storytelling would still be there thanks to Sally’s scripts. But, HBO has the budget and the platform. It’s just a shame they didn’t utilise it.

I want to be optimistic, but it’s hard to be when, time and time again, this keeps happening.

Anne Lister now has a statue in the Piece Hall. There is a blue plaque in Holy Trinity churchyard celebrating Anne and Ann’s union in 1834.

There is a college named after Anne Lister on the east campus at the University of York. Her home of Shibden now has more visitors than ever before.

Their memory will always live on – when we wake up each morning and decide to go out into the world as our true selves, we are honouring them. But this still feels like a great loss.

To quote Anne’s own diaries, ‘I am very low’.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

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