Gay as cute: Unpacking cuteness in contemporary gay teen drama series

Abstract

Since the late 2010s, there has been a surge in gay teen drama series that portray their gay male protagonists as cute. This article focuses on four series ( Heartstopper, Young Royals, Love, Victor, and wtFOCK) and examines which formal and narrative practices are used to convey cuteness. It argues that, first, each series participates in the creation of the cute gay boy archetype; second, each series represents cuteness as vulnerable in an ambiguous and, at times, resistant manner; third, cute aesthetics are used to soften the blow when tackling heavy or disturbing issues or to amplify positive emotions.