Kristen Stewart's Living for the Dead was a fun spin on the ghost-hunting reality show formula, and it deserved to be renewed for season 2. Ghost-hunting paranormal TV shows have always been popular reality fare, a combination of horror and the intimate style of reality TV programming. Living for the Dead is another of these ghost hunter shows, but with a spin, in part, thanks to Rob Eric attached as an executive producer, who was also an E.P. on Queer Eye. The entire cast is composed of queer ghost hunters and their investigative methods are slightly different from other teams.
The series was created by C.J. Romero and Kristen Stewart, and Stewart also serves as the show's narrator. While Stewart is best known for her acting work, she's dipped her toes into directing and producing. Living for the Dead premiered on October 18, 2024, and lasted for one season. However, the show was removed from Hulu without explanation the following year in October 2024, and it's still not entirely clear why season 2 never materialized.
Living For The Dead Was A Pivotal Step For LGBTQ+ Representation In Horror
The Ghost Hunters Worked With The People As Much As They Did The Ghosts
Horror has long been a safe space for LGBTQ+ themes and characters, often slipped in under the unseeing eye of producers and even audiences who only catch on years later. Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge has its homosexual subtext, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been adopted by the LGBTQ+ community, I Saw the TV Glow is a modern example of queer themes mixed with horror sensibilities, and there are plenty of other examples. Living for the Dead brings that classic union to the world of ghost hunting.
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As an integral part of queer culture, many horror movies and TV shows exist that provide positive LGBTQ+ representation and storylines.
Not only does Living for the Dead feature an all-LGBTQ+ cast, the team also deals with their paranormal investigations in a much more personal way than similar shows. The team takes time to get to know the people who are being haunted. In the same way that Cesar Millan's Dog Whisperer is more about training the owners, Living for the Dead is more about investigating the people being haunted.
Executive Producer Rob Eric says that he feels his show is different from others in a similar vein (via TVInsider),
"Most of these shows, your ghost hunters are provoking the spirit. They're poking it with a stick over and over again. Our team didn't go into it that way. They went into it like, 'Let’s communicate.'"
Eric sees his team as people who want to understand the ghosts they encounter, not just cast them out. One of the ghost hunters, Alex LeMay, referenced the show's singular dedication to showcasing queer history,
"I love that we dig into history that includes queer history, which I think a lot of shows haven’t done in the past."
There's much about Living for the Dead that's different from contemporary shows, which is why it's such a bummer that viewers only got one season of the series.
Living For The Dead's Cancelation & Removal From Hulu Is Part Of A Disturbing Streaming Trend
Too Many LGBTQ+ Shows Have Been Canceled After One Or Two Seasons
It's very strange that Living for the Dead was not only canceled but also completely removed from Hulu's platform. What's more frustrating is that no one has come forward to explain why the show was removed. Though Living for the Dead wasn't the only show to be removed from Hulu in October 2024 (via YahooEntertainment), it still follows a disheartening trend of LGBTQ+ shows being discontinued after only one or two seasons. First Kill, the Queer as Folk remake, and Work in Progress are all LGBTQ+ shows that didn't make it past 1 season.
However, there seems to be a disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ shows that are getting the axe.
The streaming landscape is a total mess, with shows and movies being canceled for no reason. However, there seems to be a disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ shows that are getting the axe. Whether that's because there's a lack of confidence in the creators or the audience, or just a general disregard for diverse casts in Hollywood, is unclear. If that way of thinking doesn't shift, however, shows like Kristen Stewart's Living for the Dead will continue to be thrown away before they even take off.
Living for the Dead (2023) follows five queer ghost hunters as they travel across America, aiding the living by addressing the needs of the deceased. As they explore notorious haunted sites, they uncover untold stories, aiming to bring understanding and acceptance to the misunderstood, both living and departed.
Release Date October 18, 2023
Seasons 1
English (US) ·