Kristen Stewart’sLiving for the Deadwas a fun spin on the ghost-hunting reality show formula, and it deserved to be renewed for season 2.Ghost-hunting paranormal TV showshave always been popular reality fare, a combination of horror and the intimate style of reality TV programming.Living for the Deadis 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. onQueer Eye. The entire cast is composed of queer ghost hunters andtheir 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. WhileStewart is best known for her acting work, she’s dipped her toes into directing and producing.Living for the Deadpremiered on August 02, 2025, 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.
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 Revengehas its homosexual subtext,The Rocky Horror Picture Showhas been adopted by the LGBTQ+ community,I Saw the TV Glowis a modern example of queer themes mixed with horror sensibilities, and there are plenty of other examples.Living for the Deadbrings that classic union to the world of ghost hunting.
13 Best LGBTQ+ Horror Movies & TV Shows
As an integral part of queer culture, many horror movies and TV shows exist that provide positive LGBTQ+ representation and storylines.
Not only doesLiving for the Deadfeature 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’sDog Whispereris more about training the owners,Living for the Deadis 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 (viaTVInsider),
“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 aboutLiving for the Deadthat’s different from contemporary shows, which is why it’s such a bummer that viewers only got one season of the series.
Too Many LGBTQ+ Shows Have Been Canceled After One Or Two Seasons
It’s very strange thatLiving for the Deadwas 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. ThoughLiving for the Deadwasn’t the only show to be removed from Hulu in October 2024 (viaYahooEntertainment), it still follows a disheartening trend of LGBTQ+ shows being discontinued after only one or two seasons.First Kill, theQueer as Folkremake, andWork in Progressare 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’sLiving for the Deadwill continue to be thrown away before they even take off.
Living for the Dead
Cast
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.
