Belgian Series “Oh, Otto!” Delivers The Grown‑up LGBTQIA+ Drama We Have Been Waiting For
Remember the days of shows like Looking or the brief, brilliant run of Fellow Travelers? It feels like a long time since we had a sharp, adult television series that properly explored modern gay life with honesty and a bit of skin. The television landscape has felt a little too sanitised lately. Now, a new show from Belgium, Oh, Otto!, is generating buzz for all the right reasons, and it looks like the exact thing we’ve been waiting for.
From filmmaker Stijn van Kerkhoven, the Dutch-language series follows Otto, a 26-year-old from Brussels played by Jonathan Michiels. He lives a quiet life in his late grandmother’s apartment and thinks he is in a happy relationship with his boyfriend, Boris. His world is shaken when Boris dumps him, worried they settled down too soon and that he is holding Otto back from seeing the world. When his best friend Lente, played by Jennifer Heylen, also announces she is leaving Brussels, Otto is forced to figure out who he is outside of his relationships.
So what happens when he gets on the apps.
With a push from his best friend, he creates an online alter ego and starts exploring. He soon finds a side of Brussels he never knew existed, one filled with drag shows, leather parties, and the thrill of anonymous hookups in dark rooms. The cast also features well-known Dutch actor Tarikh Janssen and Mustii, who many will recognise as a judge from Drag Race Belgique. From the looks of the trailer, the show isn’t shy about showing its characters in intimate situations.
OMG, he’s naked: Actor Tarikh Janssen in Belgian gay series ‘Oh, Otto’ https://t.co/MvgB20a0pl #Candy #ass #black pic.twitter.com/p8PZYN0vuL
— OMG.BLOG (@omgblog) July 16, 2025
But there is one big catch…
The seven-episode series premiered on the Belgian streaming service Streamz, which means it is currently unavailable to watch officially in many regions. For now, access is limited to those who know their way around a Virtual Private Network, or VPN, to get around the geoblocking. We need more scripted dramas that are willing to show off a little man bum, right?
It’s already winning major awards.
The show’s quality is not just hype. Oh, Otto! recently won the Best Short-form Series award at the prestigious Cannes International Series Festival. The festival jury highlighted the show’s importance and its message.
Now watching Oh, Otto! pic.twitter.com/mWt4igs4Pp
— Mercury (@MercuryHD_) July 4, 2025
The jury praised the show, stating, “In a world where polarization is increasingly prevailing, this intimate yet universal story reminds us of why series like Oh, Otto! are necessary now more than ever and that in the law of love everyone is equal.”
Complex queer stories that reflect our real lives are essential, and does it help that the cast is incredibly good-looking? Absolutely. Keep an eye out for release on a streaming service near you soon.
