Trans Characters In Mainstream Media

I’m curious about this, and I hope to hear from the trans community.

This isn’t for anything I’m working on, I’m just curious about some stuff.

I just watched an episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, a show I have only seen a few scattered episodes of in the past, but I have enjoyed what I’ve seen.

They’re on Netflix now, I was watching the episodes, and enjoying them, and then there was an episode where one of the main characters falls in love with a trans mtf character.

Now, in SOME ways, it seemed almost enlightened, in that the trans character is never shown to apologize, she’s pretty clearly wonderful and all that, and the main character is clearly smitten with her. But other stuff seemed to just reinforce hurtful stereotypes and mythology. And of course, by the end of the  episode, the love affair is completely over and the trans character is gone.

It got me thinking. What trans portrayals in mainstream media have you personally found encouraging, or positive, or funny, or  heartfelt?  When you talk about good portrayals in mainstream, not niche media, what is it that you point to?

Thank you in advance, would love to hear your thoughts.