“Pose”. A show detailing the queer POC Ballroom culture of the 80s and 90s.
The show opens on a heist of attractive people conspiring to break into a museum in order to “walk the ball”. They dress up according to themes in order to win prize money and recognition and fame within their community. Seems simple enough…
So why the museum heist?
The theme is royalty. There’s an exhibition at the local museum on royal families. So, the main characters break into this exhibit and make off with the jewels, elaborate silk finery, gloves, canes, and all manners of crowns in order to walk the walk of the century.
And their looks? Absolutely stellar.
The rest of the season follows the fictional house of Evangelista, led by den mother Blanca Evangelista (played by MJ Rodriguez) as she breaks off from the cutthroat house of Abundance, run by the elegant Elektra. Most of the season follows MJ as she adopts various souls who are living on the street after being ousted from their homes (Damon, Angel, Pray Tell, Esteban and more). The show is a found family at its best, made up of people who are all hurting but full of life and fire and talent beyond compare.
The show is full of heartbreak (much of it dealing with the AIDs crisis, themes of loss), laughter (the found family has its family bickering and cute sibling rivalries), and awe (the absolute MAJESTY of the competitions means everything).
Overall, I laughed. I cried. Found family is so incredibly important. Please watch POSE, you won’t regret it.