If you haven’t heard, Netflix has released a reboot of Queer Eye, a show in which five gay men give makeovers to other men who are in need of some fabulousness in their lives. The “Fab Five” teach a different man in each episode how to dress, groom, cook, decorate, and become “cultured”.
The thing that I have always loved about makeover shows is that they often are so much more than surface level, and Queer Eye is no exception. The show addresses real issues that the recipient of the makeover is going through in their life and gives them the confidence boost needed to become the best versions of themselves.
For those of you who are new to the Queer Eye universe, let me catch you up to speed. The original Queer Eye series premiered on Bravo in 2003. The show most notably featured Carson Kressley and Ted Allen (who currently hosts my other favorite show, Chopped).
The original show was groundbreaking in the sense that it was a full embrace of gay culture in mainstream media. Viewers all over America were introduced to homosexuality and recognized commonalities with the hosts. The original Queer Eye demystified gayness and made viewers realize that they were also just people, if a little bit more fashionable.
The 2018 reboot features a stellar cast of lovable and talented characters who come together to create the best television I have seen so far this year.
First there is Bobby Berk, who I want to decorate my apartment IMMEDIATELY. Bobby is the interior expert on the show and redecorates each makeover recipient’s home. Bobby’s designs are stunning and elegant while also being extremely functional and fun. I’m definitely calling him for my next renovation.
Next up we have Karamo Brown. The “culture” expert on the show, Karamo has a background in social work and serves as the on-site therapist. He gets to the root of each person’s hangups and self esteem issues and helps them blossom and grow.
Then we have Tan France, who frequently rocks pairs of the skinniest skinny jeans I have ever seen and always looks AMAZING. Tan is the fashion expert whose life mission seems to be to get every man in America to throw away their cargo shorts.
Even though he is the food expert, Antoni Porowski’s dishes are always very simple. The internet freaked out when he taught one guy how to cook hot dogs. “That’s not gourmet” the collective voices of internet foodies screamed. Antoni is a sensitive artist who wears t-shirts that reference great works of literature. I want to be in book club with Antoni and have him bring the hors d’oeuvres. I wouldn’t even care if they were hot dogs.
And last but certainly not least, we have Jonathan. He is a fierce competition with Tan over who has the best hair. Jonathan is unabashedly, unashamedly himself. He has the best catchphrases and one-liners of the gang and has a special gift of being able to see the best of everyone. Jonathan is the kind of person you want to call to give you a pep talk before a date to remind you that you are a QUEEN.
This Queer Eye reboot pushes the envelope even further and isn’t afraid to dive into larger cultural issues. The show also focuses on intersectionality and features an African American and an British-American Pakistani in its cast. In one episode Karamo has a discussion with a cop about the Black Lives Matter movement. In another episode Bobby talks to a devoutly religious father about his experience growing up gay in a strict Christian household.
However, there is one episode that is a true standout. It centers on AJ, an adorable gay man who lives in Atlanta. He never was able to come out to his father before he died, and he feels like he is in a good emotional place to finally come out to his stepmother.
When he (SPOILER ALERT) finally does come out to his stepmother, she says that she will continue to love him just the way he is and you can see the visible relief wash over AJ as he cries into his stepmother’s shoulder. It’s the most powerful piece of television I have seen all year.
Queer Eye is the show America needs in 2018. In episode after episode, the Fab 5 form bonds with the men that they are giving makeovers to and the men in turn say that they Fab 5 have opened their eyes and changed their perspectives. We see very different groups of people come together in harmony despite their differences and mutually lift each other up, and it gives me great hope that reconciliation and civil discourse is still alive and thriving in America.