In theory, Queenie sounds like the kind of show many will find comforting and relatable. It follows an emotionally complex 25-year-old Black woman figuring out life, love, and everything in between. But unlike Insecure, I May Destroy You, or even Fleabag and Girls before it, Queenie struggles to find a discernable style and identity. It’s still directionless a couple of episodes in, which would be forgivable if it was funny, fresh, or smart. Instead, it feels slow and derivative as it slogs through blocks of speech and tells us what Queenie feels, instead of showing us how she feels. Dionne Brown is an emotive actress, but she’s unfortunately underutilized in a show that prefers dialogue and monologue over silent, powerful acting. The result is a show that drags itself with its own heaviness.

The colorful realism and specificity of Queenie’s surroundings. Now if only her inner life could be rendered just as beautifully.