I love Queenie the character, but I’m not a big fan of Queenie the show.
What it's about
Fresh from a breakup and struggling to be noticed at work, 25-year-old Queenie braves her way through the ups and downs of early adulthood.
The take
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.
What stands out
The colorful realism and specificity of Queenie’s surroundings. Now if only her inner life could be rendered just as beautifully.
Comments
Add a comment
Your name
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
Ethos
A level of attention to aesthetics usually reserved for the most elaborate films, mixed with a complex and relevant story, make this series from Turkey unmatched in its quality
9.9
Caliphate
A psychological thriller that provides insight on what drove so many young people to ISIS.
8.9
Pretend it’s a City
A wildly entertaining series of interviews with a New York legend
9.2
Occupied
Norway's most expensive show ever is a timely thrill ride with a grim geopolitical premise.
8.7
Unorthodox
A well-acted fact-based thriller about untangling the grip of a close-knit community
8.5
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
A dark comedy that effectively and entertainingly crushes the American Dream
7.6
The Looming Tower
A well-written thriller miniseries about the rivalry between the CIA and the FBI and how they failed to prevent 9/11.
8.1
Alexa & Katie
A heartfelt kids’ sitcom packaged in a familiar, mature way
8.0
Who killed him?
A streamlined but tedious chronicle of the murder of Mexican TV host Paco Stanley
7.0
Unbelievable
Critics lauded the angle and feminist edge of this grim true crime miniseries.