Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Queer Eye’, Netflix’s Reboot Of The Classic Makeover Reality Series

In the Year of the Reboot, it seems like it would be a good time to revive one of the pioneers of the reality show genre: Queer Eye For The Straight Guy. But not every show translates well in an era where there’s more acceptance as well as more divisiveness. But Netflix decided to reboot the show anyway, with an all-new cast. Can you make over a makeover show and find success again?

QUEER EYE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: The members of the cast — Antoni Porowski (the food and wine expert), Tan France (fashion expert), Karamo Brown (culture expert), Bobby Berk (design expert) and Jonathan Van Ness (grooming expert) — talk about being the new Fab 5, and then get in a truck and head to their first makeover.

The Gist: If you watched any of the run of Queer Eye For The Straight Guy during its original five season run (2003-07) on Bravo, you know what Netflix’s Queer Eye reboot (carrying on the shortening of the title that happened during the original run) is all about: Five experts surprise a grungy guy whose wife/daughter/loved ones wants them cleaned up, invade their home, and redo just about everything about the person. over a span of three days. Then they retire to their loft (now in Atlanta) and watch to see if their student is heeding their lessons as he goes to a big event.

In the first episode, the subject is Tom from Dallas, GA, who drives a dump truck, wears lots of jorts, drinks “redneck margaritas” that contain lots of Mountain Dew and says about himself, “You can’t fix ugly.” His daughter wants the new Fab 5 to help him out. He seems to be receptive to all their suggestions, and also opens up about how he has lost his confidence over the last decade or so, especially since his most recent divorce. Turns out he still has feelings for his last ex-wife, and wants to start getting her back. So the Fab 5 not only remake his wardrobe, clean up his Letterman-esque beard and toss his smelly recliner, they let him know that he can get that old swagger back.

Our Take: We used to love watching the original Queer Eye, especially during those first couple of seasons when it took the country by storm — it was Bravo’s first big reality hit — because it showed straight and gay guys getting along and opening up to each other in a way that had rarely been seen on TV at the time (yes, it seems weird to say that about 2003, but that’s how it was). The grungy guys put themselves in this silly group’s hands and usually turned out the better for it, and not just because they got a haircut or learned how to mix a proper Manhattan.

So, we were a little skittish about how that dynamic would play out in 2018, an era where same-sex marriage is accepted by the vast majority of the country, and while gay rights are still something that need to be fought for, the LGBTQ community has made tremendous strides. Also, we were a little afraid that the producers of this new version would strain to find younger equivalents of the original Fab 5.

Well, they did find their Carson Kressley equivalent in Van Ness, complete with the same over-the-top quips and friendly snarkiness. And there are parts of the first episode that just feel out of date now, like when the Fab 5 rummage through their makeover subject’s home, making fun of the rumpled furniture, baggy clothes and frozen dinners. In the last 15 years, the stereotype of the dramatic, quippy gay guy have been broken down, so to see that here is a bit disappointing.

Otherwise? It’s Queer Eye, albeit with a new cast, no bleeps on the cursing, and 2018 production values. France, the fashion expert, says this during the intro: “The original show was fighting for tolerance. Our fight is for acceptance.” If they treat it like that, where people are people instead of gay and straight, then it should be an entertaining show. There’s nothing right now about the cast that’s distinctive, but they weren’t annoying, either (except for Van Ness), and they are definitely a group that we can watch for the first season’s eight episode run.

Sex and Skin: Except for Tom, Berk and Van Ness having a cuddle at a mattress store, there’s nothing. It’s a makeover show, for goodness sake!

Parting Shot: The Fab 5 watch Tom reconnect with his ex after a classic car show, and know that he’s on the way to feeling better about himself.

Sleeper Star: We liked the food guy, Porowski. He’s not trying to put on a persona, and he’s the first one who caught on to Tom’s desire to reunite with his ex.

Most Pilot-y Line: Throwing Tom’s recliner into a landfill is one of those eye-rolling makeover show moments that scream 2003, not 2018.

Our Call: Stream It. Why not? Queer Eye has always been a positive show that is great to watch while cooking, doing laundry or even during a night with your spouse when you don’t want to concentrate on something like The Handmaid’s Tale. The parts that are a little retro faded as we got involved in Tom’s makeover, and we expect those to smooth out as the season goes on.

Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, VanityFair.com, Playboy.com, Fast Company’s Co.Create and elsewhere.

Watch Queer Eye on Netflix