The Daily Stream: Queer Eye Will Melt Even The Stoniest Of Hearts
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Series: "Queer Eye"
Where You Can Stream It: Netflix
The Pitch: If you cast your mind back to 2003, approximately 10,000 years ago by 2022 reckoning, a show called "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" premiered on Bravo. It featured five queer men who gave a straight man a makeover. It wasn't just clothing, though. It was a lifestyle change and maybe some eye-opening about a group of people the aforementioned man may not have been open to accepting before. Have things changed in society? That's a whole other discussion, but the show certainly has. The original series ran for five seasons before it ended, and in 2018, a new version called simply "Queer Eye" premiered on Netflix.
This time around, five members of the LGBTQ community pick a new person — not specifically a straight man — to help out. The person set for the makeover is often selfless, working for their community, trying to start a business, or dealing with an issue. Again, this is not just a makeover in terms of clothing.
The group is made up of Antoni Porowski, a food and wine expert (currently hosting "Easy Bake Battle" on Netflix), Tan France, a fashion expert, Karamo Brown, a culture expert, Jonathan Van Ness, a grooming expert, and Bobby Berk, a design expert. They take their subject and help them not only develop some new skills and coping techniques but change their lives in so many ways.
Why it's essential viewing
I guarantee that this series will require tissues. Even the hardest of hearts will melt in the presence of these lovely people helping out someone in need of some self-care and appreciation. The Fab Five, as they are styled, spend a week with the subject, helping them regain their confidence, or find it for the first time. They then gather around a table in their headquarters in whichever place they're in (which ranges from Atlanta to Kansas City, to Austin, to episodes in Australia and Japan) and watch the subject's event take place, and speak to them on a video call to see how it's all turned out.
I loved the first series, though an update was definitely needed. It's so lovely to watch people who haven't spent any time on themselves get the pampering they deserve. It's even lovelier to watch some of their minds open to the idea of self-care. The sweetest part of all of it is watching some of the shy subjects end up dancing in front of a camera with the Fab Five. The show has won several Emmy Awards and has been renewed for a seventh season on Netflix.
The balance of work may be off, but it's still wonderful
If you've heard anything about "Queer Eye," it's probably from a meme where someone compares Antoni Porowski teaching the subject to cook a single meal with Bobby Berk completely restructuring their home or office. I'm not going to lie here; the balance of work is very much weighted in Bobby's incredibly talented direction, but sometimes a physical remodeling isn't the main thing a person needs. Here's how it breaks down:
Antoni Porowski does just teach something small, but food is huge. Unlike the first version of the series that helped someone prepare for a big event, like an engagement meal, Porowski actually teaches the subject to create a meal that is within their skill set or available time. Look, if someone tried to teach me how to cook filet mignon, I'm sure I could learn it, but I 100 percent will never be able to make it again on my own. I need something I can do quickly and easily. He shows these lovely people how to cook something they can do again, even with their hectic schedules.
Bobby Berk is a genius and a master, and yes, I know he has a crew, but I have never seen a single episode where his home or office makeovers aren't absolutely mind-blowing. This is not hyperbole. It's magic. I am completely convinced. I won't continue to gush, but merely suggest you watch a single episode (it doesn't matter which) and prove me right.
Grooming and self-care
During the week, fashion expert Tan France takes the subject to a store in their local area and one they can afford, which is often different from the first series. The idea is to help them break out of their comfort zone — to a point. France doesn't push people into going too far away from what they'd typically wear or anything they're not okay with. He might joke about the clothing they already have, but the goal is to spruce up what they currently like and try a few new things they can see themselves putting on each morning. He has a great eye, and unlike other makeover shows, every outfit he picks is wonderful and seems to enhance the inner beauty of the subject. This is about making them feel better about themselves, not changing who they are.
Karamo Brown is the lifestyle expert, and that's the one that is so often made fun of, but this isn't about helping the subject pick a new favorite song or gym. Brown is there to counsel and talk through the issues that are holding the subject back. He listens in a way we could all benefit from, and it's just joyful.
Jonathan Van Ness takes care of grooming, and their personality could get any person in the world to try, say, a facial scrub. Van Ness is so full of joy (and really great grooming tips) that even subjects who use a bar of soap in their hair (please, please do not do that) are willing to open their minds to a real but quick morning routine. Even better? When Van Ness isn't an expert on a hair type, for instance, they highlight a local salon owner/stylist who does.
A balm for the soul
I think the thing that gets me in the heart the most are the episodes where you can see someone's opinion changing about the Fab Five themselves. They're like a force of nature as they appear, and often in communities or households where a little understanding about people who are different from they are is desperately needed. It is worth a watch to remember that not everyone is entirely set in their ways and that humans can learn and grow.
It's hard not to binge these episodes because they're so heartwarming and inspirational, but I highly suggest you horde them for days when you're feeling down. This is "The Great British Baking Show" level of soothing. It's lovely to be able to recommend a series that will improve your life. Again, I remind you that tissues are required for viewing.
"Queer Eye" is currently streaming all six seasons and several specials on Netflix.