Reality television has always been hit or miss with me. Although I’ve been known to occasionally browse and enjoy your favorite reality shows, I’m definitely a bigger fan of scripted drama. I wasn’t prejudiced against reality TV; I was just never hooked. In high school, I was always behind on the latest Kardashian drama. In college, I could never commit to "The Bachelor". The closest I could ever come to really, truly dedicating time an effort to a reality show was when MTV would have "Catfish" marathons and I would use them as a background for my homework.
I’ve always wanted to love reality TV, but I needed plots thicker than just taking a backseat to other’s lives and experiences.
Enter "Queer Eye".
1. No drama.
I cannot stress enough the level of wholesome that this show is. This is not a series that requires petty, senseless drama between castmates to keep viewers entertained. There’s no passive-aggressiveness, no sly comments, no behind the scenes rivalries. The Fab 5 is the epitome of a healthy, loving, supportive group of friends who from different backgrounds working together. It never felt like their relationship was forced or ingenuine. It’s refreshing to see a cohesive and intentional group of individuals. The same goes for their relationship with the men (heroes) they make-over.
2. Breaks stigmas.
The Fab 5 are openly proud, gay men on a mission to help make-over straight men around Georgia. The south does not have a very tolerant reputation, which could easily lead to uncomfortable and borderline homophobic experiences between the men. However, there is not a single moment throughout the series where there is any kind of discrimination or discomfort. There’s often the assumption that straight men are unaccepting or weirded out by gay men, a stigma that is touched upon and discussed but then completely shattered as we witness the natural, healthy relationships built between the men and the heroes.
3. Starts a conversation.
Make-over shows are usually made up of the ways in which their lives are altered physically. Whether it be their space, their clothes or their appearance it’s centered around surface level changes. The Fab 5, all specializing in their own area, do this while also incorporating an emotional dimension that isn’t always a priority for people, especially men. Socially, men are often discouraged from delving too far into their emotions or into taking care of themselves. From kickboxing classes to ballroom dancing to even something as simple as a facial the Fab 5 slowly kick-start a conversation about masculinity and the ways in which it can sometimes be toxic. They are teaching these men that there’s nothing wrong with being in-tune with yourself and the things you need, even if it’s a little R&R.
4. Erases stereotypes.
Television, whether it be reality or fiction, has a tendency to type-cast people and types of people. This is often seen when gay characters in tv shows are depicted in a certain light and act a certain way. There’s a stereotype surrounding gay men, lumping everyone together when in reality it’s a spectrum. Every member of the Fab 5 is unique in their own way, including their sexuality and the ways in which they express it. Apart from their general orientation, they’re as different as night and day. They way in which they express themselves is different, which goes to show that there is no one way to do anything. There is no right, wrong or generic way in which a person lives their life.
5. Topically relevant.
It wouldn’t be reality television without some real-life social justice issues. Throughout the series, the show incorporates serious conversations and issues that are often tabooed or shied away from in order to stray away from controversy. This show faces them head on, tackling issues such as religion and homosexuality and police brutality. Like always, the topics are handled carefully and tactfully, successfully discussing difficult topics without making viewers uncomfortable.
6. Take-away's for everyone.
The biggest misconception about this show is that it caters to a particular audience. Some think that because this is a show about gay men helping straight men that the lessons can’t be applied to anyone else. The lessons taught by the Fab 5 are easily applied to anyone, they’re not any less true just because you’re not a middle-aged man in Georgia. Learning to love and take care of the way you look and feel is applicable to everyone, and the practices Antoni, Tan, Jonathan, Bobby, and Karamo teach can fit any lifestyle. Whether it be about how to be more comfortable in your kitchen, how to style your home, how to dress to your body, how to take care of your hair and skin or how to simply get out of your comfort zone the advice is timeless.
This new generation of "Queer Eye" is taking Netflix by storm. The absolute best part about this show is that what makes this show great doesn’t end with my listed reasons. This show means so many different things to so many different people and will be perceived and understood differently depending on the person. But something is for sure – regardless of who you are, you’re rooting for a season two.
