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Netflix’s Q-Force Is Actually Kinda Good & Viewers Are Shocked
The outrage over the trailer has ebbed after the show premiered last Friday.
Earlier this summer, Netflix shared the trailer for its animated LGBTQ+ spy comedy Q-Force and it was promptly dragged through the mud all over social media for seemingly stereotypical portrayals and pandering to the gays. "When we said we wanted more LGBTQ+ rep[resentation], this is not what we meant," said one particularly viral TikTok. One of the most upvoted comments on the YouTube trailer reads, "this is the world's most elaborate slur."
But you can't judge a book by its cover. The show finally premiered last Friday and it's receiving quite the opposite reaction.
The show follows Steve Maryweather, AKA Agent Mary, (played by executive producer Sean Hayes) who "was once the Golden Boy of the American Intelligence Agency (AIA), until he came out as gay. Unable to fire him, the Agency sent him off to West Hollywood, to disappear into obscurity. Instead, he assembled a misfit squad of LGBTQ+ geniuses. Joining forces with the expert mechanic Deb, master of drag and disguise Twink, and hacker Stat, together they’re Q-Force. But, after a decade of waiting for their first official mission from The AIA, Mary becomes hell-bent on proving himself to the Agency that turned its back on him, and decides to go rogue with Q-Force." Wanda Sykes, Laurie Metcalf, Gary Cole, Matt Rogers, and Patti Harrison also star.
Viewers checked it out over the Labor Day weekend expecting it to be as terrible as social media made it out to be, but were pleasantly surprised at the ridiculously camp delight.
\u201cso was anyone gonna tell me that q force doesn't suck or was i just supposed to figure that out after cringe-binging it to procrastinate my mock research presentation??\u201d— duke/\u0905\u0928\u093f\u0930\u0941\u0926\u094d\u0927 is in his ponniyin selvan era (@duke/\u0905\u0928\u093f\u0930\u0941\u0926\u094d\u0927 is in his ponniyin selvan era) 1630603969
\u201cI know this is controversial to say but I watched up to 8 episodes of #QForce and\u2026I unironically like it, like a lot, we all trashed it because of the trailers but I do think is a show that deserves a chance, it actually made me happy while watching it so I\u2019ll support it!\u201d— Absolum \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Absolum \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1630857177
\u201cListen, this is why you take Netflix trailers with a fat grain of salt. Q Force is unapologetically gay but not in a \u201cfuck straight ppl\u201d kind of way. The story took me by surprise many times and I really like the characters! I recommend at least giving it a try\ud83d\udc9c\u201d— TinyToyTiger (Ask about Commissions) (@TinyToyTiger (Ask about Commissions)) 1630631902
@clawedcosplay0 Visit TikTok to discover videos!
\u201cI know you all dragged #QForce when the trailer dropped, but I just binged the whole season and loved it and it\u2019s sublime niche queer comedy. Support queer media!\u201d— Tim (@Tim) 1631014688
\u201c#QForce is a \u201chole\u201d lot of fun. Yes it plays with stereotypes but it\u2019s adult queer characters living their best gay lives in animation (not often u see that). So well animated too. Maybe ur not into all the jokes etc but I think it\u2019s worth a try \ud83d\udc95 the characters are so lovable!\u201d— Nirat (@Nirat) 1630636818
\u201ci havent finished qforce or gotten very far w it and im probably not going to for a little longer but my thoughts on it are "this isnt exactly revolutionary in the way that young queer ppl tend to expect or anything but it's a fun watch" and thats literally all it has to be\u201d— SAL, dilf PhD - Whole (@SAL, dilf PhD - Whole) 1630599602
Q-Force isn't exactly high-brow, but the raunchy animated series is certainly a fun watch littered with very specific references LGBTQ+ folks will get a kick out of. Give it a chance! You might be pleasantly surprised, like the rest of the internet.
\u201cI just watched the first episode of #QForce and this Ariana drag killed me. This show is pretty entertaining \ud83d\ude02\u201d— Nirat (@Nirat) 1630636818
\u201cAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I'VE FUCKING SAID SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS BEFORE!!! #QForce\u201d— \ud83d\udc8b\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25TVC\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udc8b (@\ud83d\udc8b\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25TVC\u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udc8b) 1630764255
\u201cI honestly couldn't believe how many jokes in Netflix's #QForce felt like they were actually written for me\u201d— Jarett Wieselman (@Jarett Wieselman) 1630606543
Q-Force is streaming now on Netflix.
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Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
