STAND by your unmade beds and overstuffed wardrobes, prepare to have those stray nose hairs and that dodgy diet tackled, for the Fab Five are back in Queer Eye (Netflix, streaming now).
Originally named Queer Eye for the Straight Guy by its creator David Collins, the reality show in which five gay men perform “make-betters” – let there be no negative talk of makeovers here – began life 15 years ago. It ran for five seasons, winning awards along the way, when like all reality shows it eventually fell out of fashion.
The schedules were once full to bursting with Trinnys, Susannahs, and Goks telling viewers what, and what not, to wear. Once the basic principles had been established – usually, find a bra that fits, wear more colour, buy some scarves – there was nowhere else for the format to go but back to the daytime TV slots from whence it came. Then Netflix, having its usual rummage around popular culture, found Queer Eye and brought it back last year. What better time than two years into the Trump presidency could there be to revive a show that at heart is all about peace, love, understanding, and the importance of a damn fine beard serum?
Jonathan is in charge of beards and grooming in general, Bobby handles interior design, Antoni food and diet, Tan (originally from Doncaster) takes care of clothes, and Karamo advises on “culture” (ie anything left over).
Unlike the original series, which did not venture too far from New York, the new shows take place in the great state of Georgia, a far more interesting setting.
The boys also take the format further, bringing in personal stories, their own and their subjects’. As a result, the shows sometimes stray into spikier, more political territory, as when Karamo, who is black, was pulled over by the police. There was genuine tension in the air before the cop was revealed as the one who had nominated his pal for a make-better. You didn’t get that with Trinny and Susannah.
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