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.
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.
Q-Force is streaming now on Netflix.