Give Q-Force a Chance
Q Force came under fire after the trailers dropped, making it look like a lazy cash grab pretending to be woke for brownie points, but after giving it a watch, it blew my expectations out of the water. If I were to compare it to any other show, I’d say it reminds me of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, in that it’s an irreverent workplace comedy, but the cast is still good at their jobs, and the cases they’re given are serious threats. It’s a nice middle ground between a genuine homage to the spy thriller genre, while also being a farcical parody of the genre as well. One thing I really appreciate is that the entire team actually feels useful. Twink, the most stereotypically gay character, is surprisingly competent, not only stepping up when he’s needed, but his talents are utilized constantly. He’s not just a bit player or just there for comic relief. There are many instances where they would have been royally fucked if Twink wasn’t there. Honestly, the entire crew has this going for them, with only Buck being sort of the superfluous member. But all of the characters are useful, talented, and good at what they do. What’s more, they’re all super funny. There’s also actual stakes, a story, and an evolving status quo, which hopefully means that the story will only get bigger and more dynamic as the seasons go on. I do find the relationship between Maryweather and Benji to be the least compelling aspect of the story by far. I’m honestly more invested in the ship between Twink and Buck. Hell, I was more interested in Maryweather starting something with Ennis the coal miner, or his old friend Chasten. At least those came with heat and friction, not just this bland nice guy. Deb’s wife is fleshed out and as interesting as a side character can be with limited screen time, but Benji’s just boring. I’m sorry, but if this show gets a season 2, either Benji needs an upgrade, or Mary needs a more interesting love life. Maybe date a fellow agent. Especially since Mary is sort of the most generically heroic of the team, anything that helps him stand out aside from being the hot one would help when he’s surrounded by such scene-stealing supporting characters. The show does use swears and features full frontal nudity of both sexes, so it’s still not guaranteed to be everyone’s cup of tea. However, it’s not the queer pandering corporate sellout it seemed in the marketing, and it’s doing something I’ve been wanting to see for a long time: gay characters getting to play the hero roles in genre shows. How many shows feature any gay secret agents? If for no other reason than to encourage queer leading characters in genre series, give Q Force a chance. It’s a lot more competent than it was made to seem.
