Stream It Or Skip It: Just How Bad The New 'Queer as Folk' Actually Is?
The Peacock's new series was just released, but some fans are already disappointed in this reimagining of the iconic British series.
Russell T. Davies' 10-part series about the lives of three gay men living in Manchester was released in 1999 and immediately became a cult classic and a much-needed boost to the LGBTQ+ community. The British series spawned an equally popular American remake that ran for five seasons on Showtime. And now, it seems, that NBC's up-and-coming streaming service Peacock has decided to release a sequel of sorts, linked to the original series only by theme and title.
The series starring Devin Way, Fin Argus, Jesse James Keitel and Kim Cattrall was advertised as a bold work of LGBTQ+ filmmaking, with every episode addressing important issues. The idea does sound incredible on paper, but it seems that the show's creators didn't understand one thing – you shouldn't introduce your project as a sequel to a beloved show if it really isn't. Needless to say, fans of the original were left a bit baffled by this marketing choice.
"There's a new US series titled Queer as Folk but it has nothing to do with the superb Russell T Davis series or the US remake. Seems a weird choice of title," – @BlueLightAlarm.
And even beyond that, the show itself doesn't seem to be all that good: fans are already joking about the actors' performances, noting that Peacock should be more careful in selecting cast members for its future shows.
"Ok, I hate to be that guy…but the acting on this new Queer as Folk is atrocious! There is no chemistry between anyone, just line readings. Can we please stop settling for mediocre acting for the sake of representation?" – @televisedmind84.
Despite Andy Cohen adding it to his "Pride viewing this year", many fans that've already caught a glimpse of the show are not impressed, with the reactions ranging from "this is a slap in the face to the original" to "it just looks terrible."
In addition, it seems that 'Queer as Folk' has already been embroiled in controversy, with viewers accusing the show's writers of using the tragic Pulse shooting to their advantage.
"I'm really disappointed at the writers of #QueerAsFolk for using Pulse as "inspiration" for the plot. So many people are still hurting after that event. #orlandostrong," – @cammysan.
Of course, it's only been a few hours since the Season 1 premiere, and fan reactions could change dramatically in the coming days. But one thing is almost certain – the 2022 version will definitely never reach the heights of two original – and groundbreaking – 'Queer as Folk' shows.
You can binge the entire 'Queer as Folk' season 1 on Peacock starting tonight.