Admittedly, makeover shows and series don’t have the best reputation among cinephiles. The genre almost inevitably reminds us first of the afternoon trash bin on German linear television, where representatives such as “Einsatz in Vier Mauern” or “Shopping Queen” are found and are dismissed by many as reality formats that have absolutely no documentary value. Strictly speaking, the Netflix format that FILMSTARTS editor Joana Müller wants to introduce to you in this article also belongs to this much-derided genre. But the series has so much dedication and heart that it will definitely put a smile on your face – and make the world a little better.
We talk about “Strange eye”, a format launched on Netflix in 2018 and based on the American show ‘Queer Eye For The Straight Guy’ from the early 2000s. In each episode, the Netflix production introduces one of the many everyday heroes who are visited by the so-called Fab Five, a group of five experts, and receive support from them for a week in different areas of their lives. It’s not just about a makeover of your hairstyle, clothes and living space, but also about addressing established routines and underlying social and professional conflicts or coming to terms with family trauma.
“Queer Eye” shows life-changing encounters
The Fab Five consists of fashion expert Tan France, interior genius Bobby Berk, hair and makeup artist Jonathan Van Ness, culture and lifestyle guru Kamaro Brown and nutrition specialist Antoni Porowski. Each of the five brings not only their own expertise to the format, but also their own personal stories and experiences, in which the candidates surprisingly often find starting points – even though at first it often seems as if these five strange, cosmopolitan and metropolitan people have absolutely nothing in common with the lives of their very different everyday heroes. Because they often feel at home in rural areas of the US and are as stuck in their beliefs as they are in the patterns that have crept in over the past decades.
However, when Bobby talks on the street about his past after being rejected by his Christian family in Missouri, or Kamaro talks about his experiences with discrimination as a black gay man in suburban Texas, there are always connecting points that give the Fab Five their apparent identity. glamor and make them approachable people for the candidates.
Meetings are very important here – and thus the everyday heroes benefit not only from the new perspectives that the Fab Five open up for them as people, but also from bringing together lost friends, relatives, loved ones from the past or completely new contacts, which is an integral part of format.
Even though profound therapeutic results cannot of course be expected in one episode, it is always astonishing how much a few focused conversations can shake the candidates out of their deeply ingrained patterns – or what a look in the mirror with a new hairstyle or a suitable outfit can do for pleasure and self-confidence. A life-affirming feeling that also emerges when watching and reminds us to always treat ourselves and others with respect and love.
“Queer Eye Germany” as good as the original
There are now eight seasons of the feel-good format available on Netflix, while a ninth season has already been confirmed by the streaming service. In addition, spin-offs of the series have been developed in various countries – in addition to ‘Queer Eye Brazil’, there is also a season of the German spin-off ‘Queer Eye Germany’ on Netflix.
The German format was even awarded the Grimme Prize in 2023 and features a fantastic ensemble such as the Fab Five and sympathetic candidates – and is in no way inferior to the American original (except perhaps in terms of budget). Sadly, ‘Queer Eye Germany’ was canceled by Netflix last year, but who knows, maybe if you all watch it diligently now, you might change your mind about the streaming service…