Queens | Disney+ Star Original Review
“Queens” is the latest drama series from ABC to be heading to Disney+ in some countries as a Star Original. The series tells the story of a fictitious hip-hop group called “Nasty Bitches” in the 1990s and what happens when the girl group reunites when their one-hit-wonder goes viral.
The women are now in their 40s, so life has changed for them. One is married with five kids. Another is still trying to make it as a singer. While one is having marriage problems because they can’t admit they are gay and another is a well-known daytime TV presenter.
This series stars Eve, Nadine Velazquez, Naturi Naughton, and Brandy, as Professor Sex, Butter Pecan, Jill Da Thrill, and Xplicit Lyrics. Having both Eve and Brandy involved in the series instantly gives this series a little more credibility, as they are internationally known artists in their own right. Plus, Naturi was also in a hip-hop group, 3LW. So seeing them playing these characters, makes it more believable, since they can actually rap and sing.
In the first few episodes, the story’s primary focus is on how the group handles being reunited. Through flashbacks, we see how the group rose to popularity in the 1990s, then how their actions cost them their fame.
“Queens” is an odd series. While I have enjoyed the first few episodes, because it’s a different show than I would usually watch, there are also some issues with it. One major problem is that they keep performing the band’s big hit “Nasty Girl”, which is dreadful and, after hearing it multiple times in each episode, does get a little annoying.
There is also a bizarre moment, where Brandy starts singing Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” to a producer in the garden to get a contract. While it’s a great song, it just feels so random, considering the character had spent the majority of the episode wanting to be a singer/songwriter.
Each of the girl group members is having problems in their real lives. Brandy is trying to make up with her estranged daughter, and Eve’s husband has brain cancer. The more interesting subplot is how Naturi’s character is dealing with coming out publicly as a Lesbian. This involves scenes with her husband, her lover, but also with the struggle at her church.
Overall, “Queens” is an interesting drama series, but if you’re not a fan of hip-hop music, you might struggle with it, or at least fast forward their performances. But, if you enjoy hip-hop music, then this could be a really enjoyable drama series, that showcases a different angle to the world of entertainment. Having well-known hip-hop artists involved in the series, makes it all the more realistic, since they can back it up with great performances throughout the show.
Rating 3.5 out of 5
The first episode of “Queens” drops onto Disney+ in the UK and Ireland on Wednesday 19th January 2022, with new episodes being released weekly.
The series is also available on Hulu in the United States and on Disney+ in other countries like Australia and New Zealand.