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  • Essay / 'Queer Eye' Binge Watching: Changing Television Culture

    Table of ContentsIntroductionOverview of 'Queer Eye'Binge Watching and Viewing ExperienceTV Changed by On-Demand CultureConclusionReferencesIntroductionThe Return of 'Queer Eye' in as the Netflix reboot of “Queer Eye” for the Straight Guy,” a Bravo original phenomenon, continues to take fans by storm. This show helps people approach real-life issues holistically with the help of the “Fab Five.” The “Fab Five” are a team of five gay men with professional backgrounds in fashion, personal care, interior design, entertainment and culture. Their names are Tan France (fashion), Bobby Berk (interior design), Jonathan Van Ness (grooming), Antoni Porowski (food and wine) and Karamo Brown (culture). On “Queer Eye,” participants, men and women of all sexual orientations, are transformed to become the best versions of themselves and sometimes to elevate their relationships with their partners. These recipients are nominated by caring family members or friends who feel their loved one could use a makeover. But the makeover isn't just surface-based, it's also therapeutic. Kornhaber (2019) notes that the show not only aims to help people "who lack the know-how or resources to improve themselves, but who don't believe they should do better for themselves." The Fab Five are able to transform others in holistic ways through their encouraging personalities and skills. The show offers a glimpse of queer people forming relationships with people who may or may not identify as queer. Each context is involved in the transformation process. By challenging conventional perceptions of LGBTQ, “Queer Eye” attempts to emphasize a deep human connection with viewers and evoke empathy for all. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayPreview of “Queer Eye”The show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” is revitalized as “Queer Eye” as the series is being added to Netflix, building on the rise of LGBTQ acceptance in the early 2000s, when the original show first aired. The original show from which “Queer Eye” originated, “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” premiered on Bravo in 2003 and was based in New York (Fickenscher, 2017). The "OG Fab Five" known as the "Original Fab Five" included Ted Allen, Carson Kressley, Kyan Douglas, Thom Filicia and Jai Rodriguez. Like the current version of "Queer Eye," "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" offered life skills and makeovers, but specifically to straight men. In the early 2000s, LGBTQ equality and acceptance were very different than they are today. When “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” appeared in the United States in 2003, 59% of people were opposed to marriage equality and feelings of not coming out were common (Blackmon, 2018). The LGBTQ awareness and visibility that this show presents has not been received positively by everyone. Trice (2003) of the Chicago Tribune asks the question in an article: “Is Queer Eye All About Pleasure or Exploitation?” » This question calls into question what the show represented at the time, namely acceptance and visibility. However, the show turned out to be groundbreaking and very relevant. Executive Director of the CUNY Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies, Jim Wilson notes that "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"has had an impact in terms of the visibility of queer people on the television screen (cited in Fickenscher, 2017). Seeing LGBTQ representation using special talents to help people was empowering. Contemporary LGBTQ issues are present in the current version of “Queer Eye.” Netflix released the series on February 7, 2017. The show allows for conversations between the cast and the makeover recipients as they head south to film. O'Connell (2018) notes that some of the subjects of the series, filmed in Atlanta and nearby Georgia cities, admitted to having little experience in speaking and interacting with gay men. The show, which falls under the genres of reality TV, makeover, and LGBTQ television, offers plenty of avenues for discussion. First, O'Connell (2018) notes how Netflix gears its narrative toward a red state, referring to small towns in Georgia where people are generally more conservative on progressive topics. I watched the entire first season over spring break, from March 16, 2019 to March 20, 2019. The first episode titled "You Can't Fix Ugly" aired in February 2018. The audience is introduced to Tom Jackson, originally from Georgia. native. It was named by her daughter to help brighten up her routine life. During a car ride, Tom asks Bobby (interior designer), "Were you the husband or the wife?" (Collins, 2017). This question reflects LGBTQ misconceptions and sexism that exist regarding relationships. Interestingly, Jonathan (grooming) states that relationship boundaries are blurred and gives an example from his own relationship (Collins, 2017). Tom understands at this moment and the car ride continues with laughter and joy. Bobby Berk (interior design) states that “one of the things we wanted to bring that the original series wasn't able to do was a look into our lives” (quoted in Littleton, 2018). The car scene in the first episode offers a glimpse into the Fab Five's love lives with their partners and spouses. In this scene, Bobby talks about how he has been with his partner for 13 years but has been married for five years because same-sex marriage was just legalized in 2015 (Collins, 2017). The current context of this society is shown in this scene. This scene is important as ITV Entertainment Chairman David Eilenberg notes that communication can exist across cultural boundaries (O'Connell, 2018). This gives the audience hope that diversity can be celebrated in this society and that relationships can be built through conversations and understanding. The new Fab Five represents true camaraderie and special attention for the recipients of the makeover. In terms of the show's popularity, the show was nominated for five awards at the 2018 People's Choice Awards, including Best TV Revival, Best Reality Show, and Best Binge-Worthy Show , and most notably Jonathan and Antoni were nominated for Best Reality TV Star (Bricker, 2017). This reflects the success of the show. Binge-watching and the viewing experience Binge-watching has changed my viewing experience in terms of narrative engagement in several ways. McCormick (2018) notes that binge watching affects narrative engagement by optimizing emotional intensity and story immersion in viewing experiences. This emotional intensity and immersion in the story is immediately seen in the first three episodes of season 1. In the second episode of the first season titled "Saving Sasquatch", Neal Reddy is introduced as an anxious technical genius ready to plan a evening oflaunch. for its new application. His appearance is that of a huge beard and mustache like the character Sasquatch and Reddy is embarrassed by conversations with the Fab Five. At the start of the show, he wouldn't accept any hugs from the Fab Five. He reveals to Karmaro (culture) that he uses his jokes to mask his social anxiety. The Fab Five cheer him on throughout the show and give him a makeover that boosts his confidence, preparing him for his first launch party. Reddy's personality in the show resonates with many people. I immediately became more interested in her story when I was able to connect my social anxiety to my high school years. Another factor that influences the viewing experience is the availability of the show. For example, McCormick (2018) notes that by airing 13 episodes of House of Cards at the same time, consumers are invited and challenged to truly immerse themselves in the television experience. As mentioned above, all eight episodes of Season 1 were released at once on February 7, 2017. This availability of the series gave me the opportunity to watch more episodes. McCormick's claims about narrative engagement align with my experiences binge-watching this show Television altered by on-demand culture In terms of production, distribution, and consumption, television has been revolutionized in recent decades . Content creation has evolved from cost structure and processes such as high-quality production and software. The transition phase that television is going through includes film and tape to digital capture (Johnson, 2013). This resulted in a reduction in the size of equipment such as lighting and audio equipment. Television distribution has also evolved. There is now a growing digital market with declining sales of Blue-ray and DVD. Netflix began streaming content in 2007, but 2011 was the year Netflix began connecting to devices such as the X-Box, Blu-Ray players, and Roku (Johnson, 2013). Television in terms of consumption, broadcasting has been replaced by video on demand. People now no longer need to wait for an appointment with the TV. If the person has the necessary subscription or participates in the black market, then they can have immediate access to the TV show or movie (Johnson, 2013). The evolution of television production, distribution and consumption is important for revisiting models of on-demand culture. The show is going to be available worldwide and not just in the United States like the first version of the show (O'Connell, 2018). Because the show is on Netflix, it has a global format. This allows more viewers to participate in the show's discussions and storytelling. More connections and a higher impact on awareness and acceptance are evident to a wider audience. O'Connell (2018) notes that the makers put the series on Netflix for a wider audience and for audiences to watch each episode. Watching every episode and having availability allows for deeper storytelling opportunities and connections with audiences with empathy. Over the course of many episodes, audience members get a sense of the recipients' lives and those of the Fab Five. Heart-to-heart conversations are seen on screen as the Fab Five connect with each other and the recipients. This is possible through continuous viewing of the episodes.Keep in mind: This is just a sample.Get a personalized article now from our expert writers.Get a personalized essayConclusion 'Queer Eye' Celebrates, Loves and Exalts people in a,