IndexIntroduction'Queer Eye'OverviewBinge Watching and the Viewing ExperienceTelevision Changed by On-Demand CultureConclusionsReferencesIntroductionThe Return of 'Queer Eye' as a Netflix Reboot of 'Queer Eye' for the Straight Guy,” a Bravo original phenomenon, continues to take fans by storm. This show helps people deal with real-life problems holistically with the help of the 'Fab Five'. The "Fab Five" consists of 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). In “Queer Eye,” participants, including men and women of all sexual orientations, transform themselves to be the best version of themselves and sometimes to elevate their relationships with their partners. These recipients are nominated by caring family members or friends who believe their loved one may need a makeover. But the makeover isn't just surface-based, it's also therapeutic. Kornhaber (2019) points out that the show is not just about helping people “who don't have the know-how or resources to better themselves, but who don't believe they need to do better for themselves.” The “Fab Five” are capable of transforming others through holistic means with their encouraging personalities and skills. The show offers insight into queer people forming relationships with people who may or may not identify as queer. Every background is involved in the transformation process. Challenging conventional perceptions of the LGBTQ community, “Queer Eye” attempts to emphasize a deep human connection with viewers and evoke empathy for all. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Overview of “Queer Eye” The show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” is revitalized into “Queer Eye” as the series is added to Netflix, building on the progression of acceptance for LGBTQ in the early 2000s, when the original show first aired. The original show from which “Queer Eye” originates, “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” was brought to Bravo in 2003 and 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 transformations, but specifically for straight men. In the early 2000s, equality and acceptance of the LGBTQ community looked very different than it does today. When “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” appeared in the United States in 2003, 59% of people opposed marriage equality, and the sentiment of not coming out was common (Blackmon, 2018). The awareness and visibility of the LGBTQ community that this show presents has not been received positively by everyone. Trice (2003) of the Chicago Tribune asks in an article "Is Queer Eye all about entertainment or exploitation?" This question undermines what the show represented at the time: acceptance and visibility. However, the show turned out to be innovative and very relevant. The executive director of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies at CUNY, 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 (as cited in Fickenscher, 2017). Seeing representation of the LGBTQ community using special talents to help people wasstrengthening. Contemporary LGBTQ issues are present in the current version of “Queer Eye.” Netflix released the series on February 7, 2017. The show features conversations between the cast and makeover recipients heading south to film. O'Connell (2018) notes that some of the subjects of the show, filmed in Atlanta and nearby Georgia cities, admitted to having little experience talking to and interacting with gay men. The show which falls under the genres of reality, makeover and LGBTQ television, has many avenues of discussion. First, O'Connell (2018) notes how Netflix targets its discourse to a red state, referring to small towns in Georgia where people are generally more conservative on progressive topics. I binge-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, who is a Georgian. native. He was nominated by his daughter to help him spice up his routine life. During the trial on a car ride, Tom asks Bobby (interior design), "were you the husband or the wife?" (Collins, 2017). This question reflects misconceptions about LGBTQ and sexism that exist regarding relationships. Interestingly, Jonathan (grooming) states that boundaries are blurred for relationships and gives an example from his own relationship (Collins, 2017). Tom understands in 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 show wasn't able to do was a look into our lives” (as quoted in Littleton, 2018). The car scene in the first episode offers insight into the Fab Five's love lives with their partners and spouses. In this scene, Bobby talks about being with his partner for 13 years but being married for five because gay marriage was only 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). It gives the audience hope that diversity can be celebrated in this society and that relationships can be built with conversations and understanding. The new Fab Five represent true camaraderie and care for the recipients of the makeover. In terms of the show's popularity, the show was nominated for five awards for the 2018 People's Choice Awards, including Best TV Revival, Best TV Reality Show, and Best Binge-Worthy Show, and 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 many ways. McCormick (2018) notes that binge-watching impacts 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 the first season. In the second episode of the first season titled "Saving Sasquatch", Neal Reddy is introduced as an anxious tech genius ready to plan a launch party. for his new app. His appearance is that of a huge beard and mustache like the Sasquatch character and Reddy is awkward in conversations with the Fab Five. At the beginning of the show, he wouldn't embrace any Fab Five hugs. He reveals to Karmaro (culture) that he uses his jokes to mask his social anxiety. The Fab Five cheer him on forthe whole show and give him a makeover that boosts his confidence, preparing him for his first launch party. Reddy's personality in the show is recognizable to many people. I immediately became more interested in her story when I could connect my social anxiety to my years in high school. Another factor that influences the viewing experience is the availability of the show. For example, McCormick (2018) notes that by releasing 13 episodes of House of Cards at once, consumers are invited and challenged to truly immerse themselves in the television experience. As mentioned above, all eight episodes of the first season were released simultaneously on February 7, 2017. This availability of the show gave me the ability to watch more episodes. McCormick's claims regarding narrative engagement are in line with my experiences of binging this program Television Changed by On-Demand Culture In terms of production, distribution, and consumption, television has been revolutionized in recent decades. Content creation is changed by cost structure and processes such as production and high-quality software. The transition phase that television went through includes film and tape to digital capture (Johnson, 2013). This has meant that equipment such as lighting and audio has shrunk in size. Television distribution has also evolved. There is now an expanding digital market with declining sales for Blue-ray and DVD. Netflix began streaming content in 2007, but 2011 was the year Netflix began connecting with devices such as X-Box, Blu-Ray players, and Roku (Johnson, 2013). Television in terms of consumption, broadcasting has been replaced by video on demand. People now don't have to wait for an appointment in front of the television. If the person has the necessary subscription or participates in the black market, he or she can gain immediate access to the television show or movie (Johnson, 2013). The evolution of television production, distribution and consumption is important for reviewing the models of on-demand culture. The show will be available worldwide and not just in the United States like the first version of the show (O'Connell, 2018). Since the show is on Netflix, it has a global format. It allows more viewers to participate in the discussion and narrative of the show. More connections and a greater impact on awareness and acceptance are evident to a wider audience. O'Connell (2018) notes that the directors put the show on Netflix for a wider audience and so that audiences could watch every episode. Watching each episode and having the availability allows for opportunities to tell deeper stories and connections with audiences with empathy. Throughout many episodes, audience members gain insight into the lives of the recipients and the lives of the Fab Five. Heart-to-heart dialogue exchanges are seen on screen as the Fab Five connect with each other and the recipients. This is possible by continuously watching the episodes. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion “Queer Eye” celebrates, worships and exalts people in a process of transformation. The “Fab Five” present themselves as a team that appears on screen. They work with participants to express themselves and be the best version of themselves. Throughout this process, however, many progressive topics regarding LGBTQ and discrimination can be discussed. The show's appearance on Netflix allows a wider audience to witness these interactions occur. The impact of "Fab Five" continues with a four-part series in Japan, in,