Q-Force review: Is Q-Force on Netflix any good?

Q-Force. That first trailer came out and, yikes: a collection of crass jokes one right after another, every scene an out-of-context cringe. Then, the second trailer came out, and some hope appeared. A show with an actual story and focus on characters rather than obnoxious jokes deserved a second chance.

So, when the show was first released on Sept. 2, I was looking forward to turning it on and preparing to make a judgment: Is Q-Force on Netflix any good? Or was it just as bad as everyone expected it to be?

I didn’t come to an answer right away. But after finishing the 10-episode season, I can say that I did genuinely enjoy watching this adult animated comedy as an LGBTQ+ individual.

Here’s why, with as few spoilers as possible!

What happens in Q-Force?

The first episode sets the stage for the series: In 2011, after the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” top cadet Steve Maryweather decides to come out as a gay man at his valedictorian ceremony. Unfortunately, it’s not taken well, and Agent “Mary” is sequestered to West Hollywood for 10 uneventful years.

The show thankfully skips the interim process of collecting team members, getting straight into their first rogue mission which turns official once they’ve proven the Q-Force team is onto something real.

The cast is a diverse collection of characters: Steve “Mary” Maryweather (Sean Hayes), the handsome superspy who constantly has to prove himself as an asset. Deb (Wanda Sykes), a black lesbian who knows what she’s about and loves her wife. Stat (Patti Harrison), an androgynous hacker/gamer with a love for Mountain Dew and hate for almost everything else. Twink (Matt Rogers), a little genderfluid drag queen who’s more vulnerable than he lets on. Agent V (Laurie Metcalf), Mary’s mentor who wants what’s best for her team. Oh, and unfortunately Agent Buck (David Harbour), who stands in as the bigoted chunky white man who thinks he’s always right.

Outside the Q-Force is Mary’s boyfriend Benji (Gabe Liedman), the homophobic Director Chunley (Gary Cole), and a few notable cameos, including Stephanie Beatriz, Fortune Feimster and Niecy Nash.

After a successful first mission, Q-Force gets an actual headquarters and status in the American Intelligence Agency. But when an international conspiracy is unearthed, Q-Force can’t trust anyone but themselves.

The good, the bad and the ugly in Q-Force

When I finished the first few episodes, I wasn’t sure what to think. There were parts that I found obnoxiously unnecessary, like what I’d feared, but also heartfelt moments between the queer team that I knew only an LGBTQ+ person could write.

I was pleasantly surprised with the deeper plotlines that started to form after the first arc: federal corruption, memory alteration, AI sentience and the emotional tax involved in balancing two conflicting lives. The voice acting also was believable and immersive, living up to the casting.

I found myself laughing, not just at the absurdity most adult animated comedy has, but from jokes that were tailored to my community. Sure, some of those “laughs” were snorts and an eye roll, but it got me just the same. Inside jokes and references made it clear that someone like me was writing them. Gabe Liedman and Sean Hayes make it obvious that Q-Force is a show by “the gays” for “the gays.” And even some of the jokes that didn’t have social commentary were clever!

When every main character is gay, there’s a range of personalities and stories rather than a single cliché one. The main cast is a selection of portrayals turned on its head. The character that is easiest to target as problematic is Twink. Yes, Twink is a dramatic and campy drag queen, but he does have substance. Someone IS being represented there, and since Twink is just one of many LGBTQ+ characters, the trope didn’t feel like the backhanded representation I thought it would be. He evolved from being a saucy one-liner “f***ing joke” character to being someone who yearned for respect and contributed to the team in a meaningful way.

The heavy-handed tropes, it turns out, were the straight male characters so obsessed with proving their masculinity it became laughable. While the Q-Force may be ostracized within the spy world, it was these cis white men who are intrusive and disruptive to the character’s stories. This turnaround can make it isolating for straight viewers to watch, which justifies my point that this show was made by gays for gays. Upping the ridiculousness of Buck and Director Chunley’s offensive and bigoted behavior gave someone who is faced with that prejudice a good laugh.

The ugly mostly boils down to trashy one-liner jokes and bad visuals. There’s not much else I can say other than… yeah, it’s crass. It’s raunchy. Credit where it’s due, though. Seeing cartoon junk whipping around can make you cringe-laugh like nothing else.

Is Q-Force worth watching?

Modern adult animated comedy is often hit or miss. For the most part, adult comedy shows value flash and attention rather than genuine humor. Disenchantment gave me some hope for the future of the genre, and in a way, Q-Force does, too. It definitely carries the nastiness of the genre, but the characters and storylines are way better crafted than I’d expected. The show is as much a spy show as it is social commentary.

"“Like, we’re the first queer agents in the field ever. I feel so much pressure to show I’m the best because if I mess up, I don’t know if anyone else like us will get a second chance.”– Agent Mary"

I think this is exactly what Gabe Liedman and Sean Hayes felt when creating the show. There hasn’t been an out gay lead in a show like this before: What if we mess it up and prove the production company right that LGBTQ+ led content will always be received poorly?

While the (current) overall IMDb score is 4.4/10, the rated episodes average out to 6.2, which isn’t terrible for a show that’s gotten so much bad press. The initial trailer received such a negative reaction from the LGBTQ+ community that it seemed impossible to give the show a chance.

There were times, especially in the earlier episodes, that I thought, “This show is whack. I’d stop watching if I wasn’t reviewing it.” Then there were times like when Deb has a fun lesbian barbecue with her loving wife Pam when I thought, “This is so sweet. These gay characters are so happy together. I’m so glad I can see this on actual TV.”

I worry for the safety of an LGBTQ character in any show. I’m constantly expecting them to be harassed or attacked for their identity alone. Even though Q-Force is a spy series packed with dangerous espionage, for the first time I wasn’t afraid. While the team faces prejudice on a daily basis and throughout the plot, Q-Force explores institutionalized homophobia without creating an objectively hostile environment for its characters. I know no matter what they face, they have each other’s backs.

I wonder if people would have given it more of a chance if the style had been different or the quality of animation had been higher. If Q-Force looked like Castlevania, would people have been more open to the possibility of it being good?

Q-Force has its faults, for sure, and it’s quite tempting to feel like you’re wasting your time. But if you’re LGBTQ+ and appreciate the nuance of humor, consider giving this series a shot. Q-Force is a show constructed by a majority of queer creators, including writers, voice actors and animators. This show is a safe space for people like me to laugh and feel seen.

Straight and cis watchers will not get the same experience out of watching the show, which is why I’m not expecting a second season. It doesn’t have universal appeal. But Netflix has greenlit more seasons for less deserving shows, so you never know!

Q-Force has an open ending that could lead so many directions if they get the chance. Personally, I’d be invested in watching more.