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Queenie centres around Queenie Jenkins (Dionne Brown), who’s in hospital, having a check on her cervix for reasons that’ll become apparent, and being told it might be uncomfortable, by the doctor, resulting in our lead’s internal monologue observing, “It might be uncomfortable? Stick a light on a dildo, why don’t you(?)”
The time spent there means she’s late for work, and nearly doesn’t get in because the guard points out she’s not wearing her pass, despite the fact she’s the token black face on the “Diversity & Inclusion” poster in the lobby, much to her annoyance.
She’s a journalist and social media assistant who struggles to pitch the right article to her demanding editor, Gina (Sally Phillips – Bridget Jones’ Baby), while newer staff are doing better than her.
Things aren’t quite all they could be in the relationship dept, with boyfriend Tom (Jon Pointing – Big Boys), either, his grandma being accidentally racist, saying if they had kids, they’d be “milky coffee” in colour, and refers to a potential child as the ol-fashioned term, “half-caste”.
Still, despite not being allowed to be in the wrong, she puts her foot in it at dinner, big-time!
I’ll give no spoilers, and only mention elements that are in the billing, but the pair take a break, meaning she has to leave and get her own place, but it’s an absolute dive.
The dating pool is a tricky web to weave while – like Ross and Rachel – she and Tom are on a break, also heading out to clubs with friends Kyazike (Bellah) – who tells her to ‘step your pussy up’- and an apparent rapper, who’s just working in Claire’s Accessories until “the rap thing blows up”. As if 😀
Beyond the three episodes I’ve seen so far, I’ll watch further episodes when it goes live tomorrow, or possibly when broadcast, since there’s a lot of colloquialisms I’m not familiar with, and can’t pick them up on the preview that doesn’t have subtitles.
Still, while Queenie is about her struggle as a black woman living in London – which is three things I’ll never be, it’s engaging enough for a man who’s not 25 anymore.
Queenie begins tonight on Channel 4 at 10pm tomorrow, and airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays weekly. All episodes will also be online at All 4.
The series is not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but you can buy the novel on which this is based.
Director: Joelle Mae David
Producer: Lisa Walters
Creator/Novel: Candice Carty-Williams
Screenplay: Ryan Calais Cameron
Cast:
Queenie Jenkins: Dionne Brown
Grandad Wilfred: Joseph Marcell
Grandma Veronica: Llewella Gideon
Frank Ssebendeke II: Samuel Adewunmi
Kyazike Mayagenda: Bellah
Tom: Jon Pointing
Cassandra Stone: Elisha Applebaum
Sam: Christien Bart-Gittens
Owen: Kishore Walker
Darcy Pike: Tilly Keeper
Simon: Edward Harrison
Sammi: Samuel Constanti
Sophia (Yoga instructor): Yennis Cheung
Adi Malik: Mim Shaikh
Gina Hargadon: Sally Phillips
Silent Jean: Menyee Lai
Chi Da Kidd (Malachi): Demmy Ladipo
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.