The new ABC series “Queens,” shot in metro Atlanta and starring Eve and Brandy, is getting solid reviews from TV critics. It debuts Tuesday night at 10 p.m.
The series is about an all-female hip-hop quartet from the late 1990s who have a modern artist sample one of their old songs, spurring them to reunite two decades later. Three of the actresses were actual artists from that era: Natari Naughton (of 3LW), Brandy and Eve. The fourth, Nadine Velazquez, is an actress with credits like “My Name is Earl,” “The League” and “Major Crimes.”
There are natural comparisons to Peacock’s comedy “Girls5Eva” released earlier this year.
Here’s what various TV writers have to say:
Variety’s Caroline Framke: “The pilot episode of ‘Queens’ is efficient, dramatic and intriguing without feeling overstuffed, which is a feat given its many intersecting plotlines. In that respect, too, the core acting foursome of ‘Queens’ bring crucial skill and personality to a series that, given the pilot’s alternately sincere and soap-adjacent tones, will inevitably ask them to contribute something different to every scene.”
CNN’s Brian Lowry: “The idea of one-time stars nursing old grudges and grasping for another few minutes of fame is hardly a new one (Tom Hanks’ ‘That Thing You Do’ is an ode to one-hit wonders), but the hip-hop backdrop and casting gives ‘Queens’ a relatively fresh feel. The disclaimer would be that once you get past the premise, the series becomes another soap set against the backdrop of the music world, a la ‘Empire,’ meaning it will only be as good as the situations that the writers can continue to conjure.”
The Hollywood Reporter’s Angie Han: “Collectively, they share an easy chemistry bolstered by strong, specific dialogue. ‘Queens’ doesn’t just ask you to take its word that these women were BFFs in their youth — it shows us one woman opening up over mimosas about her problems with an unfaithful man, and the others responding with goofy jokes about his penis.”
Minnesota Star Tribune’s Neal Justin: “Chances are you’ll end up rooting more for these (somewhat) forgotten artists than the stock characters they’re playing.”
The Wrap’s La Toya Ferguson: “‘Queens’ uses nostalgia in a way that’s not just about exploring how much better things were back in the day but seeing how the past can inform the present, for better or worse. The ‘TRL’ era of pop culture remains ripe for the picking for contemporary storytellers — and a show centering on women of color offers a fresh take.”
Collider’s Liz Shannon Miller: “It’s not the first time Eve’s led a show and she’s the steady rock that ‘Queens’ needs, balancing comedy and drama nimbly. But each one of the other women make equal contributions to the action, with storylines that promise to deliver plenty of future narratives.”
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