TV Review - Q-Force

It's an adult animated series that's basically Archer (2009) but gay or more gay. It's about a group of people who work for an American spy agency akin to the CIA. The twist is that everyone in the group is LGBTQ, except for one, the token straight guy who is a bit of a brute and toxic in his masculinity. However, the series is about the leader of the gay group overcoming the homophobia within the spy agency and proving that being gay no way hinders his ability to do espionage work. Often times, the series leans into their homosexuality being the key to solving some of the problems. It also provides what most animated series would not provide and that is nudity. Yes, this series has full-frontal, male nudity and even full-frontal female nudity, showing us cartoon genitalia, a cartoon penis and cartoon breasts.

Sean Hayes (Will & Grace and Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss) voices Steve Maryweather aka Agent Mary, a hunky James Bond type but younger, probably in his late 20's or maybe early 30's. He's hip. He's well-dressed, usually in skin-tight shirts and form-fitting pants. He has well coifed hair. He's just a poster boy.

Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws and The New Adventures of Old Christine) voices Deb, a Black lesbian mechanic who is married, but her wife has no clue that Deb is a spy. She has the usual sass and biting humor of Sykes, but in a taller, beefier body that can engage in all kinds of action.

Matt Rogers (Our Cartoon President) voices Twink, a young gay man who has the body-type of what is known as "twink," which is a slim and slender build. Usually, a twink is thin. The character of Twink here is also very effeminate. He likes dressing up in drag. He's more than just a drag queen though. He's in fact a master of disguise. This is due in part to his "jelly bones." He can literally make himself look like anybody, male or female or other. He's also very funny in his one-liners that often represent diva pop culture.

Patti Harrison (Together Together and Shrill) voices Stat, a hacker who is basically the Eeyore of this group. Her exact sexuality isn't made clear, but she could be identified as just queer or perhaps pansexual. She ends up falling in love with someone or something that could be considered female but is effectively gender-neutral.

Laurie Metcalf (The Conners and The Big Bang Theory) voices V, the deputy director of the agency. She's essentially the boss of Agent Mary and his team. She's also like a mentor or mother figure for him. She's gay or has same-sex attraction. Yet, she's the one who is trying to tamp down the expressions of homosexuality because she knows the homophobia that exists at the agency. She's the one who's mostly disciplining Agent Mary who wants to do more than have a desk job.

David Harbour (Stranger Things and The Newsroom) voices Rick Buck, the only straight person on Agent Mary's team. He's seemingly homophobic, but he agrees to work with Agent Mary, reluctantly. He's there to be a neanderthal. He's there to be a thorn in Agent Mary's side, contributing to the humor in that way. He's also there to provide an additional body-type for scenes of nudity, which is the series really leaning into that sexy and silly aspect.

The various plots that Agent Mary and his team face are intriguing and funny. Gabe Liedman (Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Inside Amy Schumer) and his writers craft some funny one-liners and snappy pop culture references. Liedman and his team also craft small narratives, as well as a larger narrative about gay people using their gayness to overcome bad people or bad situations.

Rated TV-MA.
Running Time: 30 mins. / 10 eps.

Available on Netflix.