I've always had kind of a love hate relationship with Chinese historical BLs. Some are genuinely excellent, but then there are others that cram in so much plot that keeping track of all the layers of betrayal and scheming gets exhausting, and I end up checking out mentally. Part of the issue is also just how much content is out there in this space, so something really has to stand out to keep me hooked. In this case, the production value is genuinely impressive, top tier stuff, but story wise, I just couldn't bring myself to actually care about these characters. There's a ton of political scheming and backstage manipulation running throughout. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, a hostage ends up falling for his own Prince Charming. The show runs eight episodes, each around 50 to 60 minutes long. After spending three years guarding the border, Fifth Prince Yin Qi gets called back to the capital because of a secret letter, only to end up walking straight into a deadly...
The host starts the show by jokingly saying, "I’m a comedian, I’m not qualified," which tells you right away it's not going to be a stiff or boring history lesson. Over three episodes that are an hour long each, Zoe talks about things like lesbian convict gangs and a gay outlaw named Captain Moonlight. She also covers the "78ers," who were the original activists at the first Mardi Gras, the violence they faced, and the AIDS crisis. A writer named Nayuka Gorrie joins in to talk about the experiences of First Nations people. Together, they interview people like activist Peter de Waal, Aunty Dawn Daylight, and a trans teacher named Dr. Yves Rees.
The first episode focuses on the law and how the original prison colony was nicknamed the "Sodom of the South Pacific." Because of that reputation, the government tried to send more women there to change things. It’s wild that sex between men was illegal in some parts of Australia until the mid-seventies, and the state of Tasmania didn't change its laws until 1997. Because it was illegal, most of this history only shows up in old police records or court cases. The second episode looks at how gender and identity shaped the local gay community. The third episode is about how the community is made up of many different cultures. They talk about reclaiming Australian slang words like "poofter" and explain Indigenous terms like "Sistergirl" and "Brotherboy." This last episode also shows how different groups worked together during the AIDS crisis to fight for their rights.
I think Queerstralia is a good, funny look at a history that is way too big to tell in just three hours. It’s not a dry or formal TV show, and it’s definitely not "cute" or "polite." It’s meant to be funny and a bit sarcastic. It moves around a lot, but that helps it get to the interesting parts quickly. It's usually a fun watch, except for the parts that are really sad, and I thought that balance worked well. My main issue is that a show like this feels very "local." I think the topics will mean a lot more to people living in Australia than to anyone else. Because I wasn't familiar with the humor or the locations, my attention kept wandering. That doesn't mean the show was bad, I just think it will mostly appeal to people who live there. For me, only some parts really worked, so I'd say it was just an average documentary.
It's a bold and funny look at a past that most people haven't heard about, told with a lot of personality. While it's a great deep dive for Australians, the specific jokes and locations might make it hard for outsiders to stay focused. (5/10)
Comments