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00:00:08.000Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of Carrie on Friends, the Caribbean-American Experience.
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00:00:09.679I'm your host, Carrie Ann.
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00:00:14.880You may or may not know that I'm also the founder of Breadfruit Media.
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00:00:18.640And through Breadfruit Media, I produce other podcasts.
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00:00:28.480One of those podcasts is Reels and Rhythms, which I co-host with my very good sister, Michaela of Style and Vibes.
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00:00:38.640On Reels and Rhythms, we talk about movies, documentaries, and what's on TV or the screen through a Caribbean lens.
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00:00:43.759We don't only review Caribbean movies or Caribbean projects.
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00:00:53.119We talk about a lot of projects, but through the perspective of being people of Caribbean heritage, because we view things a little differently.
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00:01:03.119So today I'm bringing you an episode from Reels and Rhythms so you can experience what we talk about on that show.
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00:01:06.000In this episode, we're talking about Queenie.
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00:01:13.200Queenie came out in 2018-2019, and it was a very popular novel.
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00:01:16.159And it is by Candace Carti Williams.
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00:01:21.760And the mini-series adaptation is available on Hulu and Disney Plus.
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00:01:26.959So in this conversation is all other ladies of Breadfruit Media.
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00:01:30.480Yeah, have myself, Michaela, and Alexandria.
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00:01:31.120Dr.
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00:01:34.719Alexandria, the host of Strictly Facts.
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00:01:38.640I had to say doctor because she just gets our PhD.
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00:01:43.120So we, you know, get used to adding the doctor to our name.
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00:01:50.879And so in the episode, we're breaking down the book versus the show, the Caribbean-British identity at the center of it.
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00:02:00.640Um, we talk about what the series gets right, what the book does better, and why the story matters for us as a diaspora audience.
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00:02:01.519All right.
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00:02:04.719So check out Reals and Rhythms.
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00:02:06.799Hello, Massivan crew.
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00:02:15.360Welcome back to another episode of Reels and Rhythms brought to you by Carry On Friends in partnership with the style to the vibes and breadfruit media.
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00:02:22.000And me well excited today because we have our special guest, Miss Hal Hexandria.
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00:02:29.439So, Michaela, big up the people them.
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00:02:31.680And then Alexandra, you're not a stranger.
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00:02:33.520So ill up the people them after Michaela.
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00:02:34.240Run it, Michaela.
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00:02:36.400Wagon family, Wagwan.
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00:02:37.599Welcome, Alexandria.
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00:02:41.759You're no stranger, but always love to have you on and chatting with you.
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00:02:42.800It's always a pleasure.
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00:02:44.719Yes, Wagwan, Wagwan people.
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00:02:47.039Thank you, Carrie and Michaela, for having me.
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00:02:51.039Um, it's a pleasure always to be over here on the Reels and Rhythms side.
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00:02:52.159Yes, yes.
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00:02:58.240So, like I said, um very excited because we are about to talk about the big bud Queenie.
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00:03:04.000Um, and it's also a good way for us to wrap up this season of Reels and Rhythms.
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00:03:05.599It's been a festive season.
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00:03:11.520I I think we're literally going to wrap up the season on a bang based on our Queenie and our friend named the Dagwan.
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00:03:14.159Well festive, well festive.
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00:03:20.319Well, since Hi Hard Hunty in the room, Michaela's Junior Hunty, right?
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00:03:23.840So we're talking about Queenie.
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00:03:30.159Alexandra, why don't you tell the Massivant crew what Queenie is about, and then we'll just jump in.
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00:03:30.879Sure.
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00:03:37.199Um, so originally Queenie was a book published by Candace Cartier Williams in 2019.
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00:03:51.039Recently, as of June 7th, I believed Hulu debuted um their mini-series of sorts, I guess you would call it, um, which was a translation of the book into a miniseries, of course.
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00:04:14.800Um, obviously, as we know, with anything that's a translation from a book to a movie or TV show, it's not exactly 100% the contents of the book translated into the show, but overall, it is a story about a young adult coming of age, Jamaican British woman, um, and her journey just in her 20s, discovering herself.
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00:04:22.240I think there are great topics in terms of self-worth and self-love, um, her negotiations with her relationships.
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00:04:36.879Obviously, there's stuff related to family issues and generational traumas, um, sexuality and consent, but really just her sort of evolution and trying to understand herself amidst what can be called chaos.
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00:04:46.639Um, we might just call it life and figuring out yourself in your 20s, which I think as somebody in her 20s can be a crazy time sometimes, but yes.
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00:04:49.439Michael, I'm gonna come back to you, I'm gonna be honest, right?
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00:04:50.959So, me never read the book.
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00:04:59.839Um, I went back into my audible history because you know I listen to the book, and I probably got to an hour and 45 minutes and then I stopped reading the book.
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00:05:01.360I said, I can't manage.
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00:05:08.000And full disclosure, I'm way past where Queenie was in this book.
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00:05:22.639So I had to take junior Auntie Michaela advice and put myself back into my 20s to see if I can relate to a certain degree with Queenie and what happened there.
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00:05:32.879I mean, outside of where she is and what's happening, I think, like you said, Alexandria, the themes are um, regardless of age group and generation, some of them.
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00:05:50.079Um, but I I love that you read the book and Michaela and I didn't, because this is a a flip from when we talked about black cake, when I read the book and was big, bad, and hangry, huffing and puffing like the wolf about what is right and what wasn't a proper translation.
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00:05:52.800So this is a different um position to be in.
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00:05:54.800Michaela, you wanted to say something?
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00:05:57.040Yeah, so I I have the book.
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00:06:02.399I meant to read it before you know it came out, and I actually started it this year.
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00:06:10.079So I got through what was episode one of the the series, um, and really just time.
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00:06:12.959So I had I had the physical book, so that's where I went wrong.
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00:06:18.240I bought the physical book a while ago, and I bought a copy for my sister.
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00:06:20.160But physical books, I love them.
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00:06:22.319I don't always have the time to read them.
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00:06:27.199Um, so I don't have the the the same context as Alexandria.
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00:06:32.399So leaning on you to tell us about you know the accuracy specifically.
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00:06:54.399Um, but I did enjoy, you know, seeing it come to life, and especially with uh Candace Cardi Williams just you know coming off of Champion and the excitement that we saw around that and other British actors really taking um front stage, if you will, um, in in this particular series as well.
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00:06:56.800So I'm excited for the conversation.
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00:07:02.240Yeah, we're not going through it like how we did champion episode by episode.
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00:07:07.680So big takeaway from the series, Alexandra.
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00:07:08.879Your takeaway.
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00:07:09.839Did you like it?
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00:07:11.600Did you not like it?
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00:07:13.600Let's start there.
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00:07:17.920And I'm talking the series and the book or just the series.
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00:07:19.600So what up on your chest?
00:07:19.759 -->
00:07:21.120Get the R on your chest.
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00:07:24.879Well, before I even talk about this series, I love the book.
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00:07:26.560First off, the book D pretty.
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00:07:29.839I know you guys have seen the cover if you've owned the book.
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00:07:37.040The book was beautiful, even if it never, I mean, obviously, as a Jamaican, I'm gonna be biased and say, Yeah, man, true said is me.
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00:07:44.240But outside of that, I would have bought the book probably regardless, just because it was cute and then it come in different color.
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00:07:47.040The original was orange and then orange, yeah.
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00:07:50.399Yes, but then she made it debuted in different colors too.
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00:07:52.879So it was just a beautiful book, I think, cover-wise.
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00:07:57.839Um, them said don't judge a book by its cover, but I was a fan regardless as a black woman.
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00:08:04.240Um, I was younger than Queenie, I believe, when it first debuted, or probably around the exact same age.
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00:08:07.120And so for me, it was laughs.
00:08:07.279 -->
00:08:12.240I remember reading it during my lunch break at work, and I was dead with laugh.
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00:08:26.319Um, and ironically, I was at the time in a lot of like black women's reading groups, and you know, there's bookstagrammers and all these people to follow online, and a lot of black women hated the book.
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00:08:33.679I can't remember at the time now whether they were women, you know, of Caribbean descent or from the Caribbean, or if it was people abroad, etc.
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00:08:43.919But I felt like to some degree the book got a lot of hate, or just you know, people saying maybe they couldn't finish it because it was cringy or whatever to them.
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00:08:52.639And I felt like it was an unfair representation, especially um at least the spaces and the the people that you know I heard from.
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00:08:56.799I'll speak to specifically those spaces as opposed to everybody.
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00:08:58.080But I enjoyed it.
00:08:58.159 -->
00:09:04.879I think for some people it might have been uh, you know, there's a lot of messiness, but as I said, right, life is messy.
00:09:05.039 -->
00:09:15.440Um, and I think sometimes we want things to be tied up in a bow in a certain way and fairy tale endings and stuff, which I don't think that was necessarily the point of it, right?
00:09:15.519 -->
00:09:18.720It's that we're along our journey and we're figuring out as we go.
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00:09:32.000It doesn't need to, you know, suddenly we see queenie like girl bossing and you know what what may have you in her 40s and married or whatever it would have looked like for some people.
00:09:32.080 -->
00:09:33.519And so I really enjoyed it.
00:09:33.679 -->
00:09:44.799I thought there were moments, of course, that I identified with as a fellow person of Jamaican descent and understanding how our dynamics are with family of different generations.
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00:09:53.120Um, and I thought it was funny, it's definitely a you know comical in certain instances, and I think it brought a lot of joy to me in reading it.
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00:10:01.840So I was, of course, very excited to see when the TV show was picked up and developed by Hulu, um, which I also did enjoy.
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00:10:12.000Now, of course, right, um, there are a few differences that between the book and the show that we will get into um potentially in our discussion today.
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00:10:28.720But I think it really did it well, especially, you know, when we have to understand that, you know, you can't translate everything over from a whole book of 200 odd pages to just an eight-episode mini-series, and the episodes are like 24 minutes each, give or take, right?
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00:10:44.799Um, so I think all those things considered, and especially I think the fact that what I was um listening to in a interview, you know, somebody was interviewing Candace Cartier Williams, her attention to detail and realizing that the book was released in 2019.
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00:11:00.720So there were um particular things at the height of 2019 systemically or you know, going on in the world that she had to change and tone down a little bit for the sake of obviously the limited time for the series, but also 2019 is not 2024.
00:11:00.960 -->
00:11:06.480Um, and those things need to be attended to if we're really going to tell a story in a meaningful way.
00:11:06.559 -->
00:11:08.480And so I think both were done really well.
00:11:08.639 -->
00:11:16.000I also always love when the writers of a book are kept, you know, as part of the production.
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00:11:20.159So she co-produced it um as well in terms of the TV show.
00:11:20.320 -->
00:11:24.720And so yeah, I thought it was a great series and one that I definitely enjoyed watching.
00:11:25.039 -->
00:11:28.399It's interesting because I didn't realize like people hated the book.
00:11:28.559 -->
00:11:34.559You know, I got it because I saw Jamaican British and I said, okay, we're going to support this.
00:11:34.879 -->
00:11:37.600But it wasn't that I hated the book.
00:11:37.840 -->
00:11:44.559So I lost patience for Queenie vacillating between a Teleman or a phenotyman.
00:11:44.799 -->
00:11:46.639Like for my patient was done.
00:11:46.720 -->
00:11:48.799Like Queenie, come on, teleman.
00:11:48.960 -->
00:11:51.200Like and I think a lot of people felt that way.
00:11:51.440 -->
00:11:55.840I was just like, I, if me I forgot through this, to the rest of the book, make a fling with the book.
00:11:56.000 -->
00:11:56.720That's how I felt.
00:11:56.879 -->
00:11:57.919So I was like, you know what?
00:11:58.080 -->
00:11:59.600Let me just pause here.
00:11:59.840 -->
00:12:03.120And also where I was at the time, you know, it's 2019.
00:12:03.279 -->
00:12:10.639You know, I have a one-year-old, so the patience to to to sit this through and you know, go through it with Queenie wasn't there.
00:12:10.799 -->
00:12:11.759That's kind of where I was.
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00:12:12.720I didn't hate it.
00:12:12.879 -->
00:12:17.679It was just that I didn't have the patience with the character to go through.
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00:12:23.600And even in the series, you know, my husband was watching it for me and him say, because I binged it.
00:12:23.679 -->
00:12:24.639And he said, you know what?
00:12:24.720 -->
00:12:29.519After three episodes, no, I'm done.
00:12:29.840 -->
00:12:35.279So um it was just all the shenanigans because in three episodes we got a lot.
00:12:35.440 -->
00:12:38.240So he was just like, Yeah, I haven't had enough.
00:12:38.399 -->
00:12:41.279But it's very interesting that people have this feedback.
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00:12:42.399So thanks for sharing that.
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00:12:43.600Michaela, run it.
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00:12:47.600I I I could understand why that would be the case.
00:12:47.759 -->
00:12:56.799That's a little bit more challenging to read, but I think that that attitudinally played out well on screen because essentially she's having this thought.
00:12:56.960 -->
00:13:01.679Whereas if you're reading it, it's kind of like hurry up and get to that.
00:13:01.919 -->
00:13:07.039Whereas I already kind of identified it as a slower start, but so was Black Cake.
00:13:07.120 -->
00:13:16.159I feel like I didn't really know the premise of black cake, and I listened to the audiobook, so I could see how people would either get lost in the beginning.
00:13:16.399 -->
00:13:26.639The other thought as I was watching it is it really reminded me a lot of um the Gabrielle Union um series on BET being Mary Jane.
00:13:26.720 -->
00:13:31.360I feel like this is Mary, this is what Mary Jane kind of would have been like in her 20s.
00:13:31.679 -->
00:13:35.120Messy all over the place, not fully thought out.
00:13:35.360 -->
00:13:43.840And that's kind of what you get is like the diarrhea of all the responsibilities and the excitement that your 20s bring.
00:13:44.000 -->
00:13:53.360And I think that especially as we get older and we get wiser and we understand we seem so far removed from the messiness that is the 20s.
00:13:53.440 -->
00:14:00.559And, you know, fortunately, you know, I could live my life offline where it, you know, doesn't impact.
00:14:00.799 -->
00:14:03.120Um, they don't really get into that in Queenie.
00:14:03.279 -->
00:14:06.000It's more of like her and her friends and the group chat thing.
00:14:06.240 -->
00:14:11.039Um, so we don't see that messiness evolve as as much.
00:14:11.360 -->
00:14:18.399And, you know, I could totally relate to some of the things, not all the things, but some of the things that she was experiencing.
00:14:18.639 -->
00:14:38.559And then I'm curious how the sexual fetetization of black women came across in the book versus the series, because it seemed to be identified very early for me as a viewer, um, by like episode two, if not one.
00:14:39.200 -->
00:14:42.240Um, which that didn't really become very clear.
00:14:42.480 -->
00:14:46.480Like I ended time point-wise at the end of chapter one.
00:14:46.639 -->
00:14:49.600It didn't feel that way in the book necessarily.
00:14:49.679 -->
00:14:52.240So I'm curious how that really played out.
00:14:52.320 -->
00:14:55.120So, Alexandria, I'm gonna lean on you with that.
00:14:55.279 -->
00:15:03.120But that was one of the clear themes, I think, that I truly identified very early in the series.
00:15:03.440 -->
00:15:07.360Along that vein, my husband was watching it and he was like, She only date white men?
00:15:07.519 -->
00:15:11.200Like, what was what was happening when I first read the book?
00:15:11.279 -->
00:15:12.879I was like, Oh, she's in the UK.
00:15:13.039 -->
00:15:15.120I guess, you know, this is part of the thing.
00:15:15.279 -->
00:15:27.200But as I was watching the series, I was like, yo, you know, it it was a legit question because she didn't seem to blink our butter eye at um any of the other dudes.
00:15:27.759 -->
00:15:32.159But I think it made sense given her history with her stepfather, right?
00:15:32.320 -->
00:15:43.919And her dad disowning, like her dad not owning up to her, her father her stepdad being a black man, and she is thinking she's so much like her mom.
00:15:44.080 -->
00:15:49.279The easiest way for her to not be like her mom is to date outside of her race and do something different.
00:15:49.440 -->
00:15:57.600So I immediately caught on, but from the interactions, it just felt like such a fetish for all of the men that she dated.
00:15:57.840 -->
00:16:15.279So it is not you know, really like that she was dating outside of her race, it's the way that they just like identified her body as this exotic thing that thing, period, that they could utilize for their pleasure and pleasure only.
00:16:15.440 -->
00:16:20.080And it was just very like, ugh, I just felt icky watching it.
00:16:20.799 -->
00:16:35.600It definitely was a big part of the book as well, something that I definitely noted, and I think something that also may have created some of the turmoil in responses to the the novel as well.
00:16:35.840 -->
00:16:42.320Um, and even in certain discussions I've had with friends who, you know, started it and said they couldn't even bother finish it, right?
00:16:42.399 -->
00:16:48.480They were like, Yeah, you know, the fetish, like it was just a getting a little bit too much for them, right?
00:16:48.639 -->
00:16:50.559Um, and so I stuck it out.
00:16:50.720 -->
00:16:52.399I do try to finish novels.
00:16:52.559 -->
00:16:58.159Um, but yeah, I think that was something that did definitely carry over into the show as well.
00:16:58.399 -->
00:17:04.160What was interesting for me was the switch, right?
00:17:04.720 -->
00:17:11.680Did we remember what really triggered her to just say, all right, let me follow the friend and just be liberated?
00:17:12.000 -->
00:17:13.279Was that ever clear?
00:17:13.519 -->
00:17:22.240Because it went from her being prudish about her relationship with Tom and what they did to all out.
00:17:22.480 -->
00:17:23.759She she's she's all out.
00:17:23.839 -->
00:17:30.000Did we remember why she's like, it was his lack of response, I think, that really kind of pushed her over the edge.
00:17:30.160 -->
00:17:32.559Like he wouldn't respond to her text messages.
00:17:32.720 -->
00:17:38.400And then when he responded, it was kind of like um, we need a clean break.
00:17:38.480 -->
00:17:39.920That means no communication.
00:17:40.079 -->
00:17:52.319So after she's essentially sent him this very sexy picture that she thinks is gonna draw out a different kind of response, she doesn't get the response that she wants, and she's just like, Oh, well, I'm gonna show him.
00:17:52.559 -->
00:17:55.119I'm not over here wasting this dress.
00:17:55.279 -->
00:18:03.039Like in her mind, she's thinking that Tom is out here thinking about her and her feelings, and he clearly wasn't.
00:18:03.119 -->
00:18:04.480He just was just like.
00:18:04.960 -->
00:18:07.039I think that's what I didn't like about the book.
00:18:07.200 -->
00:18:10.559The tone in which Tom talked down to our life, it was very condescending.
00:18:10.640 -->
00:18:14.160I mean, I say, you know what?
00:18:14.400 -->
00:18:18.640God knows who he makes for who, and up you know who for frightened.
00:18:18.720 -->
00:18:19.519So let me just listen.
00:18:19.839 -->
00:18:29.039But there's an entire context of their relationship that we don't see play out, so we don't know how they met, when they were good, like what that relationship was like.
00:18:29.200 -->
00:18:33.440You know, he expressed the need for her to open up, and she couldn't.
00:18:33.519 -->
00:18:45.359And essentially, she probably couldn't open up because one, Tom couldn't relate, and two, she couldn't truly verbalize it for herself, and he wasn't really going to be patient with her in that regard.
00:18:46.480 -->
00:18:50.319All right, so let's talk about our friend.
00:18:50.640 -->
00:18:52.319Which one's a favorite character?
00:18:52.400 -->
00:18:57.279No, no, yes, not not a work friend, another uni friend.
00:18:57.440 -->
00:18:58.319What's your name?
00:18:58.640 -->
00:18:59.359Jessica.
00:19:00.160 -->
00:19:01.519How do you pronounce her name?
00:19:01.680 -->
00:19:04.319Uh that now I don't even remember.
00:19:04.559 -->
00:19:08.880Because it's not spelled how it's no, it's spelled like KY.
00:19:09.359 -->
00:19:10.000Yeah.
00:19:10.319 -->
00:19:12.000Either way, the friend.
00:19:12.319 -->
00:19:13.359The friend was funny.
00:19:13.440 -->
00:19:18.799She was like, Yo, I had on these boots, and the guy come tap me to let's say Red Luxe.
00:19:23.680 -->
00:19:28.319She was killing me, and then the dude came up and was just like, Yeah, I got a new job.
00:19:28.559 -->
00:19:30.799Um, clear something like that.
00:19:31.039 -->
00:19:35.759I was yo, remember, she was like, Okay, so you get a discount.
00:19:36.319 -->
00:19:38.720He's like 50% just for you.
00:19:39.200 -->
00:19:43.839She's like, I can't work with that, and then roll her eyes, so she's gonna pick up the food.
00:19:44.160 -->
00:19:52.240No, but the part where she said before was like, she's she's like, Yo, Queenie, I saw this guy, and I was like, please don't let me look, please don't let me look at it.
00:19:52.319 -->
00:19:57.200Look like she works out one bank and she gonna pull up a bank account and she said, No money not in there.
00:19:57.279 -->
00:19:58.000She's like, mm-mm.
00:19:58.720 -->
00:20:02.480I'm like, wow, I I loved her character.
00:20:03.039 -->
00:20:06.880Even the way she comes in uh uh in at the office and different fear.
00:20:07.119 -->
00:20:14.319I hope I was just like, Yes, that that by the way, don't you know that what that's what's his name from champion?
00:20:14.880 -->
00:20:27.519Yes, the the the the the co-worker, the white co-worker who who telled me that married um the brother baby mother, the baby mother to to to the US, yeah.
00:20:27.759 -->
00:20:31.519Yeah, yeah, Bosco Baby Mother, Osbar, yeah, our boyfriend.
00:20:31.599 -->
00:20:41.119Yes, I was like, what, you know, but I I liked her energy and I I just know people like that, and it was good to see.
00:20:41.759 -->
00:20:51.920Um, I think at one point though, it was hard for me to really understand until the very end the issue with Queenie and our mother.
00:20:52.000 -->
00:20:53.759Because we knew it was something with the mother.
00:20:53.839 -->
00:20:59.759I think it took a very long time to get to what really is the issue.
00:21:00.079 -->
00:21:08.160And um I wish they had kind of brought that in or sped it up a little bit to get to that.
00:21:08.480 -->
00:21:14.240And then because I think where they left it at the end, then could I give you a little bit more?
00:21:14.319 -->
00:21:21.759So instead of stretch out the issue with the mother, kind of speed up what the issue with the mother, and and here's why.
00:21:22.000 -->
00:21:27.440I think we all hear how people have trauma with their mother and grandmother, right?
00:21:27.680 -->
00:21:35.839What we don't see enough of is that path or that process to reconciliation, and that's what I would want to see more of.
00:21:36.079 -->
00:21:38.000Not like I don't like you.
00:21:38.160 -->
00:21:39.599We get that part, right?
00:21:39.759 -->
00:21:44.640Let's see what it looks like when there's this process to reconciliation.
00:21:44.720 -->
00:21:45.599And I didn't see that.
00:21:45.680 -->
00:21:47.839I I I wanted to see more of that.
00:21:48.079 -->
00:21:52.559So I'm not sure if they got to that in the book, but that's what I would love, would have loved to see.
00:21:52.960 -->
00:21:56.000What was really the issue with her mom?
00:21:56.400 -->
00:21:58.400Like, I don't think that there was one thing.
00:21:58.799 -->
00:21:59.599Can we discuss?
00:22:00.160 -->
00:22:03.680Because even by the end, I kind of have an idea.
00:22:04.079 -->
00:22:05.920So the the mother is a jacket.
00:22:06.720 -->
00:22:09.599No, no, no, but that's not but that that's not the issue.
00:22:09.759 -->
00:22:12.319Yes, the mother is a jacket, yes.
00:22:12.559 -->
00:22:17.599But that's not the mother's issue, that's not her issue with her mom.
00:22:18.480 -->
00:22:18.880All right.
00:22:19.039 -->
00:22:20.079So all right, let's back up.
00:22:20.400 -->
00:22:21.200Big up to Jeffrey.
00:22:22.079 -->
00:22:22.240Right.
00:22:22.319 -->
00:22:24.880So big up to Jeffrey from Fresh Prince Abelia.
00:22:25.200 -->
00:22:25.279Right.
00:22:25.440 -->
00:22:26.400Albert, maybe.
00:22:26.960 -->
00:22:27.440Right?
00:22:27.839 -->
00:22:37.200And so Grandma gets one letter from our little spoogy back home, and the letter come, and she eyed the letter from the new, you know, Jeffrey.
00:22:39.920 -->
00:22:42.079Winfred I have name Winford.
00:22:43.039 -->
00:22:43.519Anyway.
00:22:46.319 -->
00:22:53.279So it would assume that she came up pregnant, um, based on what Missy Mina read the book.
00:22:53.359 -->
00:22:56.000She came up pregnant as she has a baby and the Wilfred.
00:22:56.240 -->
00:22:56.640Wilfred.
00:22:57.119 -->
00:22:57.759Wilfred.
00:22:57.920 -->
00:22:58.160Yeah.
00:22:58.400 -->
00:23:02.160She has the baby, and the woman said, Oh, this baby light, right?
00:23:02.319 -->
00:23:04.720So we already know what you say.
00:23:05.359 -->
00:23:11.200Now the mother growing up, there was a big age gap, obviously, between the big sister and she.
00:23:11.759 -->
00:23:16.960And from all intents and purposes, she seemed to, they seemed to have a good life.
00:23:17.119 -->
00:23:23.759It all spiraled out of control when the big man did put her eye upon the mother, and the mother feel like, oh, I'm beautiful, I'm fabulous.
00:23:23.839 -->
00:23:25.440And he says he's going to marry me.
00:23:25.599 -->
00:23:28.400And the sister says, What am I wondering with you?
00:23:29.440 -->
00:23:30.640Oh, my art girl.
00:23:30.799 -->
00:23:32.240Um, paraphrasing.
00:23:32.480 -->
00:23:36.000Um, and then she comes back, I'm pregnant.
00:23:36.240 -->
00:23:38.880And you have to remember that the mother is still young.
00:23:39.039 -->
00:23:43.680So, as a teenager, you are madly in love with this person.
00:23:43.839 -->
00:23:49.440You you rebel against the system, oh, in love me, and you swear say Imago left the wife.
00:23:49.759 -->
00:23:50.319You understand?
00:23:50.480 -->
00:23:54.240So the age and her understanding that this was never going to happen.
00:23:54.480 -->
00:24:02.400No, you have a baby, you wrap up postpartum emotion, bangarang, age, all of that.
00:24:02.799 -->
00:24:06.319And so I don't know if her mother was ever good.
00:24:06.480 -->
00:24:12.559She just learned to survive and be a mom until the next man comes in her life, essentially.
00:24:12.720 -->
00:24:24.559And when the next man comes in, I guess maybe she wanted to show she was really devoted because she maybe she didn't want to show the baby father say I'm, you know, my number one, I'm devoted, or whatever it is.
00:24:24.640 -->
00:24:27.599And then he was an abuser and all these things.
00:24:27.759 -->
00:24:32.160That's what I got from the little piece piece that mommy gets.
00:24:32.240 -->
00:24:34.880And and I have a very, very big imagination.
00:24:34.960 -->
00:24:38.880So all if I never saw you go, or somebody did a putting the piece thing in there.
00:24:39.599 -->
00:24:41.359That's definitely what I got.
00:24:41.519 -->
00:24:49.839And very interestingly enough, we didn't get as much of that storyline in the book, um, which I found is an interesting take.
00:24:49.920 -->
00:25:06.559There was obviously, you know, conflict between Queenie and her relationship with her mom, which obviously then translated to the whole family on the whole, and obviously, you know, Queenie's grandmother wanting to be like, yo, and her auntie, of course, obviously wanting to be like Linkemara, Linkemara, and all of these things.
00:25:06.720 -->
00:25:15.839Um, but we didn't get the extent of the storyline between the mother, her relationship, the stepfather, and all of these things in the novel.
00:25:15.920 -->
00:25:21.519So that was an interesting angle for me between the differences between the novel and this the TV show.
00:25:21.839 -->
00:25:23.839And it still wasn't even clear.
00:25:24.000 -->
00:25:30.559The mother, I mean, the mother decision for get to a separate apartment and put her in the apartment is wild.
00:25:30.799 -->
00:25:33.519But what led to that, we never really get clear.
00:25:33.599 -->
00:25:40.559We assume so there was maybe some abuse in there, and we're not even sure why she got money.
00:25:40.640 -->
00:25:41.839Like that wasn't clear.
00:25:41.920 -->
00:25:49.440So again, it leaves it to my imagination to fling in all of the blanks them, you know, power what could have happened.
00:25:49.599 -->
00:25:58.960Maybe in skemar, or pension minunu, or so, you know, so but it was a sizable enough money, so it we we we just didn't get that aspect of it.
00:25:59.200 -->
00:26:01.200Yeah, I I agree.
00:26:01.519 -->
00:26:17.039It's like there there were still like a lot of um open-ended ideas around the relationship with her mom and why she um avoided, but sometimes it really isn't that complicated, I I guess.
00:26:17.200 -->
00:26:22.960Is it's really just a series of things that as children you can't get over.
00:26:23.519 -->
00:26:30.400Um, as a viewer looking in, you know, you kind of think, well, okay, she has abandonment issues.
00:26:30.559 -->
00:26:38.400Yes, there was abuse there, um, but we don't know what type of child she was or how she reacts to things.
00:26:38.640 -->
00:26:43.359So for some, it may seem like hurry up and react, but we've seen her.
00:26:43.519 -->
00:27:05.680She's very slow to react, she's internalizes a lot of things, and that seems to have always been part of her character, and they allude to her mom being the same way the grandparents do, um, in terms of personality differences between the way um the way they kind of thought about strength.
00:27:05.839 -->
00:27:16.559And I thought, you know, the way that the grandmother really encapsulated her speech at the end around um what strength looks like and how it looks different.
00:27:16.640 -->
00:27:22.079And and it, I'm like, man, that that's a moment plenty, plenty pinning on guests.
00:27:22.240 -->
00:27:36.400So I I I think it was almost like a um a nice nod to those who have similar relationships, but will never get the closure of having that with their own parent.
00:27:36.559 -->
00:27:42.640At least they can kind of see it and what it could look like um from that perspective.
00:27:42.799 -->
00:27:52.480And I don't think that Queenie and her mom necessarily have a closure conversation, it just is what it is, and you don't really know.
00:27:52.640 -->
00:27:55.200She does say, I want to have a relationship with her.
00:27:55.279 -->
00:27:57.920I'm gonna talk to her at some point, I think.
00:27:58.559 -->
00:28:00.000But that's what I was saying.
00:28:00.160 -->
00:28:07.680Like, I wanted to see more of that struggle back and forth versus I don't want to talk to my mom, right?
00:28:07.839 -->
00:28:09.440Because we've all seen that.
00:28:09.599 -->
00:28:13.839What I want to see is more of what we saw to the end.
00:28:14.160 -->
00:28:16.640Initially, she was steadfast mana tet the money.
00:28:16.720 -->
00:28:18.559Then she decided she go and tet the money.
00:28:18.720 -->
00:28:27.440And then you you started to see the, you know, she lean in and she pull back, she lean in, then she pull back, because that's really what it is, right?
00:28:27.599 -->
00:28:28.559On this thing.
00:28:28.640 -->
00:28:32.319It's not like, oh, we've cleared the air and now we're good again.
00:28:32.480 -->
00:28:38.240No, and a site work, but it would be good to see how that is played out on screen.
00:28:38.480 -->
00:28:40.960So I want to switch gears a little bit.
00:28:41.119 -->
00:28:46.720Um, we did talk about, you know, the sexual fetish of the black woman.
00:28:46.960 -->
00:28:57.359I don't really want to go too much into that because I think hyper-focusing on that takes away from some of the other themes that were also in the series.
00:28:57.519 -->
00:29:04.240How she was treated while she was in the hospital, and you know, like they're asking her questions.
00:29:04.319 -->
00:29:05.599And some of them was like, Really?
00:29:05.680 -->
00:29:07.440Is this the question you're gonna ask me?
00:29:07.759 -->
00:29:12.720The lack of bedside manners and care into how she was.
00:29:12.880 -->
00:29:20.799So we see that play out in the UK here in a medical facility, and how she was trying to be seen at work.
00:29:20.960 -->
00:29:29.440Now, granted, Queenie had, if meowing queenie manager, I don't know how much pip me gonna put queenie pan, but queenie just, you know.
00:29:30.000 -->
00:29:42.400But those issues aside, you saw that she was trying to progress in some way at work, and those opportunities were just like, all right, they're there.
00:29:42.559 -->
00:29:46.079Sit, go go back to what we hired you for, type things.
00:29:46.319 -->
00:29:57.920And so those were themes that were very important because they all played a role in her spiral, for lack of a better word.
00:29:58.160 -->
00:30:06.319Because in her mind, not no good, nothing good is happening, not at work, not with the man, mommy, whatever.
00:30:06.559 -->
00:30:14.720So I I just wanted to call out like those are two critical themes that I saw that could be overshadowed.
00:30:15.359 -->
00:30:21.200Me really didn't want to know why Queenie showed up to work, so like she never have no broad opsie.
00:30:21.440 -->
00:30:24.960She go in our t-shirt and then try and pitch new ideas.
00:30:25.119 -->
00:30:28.799Like, come my girl, your co-worker dressed for the for the job.
00:30:29.039 -->
00:30:30.960Like, come on, come on, come on.
00:30:31.039 -->
00:30:34.240I was, I mean, it's probably part of her character.
00:30:34.480 -->
00:30:52.559Um, and I know it's not like the sole focus, but it was just those little, like, if you're not gonna get the role, don't let, you know, your unprofessionalism or you know, when she did Avon the the scap, Lad God, Lad God, I said, no, no, queenie, no, no.
00:30:53.119 -->
00:30:55.839And it's unfortunate, but they're not gonna take you seriously.
00:30:56.079 -->
00:31:04.640They didn't even touch on on that, you know, they just touched on her attitude and her behavior and her not getting the role.
00:31:04.880 -->
00:31:18.079But so I think she also played a part in her not getting the opportunities that she truly wanted because she came and then she came with the pitch, it was half hazard, it wasn't thought out.
00:31:18.240 -->
00:31:30.799She was late to meetings, late to work, you know, she had a lot going on, but she was still trying to um have moments at work because that's probably the only thing that she could focus on at the time.
00:31:31.039 -->
00:31:37.519But that was the only aspect in which I was disappointed with her in was her approach to work.
00:31:37.680 -->
00:31:43.279Yes, they were wrong, but also she didn't put her best foot forward either.
00:31:43.599 -->
00:31:44.559And she said it.
00:31:44.640 -->
00:32:00.000There's that scene where um right before she gets drunk at the kind of like happy hour work thing that they had, um, or right before, and the her boss, her manager comes up to her and is like, yo, take some time off, take a long weekend or whatever.
00:32:00.160 -->
00:32:05.039And she was like, I can't be by myself because that's when the demons start to come in.
00:32:05.200 -->
00:32:07.599So I need to come to work and stay busy.
00:32:07.759 -->
00:32:15.920Um, one thing I did think was an interesting sort of difference in terms of work life and like, you know, her pitches and things.
00:32:16.000 -->
00:32:20.079So obviously um her pitches were definitely black focused, right?
00:32:20.160 -->
00:32:31.279She was talking about um wanting to have various discussions whether it was, you know, black women who and black people who are critical um or activism and you know, things to that nature.
00:32:31.440 -->
00:32:41.680And I saw definitely noted the sort of not necessarily downplay, but compared to the book, it was written um because it debuted in 2019, right?
00:32:41.759 -->
00:32:51.839So it's sort of written, I'm assuming, at the sort of peak of Black Lives Matter, you know, global protest going on, um, pre-COVID, of course.
00:32:52.160 -->
00:33:06.559And obviously, it's still sort of in the realm um that she was discussing in terms of what her pitches were for the job here and what she wanted, she hoped to to put out, but they were lesser to an extent, right?
00:33:06.640 -->
00:33:10.319It was um it was a tremendous part of the work.
00:33:10.400 -->
00:33:15.599I mean, work regardless was still not necessarily going well for her in the novel either.
00:33:15.759 -->
00:33:25.440Um, but I I had noted definitely the way that time period played and how it shifted the angles of the the book versus the movie or the TV show rather.
00:33:25.759 -->
00:33:31.440And then look what she leave and do our own look a series and our our boss come back and say, Oh, this is wonderful.
00:33:31.519 -->
00:33:43.839Like, like she hasn't been pitching those ideas to you for how long, from when time, and all of a sudden now that she's done it by herself, it's you know, because she can visually see the reaction that it's getting.
00:33:44.000 -->
00:33:55.200It's not necessarily that it was an important story to tell, but she she knew the the power of social media and that the story and the position in which she told the story.
00:33:55.359 -->
00:34:07.519Um, but that's essentially what Queenie was trying to offer in her work on a regular basis, and it wasn't until it was recognized externally that they all of a sudden saw value in her work.
00:34:08.159 -->
00:34:08.719All right.
00:34:08.960 -->
00:34:13.280So, what was the funniest moment in the series?
00:34:13.519 -->
00:34:24.480I know my husband was hollering when the brown youth, um, because he felt he had all the oh the destroyer, then it was just like wow.
00:34:24.639 -->
00:34:37.519I'm like, we all talk about oh oh the yes, yes, the the Indian guy named his um personal parts him name it the defender lad or destroyer something.
00:34:37.679 -->
00:34:46.639I was just like I destroyer, and him not him not damage nothing, and only thing I damage I marriage.
00:34:47.199 -->
00:34:52.719One thing was funny is the woman out of street with the mic, Jesse there.
00:34:55.280 -->
00:34:57.039She did not catch a break.
00:34:57.199 -->
00:35:01.039No, I was just like, Queenie, what everywhere she went.
00:35:01.920 -->
00:35:03.599Yes, yes, yes.
00:35:03.840 -->
00:35:05.599Um what else?
00:35:05.679 -->
00:35:10.000There were there was definitely some other moments, but the woman punished in the club.
00:35:10.239 -->
00:35:12.239That was a good scene, too.
00:35:12.480 -->
00:35:22.000Um, so there's a scene in the club where you know, in a lot of ways, I think there are a lot of things that the that the TV show tried to nail on, right?
00:35:22.079 -->
00:35:26.880Whether it's gentrification and you know, it just didn't hit the nail.
00:35:27.679 -->
00:35:28.639It wasn't as hard.
00:35:29.119 -->
00:35:33.760Yeah, it wasn't it wasn't as hard hitting, but there were points that could be drawn out.
00:35:33.920 -->
00:35:39.519So there's a scene when um they're at the club and sort of get into a disagreement.
00:35:39.679 -->
00:35:42.000I'll say I don't want to give away too much.
00:35:43.280 -->
00:35:46.559We're not a spoiler show, a spoiler show.
00:35:46.800 -->
00:35:47.599All right then.
00:35:48.880 -->
00:35:56.480So since we're doing spoilers, there's a scene in the club where you know everybody at full giadem, the cloself or whatever, and queenie.
00:35:56.719 -->
00:36:05.920Um you know, they've always described her throughout the show as we sort of going back to the fetishization as being curvacious.
00:36:06.159 -->
00:36:08.159Um, but then a white woman in the club just decides.
00:36:09.119 -->
00:36:12.960Come on, guys, big butty queenie.
00:36:13.760 -->
00:36:17.679Um, but then a white woman in the club decides to grab her butt.
00:36:17.840 -->
00:36:33.840Um, and obviously, you know, naturally she has a reaction, her friend has a reaction, and they end up being the ones that get kicked out of the club um because the white girl does her very Karen-esque thing and start ball down the place and says she hit me, she hit me, and one bagating.
00:36:34.239 -->
00:36:39.440Um, I mean, structural issues aside, I did think that's that scene was funny.
00:36:39.679 -->
00:36:49.280Yeah, but it goes back to fetishizing the black woman's body, isn't limited to just a male gaze, it's also female.
00:36:49.360 -->
00:36:51.679Um and then weaponized against her.
00:36:51.920 -->
00:36:52.480Exactly.
00:36:52.719 -->
00:36:53.599Exactly.
00:36:54.000 -->
00:36:56.719Let's talk about therapy.
00:36:57.039 -->
00:37:00.800So we this doesn't have to be a long discussion.
00:37:01.039 -->
00:37:07.519Therapy, when grandma have to get her a therapy and grandma they quarrel about the money she has to spend.
00:37:07.760 -->
00:37:14.320Listen, if nobody never grandmother will complain about how much money they have to spend, if we can pick you up somewhere.
00:37:14.639 -->
00:37:24.079So them coming around to her doing therapy because the grandmother was very stern about family business to stay family business.
00:37:24.239 -->
00:37:52.880And again, it's always the grandfather that's cool and just be like, you know, there has to be a character that is um a symbol of calm, and that was the grandfather and a voice of reason sometime, other than the time when Queenie says she'll go, she'll go beat and the grandfather said remember the water bill because Queenie loves it, but if that is not a very Caribbean thing, remember the light, turn off the light.
00:37:52.960 -->
00:37:54.800Yes, remember the water bill.
00:37:55.039 -->
00:37:56.639But I did yeah, go ahead.
00:37:56.800 -->
00:37:57.599Go ahead, go ahead.
00:37:57.840 -->
00:38:07.280No, I was like, there were a lot of like chuckle and laugh out loud moments like that throughout the so I don't I don't see one that like hysterically stands out to me.
00:38:07.440 -->
00:38:09.920Um, but there were also a lot of good tender moments.
00:38:10.079 -->
00:38:28.159So even you know, as Queenie's taking a bath and her grandma comes in and is like washing, like she's like it's intrusive, but she doesn't mind because it's somebody, you know, that like it's a moment that she's having with her grandma, like and she's and the grandmother's like, me see everything we have already, right?
00:38:28.239 -->
00:38:33.119In true granny form with no granny, yes, yes, yes.
00:38:33.440 -->
00:38:47.119So I love the moments between her and her grandparents and even her cousin, like they were all very well-rounded characters to kind of uh bring out Queenie's life and her family.
00:38:47.280 -->
00:38:58.079Um, and it showed like how much support that she had, even if they didn't really understand her, they were still very supportive of who she was, and they gave her her space.
00:38:58.159 -->
00:39:01.440Um, but they knew when to push and they knew when to back off.
00:39:01.599 -->
00:39:03.360So I thought that was kind of sweet.
00:39:03.440 -->
00:39:05.360There were a lot of sweet moments like that.
00:39:05.840 -->
00:39:07.840The grandmother was my favorite character though.
00:39:07.920 -->
00:39:14.639No one the auntie said, Never dear with a gem, a Gemini man, she said, never deal with that Gemini man.
00:39:15.440 -->
00:39:17.519And then Queenie said, Are you using Gemini?
00:39:18.079 -->
00:39:31.840Right, right, you know, and at one point to the end, Auntie uh uh do a whole sermon over the food, and the grandmother go, Amen, like cut this, cut it shot.
00:39:32.800 -->
00:39:49.440But I did like those elements where family is not perfect, they're all these different characters, but these caster characters, you know, they they are a familial unit, and for different reasons you like them or not.
00:39:49.599 -->
00:39:51.360So I did enjoy that.
00:39:51.679 -->
00:39:55.440Yeah, I think the casting was really well, very similar to Championship.
00:39:56.400 -->
00:40:08.079Candice Cut to Williams, big up yourself in the Ponti casting, and it it it it was, I don't know, I'm sure she's not the only person who determined that, but I think the casting was done really well too.
00:40:08.320 -->
00:40:10.320I liked it, I liked it a lot.
00:40:11.119 -->
00:40:16.239When she finally have a crush upon the little fella, maybe maybe become in the binge watch it.
00:40:16.320 -->
00:40:17.039May I say Frank?
00:40:17.920 -->
00:40:18.559That's Frank.
00:40:18.719 -->
00:40:19.440Was that Frank?
00:40:19.679 -->
00:40:20.559Frank, yeah, yeah.
00:40:20.800 -->
00:40:30.639Like at one point she's like, a pen, okay, to inner your feelings, cause him of possibly Wallypa girl.
00:40:30.719 -->
00:40:42.719So again, I feel like either I was watching it and things miss me, or Frank becoming an interest came really fast given the speed of the series.
00:40:43.199 -->
00:40:50.800No, but her and Frank were friends because she knows Frank through No, I know that, but she never sees him in a more romantic way.
00:40:51.119 -->
00:40:52.960Well, she's been maybe white guys.
00:40:53.119 -->
00:40:55.280She's like, But I think there were hints, right?
00:40:55.679 -->
00:40:56.400There were hints.
00:40:56.480 -->
00:40:59.679So like there was drop them hard.
00:41:00.239 -->
00:41:01.280She never picked him up.
00:41:01.360 -->
00:41:08.400She was like, For sure, but like the moment I think there's the scene when um he helps her move, right?
00:41:08.800 -->
00:41:11.679And he says something kind of flirtatious to her.
00:41:11.760 -->
00:41:12.960I can't remember what exactly.
00:41:13.039 -->
00:41:16.400And she's like, Oh, leave it to him now to try to say something.
00:41:16.480 -->
00:41:20.480And then, as you said, Carrie, two two is him get a call, and he's like, Yo, babes.
00:41:20.800 -->
00:41:22.639So she's like, Oh, it's over, right?
00:41:22.800 -->
00:41:24.159Like, never mind then.
00:41:24.239 -->
00:41:27.599I'll just keep doing what else, whatever else I'm doing.
00:41:27.760 -->
00:41:50.480So, um, to the point that I think we made earlier, there's there was obviously a slowness in Queenie's evolution or um ability to sort of maybe a self-awareness, um, and emotional intelligence as well, that I think might have also been a challenge for people, whether they're reading or watching the the TV show.
00:41:50.880 -->
00:41:51.840For sure.
00:41:52.320 -->
00:41:59.519Um, and I guess the only point I have left is oh dear Tom, come back with flowers at the end.
00:41:59.920 -->
00:42:01.760Make glass and dash them away.
00:42:02.159 -->
00:42:03.360Well, Tom.
00:42:03.760 -->
00:42:08.719Um I really wanted to the the satisfaction of saying she's like Tom.
00:42:13.679 -->
00:42:17.119No, but she obviously takes the flowers and then dash them away.
00:42:17.440 -->
00:42:18.960Make him go back with the flowers.
00:42:19.039 -->
00:42:22.400She shouldn't have a tech, but and then we don't see what happened with Frank.
00:42:22.639 -->
00:42:26.639If Frank walked off or she claimed Frank and said, Come on, boo.
00:42:26.800 -->
00:42:28.880Like, me no, it just segue.
00:42:29.039 -->
00:42:31.599I mean, it's like, why deny us the satisfaction?
00:42:31.840 -->
00:42:34.960You know, but you can tell us what really happened in the book.
00:42:35.199 -->
00:42:43.280I mean, there were still even in the book a lot of unknowns in the same way that you're saying you wanted more um from the show as well.
00:42:43.440 -->
00:42:45.519I think that was also done intentionally.
00:42:45.760 -->
00:42:54.559For me, it was like, I think it would have been too easy to wrap up everything and say, Oh, yeah, man, and now show of yes so and I live great life and sod.
00:42:57.440 -->
00:43:04.480She tell Tom say, listen, your whole drunk crow, you get new woman quick, right?
00:43:04.559 -->
00:43:06.719Tell about a clean break, right?
00:43:07.039 -->
00:43:13.599You get new woman, then you come round and can't come show up with flowers at my good good housewarming.
00:43:13.760 -->
00:43:19.760Like me, if you tell you, not even one cent, two cent, five cent, a whole hundred dollar bill worth of things.
00:43:19.840 -->
00:43:23.039Like him do you want a tracer for exactly?
00:43:23.119 -->
00:43:30.559He needed a proper telling a proper one, like the friend should have cussed him out.
00:43:30.960 -->
00:43:32.559The friend would have given a ride.
00:43:32.800 -->
00:43:33.440Yeah, for sure.
00:43:33.519 -->
00:43:35.440She would have done a better job than Queen.
00:43:36.079 -->
00:43:36.639All right.
00:43:36.880 -->
00:43:41.679I guess the last thing, I'm gonna do it just for completeness, but it really matters to me.
00:43:41.840 -->
00:43:43.679The friend and the texting them.
00:43:43.920 -->
00:43:45.599The group message, you mean?
00:43:45.840 -->
00:43:46.480Yes.
00:43:46.800 -->
00:43:49.360The one was say, Oh, she take her man.
00:43:49.440 -->
00:43:51.840I'm like, you know, I'm gonna have time for this here, you know.
00:43:52.079 -->
00:43:53.519That's me, just I do not.
00:43:53.679 -->
00:43:55.599I mean, I said, oh no, match it out.
00:43:55.760 -->
00:43:59.679You know, so the girl when they talk to the guy, so oh, oh, she takes your how.
00:44:00.079 -->
00:44:01.280Your mats this out.
00:44:01.519 -->
00:44:04.079You you never want to share who he was.
00:44:04.159 -->
00:44:09.360So how did she know that this guy was like he never make common sense?
00:44:09.440 -->
00:44:10.079So ho.
00:44:10.400 -->
00:44:11.360Something's like, you know what?
00:44:11.519 -->
00:44:16.559Midas I bring it up, but I was happy for her response to her when she saw her in the show.
00:44:16.719 -->
00:44:17.599In Adi Coffee Shop.
00:44:18.400 -->
00:44:22.079She was just like, I'm being kind, but don't don't think we good.
00:44:22.239 -->
00:44:30.639You know, I love I love that because it was her setting clear boundaries for um herself and the people in her life.
00:44:30.880 -->
00:44:39.920And she wanted her ear to kind of lend and kind of catch up, and she thought that it was just gonna pick up right where it left off.
00:44:40.079 -->
00:44:44.079And I think Queenie really sharing that, no, that's not the case.
00:44:44.159 -->
00:44:47.519I can show you grace, but you didn't give me the same.
00:44:47.599 -->
00:44:52.559And had you not walked into this coffee shop, we probably wouldn't have even had this conversation.
00:44:52.719 -->
00:44:57.039So don't even think for a second that I'm about to let you back in.
00:44:57.199 -->
00:44:59.679And she ultimately did the same thing with Tom.
00:44:59.840 -->
00:45:06.159Of course, she wasn't as dismissive to Tom as she was to where the what if her name?
00:45:06.239 -->
00:45:06.880Cassandra.
00:45:07.119 -->
00:45:08.000Cassandra.
00:45:08.320 -->
00:45:09.599It was Cassandra.
00:45:10.400 -->
00:45:10.960Oh, okay.
00:45:11.280 -->
00:45:20.320Um, and what one time it did things that Cassandra and Darcy were the same, but it's because they were doing hot yoga in the studio.
00:45:20.559 -->
00:45:22.800I was like, oh no, this it's a different girl.
00:45:23.039 -->
00:45:30.559What was interesting to me is there, like the fact that she had all of her friends in one group chat.
00:45:30.719 -->
00:45:35.599Like, I feel like her best friend should be on one side and then Cassandra and the other one.
00:45:35.840 -->
00:45:38.079Because they didn't all seem like they were friends.
00:45:39.119 -->
00:45:42.719It seemed odd to me that they were all in a group chat together.
00:45:42.880 -->
00:45:46.079Because to me, their friendship nucleus was Queenie.
00:45:46.320 -->
00:45:47.920Like they weren't all friends.
00:45:48.159 -->
00:45:51.519It was a convenient chat for Queenie and nobody else.
00:45:51.840 -->
00:45:52.639Yes, clearly.
00:45:52.800 -->
00:45:53.199Clearly.
00:45:53.280 -->
00:45:55.119That must have been WhatsApp.
00:45:57.920 -->
00:45:58.559Clearly.
00:45:58.719 -->
00:46:06.639She's like, I'm just updating everybody all at the same time, one time, because I don't have time to be deliberating in two different group chats, I guess.
00:46:06.960 -->
00:46:10.000But of all of them, is um it's Darcy.
00:46:10.239 -->
00:46:11.840I'm gonna keep messing up her name.
00:46:11.920 -->
00:46:14.000Is it Chesky or Cheska?
00:46:14.639 -->
00:46:21.199Um they those two were close enough to her because they came to her house or they were familiar enough.
00:46:21.280 -->
00:46:22.639So yeah, I don't know.
00:46:22.800 -->
00:46:23.840But it was interesting.
00:46:23.920 -->
00:46:29.440So overall, so was Cassandra, she got over the people them all, um Bamit's fan.
00:46:30.159 -->
00:46:30.719What was it?
00:46:30.880 -->
00:46:33.119Because that was Cassandra's dad's house.
00:46:33.360 -->
00:46:35.039That was Cassandra's family's house.
00:46:35.199 -->
00:46:37.840So they it's not like them them just become friends.
00:46:37.920 -->
00:46:38.559Them them are not.
00:46:38.719 -->
00:46:42.719No, no, me not talk, no, may I talk them I come after a yard?
00:46:43.360 -->
00:46:44.880Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:46:45.360 -->
00:46:49.760Because Cassandra was just as close to her, I think, as as Darcy, at least.
00:46:49.920 -->
00:46:52.480The way that they framed it, they look closer.
00:46:52.719 -->
00:46:56.719Um, Darcy was the work friend, and at one point Darcy was tired of the miss.
00:46:56.960 -->
00:46:58.000Yeah, Darcy was like Darcy.
00:47:00.320 -->
00:47:03.599Darcia Carrie, whatever she be water.
00:47:05.119 -->
00:47:05.760Yeah.
00:47:06.400 -->
00:47:08.239And everything was very one-sided.
00:47:08.320 -->
00:47:10.400It was a one-sided relationship.
00:47:10.480 -->
00:47:10.639Yeah.
00:47:10.800 -->
00:47:10.960Yeah.
00:47:11.039 -->
00:47:16.960There's a scene where Queenie and Darcy are talking about the things about what them do with them, man, or whoever.
00:47:17.119 -->
00:47:21.199And as soon as Darcy turned and started tell our business, Queenie was like, okay, cool.
00:47:21.360 -->
00:47:25.920But, anyways, um, about this man Pana app when we meet and XYZ.
00:47:26.400 -->
00:47:39.360So, yeah, I think you know, it was also a reflecting point in terms of who her friends are, what they do for her, you know, and sometimes there was a transactional basis there depending on the friend.
00:47:39.679 -->
00:47:54.079And uh Darcy kind of gave her some ice at one point for the new year when she was like, you know, I'm I'm trying to be more focused, and Queenie, I tried telebusiness, and she's just like, you know, I'm I'm just really focused.
00:47:54.159 -->
00:48:01.760And she kind of picked that up, but Queenie never really fully get the memo, like when Tom saying need a clean break.
00:48:01.920 -->
00:48:07.519So I I do feel like it was um, it's very one-sided.
00:48:07.840 -->
00:48:18.320But I also don't know if we're just seeing this that she's needy because the spiral from Tom and everything else.
00:48:18.480 -->
00:48:23.519We don't know what their relationship was before everything spiraled out of control.
00:48:23.599 -->
00:48:25.280So I'll give her that.
00:48:25.920 -->
00:48:29.920Um, while we gave some spoilers, we didn't give away a lot.
00:48:30.079 -->
00:48:34.320Like you said, the series had funny moments, but there were some themes in there.
00:48:34.559 -->
00:48:45.679I think guys watching this might have a huge issue with the the sex in the series and how much of it there was in the series.
00:48:45.920 -->
00:49:01.039It can be jarring to see or experience, but we lose sight of the more important underlying issue there and how black women's bodies are are viewed and portrayed.
00:49:01.280 -->
00:49:03.360And the negotiation carry, right?
00:49:03.440 -->
00:49:20.159Like there's there's the issue of is it okay for me to want to be sexually liberated versus women auntie and granny, I got think bull me and um the all of the negotiations that I think black women have to deal with.
00:49:20.320 -->
00:49:36.159Um, and you know, as we said, for a few other things, maybe there weren't things that were as um open or as direct in the TV show because again, I think they had a lot to work with in a limited space of time.
00:49:36.320 -->
00:49:42.800Um, but these are all themes that I think if you really sit with the some of the issues at hand that definitely come about.
00:49:43.039 -->
00:49:50.480Yeah, because even in the scene where grandmother washed her back, I said, No worry, you're not having with Miss C already, right?
00:49:50.559 -->
00:49:54.079In that moment, she's naked in the bathtub and grandmother beat her.
00:49:54.239 -->
00:49:58.559But when she dressed up as the Playboy bunny or go, grandma says, Jesus, tick.
00:49:59.039 -->
00:50:02.880Oi, you know, and it's way wait, she has on clothes.
00:50:03.039 -->
00:50:06.559So, so what's the difference between she has on clothes?
00:50:06.880 -->
00:50:15.039It looks like a bath suit, but she still has on clothes dress versus you know her naked in the bathtub and you washing her back.
00:50:15.199 -->
00:50:32.880So, you know, her having to negotiate that with the auntie going from tell people send out there with Gemini and the quote scriptures in between, like that's uh like you said, is a lot to negotiate about am I, should I, could I, all those things.
00:50:33.039 -->
00:50:34.480So I like the series.
00:50:34.559 -->
00:50:36.639I think it was funny, as always.
00:50:36.880 -->
00:50:57.519I um I feel like we're at a point where wow, we have multiple programming on TV where it's not a full reflection of me in my 20s or at 25, um, or you, but there is Jamaican and Caribbean culture, you know, on screen.
00:50:57.760 -->
00:51:19.679It is just really good to see because what I think Candace does well with Queenie and with Champion is like I feel like people don't know how to tell Jamaican and Caribbean stories because they fetishize the Yaman, the ganja spoking, and all the stereotypes around what it is to be a Caribbean or a Jamaican person.
00:51:20.079 -->
00:51:22.320At the end of it, we're normal people.
00:51:22.480 -->
00:51:28.000And it's just that our culture allows us to react different or tell different stories.
00:51:28.239 -->
00:51:35.360Here you see a story of somebody emigrating to another country, the complexities of having two different lives.
00:51:35.599 -->
00:51:41.119Most immigrants, we have two lives: the lives back home and the lives that we come here to live.
00:51:41.280 -->
00:51:43.679And that creates rich storytelling.
00:51:43.840 -->
00:52:02.159And so what I love about the series is just that there's culture in it and very nuanced things, but it's not always about very overt um tropes or um aspects of culture that we see and that allows connectivity, right?
00:52:02.400 -->
00:52:11.039Because this is not just for me who born in the region you think of, or children who'll be born here and want to see themselves reflected, right?
00:52:11.360 -->
00:52:13.920Um in it, right?
00:52:14.079 -->
00:52:16.320You know, um, what does that look like?
00:52:16.480 -->
00:52:20.480So um I'm I'm glad we're wrapping up the season on Queenie.
00:52:21.280 -->
00:52:22.800For me, it's a sitcom.
00:52:23.039 -->
00:52:37.119I felt like it's a sitcom that I would be watching, whether it looked like Fresh Off the Boat, Blackish, um Abbott Elementary, where it's situational comedy and it it has real heavy, heavier moments.
00:52:37.360 -->
00:52:41.599Whereas um Champion was like a drama, you know, it's a drama series.
00:52:41.840 -->
00:52:58.559And so when we look at it from that perspective, like I think both series did a really good job of interweaving Caribbean culture in an authentic way, but staying true to what they were, which was a drama series and a sitcom.
00:52:58.960 -->
00:53:02.159Um, both, you know, adapted very differently.
00:53:02.239 -->
00:53:04.159So I I I enjoyed it, you know.
00:53:04.239 -->
00:53:15.360I think it's um something that I would re-watch, and I found really funny moments and educational moments, and I I think people should really just enjoy it for that sake.
00:53:15.519 -->
00:53:20.239Everything doesn't have to be like the biggest explosive best things in sliced bread.
00:53:20.480 -->
00:53:22.400We deserve all the different stories.
00:53:22.559 -->
00:53:28.960So that's what I loved about this um this series in particular, and uh even without reading the book.
00:53:29.039 -->
00:53:40.719So I agree with both of you, and I think the fact that we get to we're getting more of also like Black Caribbean British TV awareness, I think, too, which is something I definitely didn't have.
00:53:40.880 -->
00:54:08.800I mean, you know, from a historical perspective, and think I have cousins and family that I know are in England, but I until very recently, you know, we have we've had a slew of shows, whether it's Champion and um others that have been covered on Reels and Rhythms, that we're getting more awareness and exposure to black British culture over here on this side of the ocean, which I think is also a great part of us even just understanding who we are as a diaspora, right?
00:54:08.960 -->
00:54:36.639Um, there are movies obviously shot in the US or shot in Canada or shot in the region that I'm sure get casted out much farther, um, just geographically, but it's nice to also understand the nuances of black British people um and see Brixton and you know all of these things that you might sort of hear about if you're familiar with the Caribbean diaspora in that way and being able to see them brought to screen, I thought was great, especially for this on this side.
00:54:36.960 -->
00:54:51.760And I want to shout out, you know, as you you know, as we wrap up, if you're looking for something to do in the summer, the original Caribbean sitcom straight out of London City, which is Desmond's, can be streamed on Amazon Prime.
00:54:51.920 -->
00:55:00.960Listen, I love Desmond's the character Pop Pai, you know, it was all centered around a barber shop and it was situational comedy.
00:55:01.440 -->
00:55:05.360And I grew up watching that in Jamaica, so it is streaming.
00:55:05.519 -->
00:55:06.719Go support it.
00:55:06.960 -->
00:55:14.880Um, if you want more Caribbean energy and flavor, I mean, what a way to wrap up Caribbean American Heritage Month.
00:55:15.119 -->
00:55:21.679We have variety on screen, we're getting the things them out of Brixton, Leeds, and Birmingham.
00:55:21.920 -->
00:55:22.159All right.
00:55:31.760 -->
00:55:32.639We do a ratings.
00:55:32.719 -->
00:55:34.159Oh, let me back up to everyone.
00:55:34.239 -->
00:55:35.440So mean never no.
00:55:35.920 -->
00:55:36.880Yes, let me explain.
00:55:37.039 -->
00:55:38.159Let me explain.
00:55:38.480 -->
00:55:43.599So um, oh, I mean, we're gonna go back to the ratings.
00:55:43.679 -->
00:55:48.000There were aspects of this series that have reminded me of Harlem.
00:55:48.480 -->
00:55:50.159I also thought about insecure.
00:55:50.400 -->
00:55:53.280I definitely could see some insecure in there too.
00:55:53.440 -->
00:55:55.039Um, so I really like that.
00:55:55.199 -->
00:56:02.159So we came up with this system of when we think of Caribbean entertainment, right?
00:56:02.320 -->
00:56:05.920When we want to see, we think of accent.
00:56:06.480 -->
00:56:08.880Accent is on a spectrum, right?
00:56:09.199 -->
00:56:19.840Because a person in Jamaica has a very different language or in the region, speaks differently from someone who lives in New York.
00:56:20.480 -->
00:56:28.079Caribbean people in New York speak very differently from Caribbean people in the Midwest or the South or the West, right?
00:56:28.159 -->
00:56:33.199And so we think of accents and, you know, how good do we need to get the accent?
00:56:33.440 -->
00:56:40.159And we use the accent to say, well, if you have a walk-on rule and it's a Rastaman, get the accent right, right?
00:56:40.559 -->
00:56:46.800Or a nanny, because those are the two characters they love to give us, nanny and Rastaman.
00:56:47.039 -->
00:56:51.760And then um we also rate it based on the storyline, right?
00:56:51.920 -->
00:56:56.159Is it a strong storyline around a character of Caribbean heritage?
00:56:56.320 -->
00:56:58.320So we do character and storyline.
00:56:58.480 -->
00:57:09.440Are they strong characters and storyline, really developed and fleshed out for a Caribbean person and not just something then just juk up and just say re, right?
00:57:09.519 -->
00:57:27.760And so we said accent, uh it's oh we we could get away on not having a perfect accent, a la Jasmine guy, Harlem, because we think she gets the character of who she's playing, a rich uptone Jamaican woman, um, stush woman, or whatever it is, right?
00:57:27.840 -->
00:57:36.000So, with that said, for Queenie, we have accent, character, and storyline, and the it's out of five.
00:57:36.320 -->
00:57:41.199So what are you giving it in terms of accent, Alexandria?
00:57:41.840 -->
00:57:45.519Um, I'd probably give it like a four, five.
00:57:45.679 -->
00:57:49.440I mean, you also have the nuance there of them living in the UK.
00:57:49.599 -->
00:57:53.360So, you know, somebody who it's different for everybody, right?
00:57:53.440 -->
00:57:59.840But somebody who, like her grandmother, has been in the UK for how many over decades or so it's going to the twang.
00:57:59.920 -->
00:58:04.320I got twang a little different, but I definitely would give it a four.
00:58:04.800 -->
00:58:05.599Michael.
00:58:06.880 -->
00:58:09.199Uh, I would have to agree.
00:58:09.360 -->
00:58:12.400I would say maybe a three and a half.
00:58:13.280 -->
00:58:16.960I think Winfred accent was kind of off.
00:58:17.119 -->
00:58:18.000The grandfather.
00:58:18.239 -->
00:58:18.880I'm from St.
00:58:19.039 -->
00:58:19.280Lucia.
00:58:20.000 -->
00:58:21.280The aunt and the aunt.
00:58:21.360 -->
00:58:21.920He's from St.
00:58:22.000 -->
00:58:25.840Lucia, but he's playing in Jamaican, so that's why I gotta like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:58:26.320 -->
00:58:28.880Hi heart agree with you, Michaela, on that.
00:58:29.039 -->
00:58:29.840Yeah, yeah.
00:58:30.000 -->
00:58:33.119The grandfather, and really it's minor.
00:58:33.679 -->
00:58:36.159It's it's really minor, it doesn't have to be it.
00:58:36.320 -->
00:58:38.639It was doable, it's doable, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:58:38.960 -->
00:58:48.639Um, in terms of characters, what's the rating for the development of the characters holistically, not individually, because then we'd be here forever.
00:58:48.960 -->
00:58:50.559I say a five.
00:58:50.719 -->
00:58:54.639I I like the character development, Alexandria.
00:58:54.880 -->
00:58:56.719I'd agree, I'd give it a five too.
00:58:56.800 -->
00:59:05.440I think having read the book, there are some things that I knew a little more um than what maybe the TV show gave, but I'd give it a five as well.
00:59:05.840 -->
00:59:07.599All right, I gave it a four.
00:59:08.000 -->
00:59:15.840The mother was one of the antagonists, and I just felt like middle need a little bit more for from the mother.
00:59:16.000 -->
00:59:18.320So that was just me, my grid had.
00:59:18.800 -->
00:59:21.679In terms of storyline, what are we giving it?
00:59:22.000 -->
00:59:23.519Alexandria, you go.
00:59:24.320 -->
00:59:31.760I ooh, this is harder because now I'm trying to figure out which side uh my radio should be on.
00:59:32.320 -->
00:59:33.760We'll come back to you, uh Michaela.
00:59:34.000 -->
00:59:34.960What are you giving it?
00:59:35.599 -->
00:59:42.960Uh storyline a solid four, but I don't know why in particular.
00:59:43.440 -->
00:59:45.119Like I enjoyed it.
00:59:45.280 -->
00:59:48.079I don't know that you could have added more to it.
00:59:48.400 -->
00:59:50.400Yeah, I'd give it a four as well.
00:59:50.639 -->
00:59:52.960Um, all things considered.
00:59:53.280 -->
01:00:07.119Yeah, I think that's where I'm leaning, only because again, there were some aspects of character that I really wanted to see more of, but is there ever a five perfect storyline?
01:00:07.360 -->
01:00:16.880But um, I think overall Queenie gets a four, you know, which is I think maybe one was the only storyline we gave a five.
01:00:17.039 -->
01:00:18.239Yeah, yeah.
01:00:18.559 -->
01:00:21.920You know, so again, Kentis Cartoon Williams is up there, you know.
01:00:24.000 -->
01:00:26.079Candace make up yourself, my girl.
01:00:26.239 -->
01:00:27.599Anything you know, me there.
01:00:30.079 -->
01:00:39.760Yes, her projects are fan favorites over this side, yeah, yeah, and so um thank you for joining us for this season of Reals and Rhythms.
01:00:40.079 -->
01:00:58.320We will be back in the fall, but you will see upon the social media, do the things, and um just send us a message, eel us up, tell us where you're watching, tell us what you want to see, what you want us to talk about, and um yeah, thank you for being on this ride with us, honestly.
01:00:58.480 -->
01:00:59.599It's been so much fun.
01:00:59.760 -->
01:01:00.480So thank you.
01:01:00.639 -->
01:01:03.119Thank you for joining us, Alexandria.
01:01:03.360 -->
01:01:04.559Thank you for having me.
01:01:04.880 -->
01:01:08.400Yes, yes, Breat Media Pumble.
01:01:09.039 -->
01:01:11.599Yeah, any last words, Michaela?
01:01:12.239 -->
01:01:14.960No, no, this has been an exciting journey.
01:01:15.119 -->
01:01:19.599Thank you, Carrie, for you know, us just actually doing the thing, you know.
01:01:19.760 -->
01:01:27.920I talk we talk about it, and you know, it's been such a great uh experience just to talk the things with you as usual.
01:01:28.079 -->
01:01:34.559So looking forward to our fall season, but looking forward to the little break we are gonna get.
01:01:35.360 -->
01:01:41.360So until next time, you know, Carrie, back over to you for close out, closeouts.
01:01:41.519 -->
01:01:42.400There's no more closeout.
01:01:42.559 -->
01:01:45.599Walk good later, little more, all these things.
01:01:46.159 -->
01:01:46.800Bye.
01:01:47.440 -->
01:01:47.840Bye.
01:01:48.079 -->
01:01:51.119Hey, I hope you enjoyed that episode of Reels and Rhythms.
01:01:51.199 -->
01:01:58.239If you want to hear more or even watch the episode, the links to the video and audio are in the show notes.
01:01:58.400 -->
01:01:59.360Check it out.
