Queenie is a British series written and directed by women and starring Dionne Brown as Queenie, a 25 year old Jamaican British woman. Queenie isn’t doing well in life, at work, in her family relationships, or in her love life. She’s a mess.

Queenie begins at the gynecologist’s office where Queenie learns she’s had a miscarriage. She doesn’t tell her boyfriend, Tom (Jon Pointing). She never tells anyone much of anything and keeps all sorts of pain and trauma to herself. Tom’s family makes racist remarks to Queenie over dinner and Tom tells her “he needs space.”

For several months Queenie pretends Tom hasn’t broken up with her, but even she eventually has to face that it’s more than a break for a little space.

She works as a social media manager at a publication, where she keeps pitching story ideas that get rejected. She shows up late and sleeps at her desk.

After the Tom flake out, she moves in with her grandparents (Llewella Gideon and Joseph Marcell). She refuses to speak to her mother because of unresolved trauma in that relationship. Her aunt and niece are supportive. She has friends. What she wants is a safe and permanent relationship with a man. Lots of drinking and random sex with guys on a dating app doesn’t do the trick.

See? A mess.

We watch this downhill slide through the first few episodes of the 8 episode series. After panic attacks and HR problems at work, she agrees to talk to a therapist, not something her culture usually regards as a good idea. Queenie cleans up her act – slowly and steadily she does better. By the final episode, she’s in a pretty good place and will continue to improve herself and her life.

Dionne Brown’s performance was brilliant. She worked her way through the mess and the triumphs with equal skill. She was vulnerable and powerful and brought the audience with her on her road to growth. The cast around her were very good too, especially her family members and friends. (Specifically Bellah, Samuel Adewunmi, Darcy Pike, Sally Phillips, Cristale De’ Abreu, and Michelle Greenidge.)

The series was directed by Joelle Mae David and Makalla McPherson and
created by Candice Carty-Williams.

There were thematic storylines about the Jamaicans feeling displaced in England, about racism, and about forgiveness. With episodes of only 30 minutes, it’s a quick series to watch and well worth the time.

Queenie is streaming on Hulu/Disney+.