With a throwback to the 90s, we’re vibing with Queens on ABC
We’re here to give you our take on the premiere episode of Queens on ABC which aired on Tuesday, October 19. Brandy, Eve, Nadine Velazquez, and Naturi Naughton star as members of a hip-hop music group trio that finally rejoined together two decades after their heyday in the late 1990s.
Created and directed by Zahir McGee, the fictional drama follows the reunion of the Nasty Bitches, an all-female hip-hop group that boomed in the late 1990s. They look to reunite 20 years later to restart their music careers.
The first episode of Queens on ABC packs a lot of information into its 44 minutes, starting out with a music video that effectively captures the glamorous and raunchy hip hop vibe of 90s. It has all the bells and whistles of what you would experience from a Da Brat or Jay-Z music video from back in the day.
Mix in glimpses of each of the group members’ modern day lifestyles, we get an inside look of where each woman is at in their careers and personal lives. Brianna, played by Eve, is now a mom of five while Naomi (Brandy) is a solo singer-songwriter. Jill (Naughton) is now a church lady and Valeria (Velazquez) has a career as a morning show host. How the tables have turned in 20 years.
Each member, Professor Sex, Xplicit Lyrics, Da Thrill, and Butter Pecan (yes, those are their stage names!) are shown going through their struggles. There is a great sense of chemistry when the women reunite but there are still some petty arguments within them. Nothing like a great sisterhood.
The cast and soundtrack of Queens on ABC is creative and fresh, while having the sense of familiarity because of Brandy and Eve’s real life careers in r&b and hip hop. Not surprised to see that Swizz Beatz is the show’s executive music producer.
According to the premiere episode, a household drama, a love triangle, and a coming-out narrative are among the dramatic threads that will line out throughout the course of the season. Like some pilots, it may be overwhelming with so many character developments but the lives and personalities of these women are engaging enough to keep us curious of what’s to come next on Queens on ABC.