Queer Eye (2018) / YMMV

Base-Breaking Character: Not "characters," but some of the Fab Five and their heroes have very divisive reactions among fans.
- Jonathan Van Ness has been hailed as a queer and non-binary icon by many, with their deferring to Black hairstylists when needed praised. Others have vocalized that they're tired of JVN's cutesy and over-the-top style.
- Karamo is either the best, most charismatic member of the Fab Five or the most useless, depending on who you ask. Some find his segments to be the best and most emotional while others have repeatedly asked, "What does he even do?" For what it's worth, most of the heroes have said they bonded with Karamo the most and consider him a very genuine person.
- Among the heroes, William gets this a lot. Some found him to be The Woobie in his episode, particularly because it feels like the Fab Five pick on him a good deal for his cheap furniture and dated wardrobe. Others found his episode finale to be extremely cringey and dorky.
Broken Base:
- The Japan mini-series is this. Critics and fans, including those of Japanese heritage, disagree vehemently on how the group of episodes was handled. Some believe the guys showed good sensitivity toward Japanese culture and were respectful toward the heroes for their cultural differences; others found the Fab Five pushed so-called "American" values onto their heroes way too much and did not sensitively handle certain cultural matters that were beyond their understanding (like the couple that was living in a sexless marriage).
- The handling of community relations between cops and the Black community in Season 1's "Dega Don't." Following the traffic stop "prank," Karamo and Corey speak extensively about the relationships between the groups they both represent, and some view the episode as a moving example of compromise – especially because Corey and Karamo say they're still close to this day. Others say Corey's complaints of being stereotyped as a cop doesn't compare to what Black men like Karamo experience, and say the episode didn't sit particularly well with them.
- The lives the Queer Eye heroes lead following the show tends to result in a lot of scrutiny, and some fans tend to express disappointment when some heroes – like Joe (Season 1), Thomas (Season 2), John (Season 4), Ryan (Season 5) and a few others – seem to largely go back to their former ways or still struggle after the show. Some argue that it comes across as unappreciative to the Fab Five and that some heroes were clearly using the show for the sake of a free makeover and home renovation, especially because some heroes – like Jess, Tammye, Neal and Robert, to name a few – have gone on to be much more dedicated to the "new" life the Heroes provide for them. Others say that this is a completely understandable thing, that it takes more than just a free makeover to fully improve circumstances. Some even go as far as to say that the amount of heroes to struggle to uphold their new lifestyle is an indictment of the show's general principle, while others strike a middle ground and say that while it's nice to see them embracing their new lives, too much pressure for them to do so can also lead to disappointment.
Fridge Horror:
- A lot of the heroes are renters, even those who live in detached homes – ever wonder what could happen to their homes once Bobby makes it over and really raises the value?
  - The worst actually did happen. Bobby Camp, the Season 1 hero with six children, lived in a rented home. He said the owner put the newly improved home on the market immediately after filming wrapped, forcing the Camp family to move out.
- Season 5 was shot prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but released during. Some of the heroes included businesses that might have very well been hurt by the pandemic (or even shut down), such as dog groomer Rayanna (who fortunately saw her business grow throughout) and DJ Ryan.
Memetic Mutation:
- Jonathan's coy "Can you believe?" in the first episode circulated the internet as an image representing sarcastic disbelief.
- There are a number of screenshots of one of the Fab Five looking disturbed with the caption "[gay fear]", all of which are popular as reaction images.
- A screenshot of Antoni's "A mac and cheese is something that can actually be so personal" gets used a lot, with the 'mac and cheese' replaced by the subject of the meme.
Nightmare Fuel: In "Dega Don't" (where the hero is a cop), the hero's partner pulls over the Fab 5 to introduce himself as a prank. Unfortunately, Karamo is driving.^note The situation almost immediately gets tense, to the point where Jonathan pulls out his phone to start filming in case something goes wrong, and after the cameras cut, at least 2 of the Fab 5 threatened to quit then and there.
The Scrappy: You'd be hard-pressed to find a fan of Joe, the comedian from Season 1, whom viewers disliked because they found him to be portrayed as an overly negative drip, very unfunny and frankly undeserving of his makeover. Some even went as far as to say that Bobby's makeover only further enabled him to keep mooching off his parents. Additionally, some have pointed out that because Joe's storyline revolved around being a comedian, another hero that season who also happened to be a comedian – Neal – had that aspect of their life not included in the show. Fans were disappointed to discover that Neal is much funnier than Joe, and many expressed that they'd rather he have been the one to have his stand-up included in the show.
- Ari from Season 2 has very few fans, and most feel like his compulsive lying was portrayed as beyond anything the Fab Five could fix.
- Some really aren't a fan of Farmer Matt from Season 4, since he still comes across as slightly homophobic with his comments to Karamo about gay men "converting" straight men. And a small group of fans and reviewers have pointed out that Matt's ex-wife leaving him very suddenly with their children has him painted as a victim, but there might be justified reasons for her leaving. Ultimately, there are two sides to every story, and the other side implies that Matt might be Unintentionally Unsympathetic.
- Terri from Season 6, partially due to her frustrating resistance to change.
Spiritual Successor: The creators' 2020 series Say I Do has a similar premise and vibe.
Surprisingly Improved Sequel: None of the seasons have ever had negative reviews, but some expressed that seasons four and five, as well as the Japan mini-season, had a collection of underwhelming heroes, makeovers and storylines – whether it was people who seemed like they didn't need that much help, like Lilly, people whose backstories seemed suspect, like Matt, or people whose dynamic with the Fab Five seemed uncomfortable at times, like Wanda. Along comes Season 6, which also dropped during one of the worst waves of COVID when everyone needed some positivity, and almost every episode was universally hailed as a tear-jerking, inspirational masterpiece.
Sweet Dreams Fuel: The main appeal of the show is helping people better their lives, genuinely and thoughtfully. Even when there is drama, it's in the interest of helping the client to live more authentically or fostering acceptance.

YMMV / Queer Eye (2018)

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