Queen America

Queen America is an American black comedy web television series that aired from November 18, 2018 to January 6, 2019 on Facebook Watch. It stars Catherine Zeta-Jones, Belle Shouse, Teagle F. Bougere, Rana Roy, Molly Price, Isabella Amara and Megan West. The series follows a beauty pageant coach who suddenly finds herself backed into the position of training an untested contestant.

Queen America
GenreBlack comedy
Created byMeaghan Oppenheimer
Directed byAlethea Jones
Starring
Composers
  • Shel Dailey
  • Kevin Dailey
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Gretchen Enders
  • Jaclyn Moore
  • Darren Demetre
CinematographyRoss Riege
Editors
  • Fabienne Bouville
  • Peter Cabadahagan
  • L.B. Brodie
Running time23–34 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original networkFacebook Watch
Original releaseNovember 18, 2018 (2018-11-18) –
January 6, 2019 (2019-01-06)
External links
Official website

Premise

Queen America is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and follows "Vicki Ellis, the most renowned (and ruthless) pageant coach in the state, and the hapless Samantha Cole who hopes Vicki can mold her into worthwhile contender for the title of Miss America. Vicki is desperately sought after by young women competing to be Miss America for one reason; she can turn any girl into a winner. But when she gets paired with the beautiful but unpolished Samantha, Vicki’s entire reputation might be at stake."[1]

Cast and characters

Main
  • Catherine Zeta Jones as Vicki Ellis, a beauty pageant coach from Oklahoma who has worked with every winner of the Miss Oklahoma Starred and Striped U.S. Beauty Pageant for many years
  • Belle Shouse as Samantha Cole, the current beauty pageant titleholder of Miss Oklahoma Starred and Striped U.S. and Vicki's client. She was crowned after initially coming in second place but was given the title after the original winner was dethroned.
  • Teagle F. Bougere as Nigel Hill, a hair and make-up artist who works for Vicki
  • Rana Roy as Mary Clark, a personal trainer who works for Vicki
  • Molly Price as Katie Ellis, Vicki's sister and Bella's mother. Formerly a receptionist at a car dealership, she now works as a house cleaner.
  • Isabella Amara as Bella Ellis, Vicki's niece and Katie's daughter
  • Megan West as Brittany Garrett, the current beauty pageant titleholder of Miss Texas Starred and Striped U.S. and Mandy's client

Recurring
  • Tom Ellis as Andy, a chef and single father whom Vicki is dating
  • Judith Light as Regina Parrot, Vicki's mentor and former pageant coach who reluctantly agrees to help her coach Samantha
  • Alexander England as Rick Bishop, a member of the board of the Miss Oklahoma Starred and Striped U.S. Beauty Pageant with a history of harassing women
  • Robert Pralgo as Bruce James, the father of an aspiring pageant contestant who is having an affair with Nigel. He is secretly a closeted gay man and married to a woman.
  • Robb Derringer as Robert Crowe, an old boyfriend of Vicki's
  • Charmin Lee as Nancy Summer, the president of the board of the Miss Oklahoma Starred and Striped U.S. Beauty Pageant
  • Mickey Cole Jr. as Michael, an employee of Señorita's Tacos who begins dating Bella. They stop seeing each other after he learns that she is in fact sixteen years old and in high school and not twenty years old and in college as she had originally told him.
  • Jennifer Westfeldt as Mandy Green, a beauty pageant coach from Texas and Vick's nemesis
  • Victoria Justice as Hayley Wilson, a client of Vicki's and the initial winner of the Miss Oklahoma Starred and Striped U.S. Beauty Pageant. She was dethroned after crashing a car through a restaurant and getting charged with a DUI.
  • Cory Chapman as Kevin Cole, Samantha's brother
  • Jayson Warner Smith as Mr. Cole, Samantha's father
  • Kat Hughes as Deb Bonilla, a friend of Samantha's in Claremore
  • Jared Wofford as Parker, a man whom Nigel sleeps with
  • Lucy Capri as Grace, Andy's daughter whom Vicki babysits as a favor
  • Meg Gillentine as Marcia Woodhouse, a boutique owner and friend of Regina whom Vicki knows and has purchased clothing from. Katie asks Vicki to refer her to Marcia for a housekeeping position after losing her job.
  • Sir Brodie as Pastor Collin, the pastor of a church that Vicki attends and where Regina's funeral is held

Guest
  • Kelsey Griswold as Kelly Marsh ("Social Awareness"), a beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Oklahoma Starred and Striped U.S. 2014

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Sequins and Fritos"Alethea JonesMeaghan OppenheimerNovember 18, 2018 (2018-11-18)
2"Ms. Claremore"Alethea JonesMeaghan OppenheimerNovember 18, 2018 (2018-11-18)
3"Social Awareness"Alethea JonesGretchen EndersNovember 18, 2018 (2018-11-18)
4"Texas"Alethea JonesMeaghan OppenheimerNovember 25, 2018 (2018-11-25)
5"Psychological Warfare"Alethea JonesJaclyn MooreDecember 2, 2018 (2018-12-02)
6"Juvenile Diabetes"Alethea JonesLiz ElverenliDecember 9, 2018 (2018-12-09)
7"The National Anthem"Alethea JonesGretchen EndersDecember 16, 2018 (2018-12-16)
8"Help Me, I'm Sick"Alethea JonesLiz ElverenliDecember 23, 2018 (2018-12-23)
9"Americana"Alethea JonesJaclyn MooreDecember 30, 2018 (2018-12-30)
10"Promises, Promises"Alethea JonesMeaghan OppenheimerJanuary 6, 2019 (2019-01-06)

Production

Development

On May 3, 2018, it was announced that Facebook Watch had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. The series was created by Meaghan Oppenheimer who is set to executive produce alongside Paul Lee, Bruna Papandrea, Casey Haver, Guymon Casady, Suzan Bymel, and Janice Williams. Production companies involved with the series include wiip and Made Up Stories.[1][2][3] On June 5, 2018, it was reported that Alethea Jones would direct all ten episodes of the series as well as serve as a co-executive producer alongside Steve Hutensky.[4][5] On September 10, 2018, it was announced that the series would premiere on November 21, 2018, though it was later moved up to November 18.[6]

Casting

Alongside the series order announcement, it was confirmed that Catherine Zeta Jones would star in the series.[1] In July 2018, it was announced that Belle Shouse, Teagle F. Bougere, Rana Roy, Isabella Amara, Molly Price, and Megan West had been cast in main roles and that Jennifer Westfeldt, Victoria Justice, and Judith Light would appear in a recurring capacity.[7][8][9]

Filming

Principal photography for the series reportedly began on June 18, 2018 and was set to last through late-August 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia.[10][11] In late June, a scene was shot inside the Fry's Electronics store in Duluth, Georgia. From July 4 to 6, 2018, filming took place in Jonesboro, Georgia. On July 10, 2018, more filming occurred in the Perimeter Center area. On July 13, 18, and 19, 2018, filming took place in Buckhead near Lenox Square. On July 20, 2018, the series was in Midtown Atlanta, shooting at the Atlanta Biltmore Hotel and Biltmore Apartments. It was filming again in Midtown on July 23.[12]

On August 7 to 10, 2018, filming again returned to the Perimeter Center area. On August 8, 2018, the production was filming in Lithonia and a week later in Conyers. On August 17, 2018, filming occurred in the Lindbergh neighborhood of Atlanta. On August 23, 2018, the production was shooting in Chamblee.[13] From August 29 to 30, 2018, filming was scheduled to take place in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[14][15]

Release

Marketing

On September 10, 2018, a clip and a series of "first look" images from the series were released.[6][16] On October 24, 2018, a teaser trailer for the series was released.[17] On November 7, 2018, the official trailer for the series was released.[18]

Premiere

On November 15, 2018, the series held its official premiere at Le Jardin in Los Angeles, California. Those in attendance included Victoria Justice, Belle Shouse, Rana Roy, Isabella Amara, Meaghan Oppenheimer, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.[19][20][21]

Reception

The series has been met with a mixed to positive critical response upon its premiere. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 67% with an average rating of 4 out of 10, based on 12 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Not quite a showstopper, Queen America catwalks a tightrope between black comedy and straight drama but scores some points for Zeta-Jones' poised performance."[22] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the series a score of 54 out of 100 based on 4 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews."[23]

In a positive review, Boston Herald's Mark Perigard praised the series saying that it "features some surprisingly tense adult moments and some language that was bleeped out. Along the way, there are some cutting observations about the pageant scene — like how every winner has to act shocked, just shocked, when her name is called out."[24] In a similarly positive assessment, Common Sense Media's Melissa Camacho was equally complimentary saying, "Despite the dark, snarky tone, Queen America also contains some mildly empowering themes, including the value of working hard, finding strength in oneself, and the importance of finding people to help pull you up when you need it. And while it has enough strong content to make it a questionable choice for young viewers, it is very entertaining for those mature enough to handle it. All in all, if you’re looking for a fun streaming series to watch, this one works."[25] In a more mixed critique, Paste's LaToya Ferguson praised the performance of Zeta Jones saying, "She is the reason to continue watching, no matter how much you feel you’ve seen it before. The grace and command she possesses in every scene is truly a joy to watch," but ultimately concluded that "In the grand scheme, Queen America pales in comparison to its forerunners. That doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time, though. And who knows, maybe it has a few surprises up its sleeve down the road."[26] In an outright negative editorial, Variety's Jen Chaney criticized the series saying, "In the series, a black comedy (or is it a drama with occasional jokes?) about the desperate hangers-on in the beauty pageant scene, Zeta-Jones feels constrained by the show’s sensibility and its sour lack of ambition. That she fights as hard as she can to avoid being sucked into the eddy of just-good-enough makes the mismatch between star and show, one of the most striking in recent memory, all the more pronounced."[27]

References
  1. Andreeva, Nellie (May 3, 2018). "Catherine Zeta-Jones To Star In 'Queen America' Series For Facebook Produced By Paul Lee & Bruna Papandrea". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  2. Otterson, Joe (May 3, 2018). "Catherine Zeta-Jones to Star in Facebook Watch Series 'Queen America' From Paul Lee's New Studio". Variety. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  3. Jarvey, Natalie (May 3, 2018). "Catherine Zeta-Jones to Star in Facebook Comedy as First Series From Paul Lee's New Venture". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  4. Pedersen, Erik (June 5, 2018). "'Queen America': Alethea Jones To Direct Facebook Watch Series Starring Catherine Zeta-Jones". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  5. Clopton, Ellis (June 5, 2018). "TV Roundup: Alethea Jones to Direct 'Queen America' for Facebook Watch". Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  6. Evans, Greg (September 10, 2018). "Catherine Zeta-Jones Series 'Queen America' Sets Facebook Watch Premiere Date". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  7. Petski, Denise (July 9, 2018). "'Queen America': Belle Shouse, Teagle F. Bougere, Rana Roy Among Six Regulars Cast In Facebook Watch Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  8. Petski, Denise (July 19, 2018). "'Queen America': Jennifer Westfeldt & Victoria Justice Join Facebook Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  9. Petski, Denise (July 26, 2018). "'Queen America': Judith Light To Recur In Facebook Watch Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  10. Ho, Rodney (May 4, 2018). "Catherine Zeta-Jones' 'Queen America' (Facebook Watch) coming to Atlanta | Radio and TV Talk". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  11. "Facebook's 'Queen America' Atlanta Open Casting Call". Project Casting. June 1, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  12. Walljasper, Matt (July 25, 2018). "What's filming in Atlanta now? Stranger Things, Superintelligence, The Mule, plus our Comic-Con roundup". Atlanta. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  13. Walljasper, Matt (August 27, 2018). "What's filming in Atlanta now? Stranger Things, Raising Dion, Queen America, Superintelligence, plus unpacking the new FilmL.A. report". Atlanta. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  14. Love, Ryan (August 23, 2018). "Catherine Zeta-Jones web series filming in Tulsa". KOKI-TV. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  15. Purdy, Michael (August 24, 2018). "Catherine Zeta-Jones is headed to Tulsa | Tulsa's 24-Hour News, Weather and Traffic". KRMG. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  16. Lee Lenker, Maureen (September 10, 2018). "Get your first look at Catherine Zeta-Jones in 'Queen America'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  17. Nemetz, Dave (October 25, 2018). "Catherine Zeta-Jones Is a Pageant Drill Sergeant in First Queen America Teaser". TVLine. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  18. Hayes, A. Cydney (November 7, 2018). "See Catherine Zeta-Jones as a ruthless pageant coach in the official trailer for 'Queen America'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  19. Justice, Victoria (November 17, 2018). "Had a great time at the @queenamerica screening the other night! Such a lovely & talented group of people. So happy I was able to be a part of it 💜. You can watch it TOMORROW on @facebookwatch y'allll 👍🏼". Instagram. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  20. "Victoria Justice, Madison Reed and Catherine Zeta-Jones at Queen America Premiere in Los Angeles 2018/11/15". Celebskart. November 18, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  21. "Victoria Justice – "Queen America" Premiere in LA". CelebMafia. November 17, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  22. "Queen America: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  23. "Queen America: Season 1". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  24. Perigard, Mark (November 16, 2018). "Coveting the tiara in 'Queen America'". Boston Herald. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  25. Camacho, Melissa (November 27, 2018). "Queen America - TV Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  26. Ferguson, LaToya (November 16, 2018). "The Reason to Watch Queen America Is the Commanding Catherine Zeta-Jones". Paste. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  27. D'Addario, Daniel (November 15, 2018). "TV Review: Catherine Zeta-Jones in 'Queen America'". Variety. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
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