Review: 'Queer Eye' Gets a Feel-Good Glow Up with Addition of Interior Designer Jeremiah Brent

The Fab Five are back for a ninth season of "Queer Eye" on Netflix, this time in Las Vegas. As much as everything changes, everything stays the same – that's good news for fans who might be worried the chemistry wouldn't be the same without designer Bobby Berk, who left the show in 2023.

Berk was a cast member since the show's reboot on Netflix in 2018. Each cast member signed a seven-cycle contract that expired in 2023. Berk, thinking he was done, began working on other things. When Netflix green-lit another cycle that same year, Berk was booked and busy and couldn't return, while Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, and Tan France said they would. The unofficial tea about Berk's exit was that he and France had friction, but in an interview for Vanity Fair, Berk says that wasn't the reason.

Enter interior designer Jeremiah Brent to replace Berk. He is no stranger to reality TV, starring in the "Rachel Zoe Project" in its fourth season in 2011. Furthermore, he and his husband, Nate Berkus, have done other design shows together, most notably "Nate & Jeremiah by Design" for TLC.

He does make a great addition to the show, mostly because he adds his voice to it, unlike Berk, who was nearly invisible. Maybe that's unfair, but Brent is more vocal in the edit of this series, whereas Berk seemed reserved.

Sin City gets a plug this season, and the boys are helping downtrodden individuals find their light amid the neon. Vegas itself is currently experiencing a much-needed glow up, just like the subjects in "Queer Eye."

There is an English magician named Piff, who dresses up as a dragon for his stage show. There's an aging retired showgirl, perfect for our queer hosts to restyle, and a jilted mother named Nicole who was psychologically abused by her philandering ex-husband. For those in need of an emotional catharsis, "Queer Eye" is on-brand this season, with some inspiring stories where dry eyes aren't an option.

Reviewing this show is a bit hard, since it hasn't changed its formula. I will say it's better than last season, where the patina was beginning to show. The cast is reinvigorated, adding some polish to what's left of the idea this year.

As always, amid some of the pall that hangs over a few episodes, the flamboyant and joyous Jonathan van Ness is an unapologetic breath of fresh air. You might suffer from secondhand embarrassment when they tell an older toothless straight man that he's considered a "10" in the gay community because "they love a daddy," but you know Jonathan's big heart is in the right place even in moments of cringe.

Karamo issues his usual brand of hope-speak through personal one-on-ones, while handsome Antoni dishes out recipes the average person would struggle with. (In one episode he tells his charge to "massage the kale," or else it will taste like horse food. To tell a retired Vegas card dealer whose home design choice is horse-themed lamps and Stetson hat racks to massage his salad seems futile.)

Tan's sartorial advice is always appreciated, and his subjects are the better for it. I even learned that tucking in a shirt can make one look thinner and taller.

Overall, "Queer Eye"'s novelty has long since worn off. In 2020, HBO's "We're Here" tried to reinvigorate the formula by using drag queens instead of lifestyle coaches, and even as good as that show was, it was canceled after just four seasons.

Now in its ninth season, "Queer Eye" isn't fixing what isn't broken. With the exception of adding Brent, every season is a boilerplate of its previous ones, and that's nice.

What was once groundbreaking 20 years ago is now routine, which tells us how far queer television has come. There's comfort in that, and like a midday nap with your favorite old pillow, there's still coziness to be had in this new season of "Queer Eye."

All ten episodes of "Queer Eye," Season 9, premiere on Netflix on Dec. 11.