The Netflix animated series Q-Force is extraordinary for any number of reasons, including its similarities to Archer, one of the most popular adult animated comedies currently on television. It is also notable for not only putting LGBTQ+ characters at the center of its story but also for using those characters to explore issues of interest to this community.
The members of this elite group of spies struggle to gain the appreciation of the higher-ups in the organization known as the American Intelligence Agency, even as they also have to contend with the group’s sinister history when it comes to its LGBTQ+ members. Q-Force is also like Archer in that it has some great and very funny characters, which makes fans wonder who is the best of such a diverse and fascinating cast of animated characters.
Jacqueline
Jacqueline is one of the more interesting characters in the series since she begins as a robot, and her winning personality and hilarious one-liners earn her a place in the pantheon of most lovable sci-fi television robots. However, Stat, with their genius for hacking, imbues this piece of metal with sentience, and the two ultimately begin a relationship. In fact, so strong is Jacqueline’s love for the person who gave her life that she ultimately sacrifices herself, and while this is devastating for Stat, it shows the depth of Jacqueline’s development as an independent character.
Dirk Chunley
Gary Cole has built quite a career as a voice actor, and he brings his considerable talents to bear as Dirk Chunley, the director of the AIA. He serves as the main villain of the series, but there’s no denying that is also a remarkably fascinating character, and he’s one of those people that viewers love to hate.
He has a particular antipathy toward Q-Force and Maryweather in particular, and he goes out of his way to make life miserable for them. Heroes are only as good as their villains and Chunley more than fills the role of a memorable antagonist whose antipathy toward the team drives the show's main narrative.
Rick Buck
While the other members of Q-Force are members of the LGBTQ+ community, Rick Buck (voiced by David Harbour) is a straight man who is dispatched by Chunley to keep an eye on them. Though he starts out by being a bit of a boor, he slowly reveals that he has many hidden depths and that most of his tough-guy persona is instead a carefully cultivated defense mechanism that he has developed to deal with his childhood abandonment issues. In his case, appearances are definitely deceiving and by the end of the first season, Chunley grows into a more well-developed individual than when he first appeared on the show.
Mira Popadopolous
Mia Popadopolous begins the series as a seemingly lovely and kind princess. However, as the series goes on, it’s revealed that she has far more sinister set of motivations, and she ultimately serves as the season’s big bad, particularly once she plans to use her romance with Rick to seize the throne and elevate her home country to the status of a world power. Though she’s not an especially likable or sympathetic character, she deserves credit for being a fantastic villain and Stephanie Beatriz imbues the character with a charm that is undeniable.
Twink
Like many of the other characters, Twink (voiced by Matt Rogers) has a lot going on in his history that has led him to the point that he’s at now. As the team’s resident master of disguise, he’s able to transform himself into almost anyone (including, at one point, Steve himself). He is constantly defying the expectations that others have of him, and while he might seem to be a bit silly, he has a sharp, critical mind that makes him an extraordinary and vital member of Q-Force.
Benji
Though he’s only a supporting character, Benji quickly casts a spell that it’s almost impossible to resist. As the season goes on, he develops feelings for Steve, which the other man reciprocates, even though he can’t reveal the truth of his identity as a spy to this man that he is clearly falling in love with.
As played by Gary Liedman, Benji is the epitome of sweetness, and he clearly loves Steve and wants to build a life with him, even going so far as to invite him to meet his family. They're almost certainly going to go down in history as one of the best gay couples in popular television.
Stat
Of all of the characters that appear in Q-Force, Patti Harrison's Stat is one of the most enigmatic, and almost everything about them--including their gender and sexuality--remains something of a mystery. However, this is precisely what makes them such a fascinating character and, while they don’t often reveal how they’re feeling--preferring to hide behind a mask of indifference, their romance with Jacqueline reveals that they are clearly capable of feeling very deeply about other people (and robots). And, just importantly, they’re incredibly skilled as a hacker.
V
Though most of those involved in the AIA look at Q-Force with thinly-veiled contempt, V (voiced by Laurie Metcalf) has a soft spot for Steve and does everything in her power to make sure that Q-Force has at least some of the resources that it needs.
What makes her especially compelling, however, is the fact that she also has her own secret history, one that’s only revealed to her about midway through the season. What’s more, her willingness to go against the powers-that-be at the AIA show her to be a very admirable sort of person.
Deb
Any time that a character is voiced by Wanda Sykes, it’s almost a certainty that they are going to be fun to watch (including her very funny standup routines on Netflix) and Deb, the lesbian mechanic of Q-Force, is no exception. Her no-nonsense demeanor ensures that she is one of the members of the group that is always grounded in reality, and she is also notable for her insistence on keeping her personal and professional lives separate (even though that ultimately falls apart). What’s more, she has a good heart, and she clearly cares about her teammates, including and especially Steve.
Steve Maryweather
Voiced by Sean Hayes, Steve Maryweather is both the founder and the beating heart of Q-Force. Even though he’s been given no reason to love the AIA, he still believes steadfastly in its purpose as an organization, and when he’s confronted with the ugliness of its history, he sets out to not just make it right but to reshape so that it becomes a spy organization that is significantly more welcoming and appreciative of its LGBTQ+ members. Though he isn’t always great at managing his private and personal lives, he at least deserves credit for doing the best that he can.