Ever since the first iteration of the series back in the early '00s, Queer Eye has held onto a defining ethos: a good makeover can truly change a life. Between the two teams known as the Fab Five over the Bravo era and the current Netflix incarnation of the series, lives have definitely been changed for the participants involved. Of course, the real question remains: which Queer Eye has the better Fab Five members?
Queer Eye lives and dies by the strength of its Fab Five. It's amazing the producers were able to catch lightning in a bottle twice, so to speak, across two different iterations of the series. However, did one version succeed more than the other? While viewers can claim to love both casts equally, one team definitely outshines the other.
Jai Rodriguez
Part of the original Fab Five, Jai Rodriguez, unfortunately, ranks last not because of lack of personality but because no one really knew what to do with him. At least, rewatching episodes of the original Queer Eye, the feeling is that producers didn't know what to make of the nebulous term "Culture." While the other members of the Fab Five had some very clear responsibilities, Rodriguez's role was a bit harder to pinpoint. It changed from episode to episode in a way that Karamo Brown's on the current series doesn't.
In the end, due to the constant state of being in flux, Rodriguez ends up getting lost in the shuffle. On camera, he comes across as very charismatic and fun, but the lack of direction through his "Culture" lens leaves him behind the other members of the Fab Five.
Ted Allen
Post Queer Eye, Ted Allen has made his name in the food world in several big ways. He's been the host of Food Network's Chopped since 2009 along with its spinoff series, Chopped Junior. He's created cookbooks and writes regularly about the food world. Allen knows his subject matter extremely well.
Unfortunately, on Queer Eye, his relatively low-key and laidback personality, especially in comparison to some of the other more high-energy members of the original Fab Five, meant that he didn't stand out as much. As a result, he tends to get shortchanged in segments that make it into episodes.
Bobby Berk
No one works harder than Bobby Berk in the Netflix version of Queer Eye. Berk redesigns homes or other living spaces from the ground up in a matter of days. The results are usually jaw-dropping for the heroes of the latest Fab Five "make-better." More than anything, reception comes down not to Berk's work ethic, but how his screen time suffers from the nature of his job.
As the Design man, Berk doesn't have a lot of segments with the heroes or with the other members outside of a few key scenes within the format of the show. Again, this is because the man is literally revamping a person's entire living space for them. Unfortunately, it means viewers haven't gotten to know Berk very well despite Queer Eye's many seasons.
Kyan Douglas
Hairstylist Kyan Douglas didn't have much experience with the entertainment industry when he was cast on Queer Eye. In fact, he heard of the project from a client, which led to him sending in a headshot and biography for producers. During his time on the series, Douglas chopped manes and usually went with a clean-cut sort of look for the subjects of the original Queer Eye. However, he's largely dropped off the radar since his role on the show.
While he was pretty fun on the series, Douglas ends up paling in comparison to Jonathan Van Ness, the current stylist on the Netflix iteration of Queer Eye. It's just one of those instances where, when looking at the present series, the past falls short.
Karamo Brown
To the absolute credit of Karamo Brown, he took the finicky "Culture" category of Queer Eye and forged it into something more defined. Sure, the title of "Culture" probably isn't as appropriate as "Therapy," but it's a space to allow the Queer Eye heroes to confront their issues in a safe way with someone who is trained in it (Brown worked as a licensed social worker for over a decade after his first reality TV appearance in The Real World.)
Still, it's that Culture label that still confuses Queer Eye viewers a bit. Some say what Brown is doing isn't Culture, which may or may not be true. Either way, despite defining himself better than Jai Rodriguez, Brown either needs to change the name of his expertise or throw in things a bit more cultural in his needed catharsis sessions.
Antoni Porowski
Discovered by previous Queer Eye food expert Allen, Porowski is practically a legacy member of the Fab Five. While very sweet, charming, and passionate about his specialty, he can't change the way food is framed within the Queer Eye narrative. Sure, the heroes of Netflix's Queer Eye learn how to make food and may even cook it for an event, but, overall, it's not the most important part of their transformation.
Unfortunately, despite Porowski's charm, he ends up getting a bit lost in the overall story that Queer Eye is trying to tell viewers.
Thom Filicia
The designer of the original Fab Five, Thom Filicia definitely was a force of personality during his tenure on Queer Eye. From the signature way he'd say "horrible" to the catty remarks about a person's decor, Filicia was always on point with his commentary. Like Berk after him, Filicia would revamp people's entire homes. However, as the series progressed, it was eventually downsized to one or two rooms within a living space.
From the range of the home transformations to his very camp personality, Ficilia made an impression during his tenure on Queer Eye. This translated to his own hosting career on various home design shows, such as Tacky House.
Tan France
The style expert for Netflix's Fab Five, Tan France has a very low-key personality but is somehow memorable as well. From introducing the world to the wonders of the French tuck to keeping budgets in mind for the heroes, France dresses people using their sense of fashion, just elevated. He's great at making style more accessible to the average viewer at home, who may not be sure if they even have one.
With his warm presence, Netflix has given France his own spinoff YouTube series where he dresses comedians amongst other things. He simply works well as America's Favorite Stylist.
Carson Kressley
Looking back on the history of the Bravo era of Queer Eye, the show probably wouldn't have been the smash hit it was if not for Carson Kressley. With his big personality, eye-catching attire, and perfect commentary, Kressley arguably became the face of both Queer Eye and the Fab Five overall.
Since Queer Eye ended, Kressley has had a pretty robust career in reality television. He's hosted several series about fashion and remains a well-known pop culture figure.
Jonathan Van Ness
Hairstylist and internet icon Jonathan Van Ness is the best member of the Fab Five. Van Ness feels like everyone's best friend. He rose to fame with internet series Gay of Thrones, where he recapped Game of Thrones, and his excellent podcast Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness. His role as a the hair guru on Netflix's Queer Eye sent them soaring to new heights, winning fans the world over.
All told, Van Ness' bubbly personality, warm demeanor, killer fashion, and excellent hair transformations have left an impression Queer Eye viewers won't soon forget.