The following is a spoiler-free review of Netflix's AJ and the Queen.
Even without RuPaul, Netflix's AJ and the Queen would be great.
Embarking on a trip from New York City to Dallas, Texas, title characters Robert Lee (aka drag queen "Ruby Red," played by RuPaul) and his kid companion AJ (played by Izzy G) burn through misadventures, musical numbers, and guest appearances like road fuel. It's a sparkly blend of emotion, humor, and spectacle written and produced so well that it could be fun with any lead.
A sparkly blend of emotion, humor, and spectacle.
But for fans of its creator and star, RuPaul Andre Charles, AJ and the Queen is something else.
A venerable institution of creativity, RuPaul is often lauded as the "hardest working queen in show business." He's got his Emmy Award-winning reality empire RuPaul's Drag Race, his weekly podcast with Michelle Visage, an extensive discography including Billboard Top 100 hits and three Christmas albums, guest spots on everything from Grace & Frankie to BoJack Horseman, and a convention attended by thousands in his honor twice a year, on both coasts. Up until a few weeks ago, he even had a daytime talk show.
For many, that laundry list of accomplishments is "RuPaul." Appearing on Drag Race and magazine covers (most recently Vanity Fair's), Ru presents a fantasy — an impenetrable wall of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent that represents a deity as much as a person. He's notoriously private, exceptionally well-managed, and an enigma to many.
Robert, on the other hand, is easy to get to know.
A touring drag queen with a fabulous wardrobe and some shitty luck, Robert had plans to open the biggest club in the Big Apple. But when he is scammed by a man he thought was his soulmate (played by the devastatingly handsome Josh Seggara), he packs his alter ego in the back of an old RV and sets out on a tour with hopes of starting fresh.
Enter AJ, played by newcomer Izzy G.
Recently orphaned with a mouth like a sailor (of the Village People, no less), the 10-year-old misfit stows away in Robert's luggage as he's leaving New York. Once discovered, she explains (read: demands) a ride to Texas and the two become an unlikely team. Soon, they learn Robert's sleazy ex and his accomplice "Lady Danger," played by Tia Carrere, are following them.
This is where the adventure begins.
Ru's "We get to choose our family" quote is felt in every frame.
Moving episode to episode, each named after another city on Robert's tour, every beat of this journey feels 100% RuPaul-approved.
Not only does RuPaul treat himself to lip-sync performances as Judy Garland, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, and Olivia Newton-John, he also squeezes in '90s clips of Oprah, a visit to a Bob Mackie museum, and a sex scene that pays homage to Titanic. In the first 10 minutes of the pilot episode, he's even got an excuse to say hey to Porkchop.
These are the moments when it's easiest to spot Ru's tastes under the fictional facade, but it's in the quiet scenes between Robert and AJ that the series becomes more personal.
Robert, kind, ambitious, and outspoken with a heart as big as his hair, relentlessly bares his soul to the youngster despite her disinterest. Slowly, but surely she returns the favor.
Their talks play out like lost chapters from RuPaul's memoir, reiterating the lessons of love and self-acceptance that made him a proper legend. It's as if the icon is finally talking to his childhood self — an exercise he's put Drag Race contestants through for years — and letting viewers listen in.
When the pair walk hand-in-hand, Ru's "We get to choose our family" quote is felt in every frame.
Izzy G. dazzles as AJ alongside mega-star RuPaul.
Image: Beth Dubber/Netflix
With guest appearances by dozens of RuGirls, this sentiment of family is echoed throughout AJ and the Queen's first season. From Chad Michaels performing Cher's rendition of "Waterloo" to Monique Heart and Latrice Royale burying the All Stars 4 hatchet at a barbecue, easter eggs for Drag Race fans abound. Even Drag Race guest judge Jenna Fischer appears for a spell, with Ginger Minj appearing in and out of drag the very same episode.
Each new arrival is a spectacular surprise, helping to make any slow parts of the season feel full of possibility. Of course, there's a chance all this inside Drag Race content will alienate viewers unfamiliar with RuPaul's other projects — but that's a risk worth taking. AJ and the Queen, although marketed to Netflix subscribers at large, is made substantially better by knowing its origins.
Ru's path towards a fantasy world of his own making has been a long one. Like AJ, RuPaul began as a child with an affinity for tank tops and a dream of something better. For newcomers to the universe of Ru, AJ and the Queen is a remarkable, albeit inside-out introduction to an icon.
And for those of us well-versed in his history, it's a portrait of the person behind the legacy — a chance to finally meet the man we call Mother.
AJ and the Queen is now streaming on Netflix.
