Aahana Swrup
Following the narrative of its titular protagonist, ‘Queenie,’ the Hulu drama show presents a story that revolves around the life of a Jamaican-British woman in her twenties. Queenie Jenkins, sporting a complicated relationship with her mother— stemming from an equally complicated childhood— makes a life for herself by 25. Nevertheless, that life begins to crumble down after a hasty breakup with her long-term boyfriend, Tom. As a result, the fallout from the relationship ends up influencing different aspects of the woman’s life— from her living situation to her work-life balance.
Thus, Queenie’s employment as a social media assistant at The Daily Reader newspaper publication defines a significant aspect of her narrative and influences the course of the show. Tackling themes of diversity and workplace biases, the company retains a crucial spot within the character’s life. Therefore, natural intrigue arises about the publication and how much authenticity to reality it sports. SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Daily Reader Is a Fictitious Newspaper Publication
‘Queenie’ is a book-to-show adaptation of the eponymous novel by Candice Carty-Williams, who also serves as the creator of the Hulu series. Therefore, most of the narrative tools within the show originate from the author’s literary work, including Queenie Jenkins’ professional career. Within the 2019 novel, the literary Queenie works at a national newspaper where she wishes to advance her career in a serious light by working on pieces about the racial tension brewing across the country and the world. Nevertheless, the opportunities to do so remain minimal as the woman and her ideas consistently get overlooked.
The show brings The Daily Reader, Queenie’s workplace, to life, authentically adapting the book’s plot line. The publication’s on-screen depiction remains faithful to Carty-Williams’ original work, highlighting the complications of being one of the only Black female employees at a predominately white-staffed company. Furthermore, it delves into deeper socio-political dynamics by focusing on Queenie’s strife narrative with her white co-worker, Ted, who attempts to get her fired to save his own skin. The addition of such storylines into Queenie’s narrative, as she struggles with a mountain of personal issues, further authenticates the realism of her quarter-life crisis.
Therefore, The Daily Reader only serves to add further authenticity to Queenie’s story. Still, much like the character and her tale, the newspaper publication also remains confined to the realm of fictionality. Viewers may be able to find a similarly christened publication online, The Daily Reader, a platform authored by Nikhil Shahapurkar that promotes reading. Nevertheless, the publication likely has no ties to the fictional narrative explored within ‘Queenie,’ rendering the real-life publication an entirely separate entity from its coincidentally identically titled company. Ultimately, the Daily Reader depicted in the show is only a fictional element.
Read More: Queenie: Is Love Below a Real Dating App?
