Dangerous Queen EP5: When Passion Turns Lukewarm

Okay, we’re just going to say it — Dangerous Queen is starting to falter exactly where Denied Love did. Dammit. We were rooting for this series to be bold — to tell the story we loved in the book with all its messy, magnetic fire. But alas… the spark is dimming.

Both stories were built around intimacy as a language of trust — the way two people learn to read each other’s boundaries and hearts. And Dangerous Queen even more so. This isn’t just any romance; it’s a dom/sub dynamic between two women who start with attraction but no trust, and slowly build both through communication, consent, and vulnerability.

In the novel, their connection grows because of intimacy — how they negotiate control, safety, and affection. On screen, though? It’s all surface. We’re told they have feelings, but we’re not shown why. The tension, the vulnerability, the emotional stitching that holds this story together — it’s missing. And that’s why everything feels choppy instead of charged. None of the emotional depth that explains why Bo starts caring for Queen, or why Queen keeps pursuing Bo. The book gave us this in spades. The show… not so much.

So, let’s break down where Episode 5 lost its crown. (Gosh, we really had high hopes.)

1. The Spanish Fly Scene — From Bonfire to Barely a Spark

Let’s start here: we were not a fan of Queen losing her composure and putting hands on her rival. We get that the writers wanted to humanize her, but letting him push her down — literally putting her beneath him — felt completely off-character. Queen would never allow that. And honestly, that was the first crack in what became this episode’s downfall.

Now, onto the infamous Spanish Fly scene. In the novel, it’s iconic — one of the most memorable chapters because of how it balances danger, desire, and restraint. Bo is poisoned with what’s believed to be an aphrodisiac, and it sends her body into overdrive. She’s desperate, overheating, craving relief, and Queen has to fight every instinct to cross a line without consent — even as Bo begs for it. It’s intense, uncomfortable, and powerful precisely because it’s about control, care, and choice.

Eventually, Queen helps Bo cool down in the shower, and Bo quite literally forces Queen’s hand — placing it exactly where she wants it. Then comes the line we thought would ignite the whole episode: “Don’t you know how to squeeze?” And honestly, that’s exactly what we were asking the show — why didn’t you squeeze the tension, the passion, the heat out of this moment?

When Queen finally gives in, it’s supposed to be a major turning point. Bo learns who Queen is in bed — passionate, patient, and yes, powerful. The book’s writing scorches; it’s practically a bonfire of chemistry and vulnerability. The series gave us a sparkler at best.

We’ll give credit where it’s due: Queen’s line of the episode — “Keep that mouth for moaning” — was pure sapphic poetry. We were sat. Mouths dropped. Fans waving. Damnnnn. But that was the peak. Everything after? Limp.

We were ready for that fire. Instead, we got a few decent camera angles, some forceful pulling, and a few kisses. Luke-warm at best. What should’ve been a visual metaphor for trust through dominance became a soft-focus montage. Queen’s quiet care — her way of protecting Bo even while wrestling with her own desire — was lost. And that was the entire point of the scene.

Show us the aftermath! A few scattered clothes, pillows on the floor, something to tell us this moment mattered. Help us feel that Bo’s body was burning from the drug, that she wanted to tear her clothes off and claw her skin — and that Queen’s restraint was the only thing keeping it from becoming chaos. That slow, deliberate control is what makes their connection believable, and without it, the fire just fizzled out.

2. Table Talk — The Banter That Builds Bridges

We actually loved the talk at the table after Bo catches Queen watching over her the night before. It’s one of the few moments that truly reflects the novel — that quiet push-and-pull that defines how these two learn to communicate.

Their exchange feels like a dance: each question answered with another question, each tease layered with meaning. It’s how they test boundaries, how they flirt, and, honestly, how they fall for each other. This is their love language — not through grand gestures or sweeping declarations, but through witty back-and-forth that peels back their walls.

It’s sharp, clever, and deeply human. For once, we got a glimpse of the chemistry that made the book so magnetic — a spark of what this series could still be if it trusted the dialogue as much as it trusts the aesthetics.

3. Bo’s Mother — A Powerful Moment, Prematurely Paid For

In the novel, Bo’s mother’s outburst is brutal — public, humiliating, and deeply emotional. Queen stepping in to protect Bo is a major turning point because she’s not the kind of woman who courts attention. Paparazzi are everywhere, the cameras are flashing, and Queen’s intervention becomes a headline act of defiance. She gets Bo out fast, shields her from the chaos, and only later — away from the noise — does she confront Bo’s mother and pay her off to keep her away.

That later confrontation is what makes the moment. It’s cold, strategic, and devastating for Bo, who finally realizes her mother’s greed outweighs any real love she had for her. It leads to one of the most emotional breakdowns in the novel — and Queen being there to hold her through it deepens their bond in a way that’s unforgettable.

In the series, though? Queen pays Bo’s mom immediately, right there in the moment. And just like that, the emotional weight evaporates. The payoff (literally) happens too soon, robbing the story of its build-up. It also robs some of the emotion the subsequent scene (in the book) outlines. We know it’s coming — thanks to leaked footage, no less, for the series — so we’re holding our breath to see how they’ll patch this, because that sequence is one of the story’s emotional anchors.

4. The Tease — Great Setup, No Sizzle

Near the end, Bo teasing Queen — tugging her shirt loose before sauntering off to the shower — should’ve been a moment. It’s playful, charged, a power shift in motion. But because we never got the deeper connection scenes earlier, it falls flat. Without context, it feels out of character — even for those of us who did read the book.

5. The Missing Connection

This is our biggest gripe. On screen, Queen is coming off as a cold, controlling boss instead of the calculating, emotionally aware dominant she is in the novel. We’re missing why they like each other.

In the book, Bo’s feisty — she questions everything, pushes back, makes Queen rethink her world. Queen’s dominance is deliberate, not harsh; her restraint becomes her strength. Their tension is layered with understanding and respect. Without that context, the relationship feels flat.

We’ve got three episodes left, and honestly, the chemistry isn’t pulling us in the way it should. Their bond — built on teasing, trust, and those scorching intimate moments — is what made the book addictive. The series needs to rediscover that heartbeat, stat.

Final Verdict

We’re disappointed, plain and simple. Dangerous Queen is based on a novel that uses intimacy as storytelling — where every touch, glance, and pause communicates growth. The show seems afraid to go there.

Can a series this rooted in sensual storytelling find its courage? We’re pleading with the sapphic gods: please let it. Because when you adapt a story like this, you can’t skip the very thing that makes it dangerous — and beautiful.

We’ll still tune in (because hope dies hard and Queen’s wardrobe alone deserves an award), but Sundays aren’t feeling as spicy as they used to.