RuPauls Drag Race
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Its not fair, but its necessary.
I am, personally, all for it.
I believe in the value of star power.
Michelle approvingly calls her a theater kid, she won two look challenges, etc.
This week, I learned that this was not the case.
She ate her alive.
I imagine that after this episode some people will be crying producer manipulation.
Heres my retort: Doesnt matter!
Sapphira stumbling through some of her words is overcome by her ability to get all eyes on her.
Sapphira is the best public speaker because she feels natural and inviting.
Q and Plane, for that matter make fewer mistakes, but everything is so labored.
you might feel the work.
Nobody fully accomplished that this week, but Sapphira got the closest.
Her toast at the beginning was effortless, for example, and that is what should be rewarded.
Jokes are good, memorization is good, but star quality?
In a lot of ways, this is the episode Ive been waiting for this season.
Later, inUntucked, the girls call this the hardest challenge of the season so far.
Turn up the pressure and see who comes out a diamond.
The episode even begins with a bit of psychological warfare, which is always welcome on this show.
), so shes not particularly affected.
Sapphira wins, good for her!
The challenge this week is to give a PowerPoint presentation in groups about a topic that doesnt especially matter.
(This would not be a bad thing.)
His note about the PowerPoint not being a hindrance but an asset was well taken.
Nymphia is terrified of the challenge, which I think is honest.
showed us anything, its that shes being truthful when she says that shes not great at writing.
Mhiya also seems to approach this challenge as a guaranteed loss.
As a viewer, I did much the same, but that defeatist attitude isnt going to helpher.
Its interesting that she didnt or couldnt apply her Snatch Game success to this challenge.
At the same time, theyre robotic and off-putting.
Also, neither one of them nailed corporate drag.
Mhiya and Dawn are, as expected, a mess.
Dawn earns points for keeping it from completely spiraling, but I wouldnt say she does well.
), and the writing doesnt make sense.
Could she have done better with a different partner?
Is her work this week all that impressive, even taking her limitations into account?
Sapphira, Morphine, and Nymphia do well enough as a crew.
Sapphira is clearly a great speaker, even if she has a few hiccups.
Nymphia does some accent work that the judges dance around calling offensive without actually committing to it.
Heres the thing: Without the accent, her performance would still be safe.
Morphine is a shrinking violet.
When she calls out that shes bombing, it plays like a defense mechanism.
Compare that to Jaida, the queen of bombing, calling out her own deficiencies.
When Jaida does it, its a wink to the audience.
When Morphine does it, its sad.
So heres my question: Does it matter if the challenge performances are good?
Because these are mostly stinkers.
The runway category is 80s.
I do not respond to the hips on Planes blazer or the length of her pants.
Otherwise, its a serviceable if not particularly exciting look.
Going down an AIDS-awareness route for an 80s challenge makes perfect sense.
Mhiyas Patti LaBelle drag is nice, but Michelle is right about her shape.
I dont think her face has ever been more beautiful?
At this point, I think Ive fully switched over from Nymphia.
Sapphira, to me, is the winner.
Nymphia does, however, turn out the best look of the week.
Grace JonesVampis a perfect reference, and I like that its not an exact replica.
Morphine looks… awful?
And why does every outfit need an ass cutout?
Ultimately, Sapphira wins, Q is gagged, and Im having fun.
If she blows up next week?
All the better, honestly.
The lip sync earns this weeks episode a full extra star.
Its our first iconic one of the season.
I watched the rest of the lip-sync mouth agape.
Also onUntucked…
An impressively un-excitingUntucked.
Somebody just go off.
The slides and clips joke was, in fact, the best joke of the night.
Credit to Q where its due.
Ru introduces this challenge by saying, This week, its Drag Awareness Month.
Her presence really fills a room, and it was immediately apparent I was dealing with a pro.
Thank you, Joel!
Predicted Top Four:I hold strong!
Sapphira, Nymphia, Q, Plane.
Now, with Sapphira winning.
This is fine by me.
I would love for her to win the season.
Id also love to see LGD win another challenge.
Next week is going to be a bloodbath given the queens who are left.
I havent exactly soured on Tia, but I do think shes been a bit overpraised.
