RuPauls Drag Race
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That was certainly an episode of television.
Except it mostly wasnt, actually.
No continuing narrative, no runway, no laughs, no learning more about the queens histories.
At times, this episode feels like a middle finger to the audience.
We get, in total, six minutes of Werk Room content before the challenge kicks into gear.
I was genuinely shocked upon hearing those first notes that indicate the runway starting.
The only other time weve had something close to this challenge was inAll Stars 6sSilky Nutmeg Ganache featurette episode.
All those episodes have inherent stakes.
This week doesnt really have stakes.
The only rivalry of the season, between Mistress and Malaysia, has already simmered down.
Theres not a lot of desperation in the queens either; its just another week to them.
They are the bulls-eyes to be safe in everyones eyes.
Am I surprised that the targets are the three white girls?
The girls people are scared of would definitely have to be Sasha and Anetra, she adds.
And thats all the setup we get!
Splice some words or something!)
So those are our stakes.
Its just not enough to hang an episode of TV on.
Instead, what we get is a demonstration the lip-sync abilities of every queen left.
And Im not super into that?
Marcia x3, for example, pulls out some tricks that were previously unknown on the show.
Id rather have seen them in a LSFYL than here.
Im also now aware, to my surprise, that Malaysia isnt the lip-sync diva Id expected.
Suddenly, the lip syncs for the rest of the season feel less climactic.
At this point in the season, I want to know why I should care about these queens.
This episode relies on the assumption that I do.
But what of the lip syncs themselves?
Theyre a really mixed bag.
Lets run them down.
Id guess its somewhere in the middle.
Instead, Marcia eats Malaysia up.
Is it shade that she throws a perfectly extended leg up in the air following Malaysias slightly crunchy kicks?
Spice, given her flaming outfit, opts for Joan Jetts Do You Wanna Touch Me.
This lip sync is not good.
This highlights a problem with Spices drag: Shes only spicy in comparison to her sister.
But fair is fair: Its a game of survival.
She chose the right opponent, and so Loosey will live to fight another day.
The first is that the judges dont like Jax anyway.
The second is that shes already shown a lot of her tricks.
Anetra vs. Sasha:We end the round on the inevitable.
Both of these queens are expert lip-syncers who dont rely on tricks, even though they have plenty.
Sasha gives a ton of hair flips, while Anetra gives full choreo.
Both are great, but Sasha clinches it for me with the applying-makeup move.
Malaysia vs. Spice:From the highest point of the episode to the lowest.
But Spice doesnt know the words either.
Malaysia is deemed slightly better, which … sure.
Luxx vs. Anetra vs. Jax:Im not a fan of three-queen lip syncs.
Theyre too chaotic, and its impossible to get a handle on whos actually winning.
All these queens pull out a ton of stunts and its justtoo much.
Ru goes with Luxx.
Anetra vs. Jax:Our final lip sync of the night is between the top two of week one.
Who would have thought wed end up here, then!
Whod have thought wed end up here even two minutes prior.
True, but also I am so bored of Spice being safe again after weeks of being mediocre.
Still, Im glad to see Anetra showing some real nerve shes a fighter, that one.
The lip sync is okay, with both girls clearly tired out from the pressure and the tricks.
The best moment is Anetra peeking out behind either side of her legs.
Jax holds her own, but Anetra is a better interpreter of the song.
So Jax goes home on a lip-sync episode, which just feels wrong, doesnt it?
It felt more climactic when Jasmine was sent home as a strong lip-syncer on this episode last year.
Probably because I got to know her.
Loosey is still thinking about her safe position in the fallout.
But I like her a lot now.
Marcia x3 Makeup Watch:The judges dont give any critiques this episode, so its not a focus.
Seeing it up close in her backstage shots, I wanted some more vibrancy in the colors.
The makeup is there, but its just not bright enough.
Trauma Makeup Corner:We had six minutes of non-runway time.
Even trauma must be excised sometimes.
Ross is back in a sequined bomber this week.
Songs they actually need to redo if they do another LaLaPaRuza:No Scrubsby TLC,Oops!
I Did It Againby Britney Spears,I Will Surviveby Gloria Gaynor.
