Can you believe it? You can count the remaining RuPaul’s Drag Race queens on one hand! This week our queens team up to lend their talents to a Mama Ru song and plead for their case as we head into the finale. Get ready for the extravaganza!
After last week’s double sashay, the remaining queens return to the werk room and are a bit shellshocked after being greeted by two mirror messages. Daya Betty was glad she was able to defeat DeJa Skye (who sent her home 20 years ago when the season began) and Jorgeous, who sent most of the cast home. Bosco feels renewed after getting a well-deserved win in last week’s roast. All of the remaining queens have won challenges and earned kudos from the judges, so they all have a chance of making the top four and the finale.
The next day, Ru enters the werk room and tells his “ferocious five” that their final maxi challenge (I feel deprived of one last quick drag mini-challenge, but, I’ll live) will have them putting all of their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent on display as they star in the video for Ru’s song “Catwalk.” As always, the dolls have to write and record their own verses and work on model-worthy choreography with Miguel Zarate but, this time they also have to create their own “catwalk couture” for the shoot. In addition, each queen will join Ru and Michelle for a ”Tic Tac Chit Chat.” It’s going to be a busy episode.
The queens begin working on sketching their designs. Lady Camden is going for an “underground raver fairy” look, hoping to show the judges another side of her. Bosco is eschewing her usual panties and corset look, opting for a structured catsuit. She wants her lyrics to be “devilish” and wants to start with a penance of sorts for her previous runway choices. Angeria Paris Van Micheals says she thinks rapping her verse is the way to go and Willow doesn’t want to share what she’s written because her lyrics are too good…or she’s stalling. Angie is hoping she and Willow Pill will be in the finale together (and judging from all of the Reddit spoilers, I think she’s going to get her wish.)
Ru and Michelle chat with the top five. Bosco says she’s happy with what she’s accomplished so far, excelling in the comedy challenges. Daya says she saw herself in the top five, to which Ru quipped, “I did not.” Zing! Ru did acknowledge that she was finally able to escape from the shadow of Crystal Methyd during the “Daytona Wind” challenge. Daya also shared the perils of living with diabetes (hence her drag name.)
Angie, who we learn is a drag mom to eight kids, admitted her own parents were very supportive of her career. Ru told Willow how much he enjoyed her take on life and ability to laugh in the face of adversity. She said she is learning to enjoy life, which is a hard thing to do. She wants to be a “drag rock star” and in my book, she’s already achieved that.
Lady Camden says she’s learned that taking risks can really pay off and revealed that her brother committed suicide when he was only 21. She said that the loss of her brother was one of the reasons she left England and hasn’t been back because of it but wanted to go back with a “just you wait” minute, which she has definitely achieved.
The next day, the queens enter the werk room and see the creations that they designed on paper come to life. The queens are mostly delighted with their looks, except maybe Bosco, whose catsuit is giving Willow, “soccer mom in space” vibes. The queens then learn their choreo with Miguel and Michelle, who lends her expertise to transform them into “catty supermodels battling for the spotlight.”
Angeria, our “park and bark” queen, feels like she’s on the struggle bus as Miguel zooms through the routine. Michelle gives the queens a quick pep talk, telling them to sell the lyrics and not worry so much about being exact with the steps, and then announces that filming commences immediately, much to Angie’s dismay. But, to her credit, she may not have had everything down, but she did sell it.
After the group dance, each queen took to the runway for their solo. (Cool note: Willow incorporated her profile into her outfit design.) Bosco notes that Willow is serving “sleepy supermodel” and now I am worried. Lady Camden is enjoying loving her Madonna fantasy but Angie doesn’t take Michelle’s note to crawl on the runway, a note that Daya takes…and works.
Elimination day is here and the queens talk first impressions. We got to hear the sweet origins of “Willgeria”, Bosco noted that Daya clawed her way to the top after being eliminated first because of her dislike of Jasmine. Lady Camden flew in under the radar and showed she was a true competitor during “Daytona Wind.” Of course, the common denominator here is that all five queens want to be in the finale. (And, again, they might just get their wish.)
On the main stage, Ru is serving a gorgeous “gown of many colors” and a huge blonde wig. I live. The category this week is “You’re a Winner, Baby” and the queens lived up to the assignment. Bosco is giving a Marilyn Monroe/Madonna inspired look with a sparkly nude dress with Tiffany blue gloves and waist wrap. Stunning. Angeria also dazzles in a black velvet mermaid gown with a feathered fascinator topping a gorgeous blonde wig (I love the red hair on the bottom.)
Daya’s mission was to “tear down conventional beauty” and did it with a side bustle covered by a burnt dress. It was giving me a little Carol Burnett “Went with the Wind”, but I dig it. The side bustle was really inspired. Lady Camden pays tribute to the Disney princesses she grew up with and looks amazing in a silver gown, dripping with jewels. Last but not least, Willow is the most glamorous rat you’ve ever seen in a full-length beige gown.
And now, the premiere of the “Catwalk” video and, yes, it’s a million times better than Ru’s sleepwalk performance of it from episode one (which feels like it aired in 2007.) When Ru said he wanted a tribute to George Michael’s “Too Funky” video, he wasn’t kidding. The dolls played the perfect models and Ru played the George part from behind the camera. Why this video took 14 seasons to arrive, I will never know. Dare I say, it’s almost as good as “Kitty Girl” from All Stars 3. (Almost.)
The judges have lots to say. Bosco got kudos for her letting go from her burlesque roots and slaying comedy challenges. Angeria was complimented for “bringing great stuff” to the runway. (Michelle was not enamored by her bodysuit…not surprisingly.) Carson was excited by Daya’s look and Michelle brought up the fact that her runway crawl was fierce.
Camden got high marks for her beautiful runway look and video fashion and Carson said she brought star quality to every challenge. Michelle said it was great to watch Willow’s journey, never using her illness as an excuse and crushing every challenge…well, except this one. She wasn’t 100% selling her lyrics and was so busy counting steps that she wasn’t lip syncing what she wrote. Uh-oh.
Before we get to the lip sync, Ru asks the queens (as always) to give their younger selves some words of wisdom. Bosco tells her six-year-old self that growing up may be tough, but to never apologize for who she is. Angeria tells her four-year-old self that he’ll have to face bullying but he’s got the best father in the world.
One-year-old Daya needs to let her guard down to find her truest self and Lady Camden tells her four-year-old self not to “harden up” too much. Lastly, Willow chokes up seeing her three-year-old self (who was one adorable kid) and tells her to learn to let loose and let the queerness of the universe surround her.
In the end, Ru determines that Lady Camden is the week’s big winner and Willow and Angeria (“Willgeria”) must go head-to-head for the last lip sync before the finale. The song is “Telephone” by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. Bosco says if they screw it up, they’re both going home, but, with these two, that isn’t going to happen. In fact, they both nail it.
Their BFF energy is so strong that…wait or it…Ru declares that they are both going to the finale (yes, another double shantay, but I think it is deserved in this case for sure.)
So, here is our top five – Daya Betty, Lady Camden, Bosco, Angeria Paris Van Micheals and Willow Pill. Who’s your favorite? To be honest, they are all MVPs in my book and I can’t wait to see who takes the crown. Next week is the reunion and in two weeks, we’ll have a winner, baby! Until then, remember that if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an “amen”?
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