S13.E12: Pop! Goes the Queens

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

The queens must create and brand their own versions of extravagant soft drinks. Current reigning America’s Next Drag Superstar Jaida Essence Hall makes a virtual appearance in the workroom.

Original air date: 3/19/21

[CraftyHazel]

Lord, I love Symone!!  That commercial was everything I never knew I wanted.  Seeing her and Rosé share a win made me very happy indeed.

 

[phoenix780]

They need to start showing with Kandy and stop telling me about her. She's not funny. And, I didn't believe her sad story. I'm a bad person for that. 

They need to not show slides about being anti racist and keep bringing Loni Love around. She is racist. That means, they are not, as a production, anti racist. 

I was relieved Utica stayed, and happy Rose got a joint win, but I think I'm out of love with this show. I'm just imagining Kandy with Eureka and Silky on all stars, wishing they'd eliminate more quickly and get this done. 

[xander874]

How many episodes are there this season? I feel like we have so far to go before the final. 

Kandy should’ve been in the bottom for that green monstrosity. Every week she puts on a body suit and terrible makeup and gets a pass because she makes Ru laugh. Her conmercial wasn’t funny at all. I am so done with her although with the redemption arc she is getting I expect her in the final. 

Love Symone and Rose. Symone’s commercial was perfect and Rose rocked the runway. 

Edited March 20, 2021 by xander874

[lyric]

I'm glad Utica stayed and glad Tina left, but I thought Tina slayed that lip synch, and Utica's soda thing was cringe. Between that and the panel laughing off Kandy's bullshit main stage drag - this show has become insanely arbitrary. Tonight reminded me of when several of the queens got pissed off because Alyssa could "wear some bullshit up on that stage - if I wore that they'd tear me apart - but 'it's okay, cuz it's Alyssa and she's so funny!'"

I'd be frustrated if I were any of these other queens who weren't cut any slack for far better drag and see them laughing off that absolute monstrosity tonight. I knew when she came out that they'd give her a pass - and this show shouldn't be that predictably biased.

Love that Symone & Rose got the two-fer tonight - would love to see them as Top 2.

[bobbyjoe]

The judges do realize that the audience can actually see the performances, don’t they?

I mean, they can keep pulling the Emperor’s New Clothes thing with all the “ohmigod, Kandy, you’re the funniest thing ever” all they want,  but who exactly do they think is buying this?  She’s objectively terrible, from any standpoint.

Kandy’s ad was a mess.  She was completely scattered and never, ever funny.  Her runway look made no sense and didn’t fit the challenge.   

And showing Kandy’s critique right after Utica’s does the judges no favors in revealing exactly how much the fix is in with Kandy.  I’m not the biggest Utica fan, but, wow, they were incredibly hard on her.  I actually found myself chuckling at a thing or two in Utica‘s ad, like the cow’s udders, which was never the case with Kandy’s.  And Utica’s look was not bad, and fit the challenge.

This has to stop.  The obvious and unethical favoritism toward Kandy is a disgrace, full stop.

[Adeejay]

I was happy for the double winners.  Well deserved.  Symone's ad was hilarious and Rose was a vision in red.  With regards to Kandy, I feel like I am missing something, because I don't see what the judges are seeing. 

Edited March 20, 2021 by Adeejay

[roctavia]

I was so ready to come here to complain that Rose was robbed of a win, but it was great to see her and Symone both get the win. Their ads were funny, their runway looks were good, though I didn't think Symone's was somehow super elevated.... but I feel like that can be so subjective anyway.... But I'm not mad she was in the top!

I'm okay with Tina going, though I like her more than I did earlier in the season. I still don't get Kandy, her runway look was terrible. Her commercial had some goofiness but the concept wasn't super clear from watching. I think I understand what Gottmik was going for, but the execution wasn't very good. Just calling her drink "Delusion" or something might have played better. 

I liked Olivia's runway look but her commercial was hard to follow. Utica's was sort of the same. You got the sad and then happy but it got to quirky to make as much sense as it should have, if that makes sense? I liked her runway look and her makeup. But I would have been okay if she'd been the one sent home too... 

[violet and green]

The way Rose moved in her red demon outfit. That final leg slide at the end! Wonderful. So glad there was a double win.

Of all the Mean Girls, I'd come to feel really fond of Tina Burner, so that sucked. I thought either Kandy and/or Gottmik would be in the bottom two, as their commercials weren't good - Gottmik's was really embarrassing. And Kandy's was particularly dull, but of course Ru lapped it up, and then sitting there in the lounge in her non-Beast outfit with some pretty ordinary makeup, Kandy seemed to have swallowed some of Gottmik's can of Delusion (should have stuck to that name), assuming she'd be in the top! Tina's ad was better, and her outfit was clumsy but a clever idea.

I feel like the exit order this season is so preordained. Kandy will be there to the end, regardless. Gottmik, no doubt the same, and everyone will be picked off one by one to facilitate that.

Simone was my winner's pick from first sighting the pictures of the season 13 queens, and Olivia Luxe my secondary pick. I am hoping Rose gets to the end, too, but probably one of the latter two will be sacrificed at the altar of Ru's chosen ones. Uuuuugh.

Drag Race is my weekly treat, but this season I finish every episode just... so sad. And it's awful, because I try not to get my hopes up that Kandy will go home - this week I was so sure, she sucked so bad! - and I tell myself it won't happen for a long, long, long time, probably never, but I can't help hoping this will be the week, and then someone likeable, with promise, with charm and sweetness and originality, and/or with beauty, with elegance, with heart, goes home instead.

Edited March 20, 2021 by violet and green
typo

[cpcathy]

Rose was great this episode, she is the whole package. Which means that she will be eliminated, Ru knows she doesn’t need it. 
if you haven’t seen her videos as Mary, Queen of Scots, they are a scream.

 

[rlc]

Ugh. Not unhappy with the ultimate outcome of this episode, but I’ve definitely grown weary of Gotmik never being in the bottom (which she should have been last night) and Kandy getting the same critique every week (you were okay on the challenge, and you didn’t follow all the instructions and your runway kind of sucked, but gosh golly, we just love how funny you are) and ending up on top. 
 

Symone should win this season, with Rose as runner up, which means that Gotmik will win with Kandy as runner-up.

My daughter and I put far too much thought and energy into this show, so after watching Untucked together this morning, we decided the following. Gotmik always looks great on the runway, but always looks like she’s in costume. That would be a negative critique for anyone else. Also, her costume always look like she was extremely well financed coming into the show, with a ton of help creating said costumes, where as Symone’s outfits are always amazing and well put together, but feel like someone super creative and scrappy put them together without feeling cheap/homemade. It’s the kind of drag we want to see.

On a totally shallow note, I enjoyed seeing the looks on Gotmik and Kandy’s faces when Tina was eliminated, and was absolutely thrilled that we won’t be stick with another Rolaskatox moment.

[Ananayel]

I too hoped for a well-deserved Kandy sashay. I don't get it. Don't TPTB understand how badly they are wrecking this show by throwing all their weight behind inferior performers? So happy for Rose and Symone - they are the best two left, but at this point I'm sure they will be a Shocking! Double! Sashay! Tina annoyed me, but for sure deserved to stay over Kandy. 

[Kroliosis]

2 hours ago, rlc said:

Symone should win this season, with Rose as runner up, which means that Gotmik will win with Kandy as runner-up.

Was coming to post this exact thing.  What a bummer. 

[For Cereals]

I just can’t watch Tina being comforted in her much better thought out costume by Kandi in her bodysuit with bathroom rug patches...

[Red Bridey]

Not sorry to see Tina go...I am actually glad because I disliked her whole redyelloworange aesthetic. But how in the name of all that is good and holy did she NOT have to LSFYL against Kandy and that pathetic excuse for a runway look? I am speechless. Speechless. But on the hand, I can't express how much I adore both Rose and Symone. Symone's outfit was a little hobby lobby, but her commercial was fantastic, and Rose is just the best, the best. I love that face. She is totally adorable. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I know that a beast themed runway is just begging for costumes but lord were some of them awful.

Kandy's was one of the worst. It showed absolutely no effort, creativity, or thought. She wore a fucking body suit with three green fur patches. It wasn't even something that you'd throw together as a last minute costume party outfit. It was just BAD. Adding an inflatable alien did not improve matters. On top of that, her makeup was awful. Like so bad that if you told me a seven year old had done her makeup, I would have believed you. Her eye makeup was especially egregious. Her commercial wasn't funny. At all. And it was just all over the place. I kept waiting for her to have a point.

Tina's furby Frankenstein look wasn't much better. I will grant her that it took more effort than Kandy's but it was still awful. It looked so thrown together and cheap. It was also really unflattering. You know, because it was a giant sack of fur with no shape. I didn't find her drink commercial funny but at least, unlike Kandy's, she had an obvious through line.

Symone's fox look was campy and silly and fun. Her ad was funny, partly because she is funny but partly because she made good choices. She kept the concept simple so that it wasn't a seventeen part miniseries (heh, I laughed when everyone in the workroom was talking about how Tina had too much going on in her concept). I totally cracked up that the list of ingredients were sugar, glucose, and high fructose corn syrup. And of course she sold the hell out of her commercial.

I had mixed feelings about Gottmik's monster look. The huge eyes on the shoulders were amazing, but on the other hand, she was really just wearing a boobless leotard. I was glad that she did some different eye makeup this week. It makes me think that she doesn't feel the need to hide behind that white mask anymore. I get what she was going for in her commercial, but it just didn't come across well. The thing to remember for a challenge like this is that you have only 30 seconds to get across the product, your brand, a jingle, and the list of ingredients plus your personality. You need to make sure you can do all of that clearly in the time you're given.

Olivia's monster look was cute. She managed to cover herself in faux fur and still have a shape to her body so she was way ahead of Tina's look. She looked like an adorable Mike Wazowski. I liked that her ad concept was simple but I think maybe it was too simple.

Rosé's look gave me demon more than beast (probably because of the red color) but I loved that it was a head to toe look. She used the feathers in a smart way (using a corset on her torso so that her body had a nice shape and reserving the feathers for her arms and legs). She was giving me Him (from the Power Puff Girls) vibes. Her commercial was my favorite. It was funny, the concept was obvious, and she was poking fun at herself.

Utica gave the most high fashion beast look. She was creepy and beastly but she still looked elegant and runway. Bonus: she was the only one who didn't look like she was going to a Halloween party. My favorite thing about Utica's ad was her little jingle at the end.

I love that Rosé and Symone were both the winners this week. BUT HOW IN THE FUCK WAS KANDY SAFE?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Tina & Utica LSFYL to My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas

Whatcha Packin': Tina Burner

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

And in honor of this week's episode title - Pop Goes the World by Men Without Hats:

 

[MsJamieDornan]

https://tv.avclub.com/rupaul-s-drag-race-focuses-on-the-seasons-endgame-with-1846517682

I think everyone has caught on and isn't afraid to say so.

[Blissfool]

6 hours ago, Red Bridey said:

  Rose is just the best, the best. I love that face. She is totally adorable. 

I agree. Rosé is classy, talented, intelligent, and liked by everyone. A few queens have openly flirted with her. She has a certain magnetism. Hell, even I have a crush on her! 

[7-Zark-7]

-Of course Utica would pull out her most elegant look for the Beast challenge.

-If Kandy had the best commercial ever, that runway should still have been enough to land her in the bottom. That look might be worse than La La Ri’s gift bag outfit because she had time and money to produce that thing.

-Like the UK season finale this week, the lip sync didn’t have much to do with the result. It's a disturbing trend.

-I’m not surprised that Ru is positioning the queens to get the finale she wants, but I don’t think it's been this transparent since…. Silky.

[howiveaddict]

It's sad that the best part of every episode is the commercial for Bubly with Latrice, Manila and Vanje.

When Kandy was talking about being bullied, I thought for a second that he would be voted off.  Those speeches are usually a sign a queen is leaving.  No such luck.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I loved the quiz mini challenge. I love seeing who is a super fan of the show!

[Just Carol]

Again!  Another episode where Kandy was the worst but didn't land in the bottom.  Her runway was an offense.  

I felt bad for Tina.  Granted, her ad was confusing at the beginning-- telling Pit Crew that he was a minute late home from work?  I don't get it. And maybe she should have named the soda, "Hell, Yeah!" instead of "Burning Up."  But these were small faux pas.  Tina was on-brand, and the judges basically told her that they were tired of her brand.  Sucks.

Olivia has been losing steam.  She was initially one of my favorites, but now, meh.

[30 Helens]

I actually thought Kandi’s commercial was ok, compared to some of the others. It was at least on brand for her. But that runway look? She looked like a big fluorescent condom with carpet samples and a pool float attached. 

Symone easily had the best commercial, but Rosé’s runway look was amazing. I was happy to see them split the win, and even happier to see the look of shocked delight on Rosé’s face when it happened.  If they’re not Top 2, this entire season is a farce.

Gottmik’s commercial? A classic case of overthinking and trying way too hard. That was a mess. At least it gave her a dose of much- needed humility.

And as for Utica... I love weird. I appreciate eccentricity. Yvie Oddly is one of my all-time faves.  But this queen has gone off the deep end. The less said about that commercial, the better. I also thought Tina won the lip synch. I can’t say I’ll miss Tina, but this was really Utica’s week to go.

[Glade]

I found Rose's commercial unintelligible, but thought Gottmik and Utica's were at least funny; Rose's didn't read as beast either, just devil/demon costumed human.  So I don't agree with the double win.  The judging panel giving Kandy's terrible off-theme look a pass also threw me; she should have been lipsyncing. 

[bref]

13 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Olivia's monster look was cute...She looked like an adorable Mike Wazowski.

I think you mean Sully, but I'm with you. :) 

3 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

I also thought Tina won the lip synch. I can’t say I’ll miss Tina, but this was really Utica’s week to go.

I felt bad for Tina facing a LSFYL while wearing that huge, shapeless garment, but she actually killed it. Another disappointing decision.

[Blakeston]

A few scattered thoughts:

- I'm shocked that Tina went home. She was significantly better in the lip sync, IMO, and all season long it seemed like the judges were going as easy on her as possible in order to keep her around. (That said, I won't miss her one tiny bit.)

- My Humps is easily one of my least favorite songs of all time. It says a lot about the quality of this season that such a crappy song managed to result in one of the better lip syncs.

- I'll give Kandy one thing - I could understand every word she said in her video. Apparently she can speak clearly enough, when she isn't yammering on a-mile-a-minute to dominate the conversation.

- I think Symone has the season in the bag. The judges love her, she's dominated pretty consistently, and she seems to be by far the strongest lip syncer left. Ru and the judges have clearly shown Mik and especially Kandy a ton of favoritism, and I think they have automatic spots in the final 4 (unfortunately), but I don't see Ru giving either the crown over Symone.

- I never would have guessed at the beginning of the season that Utica would absolutely slay the fashion challenges, and be so weak at the comedy challenges.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The Queens Create Poppin’ Soft Drink Commercials

The Pit Stop: Trixie Mattel & BenDeLaCreme

 

[funnygirl]

19 hours ago, howiveaddict said:

It's sad that the best part of every episode is the commercial for Bubly with Latrice, Manila and Vanje.

Yes! Love them. 

[cpcathy]

I need a a daytime chat show with Trixie and Ben DelaCreme.

Edited March 22, 2021 by cpcathy
Darn autocorrect!

[howiveaddict]

56 minutes ago, cpcathy said:

I need a a daytime chat show with Tricia and Ben DelaCreme.

I got stuck in a you tube rabbit hole and watch the one with Trixie and Bianca. Hilarious.    Love watching the queens' take on this season.  They are totally accurate in their critiques.  

[MsJamieDornan]

Quote

I need a a daytime chat show with Trixie and Ben DelaCreme.

I would certainly watch that !

[RoxiP]

Technically Satan is considered a beast and besides Rose is so easy to look at both as a man and as a woman...LOL!

I too loved Yvie but I just can't warm up to Utica.  I think Yvie's being an oddity is just who Yvie is, unashamedly.  I feel like Utica is odd because she's hiding behind it and she is uneasy in her own skin.  

They should have made Gottmik be in the bottom 2 but perhaps they were afraid if she was that she would be so bad at lip syncing that she would have to be eliminated no matter how much they wanted to save her.  Her runway look was better than either Tina's or Kandy's (how the heck is she still there?) so perhaps that saved her.

I just want to sit next to Symone in a crowded room and listen to her commentary.  She is freaking hilarious.

[ladle]

I'm not just saying this because she should have been axed weeks ago, but I'm really not sure what the storyline was for Kandy's beverage or what exactly the beverage was supposed to do.  

[ladle]

I love Symone and there's no justice in this world if she doesn't win this whole thing (with Rose a respectable second place) but I guess I didn't really understand what was so "elevated" about her look tonight.  To me, she looked like a cute theme park mascot.  Help me out here? 

[Kaboom 2.0]

Alyssa having her own category in that Pit Crew mini challenge is right and just.  

Still muting Kandy while using closed captioning so I don't miss anything. I can understand, to a point, keeping a lesser queen around to give her exposure that hopefully translates to more bookings IRL but at this point keeping her stands out for the wrong reasons, her shortcomings stand out even worse when compared to some of the others. 

If Symone (second choice: Rose) does not snatch that crown at the end it will be added to the long list of Drag Race injustices. Ah and Rose are everything a queen is. 

[Blakeston]

7 hours ago, ladle said:

I love Symone and there's no justice in this world if she doesn't win this whole thing (with Rose a respectable second place) but I guess I didn't really understand what was so "elevated" about her look tonight.  To me, she looked like a cute theme park mascot.  Help me out here? 

She was dressed like a furry. There was nothing remotely elevated about it.

It's completely ridiculous that the judges called her look elevated, and claimed that Denali's roller waitress look was too "costumey." Symone's look was a blatant costume.

[RoxiP]

weren't all the runway looks costumes this week?  Actually only Rose's and Utica's were in any way flattering (and arguably Symone's) - everybody else looked like stuffed animals.  Not my favorite runway 

[filmfan2480]

Thoughts:

Symone and Rose winning felt correct.  Both had fantastic commercials and runways.

Of the two in the bottom, I thought Tina brought it in the 1st half of the lip synch and Utica brought it in the 2nd half.  But overall, I thought Tina was better in the lip synch.  Kinda bummed she left, just because that is two weeks in a row that I would not have sashayed the one who left.  Come on, Ru!  

Kandy's commercial made me chuckle a little bit.  I don't seem to loathe her as much as most here.  But oooof, that runway.

I'm one who has never fallen in love with Gottmik and, I thought her commercial was far and away the weakest of the night, even worse than Utica's self-professed bad job.

To me, the OVERALL bottom two should have been Gottmik vs. either Utica or Kandy.  

Tina was not great, but she wasn't the worst commercial or runway look.  She was ON brand, she just needed to elevate it.

I still like Olivia a lot, but I believe that Symone & Rose have eclipsed her.  At this rate, I expect the Top 4 Finale to include Symone, Rose, Gottmik (meh) and Kandy (blech).  

Edited March 24, 2021 by filmfan2480

[vibeology]

8 hours ago, filmfan2480 said:

Of the two in the bottom, I thought Tina brought it in the 1st half of the lip synch and Utica brought it in the 2nd half.  But overall, I thought Tina was better in the lip synch.  Kinda bummed she left, just because that is two weeks in a row that I would not have sashayed the one who left.  Come on, Ru!  

The thing about Tina's lip synch is she'd drop out of doing the words every now and then, just like in the Rusical. She was warned then and still did it here. I can see that being a deciding factor for sending her home. It bugged me enough to remember it.

[RoxiP]

I think Tina was sent home because she never really changed.  They are big on growth.

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

2 hours ago, RoxiP said:

I think Tina was sent home because she never really changed.  They are big on growth.

I agree. They love the "you've grown so much" storyline especially in the later seasons. They'd much rather have the narrative that being on the show helped a baby duckling become a swan than reward a seasoned performer who came with a suitcase full of polished looks.

Tina was not one of my favorite queens this season, but I can see why they thought she had run her course. My one complaint about their critique was when they said they wanted to see more than her signature red/yellow/orange colors on the runway. You know that they came here with prepared runway looks. It's not like she could run out to the fabric store and make some new outfits. I mean, I get what they're saying because I also got tired of her Ronald McDonald looks, but it's not something she could really do anything about at this stage. In contrast, telling a queen that they need to have more confidence or be more vulnerable IS something that they can change over the course of the competition.

[theatremouse]

I think it's more than just Tina didn't grow...to me she started feeling like a 2-3 trick pony. Everything she does is same same same, and there's a fine line between Having a Clear Brand and Being Repetitive and Consequently Boring.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

39 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

I think it's more than just Tina didn't grow...to me she started feeling like a 2-3 trick pony. Everything she does is same same same, and there's a fine line between Having a Clear Brand and Being Repetitive and Consequently Boring.

I think that she has enough of a brand and that she has enough material as a professional performer that she could probably be a decent act to see live, but seeing her over the course of over ten challenges she has become very one note.

[RoxiP]

In this season they don't appear to be having many challenges where they have to create an outfit, which probably is a consequence of the restrictions placed due to Covid.  I kind of miss seeing the queens be creative and make something out of nothing (other than gift bags).  

[molotovcupcake]

On 3/20/2021 at 2:00 PM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Adding an inflatable alien did not improve matters.

I can't stop laughing at this.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

15 minutes ago, molotovcupcake said:

I can't stop laughing at this.

Remember Portlandia's "put a bird on it"? Maybe the new RPDR thing will be "put an inflatable alien on it" to improve any runway look.

[RoxiP]

20 hours ago, molotovcupcake said:

I can't stop laughing at this.

Honestly the alien's face looked better than Kandy's.