S17.E14: How's Your Head...line?

[davidcalgary29]

Five queens return to the Werkroom, seemingly giddy with Ru's elimination reprieve. As they hug and sing each other's praises -- acting all "lovey dovey", in the eyes of Onya -- reality makes a rude return as they do the math and realize that there's been no ground gained in this competition, and that they'll have to fight each other, once again, to make it to the finale. Guys, it's time for another episode of Drag Race!

The next morning, Lexi beams that this is "the last challenge!" and that they're close to the finale. Which brings up the question: how would she know that this is the last challenge before the finale? Didn't Ru intone that "one...or MORE queens" would be eliminated this episode, leaving open the possibility of another filler episode? WHAT goes on when the cameras aren't on?! Still, the editors leave this bit in, so whatever. Let's go on with this for the moment, shall we?

Ru enters the Werkroom in his best Corporate Fracking pinstripe suit look, presenting a sombre change form the garish ensembles to which we've been treated for the past few weeks. It's quite a nice suit that I could wear myself at work, which suggests to me that his final Werkroom entrance of the season could have used a bit more panache. But at least he's not trying to get those prized Gen X fashion points this time by going Goth or -- god forbid -- more flannel grunge. 

Ru announces the theme of this week's maxi-challenge: it's time to promote WoW's Vegas show! All of the queens scream and clap on cue, although a few worried looks make it through to the cameras. And honestly, it's a great gig if you're broke and the bookings are thin, or a pointed reminder from WoW that The Hunger Games never really end for the Tributes from the Districts. Or both. Or at least Suzie thinks so. Will this episode present a fresh take on WoW's Media Empire? SPOILER: No.

Our queens are told to create bylines to sell their shows to prospective audiences. Ideas are floated around, and some of the queens cattily critique each others' plans, commenting that this is the time "to show growth". Wait, I thought Ru wanted the queens to sell their unique brands? Work on their bylines they do, and then the queens are quickly herded into a pointless photoshoot with Ru which is just a substitute for one of those standard Drag Race photo-ops. Most of the queens dress for the assignment and present Ru with standard glitz, and Suzie decides to go off the rails (or is told to go off the rails) by dressing up as Jimbo's Shirley Temple character in AS. Ru purses his lips in alarm at Suzie's lack of sexy appeal, but you know he's secretly delighted by this sartorial misstep. Ru wanted Suzie GONE weeks ago. Truthfully, though, no one really nails the shoot, and this just serves as as ammunition for judging.

The queens then meet with Latrice, returning for her first substantial role since her last AS stint. Dressed head-to-toe in silver, and looking regal, she outclasses all of the queens she's set up to interview. Still, the queens try to impress her, starting with a sassy Sam, who nonetheless puts a static and pageanty veneer on her insightful answers. Latrice calls her a "star". Onya does fairly well as well, although I'm more interested in hearing Latrice at this point than anything that our actual contestants have to say. Suzie bonds with Latrice over their shared hometown -- I thought she was from the northeast, not Fort Lauderdale; Lexi gets alarmingly candid about her past, including a truly terrifying anecdote about her victimization in a human trafficking ring; and Jewels closes things out by laying a goose egg in front of Latrice when she can't answer where she'd like to see herself in five years. Latrice states in confessional that this is a telling moment, and that you have to know yourself. That's true, but also probably unfair to a contestant for whom that span of time represents a fifth of their life. It's like asking twentysomethings about their thoughts about the value of Roth IRAs (or for us Canadians, TFSAs). Not going to happen. But we all know what Suzie's planning to do in five years: play Miss Hannigan, in the umpteenth revival of Annie. On BROADWAY!

The episode pivots to some brief Werkroom chatter, which serves as this season's Ode to Friendships Made, giving the opportunity for each of the queens to try to say something nice about each other and how first looks were deceiving. Suzie fondly talks about her growing friendship with Sam -- wait, when did that happen? Sam looks less convinced, but doesn't say anything. Aw, Suzie looks happy. 

It's time for the Main Stage! Michelle, Ross, and Tracee Ellis Ross are invited by a tinsel-gowned Ru to "enjoy" the lauded premiere of the Shiny New Tune appearing on Vegas Live, "Gift Shop". The queens are game, but the song is a stinker, and the edits are so wonky that we get a microsecond to see each queen perform before the camera cuts to another angle. Did they all do well? Did someone mess up? What! At least it's over quickly.

The queens, decked out in their "Opulent Outerwear" runway lewks, are forced to watch their recorded bylines, and none of them are that good. Jewels is just as flat as she was in her Truman Capote skit, but Ru laughs gamely, because she's going to the finale. Jewels' runway look, a white feather fantasy, is fine, so there's that. Lexi's advert is boring, but Ru chuckles at the tired cliches, as she loves tired cliches. You can't really get a good read on Lexi's blue "puffer coat" on the home screen, so I can't really tell if it hits the brief or not. The judges sure do like it, though. Onya's ad is loud and panders to some of Ru's favourite cultural stereotypes by promising patrons "a two piece wing dinner" if they come to her show. She smiles when she receives her praise from the panel in her disastrous gown, which is a transporter accident fusing Roberta Flack, ca. 1972, and Helen Roper. She gets special praise for the ugly brass embellishments marring her outfit, which invokes a special brand of seventies sartorial horror. NO. I'll give her half a point for not trotting out her turkey costume again. I still love Onya, but her drag is a special brand of terrible.

Sam is very, very orange, and has a blonde Marge Simpson wig. Her ad is stiff and expected. Suzie brings up the rear in a vintage look she curated carefully. She gets dinged by the judges for her boring photo and unremarkable performance and ad, although it's not noticeably worse than any of the others. 

The judges deliberate, but there is really no deliberation whatsoever, as this outcome was preordained. Jewels wins! She is excited by "winning the last challenge of the season", and as I can't remember anything that she did in this episode, I'll just congratulate her. Or send her condolences when she's locked into neverending seasons of Vegas Live! Onya and Lexi move on to the finale.

A disbelieving Sam and saddened Suzie are forced to lipsynch to "Love Child". Both promise not to go home, etc., as their scripts require of them. They shimmy to The Supremes, but neither one of them do a very good job with this. I don't like Sam's Pageant Vibe -- it's much to stagey for a raw song like this -- and Suzie's makeup is terrible, so it's hard to take her emotional take seriously. Sam stays! I'd like to have been at least somewhat surprised by the outcome, but no dice. Suzie promises "great things" in the future. For her sake, I hope she stays away from Drag Race, because her talents really would be suited elsewhere. Aw, I really did like Suzie. I still have no idea what WoW was trying to do with Suzie this season: she got the worst edit of any of the contestants, and was dinged by the show for showing a clear perspective and an unflappable sense of self-confidence, a refreshing change from the parade of insecurities this show trots out for its audience. Stay niche, Suzie Toot!

Next week: the eliminated queens return for a LalapaRuza! Do you know who's NOT going to win? Suzie Toot!

 

Edited April 6 by davidcalgary29

[TiffanyNichelle]

I like Suzie but as soon as she started talking about her flapper look when they were planning things I knew she was done for. It wasn't as if she failed at Vegas-fying the Suzie Toot look, she didn't even try. She had to go home this week.

Try as I might, I don't see what the judges see in Lexi. I liked her in the beginning but as the weeks went on she lost me. I'm rooting for an Onya/Sam final two.

[davidcalgary29]

21 minutes ago, TiffanyNichelle said:

I like Suzie but as soon as she started talking about her flapper look when they were planning things I knew she was done for. It wasn't as if she failed at Vegas-fying the Suzie Toot look, she didn't even try. She had to go home this week.

Try as I might, I don't see what the judges see in Lexi. I liked her in the beginning but as the weeks went on she lost me. I'm rooting for an Onya/Sam final two.

I think Suzie would have been out no matter what was shown this week, because her edit precluded a win. The judges knew this, and Suzie did too: she was surprisingly candid when she admitted that she was "too niche" for a wide audience. And she's right if she's talking about the audience for this show. She'd get my vote because she truly is an Original, although I want to see Onya win it all.

[Madding crowd]

Suzie was my favorite but her makeup was terrible and I guess she knew Michelle and Ru didn’t like her so she decided to stay true to herself. They did show a brief shot of some of her previous challenges when she looked great so I can’t understand going back to that ‘flapper’ look. I guess I am rooting for Jewels now. Onya is very talented but her runways including this one are bad. Sam is too dated looking to me and I can’t stand how over the top dramatic Lexi gets in every episode. She has had a hard life and I wish her well but don’t enjoy watching her.

Edited April 5 by Madding crowd

[davidcalgary29]

4 minutes ago, Madding crowd said:

Suzie was my favorite but her makeup was terrible and I guess she knew Michelle and Ru didn’t like her so she decided to stay true to herself. They did show a brief shot of some of her previous challenges when she looked great so I can’t understand going back to that ‘flapper’ look. I guess I am rooting for Jewels now. Onya is very talented but her runways including this one are bad. Sam is too dated looking to me and I can’t stand how over the top dramatic Lexi gets in every episode. She has had a hard life and I wish her well but don’t enjoy watching her.

I think Suzie wanted to win, but didn't want to win on WoW's terms. She was pretty clear in stating that this was how she wanted to present herself, and staying true to that ethic was more important than a one-year contract with considerable strings attached to it. This seems like the best outcome for all parties.

[violet and green]

2 hours ago, davidcalgary29 said:

I think Suzie would have been out no matter what was shown this week, because her edit precluded a win. The judges knew this, and Suzie did too: she was surprisingly candid when she admitted that she was "too niche" for a wide audience. And she's right if she's talking about the audience for this show. She'd get my vote because she truly is an Original, although I want to see Onya win it all.

Did Suzie actually know this? Her mirror message said something along the lines of that her leaving had cleared the path to the win for the other queens (so modest!), and then her last to-camera words we saw were something along the lines of whoever wins will know their win was (and I quote!) "tainted". Ahem.

I am not sad to see her go. That Leichner theatrical grease-paint stick makeup did my head in. There were so many ways she could still have presented her signature look, with subtler application and better blending skills, and boy do I hate a little wig and a marcel wave.

She blew it with Ru with her response to the Vegas question. It was idiotic in the circumstances and apart from anything else just plain rude. Those beige stage dancing shoes, the makeup, the costuming in the photos, the fact she had no awareness of how to position her face or body even with direction, the beige shoes again and again, and more flapper outfits. Every possible choice was a misstep for her, this episode, so that's how her story ended.

[Starchild]

I thought the show was trying to frame Suzie as this season's Jan archetype, but that Suzie's confidence wasn't playing the game.

But this episode seemed to show us that under that confidence, she's pretty brittle. I think she'll ultimately be OK though.

[Absurda]

I am a bit curious why Suzie wanted to win Drag Race, other than for competitive reasons.  She's right that her aesthetic is very niche; it just does not fit with any performances she'd do as a Drag Race winner.  She's a good performer but she just doesn't fit with what WoW does.  She's shown that she's really not interested in changing what she does to match what they do.  Other than the money I think she would have been miserable as a winner.

Tracy made a great comment that much of what performers do is make decisions about how to play things.  Suzie was consistently making the wrong decisions so it was right for her to go.  She just set in her mind what she wanted to do and couldn't read the room and pivot when it wasn't working.  I think Broadway or Drag clubs are the best place for her.

[Kaboom 2.0]

For me the best thing about this ep was seeing Latrice Royale again and Jewels' charm and energy. I hated the Gift Shop song, I kept hearing Grift Shop, but damn if our girls didn't try their darnedest to do their best on that stage. 

I am really bummed that Suzie is no longer in contention but it seemed like the DR TPTB had decided it was her time. I hope that she is booked and blessed and continues to be unbothered. I do still like the top 4, I think Onya has it in the bag but I wouldn't mind if Jewels snatched that crown at the end. 

Something makes me think that by having the delightful Miss Tracee Ellis Ross, whom I LOVE, on the show, Ru is hoping that the OG Miss Ross will deign to agree to finally appear on this show. LOL 

[cpcathy]

At first I called BS on Suzie leaving, but now I get it. She clung hard to her own aesthetic and that’s why she went, but I think she’ll go far, she’s got a lot of fans now.

Also, did I miss the judge’s comments on her runway? I thought it was stunning.

Jewels for the win!

[Red Bridey]

I love Onya's personality and sharp sense of humor so I'd like to see her win, but her runway looks have been tragic. Horrifying! It's not even that she blames poverty like that very young and poor drag queen did many seasons ago (the one who had been in American Idol once). Ugh!

Sam Star is just too plastic for my taste. Her wigs are shellacked, her gowns are gorgeous but interchangable, and her persona is shady but not too shady, sweet but not too sweet. I'm not enthralled with her. 

Lexi's neuroses just annoy me now. Don't compete if every competition sends you into an emotional tailspin. And her fake fingernails creep me out.

Jewels Sparkles is peaking at just the right time. I thought she was going to flame out as unseasoned and immature, but she's giving Ru what Ru wants, so good for her, I guess?

And my darling Suzie, I will miss you! I may be all alone at this lunch table but I am so glad she did not go Vegas Glam for this assignment because Las Vegas SUCKS and she would be miserable there. Stay "drag queen weird", Suzie, and don't ever go glittertastic, please!

Who's going to win? Onya, Sam and Jewels are my picks for finalists. The winner? Jewels, I guess 🤷🏼 

And prepare for an all out Lexi nervous breakdown 😥.

[davidcalgary29]

17 minutes ago, cpcathy said:

 

Also, did I miss the judge’s comments on her runway? I thought it was stunning.

 

No, her outfit critiques weren't shown. They were likely positive, and that would have been inconsistent with the tone of the judges' general critique of her performance this episode.  This show is not generally fond of subtlety or nuance.

Edited April 5 by davidcalgary29

[davidcalgary29]

5 hours ago, Kaboom 2.0 said:

I kept hearing Grift Shop

 

WoW's new anthem. A little too on the nose, perhaps?

[SFoster21]

Really enjoy and am grateful for the thorough and astute recaps.  Thanks!

[SemiCharmedLife]

I’m usually so invested in who I’m rooting for, but this season, I could be happy for any of the finalists. They all are very talented and each has their strengths. Onya is amazing in the challenges, but her runways are another story. Lexi’s runways have been great, if not a bit repetitive in the lack of clothing department. Sam is a polished pagent queen and always looks stunning. Jewels is well rounded and I love her enthusiasm. I am not going to “vote” on SM this year, since I really don’t have a favorite.