Everybody loves a pageant queen…
Last week we saw the queens compete in late night law firm commercials in a fun comedy improv acting challenge. After a denim on denim on denim runway, we said goodbye to BOA after her explosive run on the show. She came to make lasagna! We also saw most of the queens vote to send Lemon home after she had a pretty good week in the competition, will this come up again this week? This week we’ll see the queens competing in a new kind of pageant, and it looks like we’re going to be getting some more harsh critiques from the judges. Will our favourites continue to climb to the top, or is it time for someone else’s star to shine? Let’s get into it.
This week’s episode starts as it always does, in the werk room following BOA’s elimination last week. Ilona, a little heartbroken that their sister BOA is gone, wipes the message off the mirror. There are six queens left, and it’s time to step it up. Lemon isn’t forgiving or forgetting that some of the queens in the room had voted for her to go home last week. She, and I are chalking it up to jealousy though. The queens congratulate Rita on her stellar win, and a defeated Bobo doesn’t feel like she has anything else to give to the competition. Tired of being safe, she and Ilona are the only queens left in the competition who hasn’t won a main challenge yet. It’s a sissy scandal you guys.
It’s a new day in the werk room and Lemon is determined to send all these bitches packing, and I don’t blame her. Ru interrupts the werk table kiki with a video message, and Brooke enters the room to introduce this week’s maxi challenge. That’s right, there’s no mini challenge this week. All of the queens will be competing in a drag pageant, but they must portray a unique character while competing in the challenge. It’s another improv challenge, and being the prettiest, or most poised won’t win them the challenge, the queen who gives the most to her character will win the crown. As the winner of last week’s maxi, Rita is responsible for pairing the queens with their characters. Scarlett Bobo is not happy with the character she is given. Will this once again hinder her chances of winning for the week? Brooke does the werk room walk around and Lemon is ready to bring her character to life, and Priyanka is excited to give an improv challenge another go. Ilona tells Brooke they’re so honoured to be the first indigenous, and two-spirited person to compete on the show, and Jimbo is really looking forward to slaying in another improv challenge.
It’s pageant day and Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman is our pageant host. On the judging panel is drag legend Michelle DuBarry, Canada’s Squirrel friend Traci Melchor, and Degrassi’s own Stefan Brogren. It’s time for the first pageant ever on Drag Race! The queens establish their over the top characters during the introductions, and the pageant is off to a great start. During the talent portion, the queens really pulled it all out. Noteable performances from Jimbo, Lemon, and Scarlett. The pageant wraps up with a quick swimsuit portion, and a Q&A.
It’s elimination day, and the queens are getting painted for the runway. The category is pageant perfection, so everybody is bringing out their most classic, and polished looks. Tensions are high at the makeup mirrors, and Bobo goes off on Ilona, and her “negative energy” is NOT IT. Lemon seems to think Bobo is mad at Ilona because it’s her fault she didn’t win last week, and it’s a fair observation. While the rest of the queens watch in awe, Scarlett and Ilona continue to fight about literally nothing. Rita reminds the queens that this is Canada’sDrag Race. The fighting stops and the top six talk about Michelle DuBarry, and the other countless drag legends that paved the way for the queer artists of today. The conversation moves towards body image, and Rita and Lemon talk about their struggles over the years with accepting their bodies.
Out on the main stage our judges are looking fierce, as is this week’s guest host musician Allie X. It’s time for the runway and the category is Pageant Perfection, and the queens are bring their best classic glam, and campy glam looks to the stage. Once again, all of the queens are getting critiqued this week. Ilona’s performance in the pageant wasn’t quite where it should be while it started in the right place. Her dress on the runway was on the right track, but her hair and accessories just didn’t go. The judges loved Lemon’s pageant character, and her toddlers and tiara runway look set her apart from everybody else. Rita’s character wasn’t her best work, but her runway was the best she’s ever looked. The judges thought Priyanka’s character in the pageant fell flat, but her runway was stunning. Jimbo’s character was one of the best, but her runway was the worst of the night (according to the judges). Last but not least, Bobo’s character slayed, and so did her stunning runway.
Backstage Priyanka thinks she’s going home, and Jimbo is pissed at the critiques. Rita tells Jimbo this is the first time she’s looked older than she is, and Jimbo tells Rita her wig is dry, crispy, and old. In the corner, Priyanka is still terrified she’s going home to no job. After the judges deliberate, they announce Lemon is the winner of this week’s maxi challenge. Scarlett, Rita, and Jimbo are safe, with Ilona and Priyanka both up for elimination.
The bottom queens lip sync for their lives to Allie X’s Hello. Ilona and Priyanka give the lip sync their all, both of these queens want to stay in the competition. Following the lip sync, the judges save Priyanka for another week, and send Ilona Verley home. Ilona’s run on the show was ground-breaking, and we know we’ll be seeing them again.
Front runner of the week: Lemon knocks it out of the park with every improv challenge effortlessly, and I hardly think we’ve seen the best of what she can give us yet.
What we’ll see next week: It’s the iconic makeover challenge!
Missed a week?: Read our Canada’s Drag Race season 1 weekly recaps right here!
POST A COMMENT