This week we see our winner’s circle from week one show us their day to night looks, and lyric writing skills, but of course there is always a twist…
It’s been a week since we’ve been introduced to our new cast of queens in this season’s different premiere episode. Last week we saw the queens paired up and lip syncing for a spot in the competition. As the winning queens relaxed in the werk room with a cocktail, the losing group waited for their complimentary airport shuttle to take them home. That was until Ru told the ladies they all still had a chance at competing, granted they come up with who to send home. The episode finished with the queens starting to deliberate who should be going home. And that’s right where this week’s episode takes off.
This week we first join our “eliminated” queens in the loser’s lounge, and the queens make their elimination decision All Stars style, with lipsticks, and a little black box. These queens are voting based solely off of first impressions, and most queens were going based off outfit choices (primarily feathers). As soon as the queens finish casting their votes, Ru comes over the speakers to announce that the votes had been counted, and there is a tie. Elliott with 2 Ts, and Utica. The queens then go into a tie breaker voting round between the bottom two. After the second round of voting, Ru announces the queen getting the official Pork Chop is Elliott with 2 Ts. Elliott exits stage right with her 80s blazer, and wig, but something tells me this won’t be the last time we’ll be seeing her.
It’s a new day in the werk room, and these queens get straight to talking about the eliminated girls at the pink table. Ru’s video message plays and tells the queens they must guard their victory as if their lives depend on it. Ru enters the room and introduces an extra queen to the group that didn’t get a fair chance in last week’s challenge. Its Elliott with 2 Ts! Shocking! Some of the winning queens are angry that one of the losing queens gets to re-join the competition. Ru gives a Rah-Rah speech about how none of the queens are losers and introduces this week’s mini challenge. The queens must walk a runway in two different looks. The first being a daytime look, and the second being a vampy nighttime look. The seven girls get ready for the challenge, and Elliott, and Kandy start the first mini drama of the season regarding family members of previous Ru-girls being sent home early in the competition. Most of the queens are surprised Elliott is stirring the pot as she’s getting settled, but I think it’s a valid question.
Out on the runway, Gottmik is out in her daytime look, a rainbow latex number. Kandy Muse serves French Revolution circa 2021 (it’s kind of confusing, but it looks fierce). Miss LaLa Ri giving us very much ladies who brunch, tripping over her dress on the way to her table. But it’s ok she didn’t fall. Olivia Lux brought a super cute vintage 60s mod look to the runway. Symone’s daytime look was giving us everything wrapped in a satin dream. Tina Burner walks the runway in another fiery colour palette, is this her schtick? Will the judges be tired of it by the end of tonight’s episode? Michelle? Elliott with 2 Ts serving something very different from her entrance looks. It was sleek, it was fashion. For the nighttime looks, Gottmik stuns in an updated 2021 version of Elvira. Kandy makes a splash in a red devil latex bodysuit. It has a hole in the back. Michelle clocked it immediately. LaLa Ri serving it in her leather and chains, Olivia Lux gives us another stunning look with a teeny tiny bag. Symone debuts another dynamic look, Tina Burner out in orange, red, and yellow latex, and Elliott rounds the group out with a gorgeous high fashion look. The queens debrief, and de-drag in the werk room, Ru appears once again to descend the pink staircase, and announce this week’s maxi challenge. The queens must perform a new original verse of Ru’s song Condragulations. Each queen has to do their own verse and come up with their own choreography for the performance. The other girls still haven’t made an appearance.
The queens get to werk on their original lyrics. While most queens are coming up empty handed, Tina Burner may have the upper hand in this challenge with her past in a boyband. Olivia Lux also reveals she writes and composes music as well. The whole group is comfortable with their abilities to perform, but Elliott is feeling the pressure to not land in the bottom again. The queens head out to the main stage to rehearse their choreography. None of the queens want to take the lead with the dancing. Elliott is a dancer but doesn’t want the other queens to know. LaLa Ri doesn’t like the direction the choreography is going and begging for some better steps. We’re used to seeing the queens take dance instruction from a professional, but this time around nobody really knows what they’re doing. Gottmik’s lyrics reveal her gender identity, which she hasn’t previously told the other queens about. Gottmik avoids the subject completely, and has a hard time focusing on the challenge. Time is up on rehearsal, but they’ll probably be fine.
The next day in the werk room the queens get ready for their main stage appearance and talk about their nerves surrounding the performance. Gottmik opens up about the gender dysphoria she experienced in rehearsal to Olivia Lux who is super supportive in return. Tina asks Elliott what happened to get her back in the competition. Elliott tells them and the queens are gagged to find out that more girls will probably be coming back into the werk room. Out on the mainstage Ru introduces this week’s guest host Jamal Sims and perform their season 13 remix of Condragulations. The performance wasn’t totally tragic. Some of the verses were great, other’s hard to understand. There wasn’t really a cohesive look to the group either, but each queen looked great on their own.
Following the performance, the queens walk the runway, and the category is Lamé You Stay. The queens all look dreamy in their lamé gowns, even Tina Burner moved away from her fiery looks. After the queens walk the runway it’s time for their individual critiques. The judges loved Gottmik’s mini challenge looks, as well as how versatile her drag is. The judges didn’t love her performance in the song. Michelle liked Kandy’s nighttime look but was confused with the choice in daytime look. They call LaLa Ri’s lamé look 24 karat magic, and I have to agree. The judges loved Olivia Lux through every challenge this week, and Michelle loved Symone’s attitude, and Ru tells her she has star quality. Michelle clocks Tina’s usual fiery colour palette and commends her for her tin woman outfit on the runway. Michelle loved Elliott’s fashion show looks, and Ross says she proved herself this week big time.
Following the judge’s deliberation, Ru announces that Olivia Lux and Symone are the top two queens of the week, and this week there are no bottoms, because nobody is a loser tonight. Instead, the two tops will be competing in a lip sync for a cash tip of $5000. The two lip sync to Dua Lipa’s Break My Heart, and after a passion filled performance, Ru reveals that the winner of this week, and some extra cash is Symone. She’s a winner baby!! Ru finishes the episode by reminding the queens there are more twists around the corner.
Front runners of the week: Symone and Olivia Lux both stood out during every challenge this episode, and Elliott is right behind them.
Best use of lamé fabric: Hands down goes to LaLa Ri’s liquid gold, Gottmik’s futuristic alien, and Elliott’s blue and green 80s prom fantasy moment.
What we’ll see next week: The other group of queens get a shot on the mainstage, while the current group grows more confused.
Missed a week?: Read our RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 weekly recaps right here!
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