So if you care to find good drag, look to your local bar! As I’ve probably said lately, this show is fun but only a limited snapshot of DRAG. Okay, sorry, I’m done. But yeah, this week is the Rusical and it’s Wicked/The Wiz/The Wizard of Oz themed.
But first! The queens are shaken by Crystal’s elimination. Jewels says this is a reminder that no matter how well you’re doing one off week can ruin you. Lydia thanks Lana for taking Crystal out. And Suzie is also shaken — not by Crystal’s elimination, but by her fellow queens’ opinions of her Snatch Game. Surprise villain Suzie Toot! I am glad she apologized to Onya for saying in Untucked she was just playing herself. That was not the kind of villain I want to watch Suzie become.
It’s a new week in the work room and Kori and Lydia are fully dating. The vibes overall are really good! This has been a bitchier season than some year’s past, but it’s nice how quickly this group bounces back to being best friend’s race.
Ru announces the Rusical and Suzie, of course, shares that she’s been doing musical theatre for over a decade. Suzie and Acacia then fight over the role of Kansas Dorothy. Sam wants it too, but Lexi encourages her to get out of her comfort zone and play the Wicked Witch.
Suzie says Acacia’s talent show was critiqued for being too sincere and subtle so she shouldn’t do Kansas Dorothy, but the other queens don’t think two-time winner Suzie Toot should get her way again. There’s a vote and a near-unanimous decision is made that Acacia will be Kansas Dorothy and Suzie will be the Green Witch.
Even more intense is the fight between Jewels and Kori who want the Good Witch. Jewels offers rock/paper/scissors and Kori says no, something she’ll likely regret, because when it goes to a group vote, Jewels wins. “I can buy a body, you can’t buy comedy,” Jewels fires off.
Lana as the Tin Woman, Lexi as the Lioness, and Arrietty as the Scarecrow form a little trio. Lydia gets her first choice as a monkey and is now joined by her girlfriend Kori as the other monkey. And Onya rounds out the cast as Harlem Dorothy.
While recording their vocals, Suzie and Onya both do a good job and Suzie says in the confessional that they have a rivalry. Unclear if Onya is aware of this! Seems very Don Draper I don’t think about you at all.
Acacia really struggles recording the vocals. It’s painful to watch the queens struggle, but it’s REALLY painful when they’re doing the thing they claim to be known for. I’d make a joke like Acacia Forgot She Can’t Sing, but I feel too bad.
Some of the queens struggle in the choreo session with Jamal Sims. The other queens make fun of Jewels for trying to walk sexy and looking like a turkey. Onya isn’t quick to pick up the choreo and gets frustrated. And Kori and Lydia inspire the best line of the episode when Lexi says, “They might as well get a double-headed dildo because they are bottoms together tonight.”
It’s the day of the show and Lana is curious how Kori and Lydia will work together, because, as she says, most Drag Race couples haven’t gone well. Kori is more concerned about Suzie who she thinks will have a total meltdown if she doesn’t do well again this week.
This season hasn’t spent too much time on RuPaul’s Trauma Race, and that all changes this week. Sam talks about being forced to play sports growing up and how playing Ursula in her school play changed her life. Kori and Arrietty talk about being fat kids and Arrietty discusses her experiences with bulimia and anorexia and says drag saved her. Acacia then talks about being born with cystic fibrosis and how the doctors didn’t expect her to live a long time.
Adam Lambert is back as a guest judge, previously appearing in season six. He’s joined by Michelle (duh) and Jamal Sims.
While ostensibly a mashup of Wicked, The Wiz, and The Wizard of Oz, The Wicked Wiz of Oz is really more a parody of A Chorus Line. As their Oz characters, the queens are auditioning for a show and get numbers inspired by the non-Oz musical.
After Snatch Game last week, I’m happy to say none of the queens totally bomb. Suzie is great, Jewels is a total standout, and Onya once again proves why she’s the frontrunner. Sam also comes out of her shell playing the Wicked Witch OF EASTWICK aka Cher. More middle of the road but still solid is the Arrietty/Lexi/Lana trio. Lydia and Kori’s number is a riff on “Sing!” and both do a fine job, although Kori definitely the lesser of the two. Ending the show is Acacia and I didn’t think she was bad! She does take a very sincere approach with the song, but it also feels like the most sincere of the numbers? I guess the expectations are higher for that kind of role which is fair.
The runway is Parasols! Shady Ladies. The looks overall are strong with Jewels, Arrietty, and Lexi looking particularly hot. The weakest look is probably Kori, but she’s saved by the coincidence that she’s dressed as Dorothy.
Lexi, Arrietty, Lana, and Lydia are safe. Suzie, Jewels, Sam, and Onya are top. Kori and Acacia are bottom. At first I thought Onya was bottom and was so confused, but it turns out there are just four tops this week. After Adam Lambert critiques Acacia for not doing more with the role, she begins crying about losing her grandmother and then thanks the judges for their kind words. I’m not sure if this was just a weird edit, but considering the lack of kind words this was very confusing. It’s very sad that Acacia lost her grandmother who she was close with, but bringing it up when in the bottom feels manipulative? And not in a way that’s even effective?
Sam wins. Personally, I felt like Jewels deserved it. But I do understand giving Sam the win since she listened to the judges and took risks and delivered. Acacia and Kori then lip sync to “Wet Dreams” by Adam Lambert. During the confessional, Suzie says Acacia is doing her best. Which, yes, does sound shady, but also is how I felt. Like Acacia was doing more with the song than I expected! But Kori was definitely more mobile. That doesn’t always equal better but in this case it did.
Kori wins and Acacia sashays. As fun as Kori is as a personality, I do think her days are numbered. There are only seven queens left and good just won’t cut it anymore.
Teleport Us to Mars!! Here Are Some Random Thoughts:
+ I’m obsessed with Lexi’s crop top that says “This Actually Is My First Rodeo.” Lexi looked super hot this whole episode actually.
+ Sam says her introduction to Cher was the movie Burlesque.
+ Jamal Sims has a tattoo of the lion, the scarecrow, and the tin man.
+ Queen I’m rooting for: Onya
+ Queen I’m horniest for: Lexi
+ Queen I want to sashay: Sam won me over a bit this week, so… Lana?
