What RuPaul’s Drag Race does to Suzie Toot this week is actively imply. Watching it play out, I used to be overwhelmed with pity for our season’s most divisive queen. However I’m not going to say it wasn’t entertaining. The final quarter-hour or so of this episode is peak Drag Race: A fierce competitors by which theater queens are solely there to be punished. I simply want the remainder of the problem rose to that stage.
The story we’ve been ready for all season, that in some ways is the purpose of the season — The Nice Downfall of Suzie Toot — doesn’t absolutely pan out. The present did sufficient to arrange the story that it nonetheless has lots of pathos, however this problem is simply too bizarre, and we don’t see sufficient of the planning phases, the place we’d have to see her frequently making dangerous choices, for it to achieve its full potential. Critically, this problem is insane. It’s nominally primarily based round “auditioning” for RuPaul’s Drag Race Stay!, which is smart in lots of methods — that’s completely one thing that these queens may be anticipated to do in the actual world — however the audition course of is a wierd seize bag of challenges that no one aces, making the judging really feel significantly herky-jerky. What truly issues? The 2 issues that find yourself factoring most into the judging are components we by no means noticed them rehearse or conceptualize in any respect. When did they study a dance? When did they file a video promo? Why aren’t they doing unique verses? Why have been there no lady teams all season? WHAT IS GOING ON?
The episode begins on a excessive: Onya and Jewels have been each simply saved, and the ladies are general thrilled that they’re all nonetheless the highest 5. Ru then enters and broadcasts the convoluted problem, which includes taking a publicity photograph and filming a publicity video, then doing a “job interview” with Latrice Royale, then performing the music “Reward Store.” It’s lots. The operate of there being a lot to the problem is that, throughout my first viewing of the episode, it felt like issues have been sort of simply occurring on my display screen at random. The queens would speak, then one thing would occur, repeated advert nauseam all over the promo movies that we’re first reminded of throughout judging once they lastly seem. An important a part of this opening spiel, although, is one phrase: VEGAS. It doesn’t matter what they’re requested to do that week, the profitable ladies hold that in thoughts.
The primary scene post-challenge announcement is the ladies chatting about what they need to do whereas holding notepads, which I now suppose was so they may write their promo movies, however which I initially thought can be for verses that by no means seem. Critically: Who informed Drag Race to not do verses this 12 months? It’s like everyone’s favourite a part of the present. Is it as a result of all of them did unique songs for the expertise present? As a result of these sucked, and I need to hear Lexi rap. Anyway, through the writing session, Suzie says that she’s doing an Something Goes theme, and Sam says she’s leaning into her nation roots, and Onya and Lexi, respectively, inform the digicam that they suppose that’s a foul thought, which seems to be proper. Okay!
Then it’s onto the photograph shoot, coached by RuPaul. That is one of the best problem section, as a result of it’s the one one the place we see the method after which the top outcome on the runway. Jewels is up first, and since her drag so naturally lends itself to “Vegas showgirl,” she kills it. Then comes Onya, whose model of Vegas is mainly “glamorous brothel proprietor,” which strikes me as excellent. She’s undoubtedly aged up by the outfit, however regardless of what I’ll say later about Sam’s runway, that isn’t an inherently dangerous factor. She’s enjoyable and pleasant and takes shot. Sam makes a horrible mistake in selecting an outfit and wig she will barely transfer in — a rookie transfer that I’m shocked to see somebody as polished as Sam make. Suzie is admittedly dangerous and her outfit is sort of tragic. Even when she was set on doing Something Goes, she appears much less like a Reno Sweeney and extra like an ensemble member. It’s low cost. And right here’s the factor I’ll echo about Suzie’s efficiency all week: In case your drag is so restricted that it can’t embody “Las Vegas,” then it is extremely restricted certainly. Lexi (shocker) will get in her head a bunch, however her outfit appears nice in images, which is half the battle, and he or she loosens up because it goes.
Then we see the ladies interview with Latrice. Sam goes first and he or she’s good-to-great — polished however personable sufficient to not appear pretend. Michelle will get on her for seeming cocky, and my intuition is that that may have been a much bigger difficulty for individuals who watched an entire, unedited interview by which Sam stored speaking about how nice she was. In two-minute kind, she appears superb. Then it’s Onya, who makes the intentional option to drop the “Onya Nurve” persona totally and to as a substitute speak severely in daytime drag. That’s superb sufficient, however I nonetheless wished a little bit of drag in it. She’s adopted by Suzie, who is aware of Latrice from Fort Lauderdale (insane). Suzie is simply so … theater kid-y generally. It feels carried out. I wished to shake her and be like, “TALK LIKE A PERSON.” Suzie’s failings are made even clearer by Lexi, who offers an excellent interview. Lexi is incapable of not being actual, which is usually her downfall, however on this scenario it actually works out. Jewels is subsequent, claiming she needs to mix the worlds of burlesque and high-energy dance, and I don’t suppose that’s the stretch she’s promoting it as, nevertheless it’s a purposeful sound chunk. She goes clean when Latrice asks her what she needs to do in 5 years, as a result of it looks like Drag Race was mainly the total purpose for her. It’s each an fascinating second and a telling one — it helps her win the problem because it’s so weak, nevertheless it’s the sort of factor that might price you the season.
Then we get to the “Reward Store” efficiency, which I needed to watch once more as a result of I spent the entire thing ready for the quantity to truly begin. By my estimation: Lexi does one of the best as a result of she has a focus-pulling outfit and an excellent efficiency; Sam is subsequent as a result of she’s the one different particular person with outfit. Then it’s Onya, who will not be one of the best pop-music dancer however retains up, then it’s Jewels, who I barely observed, then down on the backside is Suzie due to that nude character shoe. It’s actually heinous.
The runway class is outerwear, and both the ladies knew that this is able to be the final class or manufacturing knew to place it on the finish, as a result of all of those appears are mainly “greatest drag.” Jewels appears completely superb in her white outfit coated in feathers. No notes, good drag. I really like Lexi’s outfit. There’s technically critiques to be made (the “gown” doesn’t go along with the large puffer), however I like that her drag is extra “actual style” than “drag style” generally — that is exuberant in the way in which a drag look is, however the mixture feels extra runway impressed than it does Drag perfection. Onya’s look is her greatest all season — a patterned caftan and turban, with large door-knocker earrings. Couldn’t be higher. Sam’s look is an orange robe with big blonde hair, and I’m sorry, however I hate it. I’ve been very into Sam’s pageant kinds all season, however that is the place I draw the road: In case you informed me that this particular person was 50 years outdated, I’d consider you. Sam Star is 24 years outdated, and he or she can’t carry off this sort of “grande dame” outfit. It doesn’t go well with her and he or she doesn’t have the gravitas. Suzie’s look is nice. I’m obsessed. It’s her greatest look all season.
Then we lastly see their Vegas promos with judging. Okay! Jewels’s is nice, however she’s about one inch off together with her strains. It’s shut, however she doesn’t punch them precisely proper in the way in which Onya does. The judges, although, are obsessed together with her, which is smart as a result of she’s essentially the most Vegas lady there. Lexi’s video is terrible: She additionally doesn’t know tips on how to learn strains but and goes too sexual with it. Nonetheless, Lexi did lots proper this week, so it in the end doesn’t matter. Onya will get rave opinions for all the things however her talk-show outfit (God, they’ve lots to nitpick this week), and her video is by far one of the best. Like, light-years higher than anybody else’s. It’s flabbergasting how a lot better she is. Sam’s efficiency is sort of a “dying by a thousand cuts” scenario — they don’t hate something she does, however they’ve critiques on nearly all the things.
Suzie then will get raked throughout the coals. It’s robust to look at. Look, the judges didn’t say something that I don’t agree with, however the cruelty creeps in whenever you notice that lots of these look like seasonlong critiques. Michelle is aggravated that Suzie didn’t change it up sufficient, for instance. However, as we noticed it, the judges by no means informed her that this was a difficulty. She was by no means within the backside earlier than this! She completely did the worst this week, however I additionally suppose it’s notable that she was by no means informed what she wanted to work on. That implies that the story fell somewhat flat for me: It’s not like Suzie had a deadly flaw that she simply couldn’t appropriate, it’s that she by no means bothered correcting her deadly flaw (an especially restricted perspective coupled with an excessive overconfidence in that perspective) as a result of no one ever pointed it out till now. This present has judges for a purpose: To guage. It feels to me like Suzie’s horrible week is, not less than partially, on them. And likewise … GOD why did she suppose that it was in any respect applicable to do Something Goes for Vegas? And why did she put on that hideous shoe within the quantity? And why was she so, so stiff in her promo video (which I haven’t talked about however was, actually, horrible)? It’s a tragic week for Toot.
Jewels wins the problem, which implies that the maths will get all thrown off: She wanted to win or else she was going residence, and he or she received. Good job, queen, however that implies that any of the opposite ladies are weak. The lip sync, rightly, comes right down to Sam and Suzie. I think about some individuals will suppose that Lexi ought to have been within the backside, however I feel that’s bull. Anyway, they lip-sync to “Love Baby” by Diana Ross and the Supremes, in honor of visitor choose Tracee Ellis Ross. It’s … not a music that fits both queen. However nonetheless, I feel Suzie stomps Sam within the lip sync. Sorry not sorry: Sam, although she offers a extra basic Diana Ross efficiency, will not be carrying her costume; it’s carrying her. I didn’t purchase her for one second up there. Suzie offers a totally embodied interpretation of the music that is smart for her drag. I feel she wins arms down. However she nonetheless goes residence. It appears that evidently RuPaul might need hated her drag all alongside? Who can say.
RIP to Suzie Toot (1920-29), you’ve been the speak of the 12 months all season lengthy, the primary character of season 17, and, now, its remaining sufferer. You can be missed!
• Sam Star doesn’t apply the music, which I don’t discover stunning given her efficiency.
• Hold a watch out for my interview with Suzie Toot, which needs to be out on Vulture at about midday on April 5, thanks very a lot. Great things!
• The hilarious Ross Mathews appears like a sci-fi villain this week for some purpose.
• Michelle Visage is bonkers within the critiques this week, giving compliments like, “Your story is sort of harrowing” and, “That do impress me a lot.” I’ve taken to combining the 2 and have been strolling round my residence muttering, “Your story is harrowing, that do impress me a lot” like a loopy particular person.
• Their doing a high 4 once more simply makes it all of the funnier that they selected besides Q on the final minute final season. They actually mentioned, “We don’t need this bitch, particularly, to be within the finale.”
• Completely bonkers that the final particular person eradicated earlier than Suzie Toot was Lana Ja’Rae.
• Homosexual ideas from editor individuals: My editor, Genevieve Koski, could be very disillusioned that Suzie left this week as a result of it negatively affected her Drag Race fantasy league rankings. All people please pour one out for Genevieve’s fantasy rankings! [Editor’s note: Thank you.]
• Winner choose: Onya Nurve all the way in which. Darkish horse Jewels. Don’t see it for Lexi or Sam.
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