RuPaul’s Drag Race
Lip Sync Lalaparuza Smackdown
Season 17
Episode 15
Editor’s Ranking
4 stars
****
Picture: MTV
Final season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the present did away with the “reunion” conceit and changed it with a LaLaPaRuza battle, which paid off gangbusters. It was an exhilarating episode, serving as redemption for Megami and a capper on Morphine’s story line. A real five-star episode. Among the finest components of it was that the present realized one of many huge strengths among the many season 16 forged was their lip-syncing talent set. There have been a variety of high-level lip-syncers in that forged, notably among the many women who had been despatched residence.
This season, we discovered what occurs if you apply that idea to a season the place lip-syncing just isn’t the forged’s main power. I’m not saying that they’re dangerous, however I wouldn’t say that lip syncs are what I’ll bear in mind this season for — the very best of the season was Lexi vs. Crystal, and that was largely for Lexi, who’s within the high 4 and thus not eligible to compete within the event. I’m remembering this season for the queens’ interpersonal dynamics.
So … does it work? I’d argue sure. These interpersonal dynamics are nonetheless on full show, lending stakes to just about all of the lip syncs. Plus, the episode nonetheless successfully capabilities as a story-line-ender for lots of the queens, providing them a type of redemption — how usually tonight did we hear some model of “It feels so good to listen to RuPaul say I’m a winner?” That’s good storytelling.
The episode opens on the queens all coming into the Werk Room collectively, months after the preliminary filming. I feel the present ought to have filmed the highest 4 following Suzie’s elimination, however hey, no matter. It turns into clear in a short time who the present thinks are the eradicated stars of season 17: Kori, Lydia, Suzie, and Joella. That appears approximate to me. Kori, for all that she irritated me on the present along with her flippancy, stays a remarkably proficient digicam hog, and he or she manages to scrape out two separate segments (about her relationship with Lydia and about her Cameo appearances, particularly as “Kori Toot”) earlier than the queens even go away the full-table discuss. Now that’s expertise. Not afforded any actual updates are Crystal, Acacia, and Lana. Given the outcomes, that is sensible, but additionally: None of those queens have been that good at getting digicam time anyway. Arrietty apologizes to Onya.
Okay, on to what all people is right here for: the lip syncs!
Hormona vs. Lydia: The twist this season is that the primary lady will get to decide on if she needs to choose the music or the opponent. Most women select to choose the music. I don’t a lot love this twist, for the reason that second lady will get no alternative within the matter, however no matter. Hormona picks the music and chooses “Say Liza (Liza With a ‘Z’),” and the random choose selects Lydia. Neither queen does nice, however Lydia actually does higher. She has a wig reveal right into a conehead (ridiculous) and, when Hormona disrobes, she performs with Hormona’s huge ol’ cape herself. The present additionally inserts common pictures of Suzie (who actually needed this music, duh) lip-syncing the quantity herself whereas off to the aspect. Very humorous! Lydia wins.
Suzie vs. Joella: Suzie will get her ball picked subsequent and, figuring she ought to minimize her losses sans Liza, chooses to go towards Joella. It’s form of imply, but additionally traditional Suzie to only go for the simple goal. Joella picks Dua Lipa’s “Coaching Season,” which is traditional Joella as a result of she loves flop pop stars (hello, Katy Perry). The story of the episode, it seems, is about Suzie (because it was all season). In actual time, the viewers, the queens watching, and maybe Suzie herself all study that Suzie has a knack for sexiness onstage, regardless that she’s dressed as a clown. She actually does an amazing job, and he or she simply does away with Jo “Don’t Overlook the” Ella, whose efficiency fashion is a bit ChatGPT drag queen.
Fortunate vs. Acacia: Fortunate Starzzz will get picked subsequent, and he or she chooses to choose her personal music, which finally ends up being Whitney Houston’s “Step by Step.” Destiny then kindly grants her Acacia, who we all know just isn’t a robust lip-syncer. Fortunate, notably, is dressed as a sentient basketball with enormous tits, and that was just about all she wrote for Acacia. Ms. Forgot makes an attempt to win consideration again by doing a delayed loss of life drop (a traditional), however, once more, Fortunate Starzzz has titties which are basketballs. Fortunate winzzz, cementing the primary true “redemption” of the episode.
Kori vs. Arrietty: The bingo gods then choose Arrietty, who chooses to carry out P!nk’s “Blow Me (One Final Kiss).” She then will get randomly paired up with Kori, which I feel was simply dangerous luck: I may have instructed you that Kori King is a P!nk fan. It’s the Boston in her. The women all assume Arrietty wins the lip sync, and I get it, she does so much, however I’m keen on Kori. Arrietty’s lip-syncing fashion tends towards the frantic, and, it seems, that’s not simply when she’s preventing for her life within the backside two. Kori, in the meantime, is far more grounded, and this ombre hair appears to be like actually nice on her, versus the brilliant blondes she wore on the present. Ru picks Kori, which the women are gagged by, however I do assume it’s the correct choose. Generally, you simply don’t need that degree of mania.
Lana vs. Crystal: Lastly, it’s a rematch between Lana and Crystal. Lots of people assume Crystal gained their authentic face-off (I feel it was a nasty music and neither did nice), so there’s stakes for each queens. Lana picks “You Make Me Really feel (Mighty Actual),” by Sylvester, as a result of she needs to have enjoyable. It’s undoubtedly a greater lip sync than their first matchup was, however I agree with Ru that Lana gained it once more. Crystal simply has an everlasting deadness behind the eyes, which is, admittedly, an occasional concern with Lana too, however she’s having much more enjoyable onstage than Crystal is, and it makes her efficiency match the music. The second when Crystal can’t say her exit line is humorous.
Fortunate vs. Suzie: On to the semifinals. The primary matchup is Fortunate vs. Suzie, and Fortunate will get music alternative, going with “We Discovered Love.” Jewels factors out that Fortunate’s efficiency is the one she’d tip within the bar, which is actual, however that doesn’t imply it really works on TV. Her outfit is constructed to win precisely one (1) lip sync, which it did, however she has nothing left to do after that, and she will be able to’t precisely change up her efficiency fashion, since she’s nonetheless a basketball with tits. Suzie, in the meantime, sticks to easily performing the music. Her stanky leg is silly, although. Look: It’s not an amazing lip sync, however Suzie wins it.
Lana vs. Lydia vs. Kori: Ugh, that is the place they kinda lose me. I hate three-way lip syncs. Final season had one too, but it surely was through the first spherical, and it didn’t really feel that necessary. However to have the penultimate lip sync be a three-way … it’s powerful. The music is Charli XCX’s “360,” making it the primary of presumably many songs from Brat that may seem on this present. It’s actually onerous to get a deal with on who wins it. Ru chooses Kori: Positive! She undoubtedly does probably the most through the lip sync, which implies she earns a better share of the eye — mainly the one factor you are able to do when there are three queens on the stage. Nonetheless, I feel if it have been a two-queen competitors, Lydia may have taken it.
Suzie vs. Kori: Lastly, Suzie and Kori face off to Rosé and Bruno Mars’s “APT.” No one, Suzie included, actually anticipated Suzie to make it this far, however she did it truthful and sq. (by beating the primary two outs). It’s a superb lip sync! Not nice, not legendary, not Morphine and Megami’s “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everyone Dance Now),” however actually fulfilling and enjoyable. A lot of ponying! In the end, although, Kori makes the selection to lastly pull out a boob reveal that leaves her with a breast plate hanging off her chest that she has to consistently maintain in place. I feel it loses her the lip sync — whereas Suzie bops across the stage having enjoyable, Kori’s a bit of hampered by attempting to verify nothing budges.
And so, the winner of the LaLaPaRuza is … Suzie Toot? Who’da thunk? I’m comfortable for Suzie — probably the most notable queen of your complete season will get yet one more verify on her résumé, and the opposite queens all get an opportunity to indicate their items. Good episode! Glad I watched it. On to the finale.
RuPaul’s Drag Race
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