The Film Experience

Like in the last couple of years, Nick Taylor and Cláudio Alves are following and recapping the new RuPaul’s Drag Race season…

Are you ready for this new crop of queens?

NICK TAYLOR: How do you measure a year? Do you base it on a fixed temporal quantity, like daylights or sunsets? Or do you go by something more nebulous, more personal, like cups of coffee? Hugs given? Lives lived? How about a secret third option: basing all existence on the schedule of an increasingly productive, internationally-minded media franchise like RuPaul’s Drag Race? 2025 has barely begun and here we are, Cláudio, ready to once again offer our unprecedented and unrequested takes on the latest US season of Drag Race. It’s season 17, baybeee!! With a new twist on the split-premiere structure of seasons past and an opening mini-challenge arguably more culturally relevant than the show it’s spoofing, I say this season gets off on the right foot.

I certainly had a lot of fun with it. Did you, diva?

CLÁUDIO ALVES: I did, Mr. Larson, I really did…

Last year was an interesting one for Drag Race as an international franchise, with many a stumble along the way to world domination. Curiously, it often seemed like the production teams more tightly affiliated with the flagship show were those who faltered most obviously. Indeed, Global All-Stars was the biggest disaster of all, going so far as to put the idea of future crossover seasons in jeopardy. Since then, the break from RuPaul’s judging shenanigans has been a relief, with Michelle Visage even taking over Down Under hosting duties and picking an amazing winner while at it. Finishing the year with the ever-ingenious and innovative Canada’s Drag Race only made 2024’s disappointing seasons seem fouler in comparison. Oh well, it’s a new year and a new season. And, for once, I was entertained and didn’t get too annoyed at absurd production moves or dicy judging.

Part of that stems from the return of the Rate-a-Queen gimmick from season 16, but there’s much to consider before we get to that part of the episode. Namely, a Squid Game parody that was obviously banking on the Netflix hit’s second season making more of an impact. Between that and Katy Perry’s “Woman’s World,” the producers were worse at predicting the pop culture moment than Kim Chi is at dancing in heels.

NICK: DeJa Skye has already taken to social media trying to find out if any of the season 17 cast thought the song sucked ass. Hopefully she can shed light on the situation.

Anyways, the episode starts with several of this season’s contestants giving interviews in dark interrogation rooms under mostly-flattering lighting. They briefly allude to the horrors, and before we’re properly introduced to anyone we cut to l dozens of drag queens shuffling into a large, bare room lorded over by a gigantic Lil’ Poundcake robot flanked by Pit Crew soldiers wearing thotty versions of the Squid Game enforcer’s uniforms. The challenge is simple: successfully shantay from one side of the room to the other when Lil’ Poundcake’s back is turned. Should ye be judged as Not Serving, a Pit Crew member will eliminate you with a cherry pie covered in whipped cream. Porkchop is the first queen to be made an example of, and she’s pied directly in the face. One by one, queens bite the dust until only fourteen are left serving.

As an opening bit of nonsense, I had fun! I always enjoy when the first mini-challenge serves as an excuse to bring back queens in one capacity or another. Sure, they’re literally fodder, but they seem like they’re having fun. Trinity the Tuck and Kerri Colby showing up with some of the best mugs they’ve ever mugged on the show purely to get assassinated; Angeria’s cry of diva anguish before she falls to the floor; Kylie Sonique Love being the only one brave enough to get pied directly on the ass. Art, all of it. I’m further fascinated by how many unnamed queens are mingling with the Drag Race vets and the current crop of contenders. Do we think we’ll see this footage again in future introductions, as future new girls reveal their roles as Pie-Covered Broad on the Floor #2? Did Ru straight up kidnap LA queens for this bit? Was the cutaway of RuPaul in his control tower wearing that mask a hint at his role in . . . . the Ruminati?? Or was that Mr. Production? So many horrible questions. So many more horrible answers await us.

CLÁUDIO: This season really is full of nepo babies. Even Alaska’s bastard child made it into the show, as charming as ever. And yet, her silhouette is still better than Nebraska’s padding that one time. Between the Thunderfuck 5000 sisters, the Drag Race producers picked the right one to bring back. However, Miss “You’re Not My Dad” isn’t competing, so we might as well move on to those actually vying for the Drag Race crown. Starting with…

This gal has star power to spare. Indeed, she explodes all over the screen like a charisma supernova. Goofy and lovable, Lexi Love leaves a strong impression, her aesthetic immediately established as a midpoint between cartoon sexiness and some sillier impulses. And she’s a confessional highlight throughout, a potential narrator for the season right off the bat. That said, someone on Twitter said she looks like Rolaskatox all fused together, and now I can’t unsee it.

NICK: She’s an absolute delight. The only queen of the bunch who seems like she could nail a Jessica Rabbit Snatch Game. Lexi’s goofiness also comes with real street smarts, evidence of her thirteen years working as a drag queen - that might be longer than some of these girls have been alive. Readers, is she the first contestant from Kentucky? Someone tell me.

Second in the room is Joella, who makes a bubbly, animated impression. Big fan of the giant headpiece on her intro look. Her Katy Perry fandom gives her a healthy amount of screen time, and though she seems like fun, I can’t say her drag or her humor stand out among this bunch. I’ll be curious how all the attention this episode remits across the rest of the season.

CLÁUDIO: I am scared for any queen who gets this much screen time in the premiere, for it might mean an elimination in the near future. Nevertheless, Joella was a fun, if weepily dramatic, addition to this cast and episode. Hey girl, I don’t judge. I just cried all over an anime and some bestie messages - I get it. Anyway, her outfit’s cute, a tad literal but cute, and her mug looks right, eyebrows aside. Excited to see what she brings to the competition.

Next comes Kori King, sister to last season’s Plane Jane, and just as shady. Only, Kori seems able to temper her bitchiness with genuine charisma and an attitude that privileges good fun over outright mean girl nastiness. In other news, she looks like RuPaul in her entrance look. The styling is genuinely uncanny.

NICK: Another improvement over her sister: Ms. King has a great eye for making sure all the bits of her padding, leggings, etc, all closely match her skin tone. Kori can sometimes read as playing to the rafters a bit, but as you say, she gets away with it by being genuinely entertaining. Here’s to hoping she and Ru keep matching the rest of the season.

Lydia Butthole Kollins is next, with her Beetlejuice-inspired drag name and aesthetic interests. We love a mall goth, though as with anyone whose art is derived from Tim Burton, I just hope they have more creative gas in the tank than he’s had for the past fifteen years. Still, Lydia’s got a sharp, angular mug and a good sense for putting an outfit together besides mashing black and white together indiscriminately. I can’t say she feels like she’ll be here super long, but she is very cute out of drag, so.

CLÁUDIO: So cute out of drag. Indeed, I respect the hell out of her for not using that face to deliver traditional glam because, heavens knows, she could have defaulted to such styles. I’m getting major Laila McQueen vibes from this one, and not just because of the Burton thing. She just feels like someone who might be great one day but might need a but more time in the oven. Let her cook a while longer and then come to Drag Race. Oh well, good luck Miss Butthole.

I’m much more optimistic about Arrietty’s chances in this competition. At the very least, I adore her aesthetic and can’t wait to see what she delivers to design and runway challenges. You know what I’m not excited about? All the stupid comments the judges are bound to drop on her because of her unorthodox approach to style. Let her keep the weird deer-like nose contour!

NICK: It will be very silly if/when she gets dinged for the kinds of folkloric references Dawn made without much comment last season. Arrietty seems like a great time in her talking head segments, and her looks this episode all convey a thoughtful artist with really cool ideas about her silhouettes and her mug. That deer nose is executed marvelously - may she get to apply it to as many contexts as she wants. Arrietty is also the drag daughter of Irene DuBois, season 15’s Porkchop, a lineage she’s eager to represent on Drag Race and even more eager to outlast.

After Arrietty comes Jewels Sparkles. Or, as everyone at my watch party referred to her: Tall Jorgeous. The showgirl polish of her drag is evident and brightly executed. What’s most surprising is Jewels arguably being even more vivacious out of drag than she is in drag. Ariana Grande’s a clear reference. Jewels kept reminding me of Marilyn Monroe and comediennes of her era - someone whose ditzy attitudes are funnier and smarter because she’s clearly in on the joke.

CLÁUDIO: I think Lana Del Rey and Priscilla Presley are more apparent references for her entrance look, as she herself puts it. Looking at her, I couldn’t help but think she reminds me of someone out of drag. Not sure who. But she wouldn’t be out of place in some fabulous 80s comedy, maybe as a queer cousin in Moonstruck. It’s also worth pointing out she’s Trinity the Tuck’s drag granddaughter, another nepo baby in this crop.

Speaking of nepo babies, Lana Ja’Rae is the drag daughter of season 15’s Luxx Noir London. The family tradition seems well represented just by how she works the hell out of her cape. That said, the fashion in the confessionals is even more impressive than the entrance look. Love the “head in the clouds” styling, almost as much as I love the way she literally towers over the competition. This is one tall bitch!

NICK: Lana’s the only queen I’d heard of before this season, on account of following so many New York girls on Twitter. She looks incredible, and it’s quickly apparent she’s got a good head on her shoulders to boot. Maybe I’m carrying my Luxx fandom right on over to her daughter, but I think Lana’s gonna go a long way in this competition.

After Lana is Sam Star, another member of Trinity’s drag family. In this case, she’s Trinity’s daughter, and follows in her mom’s steps of pageant-queen realness and Southern hospitality. The brand is there, and Sam’s cockiness suggests she’s ready to follow in her mama’s footsteps and make herself a bitch to watch this season. You think she’s got the chops based on this first impression?

CLÁUDIO: She strikes me as a fierce competitor, but I haven’t warmed up to her yet. Not on a first impression, at least. The patriotic drag makes sense for the brand but is not to my taste, and the same could be said about her general pagent-ready aesthetic. Did she borrow that wig directly from Trinity? It looks exactly like a unit the matriarch has sported in the past.

I was much more into Onya Nurve, a Cleveland charmer with a bright smile and a super-angular paint that plays wonderfully off her own face. That’s a visage made for drag. The 70s style of her entrance look could have been executed better, but it makes for a fun ensemble that matches her overall presence. This girl’s energy is just irresistible, like something you’d see in a sitcom interpretation of drag, good vibes only. Give her a guest spot on Abbott Elementary.

NICK: As a Cleveland-born homosexual who has never actually seen Ms. Nurve in any previous context, I fucking screamed when the first thing she said was that she was from Cleveland. She’s got such great vibes, and sheer charisma like hers is a marvel to watch. Agree about the highs and lows of her outfit, with the additional note that her giant wig somehow makes her seem shorter. As with a lot of these queens, the juxtaposition of their drag selves versus the handsome fellas sitting in the confessional chair is really something.

Next comes Suzie Toot, a Fort Lauderdale eccentric with a Betty Boop mug and “20’s-obsessed theatre kid” written all over her. She takes the Irene DuBois title of “queen who looks like a regular at a queer café in their confessional”, cute as a button and extremely dedicated to her craft. Love her entrance look, and the way her face kinda looks like Joel Grey’s MC. Crisp, delightful showmanship, with a POV distinct enough to suggest Suzie could go further than Plasma did last year.

CLÁUDIO: I love the specificity of her look and her willingness to run past glamour and dive deep into the grotesquerie of the vaudeville schtick. That said, I’d love for her to pull off some Dietrich-like number down the line, proving she can be more traditionally appealing without betraying the tenets of the Toot brand.

Hormona Lisa is the next to enter the Werk Room, a pink confection that comes prepared with a story about how Ru hand-picked her. This rankled some of the competition, though it was noticeable that Miss Lisa only mentioned this story when prompted by her sisters. Whatever the case, she doesn’t seem nearly as full of herself as the edit puts across. Or maybe I’m just blinded by my love for her entire confessional getup, serving Sadness realness from Inside Out.

NICK: Hormona seems like a sweetheart, and I hope she can deliver the goods next week. The high femme presentation is just lovely - I’m not sure we’ve had a contestant whose confessional look is serving My Mom realness. Do you think she actually read Ru’s book? Going for the punchline that she didn’t seems like a funnier bit, especially when I doubt most of the girls read it either (I also haven’t read it, btw).

Let’s put our cards on the table: I forgot about Crystal Envy until right this moment. Her entrance look is giving a good Glinda, though the lace front on her wig is very noticeable. Also, I hate what she’s doing with her hair in her confessional look. Is she Scarlet’s kid? Does Crystal barely being in this episode suggest she’ll get more to do next week, or was she in a good chunk of the premiere and I retained none of it? The only queen with pure filler vibes.

CLÁUDIO: I was hoping you’d have something nice to say about her because I sure don’t. Generic is the word that best applies to Crystal in this premiere. Hopefully, she’ll surprise us down the line. And for what it’s worth, that girl is drowning in all those feathers. Proportionizing is not just about padding!

Acacia Forgot is more memorable, though maybe not for the best reasons. Her country-flavored, 80s-inspired drag feels like a unique approach that ought to earn her some points. And yet, the execution is a tad lacking. Very cute out of drag, though, and, unlike her sisters, I appreciated the aggressive blush.

NICK: The rivalry between Acacia and Sam Star has me rooting for her on pure underdog terms. I like her entrance look fine, though she manages to be messy and endearing without quite threading the needle. If nothing else, she seems like a hoot when she’s not too nervous.

Making a big splash is Lucky Starzzz, who looks like several crayon boxes were thrown into a volcano right before it erupted. We’re ending the roll call with the most visually outrageous contestant, a Miami queen who puts the “art” in attitude. It doesn’t fit there, but damn if she doesn’t make it fit. Lucky’s spoken about her close friendships with the Miami queens who have recently appeared on the series. That’s a lot of chutzpah backing her up, with a much crazier style than any of those queens attempted. She’s immediately a girl to watch.

CLÁUDIO: I adored this look, impractical as it may be. Starzzz’s style reminds me of Nina Bo’nina Brown’s craftiness, but there’s a bigger commitment to the bit on this Miami queen’s part. She takes the Art Attack approach to an extreme that’s right on the border of off-putting. And isn’t that a thrilling approach for a Drag Race queen to take? I fear the competition format may not be the best fit for her - as opposed to the polished pageant queens with a competitive streak a mile wide - but I’m excited to see how far she goes, nevertheless.

After our fourteen goddesses have entered the Werk Room, it’s time for Mama Ru to make some introductions. We get the usual video message, and then the real deal comes through the door with some interesting news to share. “Rate-a-Queen” is back after last season’s split premiere, putting a lot of power in the girls’ dainty little claws. Moreover, the Talent Show opener will be a two-parter and it’s up to the contestants rather than production to decide who’ll showcase their number this week and who’ll have to wait for the next episode. It’s a lot to throw at the contestants, but an ingenious way to start the drama bright and early. Because you know these divas will be strategic about it. It’s a recipe for instant alliances and rivalries.

But before that, the queens get to de-drag and admire each other’s naked truth. And girl, these bitches are horny. Arrietty is especially taken with Lucky, flirting like nobody’s business. Her pussy’s on fire, and we haven’t even arrived at the first maxi challenge!

NICK: There’s two other things you forgot to mention. One, the Squirrel Games were revealed to be the first mini-challenge of the season, serving the same role as the typical intro photoshoot. The winner is Lana Ja’Rae, who gets a $2,500 tip for elegantly posing on one leg like a flamingo among the rubble. Two, Ru’s lewk for the video message. She’s wearing a sharp black top and, more notably, a severe dirty-blonde cut rather than the usual mile-high hairdo. Powerful, divisive styling.

The queens waste no time checking each other out, and for good reason. Lotta cuties in this crew. Oh, and all the strategy stuff you mentioned. This is such a fruitful way to play with the relationships these queens had before the competition, along with their first impressions and the usual sizing-up the first challenge always inspires. I can’t help but also feel this is a way to avoid making the Rate-A-Queen system quite so cravenly self-serving as Plane Jane showed it to be. It’s much better drama to see how an alliance pans out rather than watching a queen screw over her sisters. Maybe it’s splitting hairs, but noticing split ends is what Drag Race is all about. There’s a lot of huffing and puffing around who wants the final slot for day one, but our lineups are ultimately:

Day One: Acacia Forgot, Arrietty, Jewels Sparkles, Joella, Lucky Starzzz, Lydia B. Kollins, and Suzie Toot.

Day Two: Crystal Envy, Hormona Lisa, Kori King, Lexi Love, Onya Nurve, and Sam Star,

We also jump really fucking quickly into the trauma bonding. This has to be a new record for finding out someone had a life-saving surgery which inspired them to finally pursue drag and chase their dream for all it was worth? In this case, the diva is Jewels, who goes deep on her spinal cancer and the steel spinal columns that were put in her body to replace the diseased bones. Never have I heard someone deliver such a horrific backstory on this show while still maintaining their usual, exuberant composure. She’s truly happy to be here.

CLÁUDIO: Can’t believe I forgot to mention the flamingo pose. My apologies to Lana and the fabulous birds everywhere. Glad you were redeemed in the Drag Race universe after what Elliott with 2 Ts did in season 13.

Jewels’ story is both sad and inspirational, making for a strong impression in this premiere episode. What’s more, both the queen and the editors know how to juggle different tones, coupling the harsh realities of her health struggles with a great explanation of her drag genealogy, complete with a picture of Trinity the Tuck looking like a grandma. Lucky Starzzz also gets a backstory showcase when she talks about her family’s financial struggles following an accident that resulted in her stepdad losing his hand. It’s a harrowing tale that contextualizes her coming to Drag Race as a return to the art of drag altogether after having to become the main breadwinner for her fam. While moved, I can’t help but worry about how much these performers are expected to spend to compete on Drag Race. Just this week, Lexi Love - who is very anti-nepo-baby in the confessionals - revealed she had to take a second mortgage on her house to be able to afford her runway package. This feels like an unsustainable model that puts too much stress on the queens from which the show draws immense profit. It’s about time they include a stipend for the girls they select, plus a hard limit on how much they can spend. At points, the runways can feel like a competition to see who has the most credit card debt rather than the best drag.

(Katy Perry)

Sorry for the rant, but I feel it’s necessary to acknowledge these things even while we have fun with the drag queens. In any case, this downer segment is quickly followed by a bit of celebrity fawning as Katy Perry walks into the room, and everyone but superfan Joella must act excited to see her. Honestly, give the bitches an acting challenge win for this stunt.

NICK: It’s an important conversation to have, especially when it seems like a constant fixture of the queen’s stories each year. Remember the discourse around Hershii LiQuor-Jete last year, or Kameron Michaels going into debt on her season? Risk is unavoidable on this kind of competitive platform, but I wouldn’t mind more safeguards to protect the queens and make sure they can land on their feet no matter where they place.

Re: Katy Perry, I can believe some of the enthusiasm. Everyone screaming when Ru announced her as the special guest judge? No. But her stretch of bangers a decade ago still stands as pop perfection, having safely avoided the overall depreciation in stock Perry’s brand has suffered the past year. The joy I would’ve felt if the lip sync song was "Hot N Cold" or "California Gurls"? Damn. But instead it’s the Katy Perry of today, looking fab but never believably embodying the stardom she’s trying to strut into existence. I don’t think even Adam Driver would wanna go to da club with her. Do you believe she actually recognized Joella? Hard to say, given how insincere I find her vibe, but it clearly played well in the room.

Either way, Joella is sobbing, and it’s kind of endearing! Even after Perry leaves the werkroom - dishing out yet another “it’s always important to be yourself!” line every guest star has to say to the queens nowadays - Joella can’t stop crying tears of joy at being validated by her idol on a global platform. Can’t say I’m above wanting an interaction like that.

CLÁUDIO: From that tearful moment, we cut to the new main stage, first introduced in last season’s lipsync smackdown. I have mixed feelings about this set change, but it’s nothing too serious. Ru almost seems to match the digital screens this week, all glittery and rainbow-hued. For all my shade, Katy Perry looks great, while Carson Kressley looks a bit like he fashioned a jacket out of fancy upholstery. Michelle Visage continues to rock her skunk streak.

But enough about the judges. This week’s runway theme is “Masc 4 Masked Singer,” an interesting spin on the season 16 premiere’s Ruveal brief…

Acacia is first on stage, with a sad snowman fantasy. It’s not especially impressive and the bodysuit underneath looks way too generic, though I appreciate the spinning carrot pasties. Points for the wig looking so big and pristine, and the right color choice. Blonde would look terrible here.

NICK: Everything from the neck up is flawless. The basic switcheroo from snowman to sexy lady worked for me, but I wish there was more happening under the reveal.

Second on the runway is Joella, with a lunar goddess theme a couple degrees from total cohesion. She loses points for the mask, which does not actually fulfill the mask-like function of being wearable on her face. The sheer amount of nude illusions throws me a little too - why not use the space for more of your design? The color palette and textures are all appealing, but it reads too much like Joella’s hosting an art piece.

CLÁUDIO: You know how I feel about basic bodysuits with a bunch of stuff thrown on top. It’s giving Anetra Candy Ball and that’s not a good thing. Also, yes, that’s a plate, not a mask.

Jewels looks like nothing more than a collector’s edition Barbie, expensive and lovely all the way, from that gorgeous half-mask to the pleated train rustling behind her. This gal is polished like few others, serving conventional drag glamour done to perfection. Love the hair, and not just because Nicole Kidman just wore the same unit to the Golden Globes.

NICK: We come to this place for magic! Jewels’ mask/fan is one of my favorite pieces of the runway, with the baby blue colors of the whole number toeing the line between cotton candy fluff and icy severity. Gorgeous stuff.

I simply can’t get over the walloping impression of Arrietty’s outfit, with the red detailing popping against so much heavy white fabric and the mermaid’s tail with the fucking train billowing behind it. The configuration of how her mask fits is a mystery to me, but I suppose it’s a compliment how it works as an accessory to any and all parts of her dress.

CLÁUDIO: She’s a forest goddess shot down by violent heathens, left to bleed to death in her corporeal form. And yet, Arrietty survives and thrives, hitting the runway in a showstopper that’s making me wax rhapsodic even more floridly than usual. The mask alone is a work of art.

I appreciate what Lydia is going for while remaining slightly disappointed with the results. Why does the shield need a skirt? Why is the bodysuit so loose that it keeps bunching and wrinkling in odd configurations? At least, the main mask and the mug underneath are serving, even if they’re framed by a bizarre wig choice. What in this ensemble calls for a basic pin-straight blonde unit?

NICK: It’s odd! The mask tricked me into expecting a Pinhead-y moment underneath, or something that just felt more appropriately witchy. Even Lydia’s concept of basically recasting the Black Sunday prologue in space feels like it either needed to be edited down or maximalized in the design. Interesting without ever cohering totally.

I get the tack that Lucky Starzzz is also not wearing a mask, and is basically using the prop as a punchline. Points have been docked. But what an amazing, brilliantly executed idea. She’s a fully-loaded supreme with a fat ass and cunty makeup. You can’t make me hate this look. Silly, outrageous, and so fucking fun.

CLÁUDIO: I wish there was an actual mask, but you’re right that the look is fantastic nevertheless. Funny that, when you break it down, it’s a rather conventional drag getup of a bodysuit with a corset thrown over it. From simple ingredients, some queens can make one hell of a psychedelic cocktail.

Lucky’s pizza costume is a bit crafty, but that aspect feels coherent with her overall aesthetic. The craftiness of Suzie Toot’s coin mask/helmet is less pleasing to the eye, mainly because it seems at odds with her approach elsewhere. I almost wonder if this would have had a bigger impact had she styled it like a grayscale illusion. It’s already halfway there, anyway.

NICK: For sheer novelty, I’m a fan of Suzie’s look, and the dedication to making her wig and makeup the same shiny gray as her coin head. She’s also one of the few contestants to make her mask a stupidly big object, as is true of so many Masked Singer masks. Still, this could’ve used some of Detox’s magic to put it over the top.

Kori King’s black feather ensemble is quite the knockout. I just love watching the feathers move with her bouncy hair and her generally exuberant attitude. Diana Ross as Marie LeVeau, now that’s a moment. However, she’s found guilty of removing her mask the second she hits the catwalk - a sin many queens repeat, but I’m not sure anyone takes their mask off faster than Kori. I’m not even sure if there’s a strap for her to wear it.

CLÁUDIO: Sorry to keep comparing them, but, in one runway, Kori manages to outshine her Drag Race alumni sister. Nothing Plane wore down that catwalk ever gave me such joy as this raven-like number. My favorite detail might be the errant peacock feathers. It feels as if Kori is giving the sartorial middle finger to those old superstitions.

Hormona Lisa also goes for an animal-inspired look, opting for the skunk. I appreciate the oddball choice and loved the ingenuity of using the tail as a stole that then becomes the gown’s train. However, the mask felt basic and I loathed the way it had holes for eyes. Still, a cute lewk.

NICK: It’s a better look once Hormona took off the mask, though I like the biker helmet vibes of it. Snazzy, streamlined with the color blocking, and the dark hair looks great on her. She seems younger in that mug than her blonde confessional garb.

Crystal Envy got one over on me, because it turns out I remembered this look quite well. Admittedly, her explanation behind the mask’s symbolism makes it feel a little more rote than it is, but the mechanism cracking her face open like an egg to reveal her face is a very savvy reveal. She’s got a good mug on her shoulders, and though the bedazzled blonde wig is a great choice, I wish the porcelain cracks on her face didn’t remind me of cockroaches. I’m gonna let you talk about the dress.

CLÁUDIO: HATE the dress, all haphazardly arranged poly satin in a design that seems like it hasn’t decided if it wants to be Barbiecore or some old-fashioned doll-y schmatta. Indeed, I sorta hate everything here except the mask. Alas, her mug can’t help but look lackluster in the aftermath of a cracked doll TikTok makeup trend that took the concept much further.

Regarding Lexi Love, I’d like to say that a helmet is not necessarily a mask. However, this is a great spin on the MTV logo that feels like it’s paying homage to the Drag Race brand without falling into ass-kissery. The silliness was a delight, her presentation matching the head styling with those googly antennae and cartoon aliens as wig ornaments. And credit where it’s due, she managed to serve high-femme shape in a padded astronaut suit which can’t have been easy.

NICK: She’s sporting a wearable headpiece, which is more than many of her fellow queens can say. The corset, the pink tips on the boots, the heels, there’s so many thoughtful details to Lexi’s runway even before you get to her makeup and accessories. She balances so many colors and lines, yet because the point of interest and the styling are all so controlled it reads beautifully.

In a victory for cat lovers everywhere, Lana Ja’Rae struts the catwalk as her beautiful baby Gouda. Her mask alone is astonishing to look at, photorealistic without being off-putting and bearing a geode interior. For once wearing a catsuit reads as an inordinate feat of design, with the rhinestones and the Biblically accurate coat patterns all over Lana’s body. She is serving pussy in the purest way possible.

CLÁUDIO: As a cat person, I can’t help but love the sentiment behind this look. And yet, I have quibbles. The wig looks wrong with the mask, and the way the catsuit stops at the ankles hurts the proportional harmony of it all. Still, a lovely first catwalk presentation.

Onya’s runway performance was a million times better than the lewk she served. To put it bluntly, this is an outright mess, though the underlying idea of creating a pan-African glamour moment with salon supplies has its merits. Cool wig, though, and the mug remains impeccable.

NICK: The wig resembles a heightened version of the hairdo Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor’s been showing off this award’s season. I’m not even sure Onya sells the garment, but she absolutely sells herself as someone with star wattage to spare. The way she stops walking and turns around to grin at Ru, soaking up the laughter? Magnificent.

Sam Star comes next, with a rain cloud headpiece and a rainbow-colored, ecologically-themed dress. The assembly is polished as hell - love the construction of the cloud itself. That said, I hate the nude illusion base of the dress, which is too dark to actually resemble her skintone but too light to pass as, say, the dirt being watered by the rain and hosting this intricate system of gay roots. The wig reminds me of the NBC Peacock.

CLÁUDIO: I feel like I would have liked this better if we hadn’t already seen this concept before. Remember Maddy Morphosis’ stormcloud? Bosco’s simple yet impactful Ruveal? A litany of rainbow looks over the 70+ seasons of the international franchise? Or The Vivienne’s tempest fantasy - typing her name still hurts, what a loss to the community - who took the concept to haute couture levels. Compared to all those, Sam’s interpretation feels perfunctory, sorry to say.

After the runway presentation, the judging queens sit on the sidelines while this week’s contestants show off their talents. Well, their supposed talents as the case may be. Like always, we get our fair share of lipsync performances to original tracks dripping with robot-like auto-tune, but there are some outliers in this group. Arrietty shows off a piece of her culture, an actual traditional dance style that has actual technique no matter how many naysayers might claim she was merely twirling her skirts. Acacia sings live and quite well, a skillful showcase that maybe could have done with some more pizzazz. Lydia, Lucky, and Suzie all go the lipsync route, but they give it a good spin, adapting the format to their brands and sensibilities. Lydia does the worst of the three - the puppet was fantastically ugly but everything else about the act felt unresolved, while Suzie’s tap-dancing routine fares the best. Lucky wins most memorable honors, even though her little number felt like a repeat of last year’s burger finger nonsense, only with lemonade-sprouting titties and a citrusy behind.

Jewels and Joella went the more traditional route and the effect was far more forgettable. At least, Trinity’s granddaughter knows how to entertain, dancing her ass off on that stage like the rent’s due. The Katy Perry superfan is much less impressive, delivering a rote act whose only notable element was the bitch’s mugging. Also, I hated her outfit. Did you feel more positively toward the girls?

NICK: I would probably rank Joella as the worst of group one, doing a serviceable job with an utterly unmemorable number. Jewels does a much better job with the same task. I give her a lot of credit for making her “RuPaul, do you know what leche is?!?!” line play as genuinely spontaneous, and the Sasha Colby ponytail gets a good workout. Lucky did remind me of Burger Finger, but the grotesque bawdiness of her lemons ass was much more fun. Suzie’s tap routine was easily the highlight for me, both in terms of originality and in executing an idea. Tapping out the Gettysburg Address in Morse code is a great bit.

Arrietty, Acacia, and Lydia all land in the same middle ground for me. I have read online from other practitioners of traditional Mexican dance how Arrietty’s performance might have pulled from cultural history to drag it up for the main stage like Gia Gunn is AS4, but even on its own terms I thought her performance was quite moving. If nothing else, I’m annoyed that Arrietty’s sincere, unglammed dance was met with skepticism when Geneva Karr won her talent show for a much less interesting version of dress choreo. Acacia wins risk points for singing live, and I liked her original song fine. Miss Forgot did not always seem comfortable on that stage, and her rendition suffered in the enunciation for those nerves. I can say the same things about Lydia you said, which are also the same things we said about her masked runway. Really cool idea undone by not committing to the bit as hard or as thoughtfully as she should’ve.

After the performances are complete, the queens sequester themselves without the judge’s critiques to sway their voting. The most impactful strategizing comes from Lana Ja’Rae, who gives Arrietty her top ranking to save her from elimination. Credit to the editors for making their deliberations genuinely suspenseful - I wasn’t sure who would get bottom placement until Ru announced them. Acacia Forgot is ranked seventh by her sisters, and she is pissed. I would be too! I don’t think Acacia’s risk-taking fully paid off, but it’s more successful than Lydia’s burlesque and more specific than Joella’s bitch track.

CLÁUDIO: I’d have ranked Joella last, too. As for the top, I’d have probably given the honors to Suzie and Lucky, whose acts were the best balance between originality, entertainment value, and a succinct introduction to their drag brand.

But the queens feel differently. Suzie lands in the top two, but so does Jewels in a decision that’s bound to only incentivise future queens to follow in her steps. In other words, we’re going to be bored by more bitchtracks and splits for the next few years. Contrastingly, I fear the original girls with specific skills will be lead away from presenting them, since that’ll get them nowhere. I don’t know about you, but it makes for a sour note to end the episode on. Well, not quite, since there’s still a lipsync for the win in the cards. Jewels and Suzie must perform to Katy Perry’s “Woman’s World,” 2024’s most infamous pop flop.

They do well, but neither of them is spectacular. Jewels basically repeats the Talent Show routine with no levels or variation, starting strong and energetic but never going anywhere with her approach. Suzie’s savvier, building up to a Charleston spin on Perry’s tune. There’s a sense of crescendo to her work, climaxing with the morse-code tapping before going into a freer display of joy that was more endearing than fierce. However, that was just the right way to go about things, offering a nice contrast to Jewels’ more commonplace moves. It’ll be interesting to see how Suzie manages in future battles, but this was a good showing for this season’s theater kid par excellence.

Ru agrees, so Miss Toots wins the first maxi-challenge of season 17, while Acacia goes into next week’s episode knowing she’ll have to lipsync for her life at the end. It’s an unenviable and unjust position, but what can you do? Did you agree with the episode’s ultimate outcome?

NICK: I was very happy for Suzie, whose ownership of this number reminded me of Sapphira Crystal lip syncing to Meghan Trainor last year. Basic pop numbers serve as a decent platform for a diva to put her stamp on it. She’s not breaking the mold, but Suzie uses “Woman’s World” to showcase her uniqueness better than Jewels. It’s fun! I would’ve put Lucky over Jewels, but I don’t believe The Art Girl’s Bitch track getting topped by The Showgirl’s Bitch Track represents a terrible portend for the future. Especially when Suzie’s tap routine probably ranked first. She’s gonna be an inspiration for nerds everywhere.

Let’s at least wait until week’s winners - and for the first elimination - to start reading the tea leaves, yeah? Maybe someone will win for doing a good stand-up.