Drag Race RuCap: “The Daytona Wind 2”

CLÁUDIO ALVES: Between this episode’s sequel to "Daytona Wind" and next week’s LaLaPaRUza 2.0, the show’s producers have decided that the way to make season 15 work is to copy its successful predecessor. Sadly, between the rushed edit and other concerns, this season continues to live in the shadow of the glorious 14. If anything, these repetitions only highlight the fact. That’s not to say “The Daytona Wind 2” is without its merits. All in all, it was a fun 40-minute chapter, though the laser focus on two feuding protagonists relegated most of the contestants to supporting roles.

NICK TAYLOR: Given the more noteworthy failures of pacing this season, The Daytona Winds 2” was pretty well-paced. Turning most of the cast into supporting players is a very real issue here --I'm afraid we’ll find out who gets eliminated next episode based solely on who gets chief narrator duties....

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Drag Race RuCap: “Old Friends Gold”

NICK TAYLOR: Well girl, it finally happened: Drag Race did a Golden Girls themed challenge! The Girl Group challenge - an infrequently repeated challenge that’s more of a fixture on All-Stars and the international spin-offs than the main stage - is the Golden Girls Group this year. It’s also the first challenge of season 15 where I find myself out of step with the judge’s decision-making on several fronts, even if I see why they made their choices. What do you think of the girl group challenge historically, and how does that stack up with today’s episode?

CLÁUDIO ALVES: I really love the girl group episodes, especially on international seasons. If you asked me to replace a mainstay maxi challenge, I’d probably erase the obligatory makeover/family resemblance nonsense with this musical trial. However, I can’t quite say “Old Friends Gold” ranks high amid its girl group sisters. Part of it is the rushed edit, but another big factor is, as you say, the judging. The judges and I were watching two different performances this week...

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Drag Race RuCap: Supersized “Snatch Game”

Neither are we, Aura. Neither are we.

NICK TAYLOR: Boy, the merciless editing of MTV’s reinstated 40-minute format really fucked the Snatch Game. I’m struggling to find a truly positive note to say about this as an episode of television - yes, this arguably did a better job of showcasing the queen’s talents than last week’s episode, but it might just be the nature of the challenge itself. Some of the queens were so poorly incorporated they might as well not have participated! Reality TV always involves manipulation and compression, but it feels bad to see these talented queens have to fight for fucking airtime...

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Link Stop

• Variety Spider-Man: No Way Home and Euphoria lead the MTV nominations. Happy about the nomination for Sydney Sweeney for Euphoria and Megan Stalter for Hacks
• Out Joel Kim Booster covers Out Traveler to promote Fire Island
• Deadline in unexpected news A Simple Favor is getting a sequel with original stars Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. If you'll recall we truly really loved...
• TFE ...and it made our top ten list of 2018
• El Diario Pedro Almodóvar writes another diary. This one is about the Met Gala, Marilyn Monroe (he has seen the upcoming bio Blonde) and "feminized" men

More after the jump including a viral Broadway rant, a new Cronenberg, Sutton Foster on PBS, and a film that pairs Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway...

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Lukewarm off the press: MTV Movie Awards, Dune buzz, Norman Lloyd, etc...

Sorry about our radio silence these past few days. But let's catch up with some of movie news that we missed.

• The MTV Movie & TV Awards were held with WandaVision emerging as the big winner taking home Best Show, Best Performance, Best Fight, and Best Villain. Sacha Baron Cohen, Chadwick Boseman, and Scarlett Johansson among others were also honored.

More after the jump including Dune, Disenchanted, and Lord of the Rings for TV news...

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