Rupaul's Drag Race: Season 5, Episode 4
So, this episode definitely shook things up, right? And not just by putting those poor queens in a ballet! First, how fun was it to see Ru in an afro and gettin’ down? When she’s in drag, Ru cultivates an almost regal detachment, so seeing her let loose and get funky was a delight.
Over the last two weeks, we’ve also seen a lot more of Jinkx, whom you know I love. She seemed to be a smart leader, taking control but making sure everyone was on board with her decisions. She picked a team of graceful, elegant dancers (Jade, Ivy, Lineysha)..... and Alaska. But come on, you knew Alaska would bring enough attitude to carry her through the challenge.
We also got to see more of Honey and Vivienne, which immediately made me suspicious--from early on, I suspected that they were being given their brief moments in the sun before falling into the bottom two.
Despite the smokin’ hot choreographers, the rehearsal scenes left me worried that the final performance was inevitably going to be a trainwreck. But I was surprised at how charming and artful it was! Ru’s voiceovers were lovely, and I loved the small, poignant scenes they described.
Alaska’s opening number as Ru’s mom was fabulous, mostly for her scowl, glasses, and crazy hair. (Yes, I did consider doing an animation of Alaska spanking baby Ru.) Jinkx and Ivy were fabulous, too--I knew Jinkx had formal dance training, but I was especially impressed with Ivy, who channeled such a fun, sunny playfulness.
And yes, Alyssa and Coco were fabulous. It was great to see them working together, their drama contributing to the intensity of the scene. This episode conveyed Alyssa in a particularly nice light, showing both her lighter side (the ridiculous faces in the mirror) and her talents (what a dancer!). I had hoped to do a portrait of both Alyssa and Coco facing off against each other, but alas, there’s only so much a boy can do every week!
The runway segment was a hurried afterthought this week, but there were some stunning looks--I HAD to draw Ivy in her Victor/Victoria inspired gown. (If you’re not familiar with the film, you MUST check out VICTOR/VICTORIA . It features Julie Andrews performing (kind of) as a drag queen. Yeah, I know. Here’s a link.)
Detox’s look this week was sheer perfection. It had an almost alien sense of glamour, all those shimmering shapes! And that hair!
The double elimination was striking, and I was especially sad to see Honey go. I think she’s both an immense talent and stunning beauty, but got tripped up on her wardrobe choices. Since the show, however, I think she’s attained a new level of polish and sophistication--have you seen her brand new music video? So I’m hoping to see a lot more of Honey soon!
Next week is the Snatch Game, hunties, so get ready! I’m dying to see Jinkx’s “Little Edie,” even though none of the other queens might know who the hell that is.
In the meantime, make sure to check out my print store, where I’ve been posting a lot of my latest Season 5 work! So, get yours now!