This week on RuPaul's Drag Race, the queens flex their acting muscles and take on another (questionably written) TV parody, giving their own spin on the long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy.
The results are mixed, with some queens doing the most with what they were given and some under-delivering – and it’s who you would expect from the get-go. Singer Normani joins the judges’ panel as the queens ignore the fashion advice of Edna Mode and showcase their best-caped fashions.
Although this episode could have used another injection of Leslie Jones’ enthusiasm, it was entertaining but, sadly, we had to say goodbye to one of the most gorgeous dolls in the cast.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the most memorable moments from the episode.
Shade on Aiden
As the queens return to the werk room after Rock M. Sakura’s emotional elimination, there seems to be a rumbling among the queens that the wrong one definitely went home and our spooky Georgia peach, Aiden Zhane, is the recipient of some thick shade from the other survivors. In the confessionals, Brita was angry that Aiden “did the bare minimum and skated by again.” Jaida didn’t need to go into the confessional room, she told Aiden to her face that she thought she should have been in the bottom two. Brita continues to complain in the confessionals, talking about the fact that Aiden was napping while everyone else was working and that she “literally put balls on a corset.” While Heidi says she still sees a fire in Aiden, Widow under her breath but loud enough for all to hear muttered “yeah, a candle.” Ouch.
Queen of Trade
The next day, the queens enter the werk room and start to discuss who the trade of the season is. Jaida says it’s her because she is the sexiest “here and everywhere.” Heidi, in the first of many soon-to-be classic lines, said “Jan would be if she had her boy brows.” Neither Jaida nor Heidi are wrong, in my opinion.
Casting Call
Ru enters in a doctor’s coat and announces this week’s main challenge – a parody of Grey’s Anatomy called (of course) “Gay’s Anatomy.” In lieu of a true mini challenge, we have the assignment of roles for the sketch. The Pit Crew, clad in white speedos and nurse hats (meow) gave a pill bottle to each queen, with two pink pills and nine silver “placebos.” The two who received the pink pills, Gigi and Nicky, were tasked with casting the characters.
Everyone read through the script to pick the roles they’d like. Jackie wanted to play Dr. Meredith Gay, and Jan said she’d like to play Dr. Gay #2 (after a face transplant). Obviously, Jan’s not seeing the humor of having someone who looks nothing like Jackie to play the part. Not a good start, ladies. Brita wants to play Dr. Sandra Okurr and Aiden wanted to be Mimi Dearest.
Sherry and Widow both wanted the Mother role. Widow said she felt that Nicky and Gigi were “sweet spirits” and wouldn’t “sabotage a bitch” with their casting. As the two deliberated, Nicky thought she should tackle the small (but potentially hilarious) baby role. Both of them thought Sherry would make the better mother, but no one wanted to tell Widow and Nicky said she thought Aiden should play the ghost character (more shade!) They assign the roles pretty much to everyone who wanted the role – except for Aiden and Widow, who changed her opinion on Nicky and Gigi from “sweet spirits” to “these f**kin bitches.”
Ru’s Enduring Mullet Love
As Ru visits the queens in the werk room, she again complements Crystal on her El DeBarge-inspired mullet. Later, on the runway, Ru brings the dubious ‘do up again, telling Normani, who I doubt was a sparkle in her mother’s eye when DeBarge was popular, about his affection for Crystal’s boy hair, calling it “captivating”. And now, for the second week, I have “Rhythm of the Night” stuck in my head. Thanks, Ru.
More Werk Room Moments
After waxing poetic once again about Crystal’s mullet, Ru continued around the room. She asks Aiden if she felt that being cast as a ghost was shade, she said it “might be.” Aiden said the show was “out of her element” and implied she was at a disadvantage as she’s not a big city girl, which prompted Jaida to declare that, “this is not ‘RuPaul’s Excuse Race.’” The best moment came when Widow told Ru that she was upset she didn’t get the mother role because she wanted to play something more serious, to which Ru replied, “you wanted to play something a little more serious…on RuPaul’s Drag Race…” So true, Ru.
Heidi Delivers the Funny
While the queens were filming the sketch, Heidi pointed out that Widow, playing an expecting mom, really “delivered.” She added, “…literally, because she was pregnant,” pointing at the camera and giggling. She went on to add, “If that doesn’t make it in, there’s a problem. That was gold.” I love Heidi.
The Queens’ Mother Moments
While they beat their mugs for the runway, Sherry mentions how supportive her own mother is about her career, which visibly affects Jackie. She says that her mom, like many of those from immigrant families, wanted their kids to have a better life. For Jackie’s mom that meant getting an education, a good job and doing something respectable. She said her mother was against every instinct she had and that she didn’t want to be a doctor – which it what her mother envisioned for her. She just wanted to sing and dance but couldn’t take dance classes because mom though they weren’t something boys should do. She doesn’t even know he does drag. Jackie tearfully says she felt she was never good enough for her mom and is terrified about her mom’s reaction to her being on the show, fearing that it would be her worst nightmares coming true. Jaida told Jackie that her mom will see that she’s successful because she can take care of herself and be happy. All Jackie wants is for her mother “to understand that part of me” that drag has brought her.
Widow was also affected by this discussion. Her mom died in a car crash when she was 17 and never got to see what she’s become. She went on to say that no one in her family knows she’s married and in drag. Worst of all, she had a fight with her mother the day she died. I’m really glad we get the chance to know these queens better and I feel so much for Jackie and Widow.
Gay’s Anatomy
Under Carson Kressly’s direction, Gay’s Anatomy had its highs and lows – and the queens you expected to shine did just that. Jackie and Jan were great as the two faces of Meredith Gay (even though they looked almost exactly alike), Gigi Goode killed it as Dr. Tizzy Stephens and Sherry delivered another solid performance as Meredith’s mother. In the middle of the pack were Heidi and Crystal as a pair of ladies impaled by a giant fork (I don’t watch Grey’s – is this a thing?) and Brita and Aiden as Dr. Sandra Okurr and the Mae West-ish patient-tuned-ghost who put the “meh” in “medicine.” Jaida as Chief of Staff Rhonda Shimes was struggling with her lines – and it showed and poor Nicky was definitely struggling as Widow’s baby. Actually, the less said about this sketch, the better.
Planet of the Capes
Our queens really brought it to the runway this week. Jaida wore a gorgeous bodysuit with a dramatic cape with some over the top shoulders. She topped off her look with a huge wig with a (I guess it’s a signature) head wrap. She called it her “Jimmy Neutron fantasy.” Normani said it reminded her of “Halle Berry in BAPS.” Brita gave us her take on Little Red Riding Hood with a light cape (I think it was tulle?), and a corset connected to a trumpet skirt (Carson said he had heard of “assless chaps” but had never heard of an “assless trumpet skirt.” I loved the lacing on the top and her hair looked amazing. Jackie served us “mysterious dancer of the Middle East” in a diaphanous genie costume with an elaborate golden headpiece. Jan gave us glam paratrooper realness in a bedazzled bodysuit with rhinestone encrusted goggles. Gigi, in my favorite look, paid tribute to the cult favorite Troop Beverly Hills, giving Shelley Long’s character a run for her money in a fabulous version of a scout uniform and, God help me, I really enjoyed Sherry’s tribute to Elvis’ iconic eagle-caped jumpsuit.
Heidi was a mix of Supremes-era Diana Ross and a disco dominatrix in a black sequined bodysuit paired with rainbow hued wings. Crystal was a beautiful tropical princess in a bright yellow jumpsuit and cape with a flower crown and neon green boots that Michelle said “had no place on the runway.” Her softened makeup also got kudos from the judges. Aiden served her take on Silence of the Lambs with a cape that she said was inspired by one seen in Buffalo Bill’s basement in the movie. Widow gave us a watermelon with a reveal that . Nicky came out in a lush white cape that she whipped off to reveal a Thierry Mugler-esque metallic bodysuit that was really kind of awesome (Normani’s great comment was “bustier, you stay”), but the piece of flimsy fabric on her back didn’t read “cape” to the judges. She looked amazing though.
The Queens Become the Judges
As a result of the challenge and the runway, Sherry wins the week and Aiden, Widow, Gigi and Jackie are all deemed safe. As for the remaining queens, Ru posed the infamous question, “Who should go home tonight and why?” Jaida picked Heidi, stating she didn’t step up her look on the runway. Brita, Heidi and Crystal all said Nicky should be in the bottom, with Brita stating that she didn’t understand her baby character in the sketch. Nicky called herself out due to her performance in the challenge, and when pressed by Ru to name another queen, she said Heidi.
Lip Sync for Your Life
I’m not sure if Ru actually took the queens’ critiques to heart, but Heidi and Nicky landed in the bottom two. Their lip sync song was “Heart to Break” by Kim Petras, which is a great little jam. The lip syncs this season have been kind of underwhelming, and this one was no different. Nicky skipped the acrobatics and reveals and just served up glamour and poses while Heidi tried her best to show why she should stay. There were splits, shimmying, and shuffling across the floor and she even briefly lost her wig. Ru makes her ru-ling and we have to say “au revoir” to our beautiful baguette, Nicky Doll. Je suis triste.
Did the right queen sashay away? How many more ways can Sherry be creatively edited out of the episodes? Will next week be another episode of “RuPaul’s Excuse Race”? These questions and more will be answered next week, so, until then, if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an “amen”? Stay safe out there!
