RPDR - Season 13 - Episode 2 Review

Before we jump into this remember there are spoilers below if you haven’t watched the episode yet. All the comments below are just my fun opinion, its a TV show don’t get upset if I didn’t like your favourite Queen!


This episode was bumper Mumma! So, let’s get right to it. 

It’s another day to slay in the werkroom… well not for everyone. Episode 2 starts with us seeing all the Queens who were put in the Pork Chop lounge after losing their lip sync. 

The Queens are informed that they are taking a leaf out of the All Stars books and have to pick the dreaded lipstick of the Queen that is going to be sent home! I don’t know how the Queens didn’t see which lipstick was being picked as it was pretty obvious to see what one had been placed in the box not very far away from where they were sat. Regardless we had a tie of Utica and Elliott and the Queens are forced to break the tie and pick another Queen. 

Votes counted and it was unanimous… Elliott is out. It was actually heart-breaking to see poor Elliott after zero screen time be waved off. That’s it, no real goodbye. Elliott’s journey on Drag Race is over just like that. 

Swiftly moving on the winning lip sync Queens enter the workroom on cloud 9 oblivious to what just went down and then it’s finally time for the episode to go back to its normal format with Ru entering the workroom or is it…

Ru enters the workroom and informs the Queens that another Queen would be joining them, the doors open and a guy out of Drag enters. All the other Queens are like okay… who this b*tch as no one has seen anyone else yet out of Drag yet. It is quickly established that Elliott is back!!! 

Ru informs the girls that ‘loosing is the new winning’ and honestly, I loved it. Ru touched on other voted out first legends like Pork Chop, Vanjie and Shangela. Some names most people would recognise before the winning Queen of their season. I was really impressed with Ru’s statement and maybe it was a part attack on the fans who cast Queens out for where they placed in the competition. Remember these 12 beat off soooo many other Queens for this space. They truly are winners for getting on the show. However, the Queens didn’t seem as impressed as I clearly was, although I wasn’t overly fussed about Elliott, I really felt it unfair for her to go at this stage in the show, I’m happy he’s back.

Tina and Kandy though… mmm the world just saw you guys be a mega b*tch at Elliotts return, just saying. I do part get it but at the same time you did one lip sync, if the shoe was on the other foot you wouldn’t be saying no to going back in that werkroom.  

Past fan favourites: Shangela, Pork Chop and Vanjie.

All the drama over Ru asks the Queens to get two looks together one lady like daytime look and an evening look that says I’m a whore! The Queens run off to get ready and right away start suspecting Elliott of being up to something. YAWN! Kandy and Elliott have a little fun bit of shade but you need to see it to find it funny. One thing I will say though (and this is just a bit of fun I’m not trying to be mean) but every time Kandy talks all I can hear is Tazmanian Tiger from Looney Tunes! Anyone else? 

Now I won’t review each queen and spoil it for everyone, instead lets go over my top Queens for each look. 

Daytime – I was actually split. 

I LOVED the idea of Olivia’s but didn’t like the shape of the outfit on her body. Then I really liked Elliott’s but didn’t like her hair. Let’s have a tie on that one. 

Evening look – same top two but I am going to go with Olivia Lux because I prefer fish over costume Queens but seriously amazing look from Elliott again too! 

Fashion show done and Ru tasks the Queens with jumping on his track Condragulations with their own vers and performance which they will have to do the choreo for themselves! 

The Queens jump in and I’m torn a little for how Elliott handled it. I agree Elliott didn’t want to be like girls I can do choreo and take over having only just joined the Queens. But at the same time girl show the judges what you can do with your second chance. Take over, make it the best it can be and make sure they know it was you! Elliott part takes over once the other Queens had come up with some… ‘cute’ dance moves to save the day. 

Now this might be a bit controversial but I’m going to just go in and say it… dis-claimer I’m not transphobic, I fully support Gottmik being on the show, I understand as a white gay male sat here typing away with my privilege this might not be what people want to hear and I’m blessed to have been born in the body I identify with. I totally get it, but this is more a question than an attack. When it got to Gottmik’s part of the song, the lyrics spoke about the trans journey, being born a girl and now transitioning to a boy. Gottmik freaked out and made a big drama of not being able to talk to the Queens about it before they heard the lyrics. But unless they didn’t show it, none of the Queens reacted any differently to him. Also hadn’t you all just de-dragged together and you had your chest out in the evening look for the fashion runway? Didn’t anyone see the top surgery lines then? You were proud of your top surgery then so why not now? The fact that Gottmik also said they love having their chest out, it surprised me to see so much panic and drama they made. Plus all the time spent stressing over it you could have just told them… Again totally get it, I haven’t had to go through the experience of transphobia and people rejecting me for that reason. I know it’s a TV show too, but I wasn’t buying it. This isn’t an attack just seemed a little fake and air time grabbing to me.

Back in the Werkroom Gottmik did talk to the girls, well Olivia Lux only it seems where Olivia had the same reaction to me when Gottmik got cast. Okay great your fierce, your body, your choice. I’m happy you are now in a body you agree with. But oh gosh what pronouns do they use… Olivia asked all the right questions and was totally chill about it (I think someone’s going for Miss Congeniality). 

In the performance on the main stage, I really didn’t have a real stick out favourite tbh, each of the Queens killed it and were on par with each other, I loved Tina’s lyrics but I didn’t feel she performed it to us. She was too focused on looking at the other Queens which came across as scared. Maybe Olivia stole it slightly with her moves, but I couldn’t tell you what her lyrics were. Right, I’m going to be picky, lets stick with your all winner’s baby! Remember there are no loosers on this show. 

For the main stage runway, we have a theme of ‘Lamé, You Stay!’ without going through everyone I will pick a few standouts. 

Gottmik – The fabric and whole look was to die for! It looked fabulous on the main stage and worked perfectly with her body shape. Hello look Queen. 

La Ri Ri – I didn’t love the full outfit design, but the material was GORG! Having said that Quality street anyone?

Symone – The whole look was fabulous and Symone is a model darling. Give her a look and she will pull it off it seems. 

I agreed with the top 2 this week and the bottom 2 if that had happened! Instead, Ru mixed it up again, saved everyone from being sent home and instead gave the top 2 a chance to lip sync for the episode win and some DOLLAR, All Stars style baby! Hilarious though if the top two Queens hadn’t prepared for the song thinking they might be in the top and safe and didn’t know the lyrics. 

Either could have stolen it, but I was a little more entertained with Olivia’s performance. After loving Symone’s first lip sync where she really killed it, I was a bit okay, well-done girl but give me more. Episode done, let’s see what happens when the Queens finally come together and discover Elliott is still there.  

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