RuPaul’s dream is my nightmare. For years, Ru has been working toward a season where he could get all the queens’ parents to show up for a makeover challenge. He’s finally done it. But at what cost?
But first! Lana has gone home and Sam is a MESS. She’s very sad about having almost gone home and then she says she still blames Lexi for not choosing her as a partner. These queens need to take some personal responsibility! Meanwhile, Lexi’s confidence is growing after winning alongside Onya.
Onya nows has four wins, but tells the other queens they’re all talented so anything could happen. I appreciated this, because it didn’t feel like her being totally sincere or faux humble, but being competitive in a way where to admit your greatness holds you back from even more.
It’s a new day in the work room and Sam hasn’t shaved her face. She’s still really shaken up about last week! The mini challenge is a game called Spill the Tea where Ru asks the queens which one of them is the most xyz and if they vote with the group they get a point. The last question is who is most likely to go home first and everyone says Jewels except Jewels who says Suzie. Onya wins the mini challenge and that might finally be the thing to get everyone to be more intimidated by Onya over Suzie.
It’s the makeover challenge and it starts with Sam’s mom Leslie walking through the door. She bursts into tears and says this is exactly who she needed to see right now. Then Suzie’s mom Susan shows up. Then Onya’s dad Andre. Then Jewels’ dad Douglas walks in with a “hey queeeen.” And, finally, Lexi’s mom Tammy. Lexi seems shocked that her mom is there. And so was I! They really got all the parents! Imagine you’re on Drag Race and then your parent walks into the work room. Horrifying.
As Ru teared up watching all the parents there, I even started to buy into the gimmick. Given everything that’s happening right now, maybe brushing over familial complications to create a picture of perfect support is good. I know, I know, that’s not exactly what they’re doing. But I do feel like “being on TV” and “my child is about to be famous” change how impressed I am by a supportive parent. This is how I’ve felt since the early seasons when a parent would show up to the finale after the queen had talked about being estranged earlier in the work room. Like it really shouldn’t take your queer child being successful for you to love them.
Anyway, this was a very painful episode to watch! Even if it was arguably good TV and even arguably good for these queens and society, I just found it to be really rough. It’s not that all of the queens have complicated relationships with their parents. In fact, it’s actually the contrasts — and the queens being faced with those contrasts — that hurts so much.
Sam’s mom is her best friend. And Sam is able to lean on her for comfort. Meanwhile, Suzie seems totally shaken that her mom is there. And then her mom immediately says that she’s not sure how much energy she’s going to be able to give. Suzie says more important than winning the challenge is making sure her mom is comfortable and OH MY GOD Suzie makes so much sense now.
Onya talks about her dad being incarcerated when she was younger and how meaningful it is for him to be there because he missed so many other moments in her life. Keeping families apart is one of many reasons why prisons should not exist! He was incarcerated for robbing five banks and he says he wants his drag name to be Roberta Banks which I thought was hilarious but Onya says they aren’t doing that.
As evidenced by the hey queen, Jewels’ dad is another parent that’s super supportive. But Jewels talks about her brother dying in a car accident in 2022 and says this is the happiest she’s seen her dad since then. She says she came here to be extraordinary for her family.
Lexi is still shocked that her mom is there. She gives some more context explaining that she was kicked out of her house when she was 18 which shaped her life in so many ways including leading her to addiction. She and her mom reconciled in the past, but Lexi says there’s still a lot of push and pull.
A lighter moment occurs when the dads try on breast plates and begin strutting around. Lexi says they’re more excited to have breasts than she was.
Lexi has a moment of growth as she realizes that her animosity toward Suzie is because she sees Suzie as who she could’ve been if she hadn’t run away from home and started using drugs. But what’s so funny is Suzie is struggling with her mom this whole episode! Lexi has just been projecting.
Sam talks about how her mom marched into her middle school and made sure all anti-gay bullying stopped. Jewels talks about how her parents have supported her from the beginning and took her to her first drag show. Suzie looks upset!
Then the crazy reveal is when Ru points out that Suzie’s name is Suzie and her mom’s name is Susan. Then Susan says her maiden name is Toot and Ru laughs. EXCEPT SHE IS NOT JOKING. Suzie’s drag name is literally her mother’s name.
Ru then has a fun moment with Onya’s dad, telling him he has a gorgeous nose and gorgeous cheekbones and he’s like… okay. He then says that his sons never turned their back on him, so he won’t turn his back on them.
Lexi’s mom then cries as she talks about her and Lexi working through their relationship. Then Lexi cries because her mom used the right pronouns for her. Lexi says this is the first time that’s ever happened. Again, sucks that it took being on TV!
Sam’s mom asks Suzie’s mom if she’s seen Suzie perform and Suzie’s mom says the shows just start so late but, yes, a few times. Sam’s mom then says that she tries to go to at least one of Sam’s shows per weekend. She says she acts as everybody’s mom at the gay club. In the confessional, Suzie cries saying she loves her mom, but she’s envious of some of the other queens’ dynamics.
Ru looks amazing this week in a gold dress with crosses that looks like medieval art. Michelle looks really hot too. They’re joined by the best judge Law Roach and guest judge June Diane Raphael.
Lexi and her mom look so good in Valentine’s Day themed outfits. It might not be the most fashion, but I think Lexi was really the only queen this year to really prioritize her parent looking GOOD.
Sam and her mom also look good and have a perfect resemblance in white cowboy looks with gold hats. Suzie and her mom also have a perfect resemblance in a black and white old cartoon look with mouse ears.
Jewels and her dad are matching, but they’re in these snow bunny looks that look readymade for a reveal and the reveal… just doesn’t come. I feel like something definitely went wrong? Like a reveal was planned?
Onya and her dad are matching and having fun, but I don’t even know how I’d describe their looks. Onya says she was trying something different and the makeover challenge is not the time to do that. Especially if the something different is so much less fashion-forward as her usual looks.
The judges don’t think Lexi and her mom look alike and I was very confused by that. They aren’t perfect matches, but they absolutely look alike! They love Sam and love Suzie both deserved. But I do think Suzie should get more points for being the most true-to-her-persona in her approach.
The judges share my confusion about Jewels’ outfits while praising her dad’s energy. And Law hates Onya’s outfits, but not as much as she loves Onya’s dad. Law is so funny hitting on him. Highlight of the episode.
Sam wins which… I don’t know. I get it. But also it feels a little unfair considering the relationship she has with her mom! I would’ve given it to Suzie or Lexi who are instead safe.
That means the lip sync is Jewels vs. Onya to “1 Thing” by Amerie. While most would predict this would’ve easily gone to frontrunner Onya, Jewels decided to FIGHT. She removes her coat which also flings off her pussycat wig to reveal long hair. It’s done really cleanly and is just one part of an all-around great lip sync performance from Jewels.
Luckily, Onya delivers as well. And, in lieu of her own trick, she punts Jewels pussycat wig right over the judges! And COME ON Ru couldn’t send Onya home for doing slightly less well in a lip sync. Maybe in an early season but that is simply not the vibe of the show anymore.
So it’s a double shantay!!!!!!! I’m honestly so thrilled. I’ve grown to really like Jewels and she killed that lip sync and all of their parents are there! I’m usually a bigger fan of the double sashay, but this episode was traumatizing enough. We could all use a happy ending.
Teleport Us to Mars!! Here Are Some Random Thoughts:
+ I loved how obsessed Lexi’s mom was with fake tape facelift.
+ Kind of funny to give all the parents some Anastasia Beverly Hills.
+ At the beginning of the episode, Jewels calls herself the la cucaracha of drag, so I love that she’s once again held on.
+ Queen I’m rooting for: Onya
+ Queen I’m horniest for: Michelle
+ Queen I want to sashay: Sam
The fact that Jewels clearly did have a reveal built into her outfit (as evidenced by the lip sync) made the lack of reveal on the runway even weirder. Like, did you keep your dad from having a cool reveal so you could pull it out during the lip sync if needed?
Like you, I was really torn this week between hating Ru’s family reconciliation at all costs shtick generally, + wondering if it’s a net positive in these times. Idk, truly the only times I’ve ever loved the makeover challenges were during the height of COVID when the queens just made over each other.
Thanks as always for a great recap, I look forward to them every week! 💖
Yeah I’m definitely with you on it being a net positive even if I did not enjoy the experience lol
And I hadn’t thought of the possibility Jewels purposefully saved the reveal in case she had to lip sync… that’s super interesting.