RuPaul's Drag Race: Makeovers: Crew Better Work

May 26, 2017 7:39 PM - Season 9, Episode 10

Crew members from the show get made over into fierce queens.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero (14 comments total)

And Untucked, which is really good this week. It was fascinating to see everyone talk about the process of making over their partners and the ways in which it was challenging. Watching the made-over crew watch the decision on who was up for elimination was moving. And the end may be the first time that I've seen Nina something approaching happy.

Sasha and Shea did a fantastic job with the pairings. Each crew member had something in their vibe that matched the queen they were with, and it really showed when they were on the runway.

(Side note: I miss the mini-challenges! Not that there was even room for one this week.)

Trinity totally deserved her win this week. Sasha did a fantastic job with Donatella, but Trinity and Glittafadays were just on a whole 'nother level. I did not have the hate for Alexis's look that other people did and I thought they had a perfect mother/daughter vibe. Poor Shea just did not secure her partner's wig well enough and it's a shame, because they looked PERFECT together.

Wintergreen for Season 10! I know every judge hated her and Peppermint's look but I actually loved it and could see how it tied together (same style, different prints). Wintergreen's look gave me a real Darien Lake-at-her-best vibe.

The critiques of Nina were dead on. Her consistent problems have been:
1. She leans on the "creature" look too much
2. She does not tie anything in her outfit in to her face
3. Her outfits are almost always swimsuit + knee-high boots
If she hadn't gone down the dead-end route of trying to sew when she didn't know how (why get that ambitious in such a high pressure situation unless it's self sabotage?) and instead focused on taking what she had and making it look Playboy-bunny, she might not have been in the bottom two. I honestly feel she's the only one who deserved to be in the bottom two out of the group.
posted by rednikki at 10:03 AM on May 27, 2017 [4 favorites]

The makeover show is always a highlight and this one was waaaay up there for me. What a great episode. I gasped, I clutched my pearls, it was everything.
posted by merriment at 10:19 AM on May 27, 2017 [4 favorites]

Great episode—Definitely the best and least-cringiest makeover episode ever. So refreshing (compared to past makeovers) that was no "You want me to do WHAT?!" or hyper-masculine posturing from the guys. It's clear they really appreciate what the queens do and came at it from a place of "I don't need to assert my masculinity," which goes to show how progressive and secure in themselves they actually are.

I know it's all TV, manufactured, edited, storylined, etc BUT I will say—as much as I was rooting for her—I'm relieved to see Nina go. I was all in ever since her KILLER breakout looks in episode one (mouse entrance! Gaga! GEORGIA PEACH!) but, just as they showed us with the other queens, dealing with someone's persistent self-doubt and/or depression is exhausting. Even in real life, you can have friends who you love and root for but, if they're an energy vacuum, then after hanging out with them for awhile you're like "I need a break." (Honestly, her whole journey on the show sort of bums me out. Thinking of Lifetime's Unreal, or of behind-the-scenes exposes on messier reality shows— like, are you a paranoid person plagued by self-doubt? Reality tv is designed to exploit you for entertainment! I dunno.) I will say, Trinity's speech in Untucked had me slapping my chair. Yes!

Anyways—how cute were the crew guys? I'm all in for Duncan (yum) and honestly the cutest part was how intimidated Sasha and all the girls were by him at the start. I loved Sasha's significant look to the camera during her talking head: "He is... very strict with us."

Some people are pointing out/wondering how much of the Alexis hate is the edit. I don't know— she certainly goes on a lot, but that could just be what they're choosing to show. Aesthetically, still, I'm over her. I thought Michelle and Zaldy were right that her look was basic this week. Truly it should've been Alexis/Nina in the bottom two, but I think they wanted the "drama" of Shea sending Nina home.

Two episodes left before finale, right? Unless there's a significant stumble, I see Alexis and Peppermint sashaying, making way for the top three of my heart: Trinity, Shea, and Sasha.

Lastly: Trinity in her dressing robe look, checking in on the tucking process, was all hilarious.
posted by Zephyrial at 10:46 AM on May 27, 2017 [6 favorites]

My heart sank soon as Nina said "I'm going to sew!" because ... I knew whatever happened, she was going home.

I liked a lot of Nina's aesthetic and her makeup could be amazing but, yeah, she just got in her own way too much and too often. I hope she finds what she's looking for.

I loved Winter Green & I do think it was strange that Peppermint didn't do a better job matching their outfits. Maybe it was just a time factor? But yes, all the crew members were so sweet and game for the whole thing. I loved it. (And understandably, these men work on Drag Race so they're probably not going to be weird super-macho types, but I loved how there was no resistance to what the queens wanted them to do. Except for maybe the tucking thing, but even that just seemed a bit more silly than anything antagonistic.)

I'm not that into Trinity, but she does deliver. I would not be excited if she won but she's been a solid competitor.

While Sasha hasn't had a solo win (if I recall), some at the AV Club pointed out Sasha's never been in the bottom two. It's going to be interesting to see what happens with this final five. I feel like there's not really a super clear front-runner, honestly.
posted by darksong at 12:09 PM on May 27, 2017

I was actually surprised at how fierce Sasha looked in a wig (especially in untucked, without the glasses), considering that's pretty much the opposite of her trademark.

I kind of knew Nina was going home, but I feel bad for her partner. That drag was broke down. I can't defend her anymore.

I think I might have a little crush on Sarge.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:41 PM on May 27, 2017 [5 favorites]

At Pilates today we were doing these knee-pull things and every-time the teacher said TUCK! I thought of Trinity and her duct tape.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 12:54 PM on May 27, 2017 [4 favorites]

I adored this episode- some of those crew guys should seriously take up drag! I particularly like Alexis and her mini; I suppose the outfits are a little pedestrian, but, SHINY! I was also glad to see Nina go- there's only so long one person can suck all the air out of a room before everyone reaches their limit. The other queens were more than patient.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:08 PM on May 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Man, I wish Nina'd put up more of a fight during the lip sync. Her last two have been pretty great, so I was disappointed she was kinda lying down on the tracks. But it was a good episode!
posted by en forme de poire at 5:50 PM on May 27, 2017

If it does end up being Sasha, Shea, and Trinity (and I can't really see it any other way... I love Peppermint but she hasn't consistently killed it the way those three have) then, man! I don't even know who I want to win! Sasha is the one whose style appeals to me the most, but Shea is obviously amazing and has had so few missteps. And Trinity has grown on me so much.

The sequence with Trinity fixing Rizzo's tuck will go down in the pantheon of great Drag Race moments, imo.
posted by Pizzarina Sbarro at 11:03 PM on May 27, 2017 [3 favorites]

I was delighted that the rest of the crew filmed in wigs and heels at the reveal. That was a really sweet gesture.

Nina's everything was a mess tonight. Her bunny face was lumpy and weird and the ears really did look like wet newspaper, or a kindy Easter project. It's almost like she was ready to go before she started.
posted by Jilder at 3:47 AM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]

Such a great ep; the crew members were all so super cute (I mean, hellooooo boys!) and game, and Winter Green is a total All-Star. That Kesha crack-up at the judging panel was so much fun.

Trinity earned that win, as much as I love Sasha, Glittafadays was a killer queen.
posted by Gin and Broadband at 10:25 AM on May 28, 2017 [4 favorites]

Am just now getting to watch this episode's Untucked and it's a super good one! Even if you don't normally watch it (and this is the very first season where I've watched Untucked, so maybe there are others like me?), definitely watch this one. So much great conversation and funny moments!

In this Untucked, it seems like Alexis has kind of abruptly turned a corner, no? She's suddenly coming across as way more relaxed, engaged, and kind than they've been playing her recently. And Trinity with the stern professional pep talk, telling all the truths. Feels like they've abruptly reversed her edit, too. Maybe they've decided there's no use in trying to create a villain this season?

Also, watching a bunch of fully painted queens descending like ravenous locusts on a tray of burgers was utterly hilarious.
posted by merriment at 1:22 PM on May 28, 2017 [5 favorites]

I could watch a full hour of the crew reacting to the results except that the few minutes we got in Untucked just about killed me.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:49 PM on May 29, 2017 [3 favorites]

I loved the part at the runway where Wintergreen had the whole judges panel rolling in their seats.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:40 AM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]