RuPaul's Drag Race: RuPocalypse Now! First Watch

October 5, 2016 4:23 PM - Season 4, Episode 1

Season 4 premieres with 13 new queens competing to become America's Next Drag Superstar, but first they must survive drag zombies and the end of the world.

Join me for a first-watch? No spoilers, please!

posted by duffell (7 comments total)

I'm super excited for this season. I've seen Season 5 on, but Season 4 is probably referred to more than any other! I've heard a lot about... maybe half of these queens?

• Willam: so far, not *nearly* as funny as she thinks she is.
• The Princess walked into that room looking for all the world like M. Bison from Street Fighter, drag edition.
• Latrice Royale shows up and immediately cements her position as one of the most gif-able queens of all time. I love Latrice already.
• Also, Kenya Michaels! Pretty! Pint-sized! I'm in love. I have a soft spot for the Puerto Rican queens and am inevitably bummed when they don't make it through to the finals.
• eeeeeesh, I'm really glad they ditched the whole "You've got she-mail" thing in later seasons.
• Ru's "My show, my rules" right at the beginning is a good reminder for ALWAYS.
• Chad Michaels looks like Detox's missing fraternal twin who has had less work done.
• Dida Ritz is very, very sweet so of course I love her, and of course she won't be here very long.
• Phi Phi I am familiar with (thanks, All Stars 2!), and she is certainly living up to her catty-ass reputation here.
• Holy shit, Elvira looks amazing!
• Runway: Alisa's outfit? Hated, hated, hated it. 0 points for imagination, 0 points for execution. Also not a fan of The Princess's weird Yachting Toward the Apocalypse outfit. LOVED Chad Michaels, and Willam's was pretty dang good too. Dida Ritz looked amazing (yaaaay!) as did Kenya, but hers didn't read as post-apocalyptic in any way, shape, or form. Sharon Needles has lived up to the hushed reverent tones I've heard reserved for her in later seasons with that incredible look, too. Really imaginative and amazing execution. (When Michelle was like, "meh, it wasn't pretty though," I literally barked "OH SHUT UP" at the TV). She earned that win.
• Lipsync? Alisa was a tired, bored robot. Alisa was Pearl before Pearl. Jiggly TORE HER TO SHREDS. Fuck yeah Jiggly.

posted by duffell at 5:22 PM on October 5, 2016

Willam: so far, not *nearly* as funny as she thinks she is.

Just remember that Willam is operating on the level of a real-time commentary track for the season and she will be hilarious.

Also, this season is a particularly good one to watch Untucked for.
posted by psoas at 10:13 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

Oh jeez I don't even remember some of these queens, but RPDR is my very favorite popcorn tv. I'm in for a rewatch.
posted by tchemgrrl at 1:43 PM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

Oh hey I'm up for this. I forgotten about most of these queens, but thinking back to my impressions when I watched for the first time, I had no idea who would win. Though this episode had to have been setup specifically to give Sharon a strong debut.

Elvira was a wonderful judge. She had constructive things to say, which is rare for a guest judge...or regular judge. I wish the show would bring her back, but lately World of Wonder has been aiming for guests with high star power (Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, etc..)

Jiggly's look was a mess, but it worked really well for the lip sync. Looked like a bird's mating dance. Alisa didn't make anywhere near as much as an impression. It didn't help that her talking about her DUI doesn't compare to two other queens' dead mothers.
posted by riruro at 9:38 AM on October 7, 2016

Oooh, a rewatch. I always like to see people's first reactions!

If you like Elvira on this show, it's worth watching this video of RuPaul driving her around for some reason (he had a little web series where he drove people around) - it's a bit full of Ru's armchair psychobabble but it's fascinating to see Elvira out of drag.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 6:43 AM on October 11, 2016 [1 favorite]

Also, this season is a particularly good one to watch Untucked for.

Oh my god, yeah. S2-4 Untuckeds are legendary, and this season Willam in particular is just this amazing galvanized thousand-watt shade generator. You see more of the wink underneath the Hollywood-sleazeball "actress slash model" caricature over time, too.
posted by en forme de poire at 10:27 PM on October 20, 2016

"Apopalackic" oh Lashawn, bless you.
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:50 PM on October 23, 2016 [1 favorite]