The third episode of Canada’s Drag Race is proof that this season is going to be a hit! The queens are tasked with doing a rap battle and they are spitting rhymes so fiercely it is downright dangerous.
Last week’s episode of Canada’s version of RuPaul’s Drag Race was a bit of a let down after the exciting premiere. For some reason, this show is determined to make drag queens perform acting challenges even though that is not a strong suit for most drag queens. This week, however, almost every queen slays their rap verse in an instantly iconic performance from the entire cast.
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In the Werk Room, the dolls wipe off the mirror message from Kyne, the two-episode-villain. Lemon tells the group that she feels vindicated going from the bottom two to the winner this week and she plans to keep the streak going. The other queens playfully jab at each other giving us further indication that the chemistry this cast has with each other will make this a very fun season. And they certainly do have to keep the energy up, because the gorgeous judges suck the energy out of the room like a beautiful model with no improv training! This show has so much going for it, but the judges really are putting a damper on the vibe. Luckily, the guest judge this episode is the iconic, legendary, and very fun Deborah Cox! She brings a new groove to the judge’s panel that is very helpful.
Jeffrey Bowyer Chapman walks into the Werk Room looking like the boy everyone in school has a crush on. The drag queens all swoon over him. He introduces a Canadian TV host and they assign the mini-challenge: auditioning as anchors for a morning show. But not just any morning show, this is a bilingual show where they have to speak in both French and English. This is a super funny and charming way to make everyone look like a complete fool. It’s absolutely hilarious. Priyanka once again proves that she is a star. Tynomi Banks shows us the fun personality we have been missing. Jimbo goes into full character as Nancy Grace and it is completely insane and such a blast. Everyone pretty much nails this. Anastarzia has almost no makeup on. She looks ridiculous. It’s fantastic.
The winners of the mini-challenge are Priyanka and Lemon. They become team captains and they get to pick their teams. Illona Verley gets picked last for the second week in a row. Clearly these girls think she is the next on the chopping block. The teams feel pretty evenly distributed and when the dolls start to rehearse their verses it is clear we are in for a legendary episode. As the queens write their lyrics Jimbo continues to shine as one of the weirdest and most lovable creatures on Earth.
Every queen is doing so well its hard for production to even find a weak spot to highlight. The only person who seems to struggle is Anastarzia, but she gets it eventually. One of the most charming things about Drag Race UK seems to apply to Canada’s Drag Race as well: the cultural differences are adorable. The talking heads are way more fun in these versions than on the American version. Almost everything that comes out of their mouths is unexpected. Anastarzia asking “what a moose knuckle is” in such a genuine tone is up there with Alyssa Edwards’ Back rolls moment. Kiara explaining to the camera in a french accent and succinct sentence that a “kai kai is when two drag queens have sex” is maybe the hardest I’ve laughed all season.
When the queens hit the mainstage it is instantly exciting. A rap battle is the perfect challenge for drag queens. They get to use their creative skills, dance, and throw shade. This is an actual challenge that is applicable to what drag queens do in the real world. They are performing on a stage and honey perform do they ever! The song is super catchy. Singing “not sorry aboot it” is so clever and so… drag!
Tynomi walks into the room verse first, verse first. Her lyrics are great and she is dancing very well. Unfortunately, Tynomi is still holding back. There is not enough fierceness behind her eyes. Illona goes next and her verse is like your third option on a dinner menu. It isn’t bad but it certainly is not what you were hoping for. Her look is a mess, but in fairness, all of the looks on this season are very flimsy compared to American Drag Race. We certainly prefer messy, homemade looks over a queen paying for a $30,000 loan to have designers create a gown for her. Messy is way more fun. BOA goes next and this queen really keeps impressing us. She seemed like such a Mimi Imfurst when she furst walked in, but she is doing so well every week. Anastarzia’s verse is a blast. She serves really fun reads. The only critique is that she doesn’t move a ton, but she is giving face! Kiara also has a great verse (are you noticing a trend)? The only issue with her is that she keeps turning upstage. Sing out and face out Louise! Scarlet Bobo does well, but something about her still isn’t clicking for me. She is giving off safe vibes. Lemon undeniably demolishes this! She claimed to be a “rapstress” at the beginning of the episode. Call her Dominos, because she is delivering! Rita Baga goes next and serves some beautiful singing. It’s not great for a rap challenge, but its a nice change-up from the other girls’ verses. I hope Jimbo gives out gift cards for Christmas, because (w)rapping does not seem to be her thing. She is an undeniable star, but it is interesting to see her falter here. Priyanka kills this which is expected. She has a ton of energy and she’s just super exciting to watch. This rap challenge would have been perfect, but it does go on about 45 minutes longer than it needs to.
The runway is as messy as we have come to expect from these crafty queens, but as we mentioned that makes it way better to watch! Kiara looks like she is wearing the hand me down outfit that Kyne was sent home in. Jimbo has a very wild muppet looking hair fantasy on. It’s super fun. Tynomi Banks is wearing a horrific Jade Jolie looking rainbow hair look. It’s kind of so crazy bad that it is almost good. BOA wears a mankini with a disgusting pubic hair joke. It’s a lame, cheap, joke, but the judges love it once again. Lemon’s look is sickening. She has a very cool lemon tree growing from her head. The waist could be more synched, but overall it’s a toot. Priyanka has a very fun girl group look on. Anastazia comes out in a cousin It look that is one of my personal favorite things I’ve ever seen on the runway. It is very reminiscent of the Alyssa Edwards style of too-muchness. It’s a drag competition, not a fashion show! And this is campy, stupid, silly, and amazing!! Sometimes it feels like these judges want a Sears catalog, not a drag show. Rita Baga comes down the runway with a very cute and very put together Cindy Lauper look. Scarlet Bobo’s look… once again… I do not get this queen. It’s steampunk, but not quite… right? Illona looks stunning, which, full shade, is a surprise.
Priyanka wins the challenge, which is well deserved and feels like it might be the first of many wins for her. The bottom two are Tynomi Banks and Anastarzia. This is a little bit shocking because Kiara was forgettable and Jimbo did not slay this challenge. Illona also was not great, but her runway saved her. Anastarzia and Tynomi lip-sync the hell out of the song. Tynomi is dancing the house down and Anastarzia is feeling it.
Anastarzia goes home, which is truly a bummer. She had so much more to show, but its a good sign for this season that we are already sad to see a queen sashay away this early on. Hopefully the rest of the season has more episodes like this one!
Canada’s Drag Race premiered July 2 at 9pm ET on WOW Presents Plus in the US and select territories, day-and-night, with it’s run on Crave in Canada.
Source: Wow Presents Plus