RuPaul’s Drag Race review: Canada vs. Vanjie

Less than two episodes away from the grand finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race and now we have our final four. But do they all deserve to be there?

Well, ladies and gentlemen, we made it to the last episode of the season! Is everyone still breathing? Of course there’s still the reunion and the finale, but this is the last official competitive episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race until the grand finale. And you know Ru just had to throw in one more curve ball just to mess with us a bit.

In true Drag Race fashion, for one last time, the queens had to show off their skills to prove they deserve their spot in the finale. This year, they didn’t just have to sing on Ru’s track, they needed to make a rap verse. I immediately worried for some of the queens — and by some, I mean Brooke. Girl is talented at pretty much everything, but a white boy from Toronto is probably not going to be a very good rapper.

Rapping wasn’t the whole challenge, though, because Michelle told the girls in the work room they would also have to do some of the toughest choreography they have gotten all season. But then she also said it was choreographed by Todrick, so what is the truth? (I’m kidding. Kind of.)

The lead up to the challenge basically went the same as it always does. Some queens are super confident — in this case, Yvie, Brooke, and Vanjie — while some of the queens are nervous about how they’ll do. A’keria was more worried by the dancing than anything, and for once, Silky didn’t seem confident about any of it.

Before the big finish, the queens had their sit down with Michelle and Ru to record an episode of What’s The Tee? Surprisingly, it was pretty tame this year. Maybe Ru is losing his edge in his old age, but he didn’t seem to dig as deep into their traumas as he has in the past, though he definitely got a little personal (who knew A’keria adopted her nephew?).

But let’s get right to the main attraction. The performance of “Queens Everywhere” was a huge step up from All Stars 4’s “Super Queen” slow remix fiasco. A’keria opened up the number with a surprisingly fierce verse, and then Brooke performed (what I thought was) a bomb verse referencing her home city of Toronto and her drag family. She even threw in an “eh” for all the Canadians out there (for the record, we really don’t say “eh” that much). Vanjie’s verse was good, but, as the judges pointed out, she was barely lip syncing.

Silky’s verse wasn’t bad, but it seemed very short, and when she threw herself on the floor, we could fully see her black underwear from underneath her padding. Messy! When Yvie came out, she was the clear winner. She did some acrobatics and performed her delightfully odd, surprisingly fire verse.

I know I’m biased, but the judges seemed to hate a lot on Brooke for no reason. Her crystal ballerina runway look was breathtaking, but they said they felt like she had no passion in the performance.

Vanjie, on the other hand, earned her critiques, though I felt like her dress looked very ill-fitting and prom-y and nobody really commented on it. Yvie looked the most glamorous she has ever looked, but still kept that unique edge she’s known for, whereas Silky and A’keria wore their most bedazzled pageant gowns.

Let’s get one thing straight: Ru loves to make good TV, and RuPaul’s Drag Race has never shied away from controversial decisions in order to shock viewers.

It seemed very calculated that Brooke and Vanjie ended up in the final LSFYL together, especially after confirming their relationship earlier in the episode. It seemed clear that Brooke would be a shoo-in for the finale, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t still holding my breathe when Ru made her decision.

They both put up a great fight in an energetic and trick-filled lip sync to “Pride: A Deeper Love” but as much as it sucks, only one of them could make it to the finale, and that had to be Brooke. In true Vanjie fashion, Vanessa Mateo made her exit just as memorable as her first one, and this time she took even longer and we love her even more for it!

There you have it. Our final four is Brooke Lynn Hytes, A’keria C. Davenport, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, and Yvie Oddly.

Who knows how things will turn out on the finale, but you can’t say it hasn’t been an interesting season. Next stop: the reunion!

Random Ruflections

• The most challenging choreography of the season? By Todrick? Sounds fake.
• “What do you do?” “Apparently nothing good as of lately…” – Yvie and Silky
• “I don’t need luck, I’m ‘bout to slay this thing.” – Vangie with all the confidence
• Brooke is surprisingly good at rapping for a white boy from Toronto
• “I’m giving you Julia Stiles in Save The Last Dance!” – Brooke
• “I can’t wait to see you fly out of here on a bubble!” – Todrick about Ru’s Glinda-esque main stage outfit.
• Brooke’s SPLIT in the number, oh my god!
• Yvie looked surprisingly glamorous! Why did she wait so long to show that off?
• A’keria’s gown is gorgeous but she’s a pageant girl, she can do more.
• “I’ve always felt that internal organs were vastly overrated.” – RuPaul
• Vanjie is SO CUTE in that childhood photo!
• God bless Vanjie for making another memorable exit. Nobody will ever forget her.