Drag Race: PharmaRusical
Saturday, March 31, 2018 at 9:55AM Nathaniel R
A quicker look at the second episode, which featured the girls divvied up into two teams selling Ruco Labs pharmaceuticals... a chance to make lots of crude and intermittently funny jokes about gag reflexes, drag mouth (cliche utterances -- a very real problem!), and tucking. The episode was front loaded since the mini-challenge (a silly country dancing hoedown) was the peak. All in all a decent hour but relatively free of future classic moments so we'll have to call it a filler episode...
You're a winner, baby
In a lame judging-not-actually-doing-any-judging moments, The Vixen took the win simply because she was the team leader though the bulk of the work in guiding them was obviously done by the episode's inarguable MVP, guest coach Alyssa Edwards. [Insert mouth pop here.]
But perhaps I'm just not feeling generous. The Vixen is pushing for air time by coaxing fights between other people. And, honestly, there's enough inherent drama among drag queens not to force any more of it! But more importantly hers wasn't remotely the best performance in the challenge or the best look on the runway. I'd argue that Kameron Michaels was the surprise standout on the winning team, performance-wise, with very funny gag reflex miming. Team challenges always lead to odd problems in reality formats though. The two best performances were both on the losing team (!) via Dusty Ray Bottoms and Yuhua Hamasaki. Strangely the judges already seem to dislike both of those talents. When they're nitpicky with people early on it's usually a sure sign that they won't ever fully warm up to them. The panel, year after year, definitely has a problem with instant impressions sticking even if the queens knock subsequent weeks out of the park. They randomly decided they loved Blair St Clair in her first week, for example, so she'll probably have a free pass for quite awhile despite not standing out at all (at least not yet).
Kameron was gagging
The other problem Team Challenges cause is they don't allow any time / space for critiques or praise of the bulk of the performers. We still have no idea, for instance, how the judges feel about Kameron Michaels, who they haven't said a word about in either episode. She did recede into the background of Episode 1 but was a standout this time. I suspect she's going home soon or they'd pay her a little more attention in the editing. Perhaps they worry that because she's "the quiet one" (self-described) she isn't good television? Conversely the loud ones aren't always good television either. Eureka was fabulous in short doses last season but her constant chatter about her own narrative is just numbingly dull in this second round with the show.
Sashay away
"Big girl sisters" Eureka and Kalorie were the (correct) bottom two, neither selling themselves well. Kalorie was 'out of her league' as guest judge Padme bluntly stated and was clearly road kill. Consider the sashay away a mercy killing. From here on out the dismissals might be harder to bear as arguably no one remaining is obvious filler and we'd like to see more than one more week of all of them! Eureka, who I absolutely adored up until the premiere episode, has unfortunately RSVPed for a self-pity party this season, crushing my dreams for this loud formerly fabulous queen. I just want her to be that PHAT girl she was promising... 'Pretty Hot & Tasty, baby!' Fortunately she pulled it out for the lipsynch but she'll have to fight hard to regain any momentum.
Biggest laugh
This week that goes to quick cutaway referencing the previous episode. First, Ru trying to stifle the giggles at that instant meme 'Miss Vanjie Miss Vanjie Miss Vanjie' ...'I didn't quite get the name?' Runner up: Monet sweeping up the floor with her maligned sponge dress. I died. Runner Up Part 2: Everyone having such a good time in the mini-challenge with Asia O'Hara earning that win. That the two biggest laughs were both in reference to the killer first episode suggests that this episode wasn't quite making the case for itself.
In other words the season hasn't quite revved up, yet, despite the pockets of delicious 'entertaintment' this episode provided.
Quotable Bitches
"NO TOO VAGUE. So this is what had happened." - The Vixen
"America, my face is saying Everything You Need To Know Dot Com." - Monique Heart
"The only game I know is winning" - Aquaria
Name dropping
Pop culture references this episode: Glitter, The Golden Girls, Arsenic & Old Lace, Aubrey O'Day, Pootie Tang, Beetlejuice, Pikachu, Michael Jackson, Speed Racer, Flash Gordon, Metropolis, Linda Evangelista, Dorothy Dandridge, Dynasty, Mae West, "Single Ladies," and Fern Gully
Rankings
Some changes from last week...
| Prediction | Preference |
 |
 |
| Extremely subject to change as we get to know them | |
| 1. 🔺 Asia O'Hara | 1. 🔺 Dusty Ray Bottoms |
| 2. Miz Cracker | 2. Monét X Change |
| 3. Monét X Change | 3. Asia O'Hara |
| 4. Mayhem Miller | 4. Miz Cracker |
| 5. 🔺Dusty Ray Bottoms | 5. 🔺Yuhua Hamasaki |
| 6. Monique Heart | 6. Kameron Michaels |
| 7. 🔺 Blair St Clair | 7. 🔺 Monique Heart |
| 8. 🔺 The Vixen | 8. Mayhem Miller |
| 9. Yuhua Hamasaki | 9. Aquaria |
| 10. Aquaria | 10. 🔻Eureka |
| 11. Kameron Michaels | 11. Blair St Clair |
| 12. 🔻Eureka | 12. 🔻The Vixen |
| 13. 🔻Kalorie Karbdashian Williams OUT | 13. Kalorie Karbdashian Williams OUT |
| 14. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo OUT | 14. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo OUT |
Gif as episode grade:
How about you?
Would you take any of these drugs Ru was selling or does the show give you an all natural high?
Reader Comments (14)
A few thoughts of my own:
I was craving way more Yuhua. Why was she edited out of the workroom almost completely? (Also kind of MIA this episode: Mayhem Miller.)
Monét gives the best interviews of this batch, and I love her - but I'm starting to wonder what she can give us that we can't already get from Bob (and a tad better, I must say).
I do not get why Monique Heart got such bad notices from the judges. At all.
I still dislike Aquaria (she seems to have the same character flaws Valentina had, but lacking her endearing personality that still made her a fan favorite), but at least this week, I liked what she was doing in the challenges and on the runway.
I have warmed up to Kameron Michaels. I mean: Wow that runway look!
My current ranking (last weeks ranking in brackets):
1. (4) Miz Cracker
2. (1) Yuhua Yamasaki
3. (2) Monét X Change
4. (7) Dusty Ray Bottoms
5. (3) Monique Heart
6. (11) Kameron Michaels
7. (10) The Vixen
8. (5) Mayhem Miller
9. (8) Asia O'Hara
10. (6) Blair St. Clair
11. (14) Aquaria
12. (9) Eureka
13. (12) Kalorie Karbdashian Williams - out
14. (13) Vanessa Vanjie Mateo - out
MVP of Episode 2: Alyssa Edwards. Hands down.
I really like Yuhua so I agree with what you said, I don’t think she was “clapping back” to the judges, they are just trying to have a reason to send her home later which is so unfortunate as she is one of the most unique on the cast. Same with Monique, I feel like they aren’t appreciating her.
I’m nervous the judges will continue with this questionable judging a la season 7.
I thought that this was a better comedy lip sync challenge than most - there were actual jokes! And a clear premise! But it was filmed/edited poorly - very hard to tell who was doing well.
I am bored with Eureka, but otherwise this season still has a lot of potential.
HEY BOO BOO
DID YOU PURPOSEFULLY IGNORED THE GLITTER REFERENCE?! MADONNA FANS SMH
Not getting the love for Asia O’hara personally. She seems like total blank space to me - no personality. Maybe it’s a pageant queen thing (but Alyssa, but Coco, but Alexis Matteo, but Roxxxy but, but.....) . I had to fast forward the Eureka pity party and completely turned off untucked... that bitch is irritating.
Pleasantly surprised with Kameron Michaels, I really thought she’d be one note “masculine as a boy / feminine as a girl” theme that’s been shoved down our throats so far with her (ps, only because it’s so laboured on the show but would anyone who goes to a gym outside West Hollywood see Kameron Michaels and think she’s anything but a friend of Dorothy?)
Here for Yuhua - I think judged unfairly- I could almost hear Michelle Visage saying “we saw you in yellow and black last week, we need some more versatility” if she’d worn what she had originally planned. Rigga Morris.
Also love Monique - not deserving of bottom 3! The MOST entertaining confessionals so far.
Ms Cracker, far more interesting/ exciting than Aquaria ( I groaned at the bi-curious joke, it seemed so canned & so prepared-in-advance),
Monét seems sweet & talented, ditto Mayhem. Blair & Dusty - don’t get it... yet
Vixen , don’t get it & prob won’t ever get it... so she’s top 3 sure considering my recent track record with fav drag race competitors. In fact I think top 3 will be, the Vixen, Aquaria & Asia O’Hara (give or take Eureka)
I thought that the "PharmaRusical" was rather dull. There were some chuckles, sure, but it and "Kardashian: The Musical" have nothing on "Herstory of the World" from AS2-- and not just because All-Stars were performing in 'Herstory.'
If forced to pick a winner, I'd have chosen Asia O'Hara.
I am pleased that Dusty is getting so much screen time. Maaaaaybe just maybe they're not so anti-Dusty after all.
Eureka seems prime for a Rudemption edit. Unfortunately, the longer she stays, the more I realize that she's a great narrator with only middling talent and quite terrible fashion sense (Quick: name one great and/or witty look she's ever done. I dare you).
My Top 4: Monet, Dusty, Mayhem (who was so sweet in Untucked), and Monique (though is she trying too hard?)
Predicted Top 4: Monet, Cracker, Mayhem, ... Aquaria? (Yuhua?)
Next to Go: Kameron... clearly.
Yeah the judging was very suspicious this week. I think they knew they wanted Kalorie to go home so they had the better team lose to make that happen. This is unfortunate because in the past, team competitions are sometimes judged individually so it wouldn’t be without precedent. I reminded me of AS3 where I thought the returning queens actually gave the better team performance than the remaining all stars.
I think they knew that Blair was the worst in the losing team and they didn’t want to send her home yet which is pretty weak. I agree that if the “winning” team needed to win at least Kameron should have taken it... I fear this will just convince Vixen that her behind-the-scenes theatrics are working. :/
Also agree that I don’t get the weird resistance to Yuhua and Monique—both insanely delightful and unique in and out of drag. I loved Dusty Ray’s beetlejuice but actually wasn’t that crazy about her pharma performance. I still feel like Asia O’Hara is still waiting to break through and I’m looking forward to the moment. A disappointing episode compared to the premiere but I’m still hooked!
I would also place Vanjie above Kalorie in the rankings. Vanjie has provided a damn memorable (and truly bizarre) moment as well as a polished entry look. Other than impressive spirit in her first lip sync Kalorie never gave me much.
My favourite moment came from untucked when Monique was getting emotional about her religious mother watching the show and just yelled “you can’t be black and gay, you just can’t. And this (referring to drag) is heresy”.
It was such a emotional and bold utterance....not often RPDR gives me a gut punch.
On another thought........has any first emilinated girl gotten as much love as Vanessa Vanjie Mateo?
First girl to jump to my mind, Michael P, when you asked for any other first eliminated girls who got as much love as Miss Vanjie is Porkchop. Or I guess Shangela, although we don't remember her as a first eliminated girl because she came back for S3.
I wouldn’t say Vanessa is getting love. Everybody is making fun of her. Including the show, Ru and Michelle. Porkchop is the one who has really received love, with people actually wanting her to be on All Stars, for example.
Those who now pretend to love Vanessa just want her to come back and say “Miss Vanjie” three times and go away. There might be a minority who disagreed with her elimination, but that’s not love, it’s just people thinking somebody else was worse in the premiere episode.
She is, and will be more famous because of a tiny, funny and uncomfortable moment, sort of catchphrase. Let’s see if she make something out of this.
I'm ready for Eureka to go next. She won't shut up and she's one of those queens who constantly bring the mood down.
I am probably in the minority, but I am here for The Vixen's knack for forcing the other queens to confront each other. I hate passive-aggressive BS (like Aquaria throwing Cracker under the bus and then completely shying away from it when put in the spot to have a face to face argument).
I am hoping this approach will force the queens to either settle their differences or keep their mouths shut about them, at least in The Vixen's presence. Now that everybody knows she will stir the pot, maybe they'll be less likely to start unnecessary drama.
The best thing about this episode, of course, was a Alyssa, properly labeled "Drag Race Royalty", as she should. Talk about someone who should actually be in the Hall of Fame.
BD (The Real One) - I think Vanessa was the third worst in the challenge, I didn't like The Vixen's outfit at all, but Vanessa definitely deserved to go after that lip sync and Kalorie deserved to stay. But I'd love Vanessa to come back because she has loads of charisma and charm, and is genuinely funny. It also helps that I love Alexis Mateo.
Rob -- I love Alexis Mateo too (Bam!) but I wasn't at all sold on her daughter Vanjie
Why so mch dont like Blair St. Clair? I think she is so talented in every three episodes so far! Sad she doesnt win so far.