“RuPaul’s Drag Race UK” continued this week with another installment of the hit spin-off from across the pond. In last week’s fourth episode, the self-described underdogs, Vanity Milan, River Medway, Choriza May and Ella Vaday rose to the top with their ballad version of the pop song “Big Drag Energy,” while the previous week’s winner Scarlett Harlett fell to the bottom. Scarlett was pitted against Charity Kase for the elimination, but RuPaul Charles saved both in a rare double shantay.
On Thursday’s fifth episode, the queens split up into two new groups to film infomercials promoting the new at-home device Draglexa. Read below for our recap of episode 5 to find out why RuPaul Charles is forced to warn the queens that things are “about to get real” in “Draglexa”:
Scarlett got by last week by the skin of her (cat) teeth after such a poor performance in the pop group challenge, but the double shantay for her and Charity didn’t keep them from focusing on the negative of being in the bottom. That being said, the lip sync was an opportunity for both of them to prove themselves and they did just that.
The next morning Ru asked the queens to pair up for a mini challenge of “RuPaul’s Dog Race.” Scarlett attempted to pair with Charity, but she brushed Scarlett aside and ran to Kitty Scott-Claus‘s side instead. Scarlett partnered with Krystal Versace instead, and Choriza went with River and Ella went with Vanity. In pairs they crawled like dogs and handlers through an obstacle course to win “best in show.” After all the running around, Ru selected Scarlett and Krystal as the winners.
Next, Ru wanted to see everyone’s best “resting pitch face” in this week’s maxi challenge, a chance to personalize and promote the new at-home assistant product “Draglexa.” As the winners, Krystal and Scarlett became team captains and chose their squads: Scarlett picked Kitty, Choriza, and Ella, and Krystal picked River, Vanity, and was left with Charity.
In the planning stage, Charity noticed that Krystal wasn’t properly leading the team and so she took it upon herself to steer the ship. Scarlett’s team came up with the concept of the Draglexa having three different drag personas so that they can take on their own characters and bring funny to the challenge. Funny was something Charity’s group was struggling to nail down, leaving them in a tangled mess of tension. In their check-in with Ru, the team wasn’t able to convey wha that funny would be and instead focused on Charity’s stumbling block of being in her head. Scarlett’s team came to Ru with a much more focused plan, but Ru was confused at their idea of having different Draglexa personalities. With both teams, Ru stressed that finding the joy in the present moment is the life hack that they all need to bear in mind in the competition.
Team Scarlett was the first to go to set where they met Michelle Visage serving as director of their shoot. It became apparent quite quickly that they didn’t have a solid enough plan for filming and so they had to rush through their scenes. Team Krystal was more organized because of Charity’s extensive planning, but her taking charge made the other girls feel overshadowed in front of Michelle.
Later, while getting ready for their main stage presentation, Scarlett opened up to Kitty about her childhood and the struggles her mom faced raising kids while battling her own health issues. It strained their relationship at the time, but now she is one of Scarlett’s biggest supporters.
On the main stage, Ru and Michelle were joined by Alan Carr and Little Mix member Leigh-Ann Pinnock. Prior to seeing their advertisements, the queens walked the runway in the “Expenny Henny” category of expensive drag. Ella kicked it off in a black gown with crystal tassels down the back, Scarlett came out in an all white pinstripe suit and fur, Kitty walked in a nude illusion bodysuit with gold coins all over it, Choriza arrived in a gold cowgirl outfit, Krystal wore a crystallized bodysuit, River represented her heritage in a traditional Southeast Asian garment, Charity turned out another spooky look as a corseted evil fairy, and Vanity closed in another nude illusion crystal bodysuit.
We saw Team Scarlett’s Draglexa ad first. In the ad, Scarlett narrated as Kitty, Choriza and Ella switched off as different modes of Draglexa: motivational, shady, and night. When it finished, the judges’ faces said everything we needed to know–not a single smirk or chuckle, just shady glances denoting their boredom. Team Krystal’s interpretation of the challenge was much more clear. In their scenes the Draglexa didn’t become a person, but instead interacted with them more as a device might, while still helping them solve problems with their drag. Once again the judges did not laugh though.
Ahead of their critiques, Ru advised them to “brace” themselves because she was clearly unhappy. She explained that both advertisements were not cohesive and did not have any originality. She said that they were all playing it safe and that no one was deserving of winning the challenge this week. Instead they each heard critiques to determine which two would lip sync for their life.
Ella was given some credit from Alan for trying hard to inject humor into their story and Leigh-Ann said she looks stunning on the runway. Scarlett took heat from Michelle for building a predictable role as the narrator and for not pushing her runway presentation far enough. Michelle said that Kitty took direction well and they all agreed she’s never looked better on the runway. With Choriza, Michelle said there was a real missed opportunity for her not using her accent to full effect as the Draglexa voice and then none of the panel thought her look was expensive enough for the runway. The judges commended Krystal for letting go of her typical persona, but think she could have went further. Alan was disappointed that River wasn’t given more time in the infomercial because she really worked, and then Leigh-Ann called her runway look her favorite of the night. Michelle gave Charity credit for organizing the team and leading them through the shoot, but then pushed back on Charity always looking expensive yet always distracting from beauty with spooky makeup. And with Vanity, the judges still think that she’s holding back in the challenges and isn’t putting her personality out front.
This week, Ru wanted to know from the queens themselves who they think is deserving of going home. Ella said Charity because of her mood, Scarlett also said Charity because of her negativity, Kitty said Vanity because of track record and poor looks, Choriza said Scarlett because she didn’t recover this week after slipping up last week, Krystal said Scarlett as well for not fighting hard enough, River joined on the Scarlett train for similar reasons, Charity said Scarlett because of her looks not being tasteful, and then Vanity said Scarlett because of the excuses.
Back stage, Scarlett refused to talk to the other girls about her feelings, clearly upset that so many of them said she should go home. Ella told Charity she chose her as a way of encouraging her to try harder, but Charity kindly said that isn’t the way to give someone support. Eventually Scarlett gave the girls a piece of her mind, but they all doubled-down on their comments that she makes too many excuses, is negative, and talks over everyone else. Scarlett got so upset that she had to get up and walk away, but when she returned she explained that she isn’t acting defeated she’s just upset that all of them don’t think she’s as deserving as them. Despite their best attempt to assure her that it isn’t personal and they’re all still friends, Scarlett continued to sulk.
After deliberating with her fellow judges, Ru announced the safe queens with a reminder to step it up: Ella, Kitty, Choriza, Krystal and River. That meant that the bottom three queens were Scarlett, Charity and Vanity. Of the three, Ru gave Vanity safety, meaning we were set for a rematch lip sync between Charity and Scarlett and this time at least one of them would go home. To earn their chance to stay they performed to Shirley Bassey’s “Big Spender.” This week both of their costumes lended well to their performance choices–Charity took on the persona of the evil fairly and hopped around the stage mischievously while Scarlett played up a more standard Broadway-aesthetic. Both tore the stage up in their own right, leaving the judges a bit gagged, but Ru selected Scarlett as the winner, giving Charity the word to “sashay away.”
NEXT WEEK: It’s time to play the Snatch Game, but first the library is open for the “Reading Is Fundamental” mini challenge.
You can catch RPDR UK each Thursday at 11am PT / 2pm ET on WOW Presents Plus in the US and select territories worldwide, day-and-date with its local airing on BBC3 in the UK.
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