The previous episode was an early high for this franchise as a whole, as they tastefully and emotionally dealt with the passing of Misua. This new episode has got a high bar to clear, so let’s see if it does!
The queens are still understandably emotional after last week’s lip sync, and they all leave a lipstick message for her on the mirror. I hope they keep the messages up throughout the season! The queens also pray for Misua’s soul, and this may be the first time I’ve seen actual praying on Drag Race? Serious praying, not the jokey kind. Granted, I haven’t watched every edition, but this is the first I’ve seen in the editions I’ve watched.
The next day, we get back to sorta normal, as drama is stirred up between Manza and Merckz. Apparently, she thought that Maureen Biology’s team’s dips? drops? I honestly do not know the right terminology anymore. Anways, she thought that those might be called out online by people, and what Manza heard is that Merckz only planned to talk about it in the confessionals and not face-to-face, and Manza would rather that Merckz say it to her face. There’s also a question here of who can and can’t do ballroom, which I honestly do not have an opinion on since I know very little about the community. I’ll just watch them talk about it!
What I will say is that, to me, the edit doesn’t favor Merckz at all, because haven’t we all been watching Drag Race? Getting the leader position because of some crazy mini challenge that has no connection at all to one’s skill happens all the time. They sorta resolve it by the time Mama Pao enters the Werk Room to tell them about the mini challenge, which is that ~superlatives~ one that all the franchises seem to be doing now.
Taylor Sheesh wins the mini challenge and gets P20,000. She also gets a 10-second advantage when it comes to picking materials for the Maxi Challenge, which is a ball that involves three categories: Class Kita: Teacher Realness Eleganza, Prom Queen Fantasy, and Beks-2-School Design Extravaganza. All the designs have to be made from school supplies and other classroom materials, which has got to be hell for the queens who don’t know how to sew.
After a scramble for the materials, we find out that Maureen thinks this is Bhorj’s time to shine, and then it’s ~insinuated~ that Dixxxy Decoy and Merckz had a ~thing~ when they were younger and still in the closet. I couldn’t really follow because Taylor’s face in the back.
The next day, we get to hear about Maureen’s life as a teacher, and how a lot of gay teachers are stereotyped as hitting on their students, which, unfortunately, does happen. The things I’ve experienced and seen growing up? There wasn’t any social media then, but the chismis network moves at the speed of light.
We get to the runway, and it wasn’t clear when Mama Pao talked about it earlier in the episode, but I think only one look has to be made from classroom material. I did think that there wasn’t enough material in the ~school bus~ bearing the materials.
So, the first two runways were okay. I’m trying to temper my expectations since we’re not exactly swimming in funds, so the queens have to make do with what fits their budget. Andy’s Prom Queen Fantasy look did make me raise my eyebrows, and not because of how it looked, but because of when she said Coffee Prince was where she first saw queer representation. Really? Mama Pao is right in front of you, a regular of Eat Bulaga since 2001? She also starred as in Ida in Zaido? Really?
Also, some of these voiceovers? Is it really that serious? I really appreciated Bombalicious’ insistence on keeping things campy.
When we finally get to the looks that they created themselves, would you look at that? Bhorj actually made a nice-looking one! Ghulli Ghush also made something good, and so did Maureen Biology.
Bombalicious, Ghulli Ghush, Katana, Taylor, and Valeria are the safe queens this episode, and I guess I’m okay with that. I really liked hearing Mama Pao’s critiques of the outfits, though, because she is a designer herself and she can really go in and explain why she thinks a look didn’t work. Maureen emerges as the winner after the critiques, and the two queens lip-syncing are Andy and Dixxxy.
The queens are lip-syncing to BINI and thank you that they are because Drag Race Philippines really needs to use more Filipino songs during lip syncs! That’s one of the things that I like the most about Drag Race España and Drag Race France! And while we’re at it, stream BINI on YouTube and Spotify!
As the lip sync started I already thought that Andy was already winning this lip sync, but then when she brought out that huge mirror? For “Salamin, Salamin”? I CACKLED.
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