Reading Is Fundamental, more commonly known as the Reading Challenge, has had a rough go as of late. In Season 11, most of the queens flopped, and even the winner borrowed some material. It disappeared entirely in Season 12, replaced by a sponcon task. And while it resurfaced during All Stars 5 and Canada’s Drag Race, those installments weren’t the best in Drag Race herstory, to say the least.
So the return of the Reading Is Fundamental mini-challenge is a welcome development, but one to be greeted with cautious optimism. Will this group be able to deliver strong, funny reads? Will there be an entertaining bomb or two that delights as a spectacular flop? Can the Reading Challenge be saved?
Reader, I’m happy to report that this Reading Challenge is… solid! Though no one will call this the greatest edition in herstory, the Season 13 dolls stepped up to the plate.
A few favourite lines:
SYMONE: “Denali! You do got a fat ass, bitch. But that’s great! ‘Cause you’re gonna need something to land on when [Ru] sends you home.”
LALA RI: “Rosé! When I think of rosé, I think of beautiful, expensive champagne. But when I look at you, I think of tap water.”
GOTTMIK: “Tina! If this whole drag thing doesn’t work out for you, you and them shoulders have a gorgeous career in the NFL.”
TINA BURNER: “Thank you. Tight end.”
GOTTMIK: “That’s not what I heard.”
SYMONE: “Tin-ta Burn-ter! How much Tina have you actually burned, bitch?”
Again, not the best reads ever, but pretty enjoyable! I think hoping for Reading Is Fundamental to return to its peak (circa Seasons 2 to 6) is sadly a pipe dream. But there are still some pleasures to be extracted from the formula—and it’s such a Drag Race staple that seeing it eliminated entirely is anathema. Gottmik wins this one; a deserving win, though I might’ve given it to Symone.
Comedy is the name of the game in both the mini- and maxi-challenges this week, as Bossy Rossy returns! The Jerry Springer parody debuted during Season 10’s very strong first half (before a rocky boot order and underwhelming finale undercut much of what came before), so a reboot is a natural choice. But the lack of a live audience gives this edition a decidedly different feel, and the fan base’s general perception of Ross Mathews is not what it was in Season 10.
Once heralded as one of the best judges, Ross’ critiques have become more hyperbolic and punchline-centric. As he noted a few episodes ago, the reaction to him calling Shea Couleé’s 3-in-1 look “crafty” during All Stars 5 was absolutely brutal. Meanwhile, Carson Kressley’s critiques have become sharper and more effective, and several of the rotating guest judges this season—Nicole Byer, chief among them—have brought a new dynamic to the panel. Granted, Ross’ persona as a judge doesn’t necessarily translate to his performance in a challenge, but there’s reason for concern when it comes to Bossy Rossy’s return.
Luckily, this is a strong improv challenge, one that leans into its absurdity by “canceling” Ross, then having him reboot his show as a digital series shot in a random backyard. We get four segments from the 10 queens left in the competition. Rosé and Denali, partners in last week’s task, team up with LaLa Ri for a fun, high-energy skit about women pregnant with their invisible boyfriend’s children. The dancing duo are both good as the pregnant women, but LaLa is comparatively and noticeably low-key. (A little trick the show pulls: The queens watch each other from the workroom on a screen and offer their own feedback, so as to signal to us who is doing well and who is bombing before we get to the judges’ critiques.)
Gottmik, Olivia Lux and Utica follow, and, once again, we get two solid performances and a significantly weaker one. Gottmik plays a former “Mimeologist”—a parody of Scientology—who escaped the silent cult and now seeks to save other mimes. One such mime is Cheryl, a.k.a. Olivia, who still isn’t fully comfortable speaking despite escaping Mimeology. Gottmik and Olivia make for a very effective comic duo, with Mik translating Olivia’s frantic pantomimes, but it’s the latter who really shines here. Her physical comedy makes up for her lack of lines, making it another terrific week for Olivia.
There’s an interesting bit in the workroom as the group is dividing up the parts, when Olivia really stands her ground and demands to play Cheryl. Utica, an improv expert of sorts, also wants the Cheryl role, perhaps realizing it would be the best outlet for her campy brand of physical expression. But Olivia holds her ground, and Utica relents. (It’s to Utica’s detriment, too: Her take on Cheryl’s mother is DOA.) Tina Burner notes Olivia refusing to let go of the role, and says in a confessional that while Olivia might be “a polite diva,” she’s a diva nonetheless. She’s an effective one, though, as her persistence scores her this week’s maxi-challenge win.
My favourite skit features Kandy Muse and Symone, but I had my doubts as to whether the judges would like it. Recent seasons of Drag Race have put the emphasis on the “stupid” in challenges like this, and their bit—playing Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie parodies as reuniting frenemies—is pretty smart humour. They don’t go loud or over the top, as Kandy says she’s just gotten critiques telling her to stop serving what she always does. Instead, they play up the bitterness and pettiness of their rivalry, quietly lobbing barbs back and forth, at each other and at Ross. It’s not ultra-highbrow by any measure, but it’s clever and relies on strong comic timing. I’m very impressed, and even more delighted that the judges respond well. They both land in the top alongside Olivia.
LaLa and Utica fall into the bottom three, marking second trips to the lower-scoring side of the card for both of them. You’d think this would mean they’d be lip-syncing, but it’s Elliott With Two Ts who, instead of Utica, winds up in the bottom two. While Elliott probably deserves one of the lower scores—it’s a very solid week across the board, and she’s just okay in her skit with Tina—I don’t think she deserves to lip sync.
I have a couple of theories: I do think Elliott and LaLa are marked for the next eliminations. LaLa is struggling, and Elliott’s edit has turned sour. (There is a lot of focus on her being the outsider of the group this week.) Utica, on the other hand, looks to be getting a Crystal Methyd-style edit: The oddball queen with surprising chops who makes it through some early negative critiques to thrive later on. Additionally, Utica’s outfit this week—a gorgeous bloody bride look—is not conducive to turning out a lip sync, and it’s very possible she’d go home next to a fierce performer like LaLa.
So Elliott and LaLa are a bottom two forged more by circumstance than by their actual scores. Make no mistake: Elliott isn’t great in the challenge. Her group’s skit is the weirdest (former NASA astronauts get giant ass and breast implants? And are also in love?), but Tina makes the most of it while Elliott’s funniest bits are all led by her partner. There’s just a pretty sizable gulf between her and Utica for that other bottom two slot, and the runway doesn’t seem like enough to tip the scale. (In fact, the judges are equally effusive about their runway looks.)
The lip sync is to Kelly Clarkson’s “Whole Lotta Woman,” which makes for a fun battle! It’s not a favourite Kelly track of mine—I will be patiently waiting for a “Walk Away” or “Never Again” lip sync, thank you very much—but LaLa and Elliott turn it out. You can tell by the editing and the confessionals, however, that Elliott is winning. (I’m personally a bit more into what LaLa does, but it’s hard to see much of it considering how Elliott-centric the edit is.)
Elliott shantays back to safety, and it’s the end of the line for LaLa. And as a noted LaLa stan, I’m very sad. I can’t defend LaLa’s performance in the competition: This was her second time in the bottom, she repeatedly faltered on the runway and she just so clearly wasn’t going to win this season. But for the second episode in a row, we’ve eliminated an enjoyable narrator and screen presence, losing Tamisha Iman last week and LaLa this week. That the show keeps Elliott in, who isn’t a particularly dynamic character, makes it all the more frustrating. It feels like the producers see Elliott as an Aiden Zhane-type presence: A non-threat in the competition who gets under the queens’ skin and thus is useful for drama.
But I don’t think Drag Race needs to be so heavily produced for drama anymore. My friend and colleague Mathew Rodriguez made what I think is an astute observation recently: Drag Race has transformed from a show that took most of its cues from other reality shows—America’s Next Top Model, Project Runway, etc.—into something that’s entirely its own. It’s still a competition show, yes, but it’s also a program about queer family and the connections these queens make with one another. Season 12 was widely beloved for the genuine friendships between the cast members, while All Stars 5 was widely disliked for being too drama-focused with little payoff. And while I’m speaking of fan response as monolithic, the truth is that different fans want different things: Drama, friendship, great challenges, good narratives, stellar runways—the list goes on.
Contrast the drama of Season 13 to what’s been happening over on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 2. There’s still plenty of playful shadiness, but it all feels much more natural. One recent example: A’Whora didn’t think Tia Kofi deserved to be in the competition and talked shit behind her back, but learned to appreciate her drag when they worked together. They had a moment of healing in the workroom, entirely prompted by them, and we as the audience got to see their journey together. Tamisha and Kandy’s journey over the previous two weeks, on the other hand, felt unresolved because their moment of healing happened off-camera. We as viewers were locked out of it. Healthy from a personal perspective? Absolutely. But frustrating from an audience perspective. If we’re going to see drama start, we need to see the end of it.
I’d rather see a modern Drag Race that leans into the queer family vibe, and borrows more from how Drag Race UK is produced. Does drama sometimes spring out of those family dynamics? Sure! And that can still be compelling. But drama that feels heavily produced rankles in a way that it didn’t in the show’s earliest seasons. Drag Race isn’t really that show anymore. I don’t think Elliott or LaLa really had a chance at winning all of this, and I don’t think Tamisha stood much of a chance considering her current health, either. But would I rather spend more time with LaLa and Tamisha than see more produced drama? Yes!
In truth, like the Reading Challenge, Drag Race may not be able to reach its peak again. The fan base’s desires for the show are contradictory, and even the show itself feels somewhat confused about what it wants to be. Drag Race UK feels like the future; Drag Race Mothership, while still enjoyable, is too tied up in its own cross-purposes to really compare. But make no mistake: It still offers plenty of pleasures that keep us watching.
Untucking our final thoughts
✨Elliott thinks she’s cursing her teammates, as two (Tamisha last week, Kahmora Hall back in Episode 4) have gone home. Lucky for her, the “Double-T Curse,” as Kandy calls it, doesn’t come back to haunt her—this week, at least.
✨Ru has taken to calling Symone “Symon-yay,” à la his pronunciation of “Raven-Symoné” in the All Stars 2 premiere. Cute callback!
✨Ts Madison becomes the latest of the Season 13 recurring guest judges to join the show, and unlike Jamal Sims, Nicole Byer and Loni Love, this is her first time on the Drag Race main stage. She makes for an immediately fun addition, and Ru gets a big laugh out of her by quoting one of her iconic viral clips. I believe the only guest judge left for us to meet this season is Academy Award-nominated and Tony Award-winning actress Cynthia Erivo. My guess is we’ll get to her near the end of the season.
✨There’s a great bit in the workroom with LaLa, Gottmik, Elliott and Kandy in which LaLa pretends to be a mother on Maury, and Mik and Elliott are the camera and mic guys running along with her. It’s very cute! See? There’d be plenty to do without manufactured drama.
✨So who are the true contenders at this point? Symone, obviously, and after her second consecutive win I think there’s no way to count Olivia out, either. Gottmik seems to be so beloved that I see her going the distance as well. If we’re looking at a top four, I’d say everyone else is battling for that spot. It could go to Utica if she bounces back, or Kandy if this attention in the edit proves to be fodder for a win. Tina could start winning challenges, but, based on what we’ve seen so far, I’m unsure about her being a top contender. A big question I have—one we’ll talk about more in the power ranking tomorrow—is where Rosé and Denali stand. Both seem to be getting the same “strong but underestimated” edit; my guess is one will eventually take out the other in a lip sync. (I believe Elliott is the next queen out, but I may be wrong!)
✨Seriously, consider this my plea: If you’re not watching RuPaul’s Drag Race UK this season, you absolutely should. We’re recapping that show well here at Xtra, and talking about it every week on the Kiki With Kevin livestream on Fridays at 4 p.m. EST. Join the fun! You won’t wanna miss out.
The next episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race airs Friday, Feb. 19, at 8 p.m. EST on VH1 in the U.S. and on Crave and OUTtv in Canada.
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