I have to be honest, for the past few seasons, I might have enjoyed Untucked more than the actual Drag Race episodes. Even with all the extra heavy (or basically patching words together from 5 different interviews) editing, this is where the shiny was separated from the shabby.
This season we were presented with a whole new version of Untucked which is now a Youtube series (lack of budget? attempt to promote The WoW channel? We’ll never know). The new backstage setting looks very budget X Factor-like compared to the luxurious lounges from previous seasons. So long, Interior Illusions lounge, bye bye, Gold Bar. Even the cocktails the queens are sipping look far less glamorous than in the Absolut-days. And what’s with the free-sample-sounding background music?
Oh well, half of the world is in recession, why get upset about backdrops when it’s the content that counts! The safe queens get backstage to enjoy some drinks and talk about their first experience on the main stage. Trixie comes off as being humble and adorably insecure. Katya sounds much more fun in her one-on-one interviews than in public.
No one has any idea what to talk about so the conversation gets off to a slow start… That is until Pearl throws some shade on Miss Fame, calling her first outfit ‘Vivacious realness’. Everyone immediately picks up until Trixie’s not so funny joke about Kasha being the same age as her mom (what is it about age-shaming this season?). Then there is Max and her British accent….by way of Wisconsin. Ginger Minj called her the Madonna of drag.
All I see is a grayscale version of Milk for now. The girls start discussing the contestants who annoy them the most and a lot of the girls agree that Pearl has the highest bitch-potential. ‘Do I paint a bitch face on?’ No girl, a resting bitch face is something you have to be born with…
And what is it with that ex boyfriend of hers she keeps mentioning? He better show up in one of the surprise videos… Oh wait, we probably won’t get any of those this season, since there’s no monitor to show them on (sob).
And moving on, the drag queen etiquette book says that it is a clear sign that the conversation has met its dead end when people start talking about tucks. Do you want a side of mashed balls? No thanks.There was a weak attempt at starting an ‘I’m sad Santino isn’t here’ conversation, but none of the girls seemed to be too upset about it (oops!).
The ‘best and worst’ girls enter backstage and the T is spilled on who was named the weakest contestant. Pearl is obviously being shaped as the bitch of the season, but hey, who doesn’t love a mean girl? She clearly isn’t inspired by Sasha, or anyone else for that matter. Violet Chachki tries to make a good face over a bad game and makes it quite obvious she’s not very good at drama.
Tempest gives the general ‘we’re the chosen ones’ speech, while everyone clearly tries to hide the ‘it sucks to be the first one to go’ face. The episode continues with the Skype videos where the queens are told they’re part of season 7 and it’s nice to see some genuine pre-show emotions.
The departing queen is given a full two minute sashay – more than in any of the previous seasons. Tempest Dujour seems to be a genuinely sweet person and it’s sad that we didn’t have a chance to learn her story. But oh well. Bye gurl!
All in all, the new Untucked feels like a peek into the backstage of a pageant: no scripted drama, no expensive set, no close-ups. Although it seems like a lot of people are happy that Logo toned down on the editing, I feel that this change might affect the way the queens of this season will be perceived. This Untucked shows a much less glamorous, down-to-earth side of the business world and to be honest I’m not sure this is something the audience (who are only familiar with the glitz and glamour of drag) is ready for. That brings us to the end of Untucked and to the end of my debut edition of Retucked! I’ll see you next week, same time, same (YouTube) channel!