This week’s challenge is the make-or-break episode for every Drag Race queen: SNATCH GAME! It is very intriguing to see how it will play out in Drag Race Holland- will the humour translate to overseas audiences with limited or no knowledge of most of the celebrities?
But first, this week’s mini challenge is equally intimidating: a nude photoshoot, with no makeup, no wig, only a tiara. Envy Peru particularly struggles with the challenge but overcomes her insecurities to deliver a stunning shot. Janey Jacké takes the win, though, and seems to be having the most fund during the challenge.
As preparations for Snatch Game begin, ChelseaBoy announces they are portraying the infamous Joe Exotic of recently hugely popular Tiger King docu-series. This could either be a risky choice or very successful- a character so recently in everyone’s minds and a male character, which often doesn’t go down well with the judges. But it could be a very smart move to choose a character that everyone knows and has an international reach.
Janey Jacké opts for Dutch singer Anny Schilder, hailing from the same village as her. In the walk-through Janey Jacké explains her desire to represent someone from the village she grew up in due to her conflicted feelings towards her time there, never being accepted by the community. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see much of Janey Jacké’s performance in Snatch Game, and I came out of it without much of a clear impression of Anny Schilder.
Ma’MaQueen is portrating Dutch rockstar Ryanne van Dorst, a ‘nasty, beer-swigging lesbian’, which Ma’Ma Queen does seem to fulfil. Miss Abby OMG is Michella Kox, a polarising media personality, but her and Ma’MaQueen both fade a little. Sederginne takes on children’s TV presenter Mega Mindy, and the performance doesn’t quite live up to expectations.
Envy Peru is Patty Brard who, from a quick research, is a TV personality and singer often in the tabloids. However, you need not know who she is to see that Envy Peru is delivering the character. ChelseaBoy’s Joe Exotic is the stand-out, with a great accent and look, and the characterisation is consistent and funny.
This week’s runway theme is ‘Half Man, Half Queen’. ChelseaBoy and Ma’MaQueen are non-binary and find this theme particularly challenging. Ma’MaQueen takes an alternative approach, going for an inner saboteur vs. outer beauty look. It is a very successful look and follows a similar theme to the RuPaul’s Drag Race S10 ‘Evil Twin’ challenge. However, the judges find it to be too far removed from the theme. ChelseaBoy receives similar criticism for a striking, more fluid take on the theme.
Miss Abby OMG wears an outfit that plays with a business man look, with a corset and skirt made of ties on her feminine side. Envy Peru delivers some timeless glamour, with a Bond/Bond Girl look. Janey Jacké splits her face with a mirror, which makes the look particularly impressive.
Sederginne is half-Kermit the Frog and half-Miss Piggy, a fun concept but the judges feel it is a little lacking Sederginne’s usual polish. ChelseaBoy’s nontraditional take on the theme seems to prevent their win and Ma’MaQueen ends up in the bottom three. Envy Peru takes a third win, praised for delivering a Snatch Game that was both a skilled imitation and funny.
Miss Abby OMG ends up in the bottom again, and lip-syncs against Sederginne to ‘Girl’ by Anouk. Sederginne is not enthusiastic about this song choice, and this is a little evident in the performance. Miss Abby OMG delivers a more high-energy performance, and manages to stay another week. This outcome is a bit of a shock, as I was expecting to see Sederginne in the final. This serves as a reminder that, at this stage in the game, nobody is safe!
Drag Race Holland is available on WOW Presents Plus in the US and select territories worldwide, and on RTL Nederland’s Videoland.
