RPDR Season 17, Episode 3: The Recap.

Season 17 is underway and it seems like a fun cast.

The Main Challenge

It's a design challenge, sponsored by monopoly.

The queens were essentially allocated a colour, provided with fabrics and materials and tasked with creating a look that hit the category of Opulence.

Love a design challenge and we got plenty of work-room action as the queens tried to navigate putting together a garment.

What I'm loving about this cast is that there's no hesitation to get a bit messy. We got Lexie alerting the authorities that Hormona was using contraband stones, we got Joella struggling to articulate what she actually can do, we got Jewels cussing out Onya over some disputed trim, and we got Kori getting horny for Butthole.

Quality TV.

The Runway

• Lucky had orange and created an odd-looking dress and gave us a regular make-up look for the first time. Everything was a miss, but because it was Lucky it was interesting to see where she was at.
• Hormona knows how to sew and knows how to construct a garment. This was an orange mermaid gown and it was successful, in spite of the stoning drama.
• Lexi gave us an orange hoochie dress which looked sexy, and her fashion-reference vision of using a bolt of fabric unrolling as her train worked. Nailed it.
• Suzy gave us a red devil look with a 20s vibe. She looked stunning. Nailed it.
• Arriette gave us a red gown with some Latina drama. Ariette was confident coming into this challenge and that confidence was not misplaced. Nailed it.
• Lana gave us a very clean red knee-length dress. Nailed it.
• Acacia gave us a yellow frill moment with an 80s vibe. It was a bit trashy but that seems to be her brand. Solid.
• Kori gave us a yellow mini-dress with fur trim. It was a bit muppets-do-fashion but the look was solid.
• Lydia gave us a yellow look with the lot - it was a ruched floor-length gown with fur trim and a fur train and a statement hat. Solid.
• Joella gave us a green bodysuit with a statement cape. This could have been worse. As a look on the runway, it did the job.
• Onya gave us a green floor-length stretch-velvet gown. The trim looked good.
• Jewels gave us a green skin-tight rushed floor-length dress with a Gaultier vibe. Smashed it.
• Sam gave us a blue pageant gown. It was very well constructed.
• Crystal gave us a blue floor-length gown in stretch-velvet. It was very well constructed.

The Judging

In the Bottom were Lucky, Kori, and Joella. No arguments there, but Kori was obviously going to be safe.

In the Top were Ariette, Onya, and Sam.

It was a bit generous to Onya, but it sets up some nice drama to continue the tension between her and Jewels. There were actually lots of options for the Top, so at this point we're looking at storyline options.

The winner of the week was Sam. Not my choice but not mad at it.

The Bottom 2 was Lucky versus Joella, which made sense.

The lip-sync

The track was The Way That You Love Me by Paula Abdul.

This is a cute track - a bit one-level but has personality.

Joella did the track and gave it plenty of energy.

Lucky was a bit messy. Her shoes flew off and she threw everything at it.

Objectively, it was probably a win for Joella but my heart gave it to Lucky.

Joella was declared the winner.

Lucky got the chance to pull the lucky lever, but she was not saved.

Episode 3, done!

The Cast

Still in the competition

• Acacia Forgot: Not a great start, but she survived the first lip-sync elimination and she's still in the game.
• Arrietty: She's cute and engaging. I like what she's giving us.
• Crystal Envy: Top 2 in her Talent episode was a great start. She's a strong performer with strong looks.
• Hormona Lisa: She's still here, but only just. The rest of the cast do not seem to be gelling with Hormona.
• Jewels Sparkles: Love. Adore. Very strong start. Already seems to be a fan favourite.
• Joella: Now that we've had Joella's Katy Perry storyline, has she got anything else to give us? Probably not. She's survived the sewing challenge, and a lip-sync, but we haven't really found anything that she excels in.
• Kori King: Lots of personality, great presence, and engaging energy. Loving her.
• Lana Ja’Rae: Stunning. Love her.
• Lexi Love: A great start for Lexi, winning her Talent Show episode.
• Lydia Kollins: Solid start but we're going to need to see more.
• Onya Nurve: Great presence and engaging personality - seems to be a favourite with the judges.
• Sam Star: She's a pageant queen from a very accomplished Drag House - that can take you a long way in this competition. Winning the Design Challenge of Episode 3 will boost her confidence.
• Suzie Toot: A great start for Suzie - winning her episode of the Talent Show. Loving her sense of humour and the perspective she brings to everything.

The eliminated queens

• Lucky Starzzz: Hugely talented and a crafty queen in the best possible way. Surprisingly, it was the sewing challenge of Episode 3 that was her undoing, beaten in the lip-sync by Joella. Lucky is the Pork Chop of the season.