Freaky Friday Queens

"Freaky Friday Queens" is the tenth episode of the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on March 12, 2021. Loni Love is a guest judge, and Char Margolis also makes a guest appearance for the mini-challenge.

Symone and Utica Queen win the main challenge, which has contestants give makeovers to each other. Denali is eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom two and losing a lip-sync against Olivia Lux to "Shackles (Praise You)" by Mary Mary.

Episode

For the episode's mini-challenge, the contestants participate in a psychic reading with special guest Char Margolis.

For the main challenge, the contestants makeover one another to be "drag doppelgängers". RuPaul reveals the team to be Denali and Olivia Lux, Gottmik and Kandy Muse, Rosé and Tina Burner, and Symone and Utica Queen. In the Werk Room, Utica Queen expresses concerns of being accused of cultural appropriation because Symone's concept is inspired by the 1997 film B.A.P.S., the title of which an acronym for Black American Princesses. The teams rehearse on the main stage, then return to the Werk Room to prepare for the runway. Gottmik shares her experience being a transgender drag performer.

On the runway, RuPaul welcomes Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, and guest judge Loni Love. The category is "Drag Doppelgangers". Gottmik, Kandy Muse, Symone, and Utica Queen receive positive critiques, with Symone and Utica Queen both winning the challenge. Denali, Olivia Lux, Rosé, and Tina Burner receive negative critiques, and Rosé and Tina Burner are deemed safe. Denali and Olivia Lux place in the bottom and face off in a lip-sync to "Shackles (Praise You)" (1999) by Mary Mary. Denali is eliminated from the competition.

Production

Love was also a guest judge on the season's fourth ("RuPaulmark Channel"), sixth ("Disco-mentary"), and twelfth ("Nice Girls Roast") episodes, as well as the fourteenth season's fourth episode "She's a Super Tease".

Reception

Kate Kulzick of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'B+'.

References