In the wise words of Shangela, "halleloo!"
The reunion format we knew and loved returned on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14 Episode 15. And the queens delivered an entertaining night that kept us fed with all the delicious drama.
Tea was spilled. Emotions were felt. Arguments got yelled. "Reunited!" served the reunion we sorely missed.
There's something about getting the queens in a room together to dish the dirt that can't be topped.
Reunions that feel real and raw stand out amongst the best in reality TV, and Drag Race has served up plenty of amazing ones. Like, the reunion on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 will forever set the standard for the modern Drag Race reunion.
A great mix of emotional throwbacks and spicy drama to keep us hooked. You could say it gets our "fan favorite" award!
Plus, anything that erases the trainwreck that was RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13 Episode 15 is a blessing in my book. (We're only looking to the future here, and that was a misstep Drag Race can learn from.)
A nice change Drag Race included to the reunion was how they structured the big dramatic moments.
Did anyone else love the "Clash of the Queens" segments?
Maddy Morphosis: Miss June. As short as your time was, maybe you should change your name to “February”?
🔗 permalink: Miss June. As short as your time was, maybe you should change your name to “February”?
The framing made it easy to digest and recapped all the drama quickly. And it gave the queens the time to spotlight their past fights.
I'm glad we were guaranteed to hear about the Maddy Morphosis vs. Jasmine Kennedie, Kornbread vs. Jasmine, and Bosco vs. Lady Camden fights. Each fight had its moment in the season, but they weren't small enough to ignore during the reunion.
We're never guaranteed to hear about something in a reunion until somebody brings it up.
Maddy, Jasmine, and Kornbread took the right direction with how they addressed things.
They acknowledged their issues and clarified how they spiraled; it shed light on why their fight started. We, as viewers, learned so much more about them and their growth afterward, which is how to wrap up a story and come out looking great.
Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté: I wasn’t gonna say nothing. Jasmine opened up the invitation and I told her, because no shade, the rest of the girls were having conversations about it, but not conversations with Jasmine. I’m not one of those kind of people…
Jasmine Kennedie: And thank you, Kornbread! You’re the only girl who would like talk to me…
Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté: You still cut me off and I live for it. You ain’t change.
[All the queens cheer and laugh]
Jasmine Kennedie: You get me! I’m still learning. I’m still learning!
🔗 permalink: You still cut me off and I live for it. You ain’t change.
On the other hand, Bosco's laidback "owning it" didn't feel as deep as it could've been.
Much of the issue from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14 Episode 12 came from Bosco putting Lady Camden down to get the role. Her stating that her words weren't that harsh comparatively made it feel like it was all a joke. What she said that round cut deeper than just ambition.
Still, Lady Camden accepted the apology, and the queens were good friends. All that matters is that she feels great with the resolution between them; it's not our place after that.
The Daya Betty vs. Jasmine Kennedie (with Jorgeous) fight was the true roller coaster of the reunion. There were highs, lows, and lots of spiraling in the middle; this fight will be remembered in Drag Race herstory.
Daya's comments about Jasmine and Jorgeous have been an ongoing topic throughout RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14. She's bounced back and forth between throwing shade and sounding rude. It made her the unabashed villain of the season, which was great to have her acknowledge her path.
All we know about their drama is what was discussed during the competition and what was aired during the reunion.
Daya Betty: I gave you a call, and guess who didn’t fucking answer? You!
🔗 permalink: I gave you a call, and guess who didn’t fucking answer? You!
Everything that happened afterward is a case of hearsay; we'll never know if someone didn't pick up the phone or try to contact them. That miscommunication is for them to figure out.
The fact of the matter is that Daya apologized to Jasmine and Jorgeous, and apologies were accepted. They're working on their friendships, and that's all we can hope for; we're not a part of their drama, so let them be.
Daya apologizing multiple times was the perfect note to end on. It clarified to all the naysayers if she was genuine about wanting to bury the hatchet with the others.
And the queens supporting her was a great unifying moment for the cast. Even with all the drama, this group stood by each other and looked on the positive for the future.
Don't get me wrong, the shouting match between Jasmine and Daya seemed vicious! Daya's defensive tone nearly morphed into cutting remarks, and Jasmine wasn't holding herself back from confronting Daya and speaking her truth. We loved seeing a juicy fight, but the vibe turned nasty.
Having the fight turn on itself into a growing moment put a nice bow on this rocky plotline.
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In addition to the apologies, "Reunited!" delivered many other heartwarming moments. The balance of drama and emotion felt evenly divided; I liked how the pacing treated everything equally as important and talked about important topics.
Like, Kornbread's resolution with her family and how many of the queens rediscovered their gender identity both in and out of the competition.
Jorgeous: There was a little showmance going on behind the scenes.
🔗 permalink: There was a little showmance going on behind the scenes.
RuPaul's Drag Race changes lives, and it was beautiful to see these queens living their authentic selves. Many of them were on journies that none of us knew about, which is a great lesson for everyone to remember in their daily lives.
You never know anyone's story until they tell it to you.
In the case of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14, it will now have the honor of being the season with the most transgender representation. Can you believe how far this franchise has grown?
Last Thoughts From The Werk Room:
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Orion Story seemed like she had a major chip on her shoulder. She was ready to fight and cause drama with everyone.
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We need more tea on the Jorgeous and Orion Story romance. They glossed over their short-lived fling without spilling any details. At least Angeria Paris VanMichaels and Lady Camden gave us hope for a "Camgeria" future.
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Maddy Morphosis deserved the Golden Boot Award. That patchwork Southern belle dress was horrible!
- Maddy's discussion about being the first straight, cisgender male on Drag Race was well-worded and thoughtful. It felt respectful to the drag community and served as an exciting conversation with the other queens.
Now, over to you, Drag Race fans!
What did you think of "Reunited!"?
Who had the best reunion look? Which information shocked you the most? Who will win the competition?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.