Tag: Netflix

The metaphor in episode six might have been about AJ, but in many ways, it could have been about this series. Sometimes things start rough, but if you wait long enough there is a diamond at the core.

Anyone that gave up on this show in the first two episodes, please continue, it gets so, so good!!

At this moment I feel like I have been on a journey with these characters, and after all this time I’ve grown to love them.

Here the team lands in a trailer-park to take a much-needed break. Sadly they don’t get much rest as very soon Ruby gets roped in by three excited women who are desperate for her to produce their show, while AJ befriends a shy boy and becomes obsessed with finding a diamond.

Also, Sanchez and Lady Danger are still on the trail and soon two lovely gay Cowboys have to save Ruby from a snake attack.

This episode in contradiction to episode two gets finding your identity and being yourself so right.

There is Ruby who wants to be herself and loved, but she doesn’t know how to connect anymore.

She thinks she is helping the women by trying to create the best show ever, but they don’t want that.

Ruby trying to rehearse the unwilling Pink Ladies in their Grease performance made me remember all those times when I was in that position. Why do people always want to perform but never rehearse? Why is trying to create something good so wrong in some peoples eyes?

Seeing her talk to her best friend about thinking that maybe she was too much for people to be around made me wish I’d had someone like her in my childhood, a person that actually wanted to put the work in, get the show done. She wouldn’t have been too much for me.

Then AJ was thinking she was worthless and only a diamond would make her grandfather keep her. More layers of her anger are peeled away. 

Then her young friend: his silence hid a desire to be on stage in drag, maybe he could even be transgender. Sadly his conservative gun-toting father would not allow him to wear his dress. The scene where Ruby confronts the father in full pleather Sandy drag was wonderful, but the finish where the son confronts the father himself was a delight!! Yes, being attracted to feminine things doesn’t mean you can’t be strong!!

The cute ending with Ruby and AJ performing “You’re The One That I Want” is adorable.

Episode 7 was a mixed bunch for me. Plus side Latrice Royale and Monique’s heart. Fabulous. RuPaul’s chemistry with Latrice is amazing, Their real-life friendship is clear for all to see.

As seen in Drag Race Latrice is clearly a gifted actor and it would be wonderful to see more of her in the future.

Meanwhile Ruby flirting and getting it on with a hot guy was great, glad to see her being playful for a change.

Not great: The puppy story. The metaphor was a bit too obvious and the puppy seemed upset in various scenes. At least get an older dog for episodes like these.

Also: sometimes both children and dogs are better of in a new home even though they might be homesick even if the unfit parents love them.

The barbeque wasn’t needed either, as the scene didn’t really work or went anywhere we didn’t already know. Most Ru fans know she doesn’t like seeing people eat or eating in public and her discomfort was clear.

Sanchez giving in to Lady Danger’s emotional and sexual blackmail, why? I mean … yuck.

Which brings me to another plus side: Latrice and her drag gang getting that bi*ch good. Come through Miss Royale!!

Ah, what a treat!! These two episodes were much better. Ruby is slowly letting go of her victim-hood and is starting to present the glorious diva she is, while AJ has stopped her shouting and is growing as a personality.

As a Ru fan, I was feeling so bad about disliking the show he has worked so hard on for so long, so it is such a relief to say that episode three really picks up. The storyline is less scattered, the acting gets better and the pacing has improved.

It is good to see Ruby regaining some of her confidence and more importantly wit. Of course, she is still grieving for what she thought was true love, but she doesn’t let people take advantage of her anymore or sit quietly when others insult her.

In these two episodes, she brazenly takes part in a wet T-shirt competition in a southern town to earn money and gives mean queens back as good as she gets. She even defies them when they sabotage her act. Yes, Miss Ruby Red is rising.

Meanwhile, AJ has improved a lot: thankfully the caring side we glimpsed near the end of episode two has lasted and she is now taking care of Ruby as much as she is taking care of her. She has become fiercely protective of her. Most importantly: she has stopped shouting all her lines, which makes all the difference.

Still on their way to Texas episode 3 sees them stuck in a small town as they the route across the Hershey Highway. The reason why they ended up there: trying to drive away quickly before Sanchez and Lady Danger spotted them they ran into a car leaving them with a broken backlight (and AJ with 200 dollars little con-artist she is!) An exasperated policeman (in a hilarious scene) orders them to get it fixed.

Sadly the repair will cost $2000, as the man at the repair shop discovers that the van is more damaged than they thought.

In the shop Ruby and AJ build a connection with the owner’s wife, after a rough start, which will become important later in the episode.

Ruby tries to teach AJ that there is good in everyone and tries to get her to make up with her mom in between a big to-do about breastplates.

The mum isn’t a well fleshed out character right now, still isn’t in episode four. I hope we get to know what happened to her, because right now she is a bit of a cliché.

Meanwhile, episode four is glorious with both Chad Michaels and Kennedy Davenport in big parts. Here we get to know so much about Ruby and Sanchez and a slight hint that Sanchez might have cared … or is he trying to swindle Ruby all over again?

This episode has catfights between queens, more gay cop revelations, Rupaul doing a big performance to Sia’s Chandelier and Chad being Cher.

This episode also shows how much Ruby and AJ are a team now, even though AJ thinking she knows what’s best for Ruby is a little too soon.

On to the next stop.

This episode for me had a lot of the same highs and flaws as episode one. Ru and her queens (this time including the lovely Jinkx Monsoon) were a joy and the storyline set at the Pittsburgh club itself would have been enough for me.

The show’s best moments are in the club where Ruby meets with old friends and a frenemy. Their history, culminating in the most hilariously bizarre performance of ‘Proud Mary’ ever, moving into their subsequent making up was lovely and something that deserved more attention. It had that lovely sense of: “we may fight, but when you are down or in trouble I will protect you” that is so strong in drag family.

Sadly most of the episode revolved around AJ screaming and demanding.

Her part is very odd. So far, once again, she just does nothing but insult Ruby and the other queens, she is still stealing things and at one point even threatens poor Ruby into taking her to Texas. Then when she is called out or Ruby asks questions she starts to act the victim, poor girl she has been through so much …

But apparently this is acceptable and Ruby goes out of her way to please the little madame. Most people do. AJ is supposed to be this very special being for some reason and everyone treat her with such delicacy.

A long part of the episode was all about AJ’s gender identity. She dresses and acts like a boy because, she claims, people “leave boys alone”.

Sorry but what? This was a shocker to me. Claiming boys do not get abused or experience other forms of violence in any way is just not on. It is especially odd that this comes from the maker of Drag Race where the contestants often discuss all the terrible things they experienced as a child/teen. This often includes abuse.

What is worse is that even though the show and Ru wanted to make this lovely statement of not putting gender in boxes and living life as you are, it is not a good message for female to male transgenders.

It kind of states that any girl wanting to be a boy is damaged or probably had no good female role models. We are told that AJ has never seen any other example of womanhood than a hooker and a stripper. She has a mobile, access to the internet but no, that is all she knows. Okay, girl.

Thankfully Ruby spends the rest of the episode educating her, almost willing AJ to become a girl again to the point of performing a show in her honour all about how important being a women is.

The thing is, Netflix has so many strong feminist shows, it would have been great if this show could have focused on the strong LGBTQ+ message instead for a change. Why could AJ not simply identify as a boy? Such a wasted opportunity.

With all this going on you’d almost forget that Ruby is still in great danger: her criminal ex revealed to be called Damien and his boss Lady Danger are hot on their tracks. Seeing the hell Ruby is going through seems to soften AJ somewhat near the end of the episode. Hope this lasts.

Then one very important question that needs asking: why has Ruby never digitalised her Oprah tapes?