Review: Canada's Drag Race, S1 E5 The Snatch Game

Each week Toronto based comedian Chris Middleton will review the latest episode of Canada’s Drag Race. The Canadian version of the worldwide phenomenon RuPaul’s Drag Race premiered July 2 on Crave. The main judges and mentors are Stacey McKenzie, Brooke Lynn Hytes, and Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman.

Brooke Lynn Hytes laughs during Lemon’s Reading Challenge

Snatch Game is THE challenge on Drag Race. For every iconic Snatch Game Champion (Bob the Drag Queen, Kennedy Davenport, Jinkx Monsoon, BenDeLaCreme) there is a flop (Acid Betty, Max, Gia Gunn, Lineysha Sparx). But Canada really . . . snatched . . . this episode.

We don’t just get THE iconic maxi challenge, we get THE iconic reading mini challenge as well! The reads were more mean than funny. The stand outs were BOA’s coaster joke and Lemon with “the only thing you’re FUCKING is STUPID” which solidified her win.

Before The Snatch Games begin, Traci Melchor gets degraded again as Canada’s Squirrel Friend on the “ShE-Talk” Red Carpet. Her appearances are only proving how few Canadian media jobs there are. This woman is taking a pay cheque to do squirrel hands.

Also, the Snatch Game panelists - Colin & Justin. I had to Google them, and they are SCOTTISH Interior Decorators? All that time watching paint dry really affected their personality! If CANADA’S Drag Race is looking for local comedians, I can give you a list (my name will be at the top, and that’s only fair).

Again, this Snatch Game was GREAT. Ilona as Rebecca More was like a Tim and Eric character, and though Scarlett didn’t bring Liza to Alexis Michelle’s level, she did a fine job. Lemon as JoJo Siwa was loud, obnoxious, and a bit problematic . . . she nailed it! The stand out was Jimbo playing Joan Rivers. Whatever summoning ceremony she did to conjure up Joan from beyond the grave worked. Rita was also not one to sleep on. Shout out to the sound designers for the accordion to remind us she’s French!

The bottoms were pushed lower under the weight of everyone’s success. BOA’s Gypsy Rose Blanchard started strong, but wasn’t comedic by proxy. Priyanka should’ve consulted Ms. Cleo’s wisdom before picking her. And Kiara really threw the Lambs to the slaughter.

Category on the Runway is Night of 1000 Celines, which enhances the meta narrative of this episode that is “Brooke Lynn was bad at Snatch Game.” Though BOA served them glamour on the runway (shook), the judges were tied up on all the fringe. Kiara’s runway was stunning, but not enough to save her. We have to give it to Rita for giving us the most specific Celine looks on the runway (French queens stay French). Lemon . . . wore a gown. Priyanka threw a ring on this runway and it was all gold everything! She did more acting on the runway than she did in the Snatch Game challenge.

A surprise to no one, Jimbo wins this week. Not only did she invent Snatch Game, her runway look was a huge serv…ice to our country!

The bottom two this week are Kiara and Priyanka. Okay, I agreed with the judges this whole episode (which, if you’ve seen my Twitter, isn’t usually the case); but they can’t even be consistent in their own judging? BOA had the worst critiques but was safe? Whatever. They set us up for THIS lip sync! I’m surprised, as someone who was famously part of a double save in a Snatch Game episode, Brooke Lynn forgot you could do that?

Unfortunately, Kiki said her bye-bye’s, but NONE of these queens have her hype! They better be happy they’re lawyering you next week. With Kiara gone, I’m about to sue! I’ll update you with the legal proceedings next week!

THE SPOILERS:

Mini Challenge: Reading - The Library is Open!
Mini Challenge Winner: Lemon
Pit Crew: HOT LIBRARIAN REALNESS
Maxi Challenge: The Snatch Game
Runway Theme: Night of 1000 Celines
Winner: Jimbo
Extra Special Guest Host: Mary Walsh
Lip Sync: Kiara vs Priyanka to "I Drove All Night" by Celine Dion
Eliminated: Kiara