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While last week’s episode was a circus, in more ways than one, that show’s guest judge Dominique Jackson would have been right at home in this week’s ‘Wild Wild West’ themed competition. Instead, we got guest judge Nico Tortorella who was the complete opposite of Jackson in his approach to the judging, to the point that he almost wasn’t even there.
This week’s ‘Wild Wild West’ ball brings us back to the three rounds of categories with one member of each House walking the runway in the first two categories and the entire House werking it in the final category. And in addition, there are cash prizes this time with $5000 going to the House that wins the first two categories and $15,000 for the third category. And that’s in addition to the Superior House trophy at the end of the episode, which considers the performances from all three categories so it doesn’t matter if they win a cash prize. So there’s a lot going on this week.
Category is: Come Up & See Me Sometime
The first category was all about fashion inspired by the Wild West. And it must include a spinning element. That part is a little vague, so it gives everyone some leeway in how they want to interpret it, and if the judges were impressed, they awarded a 10 and if not someone will get the chop. I really wish they would use a 1-10 scoring system, because it only takes one judge to give the chop and you’re out.
Calypso from Balmain spun out onto the runway, unwrapping the outfit like mummy wrappings. Xa’Pariis from Ebony twirled batons. Delicious from Gorgeous Gucci had some sorry pinwheels on her boobs that she could barely spin, Eyricka from Lanvin spun a parasol, Sattva from Ninja had a spinning wheel on a headpiece and big wagon wheels on her dress, and Twilight from Escada twirled onto the runway with a baby blue outfit that looked like a top hat and when the brim was dropped became a full gown. Obviously Delicious got the chop for those sad pinwheels, but Sattva was wrongly chopped by Jameela … to the surprise of the other judges. Which is why a normal scoring system is needed. Was the dress perfect? No. The wheels on the dress should have touched the floor because the few times they did the wheels actually turned. That would have been pretty spectacular if the costume department had executed the dress properly.
The winners of the first part of the category then had to compete for Best Gown with Ebony winning over Calypso, and Twilight beating Eyricka, leaving the two to battle it out but in the end Twilight’s hat dress prevailed and the House of Escada was awarded $5000.
Category is: Sheriff of Seduction
This category was all about serving body, and there was certainly some stiff competition from House members like Jarrell, Jamari and Isla. But this wasn’t just about a perfectly sculpted body, it was about how the House member felt in their own skin, how they presented themselves so it was commendable that a few of the Houses used some of their curvier members. Packrat from Lanvin was confident with her curves, and Dolores from Ninja mustered up everything she had to get past her own body image issues. Escada put their teddy bear Jazzul in and for some reason Law was the only judge to give him the chop (again, they need a better scoring system). Each and every one of them should have gotten a 10 for putting themselves out there with confidence. But with six House members — Packrat, Isla, Jarrell, Dolores and Jamari — scoring a 10, the judges whittled that group down to a vogue battle between Packrat and Dolores and the curvy girl won, giving Lanvin the $5000 prize. But Dolores was okay with taking second, her confidence in herself restored and she said Packrat deserved it.
Category is: Mannequin Showcase with Runway Look
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This category required each House to come up with a little Wild West scene as members first held their poses like mannequins then went into a full vogue routine. Escada took to the runway first and Leiomy called them out for the choreography being out of sync. She wasn’t wrong. Nico said the performance was almost there. Ebony was up next and no one could resist the one House member in a tumbleweed costume. Law enjoyed the performance saying it had a little bit of everything. Jameela seconded that saying she loved the tumbleweed, the voguing, the runway, the mannequin poses, everything.
Glorious Gucci did a bank heist theme … and it was a mess. Law called out the sloppy choreography, Leiomy said they were weak and needed to work harded on the presentation, and Nico said the expressions on their faces gave too much attitude and not enough fun. Ninja, which had won the very first Superior House trophy and then had been in the bottom the next two weeks, had a lot to prove with their Western bandits routine. And they did. Jameela said it was the best performance of the night so far with their look and synchronization on point, saying they should be proud. Leiomy and Megan liked them too.
The House of Lanvin did a jewel heist scene but covered their faces with masks which may have not been the best idea. Leiomy loved the storyline but got on them for their faces being ‘dry’ and not selling the performance to the performance queen. Law enjoyed watching the House Mother and how she leads her children like a Mother should. Last up was Balmain which made the choice to cover their faces with only bejeweled lips or mustaches on the coverings. Jameela loved the masks and said they were in sync, not something easy to do when everyone’s faces are covered. Leiomy loved the look more than the performance, Law called the group Bal-maybe and said they put more thought into the look than the performance, and Megan said they could have gone harder.
In the end the winner of the category was the House that had the most to prove — Ninja, which collected a $15,000 cash prize. But with three different Houses winning each category — Escada, Lanvin and Ninja — it came down to who would win the Superior House trophy for the week. With First Place in the Body category, and good judges’ comments in the other two categories, House of Lanvin was the Superior House for the week. That put Escada and Gucci in the bottom but … no one was chopped this week so all seven Houses will return for a fifth week of battle on the runway.
Legendary streams new episodes every Thursday on HBO Max.
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