Culture

Drag Race: Why new season 17 twist has fans gagged

By Jordan Robledo

1st February 2025

The Badonka Dunk twist in this week’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race has left viewers stunned.

Spoilers ahead

Following the departure of the LA’s ‘Slaysain Diva’ Joella, the ladies returned to the workroom to decompress and go over the events of last week.

Onya Nurve was on cloud nine due to securing the maxi-challenge win for her ‘Bitch I’m A Drag Queen’ performance.

“I feel so good. I’m excited to keep doing better and better and better. So, you better watch out,“ she told the other queens.

When Crystal Envy was asked how she felt about not winning the challenge, the New Jersey-based queen revealed: “It obviously sucks to not win when you get like so close.

“But just to hear the validation from the judges really just really gave me exactly what I needed to go in next week and fucking swamp all you hos, so.“

In a confessional, Kori King suspected that Crystal was covering up her true thoughts on the loss, describing the latter as “pissed.“

“She can lie and smile and ee-ee-eeh all she wants. She is mad,“ the Boston queen added.

Towards the end of their after-elimination kiki, Arrietty opened up about her frustrations about landing at the bottom, revealing to her sisters that she was “f**king fuming.“

“I don’t think I should have been in the bottom. I was surprised to hear that I was outshined by Jewels by the judges. I don’t agree with it,“ she added in a confessional.

The next day, the queens returned to the workroom refreshed and ready to tackle their next maxi-challenge, which was revealed by RuPaul, of course.

“This week, you’ll be performing in everybody’s favourite sketch comedy show, RDR Live,“ Ru explained.

“Now, in a few moments, you’ll get your sketches. Then, you’ll choose your parts and start rehearsing. And later today, you’ll go live. Now queens, remember the key to success is to create a funny, memorable character that makes us hoot the house down boots.“

Like past Drag Race seasons, the role selection process had a few awkward moments. Specifically, Hormona Lisa and Lydia B Kollins fought for the part of Gert, a spoof of The Golden Girls character Sophia Petrillo.

Lana Ja’Rae and Crystal also clashed over the role of “blonde bimbo“ Brooke, with the former exclaiming that she wouldn’t back off the character.

While Crystal echoed similar sentiments, Sam Star convinced the New Jersey-based queen to push herself with another role before throwing some shade toward Lana.

“You know, it’s like a very basic character. I see it for Lana,“ she explained.

The skits and roles for RDR Live! were as follows:

  1. Neanderthal Town Hall skit: Onya, as Mayor, Arrietty as Bug Kori as Ugg and Lana as Brooke.
  2. Emergency Room skit: Acacia Forgot as Trudie and Lydia as Gert.
  3. Beaverologist Podcast skit: Hormona as Ellen, Sam as Ruth and Jewels Sparkles as Connie.
  4. QNN News skit: Suzie Toot as Rhonda, Lexi Love as News Anchor #1 and Crystal as News Anchor #2.

With their roles chosen, the queens rehearsed their respective skits.

While the majority of the ladies collaborated well with their scene partners, the same could not be said for Lexi and Suzie.

“As we’re progressing, Suzie is shutting down every single idea I have. Every suggestion I have for our anchor characters, ‘no, no, no, no, no. XYZ, that’s why that’s bad. That’s why that’s bad,‘” Lexi said in a confessional.

After getting a grasp on their skits, the ladies headed to the soundstage to bring to life their RDR Live! performances – which featured an appearance from guest judge Paul W. Downs.

Unsurprisingly, all the queens embodied their roles throughout the SNL parody, delivering hilarious and campy moments.

The next day, the ladies returned to the workroom confident and ready for the impending elimination.

“I’m feeling confident in my performance. I pushed myself and did a character. I am very proud to have shown off my shaved beaver to all of America,“ Sam said in a confessional.

Elsewhere in the workroom, Lexi opened up about the “kumbaya girls” of the cast.

“Kumbaya girls are the ones that you have to be like kumbaya for them because they can’t take it,“ she explained to Kori and Lana.

In a confessional, Lexi added: “There definitely are some cliques forming, and I have established the kumbaya girls. Lydia and Acacia, Hormona and Suzie Toot is the CEO of the kumbaya committee.”

With their faces painted, the queens headed to the main stage to show off their ‘Tickled Pink‘ ensembles and receive feedback for their RDR Live! performances.

After dismissing the safe queens – Kori, Lana, Lexi, Jewels and Crystal – to Untucked, Ru and the judges panel delivered their critiques to the top and bottoms of the week.

Onya, Suzie, and Hormona proved to be standouts, with the trio being praised for their comedic moments and runways.

While Arrietty, Lydia, and Sam were praised for their creative runway looks, the judges’ were less than impressed with their RDR Live! appearances. 

In the end, Ru named Suzie the challenge winner before placing Arrietty and Lydia in the bottom two.

To the beat of Earth, Wind and Fire’s ‘Boogie Wonderland,‘ the two talents delivered a passionate lip sync that was filled with dips, turns and comedy. 

Ultimately, Ru saved Lydia before offering Arrietty one final chance to stay in the competition: the Badonka Dunk challenge.

“I’ve worked so hard. And drag is my world. This is my last chance to stay. I need this to work,“ the House of Dubois queen exclaimed in a confessional.

After a tense moment, Arrietty selected the first lever, which surprisingly dunked Michelle in the tank, which saved her place in the competition and concluded the Badonka Dunk twist.

Since the episode’s release, fans have flocked to social media to gag over the Badonka Dunk twist coming to an end.

One viewer on X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote: “The levers being 1 and 7 ?!??! BITCH WHATTT.”

Another fan tweeted: “Arrietty saved, AND the twist is gone, so we don’t have to deal with it for the rest of the season. WE WON!“

A third person added: “Still gagged that US production didn’t rig the Badonka Dunk and finally did a twist correctly (the last one I consider is AS6).“

On next week’s episode of Drag Race season 17, the queens will be tasked with creating original garments for the Let’s Get See Sickening Ball.

Check out more fan reactions to episode five below.

Season 17 of RuPaul’s Drag Race exclusively drops weekly in the UK on the streamer of all things drag, WOW Presents Plus. Subscribe now at https://uk.wowpresentsplus.com/