I’m thinking that we have examples of queens in the past being able to command attention while looking naturally effortless doing it - say, Latrice’s ‘You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman)‘. Contrast that to the desperation ballet that Milan put up against it, which fortunately, Trixie’s effort never quite reached.

Alaska carried a significant number of last year’s LSFYL in boots.

I’m throwing my not insubstantial weight beyond Mayhem Miller.

Aja’s look was attractive and stylish, but the judges were right that the visual referents were off-the-mark, and just a little scattershot. It was a matter of failing successfully, but one that combined with her lackluster, vague soup can concept.

Random ‘pinions:

I’m mostly surprised she’s not quoting Olivia Pope, six seasons after that peaked.

I think you back-handedly get to one of the key points about what makes Shangela disagreeable to watch.

I might add to that, that the fandom has all sorts of binarist oversimplification.

Random ‘pinions (after a week off):

Category is: Alternative Facts

I don’t think you’re wrong - Trixya themselves haven’t been alone in the observation that succeeding at drag and Drag Race are not synonymous.

I’d probably count myself as a continuity stickler. At least insofar as having a deep and abiding respect for how surprisingly well Trek’s canon holds up as internally consistent with respect to the fictional history of the 22nd-24th centuries.

I’ll only add that - for as campily dated as all those gel lights are, no small chunk of the appeal of Starfleet design (for me, at least) through the TOS and TNG eras being that if you had the technology to travel through space comfortably, why wouldn’t you?

For my money, the trick to Trek’s obsession with the past is that we’ve gotten three different iterations of it now - between Enterprise, JJ-Trek (which one could count stringently for the Kelvin sequences, and more generously for revisiting the TOS premise), and now Discovery.

Ana Gasteyer’s SNL impersonation was largely built on those odd, lilting Quebecois francophonisms. But the physical mannerisms, especially in performance are all in there - all the high coloratura diva arms, where she’s crafting the voice in her own bosom like a great big ball of clay.

I’ve found it fascinating that even at her youngish age, Trixie’s one of the relatively few drag queens that’s talked openly and publically about finding a career path after drag.

Watching Kennedy’s dance numbers, she’s not exactly Twyla Tharp, but
Take this example here, from the pre-show for the Season 8 Reunionale:

I can see the distinction now that you point it out. I’d only add that the real incentive to a deep cut for Night of a Thousand Madonnas, especially in the do-over version, was to avoid doubling up with another queen - which was still a problem in season 9.

I don’t think it’s a bad general rule of thumb, to stick with iconic looks.

Three inch heels, and boom - difference made up.