King of Drag, episode one recap and review
It’s high time that the Kings had their own show. King of Drag, The new drag competition show is hosted by Murray Hill, the iconic drag king, comedian, and all-around show-biz guy. The show follows a simple formula that will be familiar with anyone who watches reality competitions. Each week, the kings will compete in a series of Weenie Challenges (the warm-up challenge) and Beefy Challenges (the episode’s main challenge). During the Beefy Challenge, the panel of judges will determine the tops and bottoms of the week, ultimately deciding who wins the challenge and who will go home by the end of the episode. The panel of judges is made up of legendary Chicago King, Tenderoni, Wang Newton, RuPaul’s Drag Race season nine winner, Sasha Velour, and Damian Pellicone.
My Quick Thoughts on the Kings:
Alexander the Great (Austin, Texas) Definitely one of the bigger personalities, oozes theater kid energy.
Big D (Bellingham, Washington) An elder in the Drag King scene, when in drag you are completely immersed in the Big D character. I’m kind of obsessed.
Buck Wylde (Dallas, Texas) A 1950’s greaser meets a vampire and births Buck Wylde. One of my fave so far for sure.
Charles Galin King (Los Angeles, California) An absolute sweet moment when Charles opens up about finding drag with the help of their supportive mom.
Dick Von Dyke (Minneapolis, Minnesota) The only midwest King to grace the stage. Loves a dick joke and will find a way to fit it in somehow.
Henlo Bullfrog (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) My hometown hero, already so proud of this king for just being on my screen. Airbrushed to perfection, whimsical, fantastical, amazing, love.
King Molasses (Washington D.C.) One of my picks to go really far in this competition. Well put together, a smooth talker, a nice smile, talented, blah, blah, blah, proper name…
King Perka $exxx (Charlotte, North Carolina) There is something about Perka that is endearing. Very self-aware, their commentary throughout the episode is funny and is a ball of jittery anxious energy. I kind of feel seen.
Pressure K (Atlanta, Georgia) A King who is just happy to be in the room and I am happy to see on my screen. Excited for the experience and to learn from these seasoned Kings, but also brings a strong skill and talent of their own.
Tuna Melt (Queens, New York) Passionate about their craft after leaving their life in music to pursue drag full-time. Passionate is one word to accurately describe Tuna in this episode.
The Kings first meet in the “Man Cave”, a shared workspace. The room filled with excitement as the kings began to come in and greet each other. There is also a lot of joy in the room, the Kings are well aware of how historical and major this moment is for the Drag King community. An opportunity to show how diverse the community’s artistry is. Murray kicks things off by introducing the first “Weenie Challenge”: a sports-themed photoshoot. Each King takes on the challenge with their creativity, allowing their drag personality to shine through. It was a great icebreaker for the audience and the Kings to get to know each other. This challenge was judged by regular panelist Tenderoni and former WNBA Layshia Clarendon. After each King took a turn at the challenge but it was King Molasses and Charles Galen King who came out on top.
Moving on to the first Beefy Challenge, the Kings were put into two groups and had to become a boy band. With only 90 minutes on the clock, the kings had to choreograph, write lyrics, and record music. This challenge stuck to the theme of the episode and the boy bands were to perform their own “half-time” show. Winners of the previous challenge, King Molasses, and Charles Galen King were the captains of their teams, choosing each member of their boyband “kickball” style.
The teams were as follows:
King Molasses’ Blue Ballers: King Molasses, Henlo, Pressure K, King Perka, and Dick Von Dyke.
Charles Galen Kings’s Bromosexuals: Charles Galin King, Alexander, Big D, Buck Wylde, and Tuna Melt
Guest Judge for the week: Paul Feig (director of Bridesmaids and A Simple Favor)
King Molasses’ Blue Ballers thrived and were the most polished compared to Charles Galen Kings’s Bromosexuals. The group’s energy was all over the place leaving it feeling less cohesive than the Blue Ballers. What worked with the Blue Ballers was their strongest members were able to help lift their weaker ones.
When it comes time for judging, Pressure K, Dick Von Dyke, Buck Wylde, and Charles Galen King are declared safe. In the top: Molasses, Alexander, and Big D. In the bottom: Perka, Henlo, and Tuna Melt.
Ultimately, it was King Molasses who snagged the win which solidified their front-runner status (at least for me).
When it came down to the bottoms of the week, Perka was deemed safe, while Tuna Melt and Henlo battled to see another day in the competition. How did that battle happen? Well, it was a breakdance battle! An interesting way to call a winner but we’ll see how this goes the rest of the season. Unfortunately, it was Tuna Melt who was sent home. They left on a high note, with love from their fellow Kings and a passionate closing interview, using their platform to shout “Free Palestine”.
The first season of any show is all about finding its rhythm and it shows in King of Drag. The pacing of the show is pretty quick. Doing an entire boy-band challenge in 90 minutes is no easy feat, yet somehow they managed simple choreography, writing lyrics, and recording their music within that block of time. However, with the bumpiness of the first episode, the Kings showed up and were ready to play. They came in swinging with big personalities, an incredible amount of talent, and the confidence of a superhero. Each King brings their personality to the show and shows how diverse the drag scene is. As far as hosts go, Murray Hill is a warm and inviting host. Truly loves being there, getting to know the kings, and is in awe of how the scene has changed.
One of the biggest takeaways from the first episode was that everyone in the room understood the gravity and importance of a show like this. This is the first show of its kind, a show simply focused on the Drag Kings. Individually, they understand they are representing a part of the drag community that is overlooked by the mainstream, the queer community, and their respective communities. King Molasses spoke openly about their Nigerian background and there was a beautiful moment between the judges and King Molasses, reminding him of the importance of just existing in a show like this (especially when Revry is offered globally). There is this beautiful energy that is being cultivated by Murray Hill, the judges, and the Kings in each moment that is heartwarming and emotional to watch on screen.
I cannot wait to see how the show shakes out the rest of the season.
King of Drag is free to watch on Revry on Sundays, a free queer streaming service with TV, Movies and Originals.
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