The NESSENTIALS

Recap

CW: mentions of sexual assault and abuse. Occasional strong language.

Canada’s Drag Race is back for season 4, with a repeat judging roster from the previous season: Brooke Lynn Hytes, Brad Goreski, and Traci Melchor (Canada’s former Squirrel Friend). The werkroom remains pink, but the pre-season kicked off with a seemingly-golden Meet the Queens theme.

Only 2 videos were publicly available as of Friday 17 November (one night prior to BBC broadcast), so first impressions were preserved for the first episode, apart from Melinda Verga and Denim. Melinda promises to bring energetic unpredictability, while Denim delivers vocal fry with neurodivergent FTM camp.

Breaking with tradition, this episode starts with a disclaimer from Out-of-Drag (OOD) Brooke Lynn on the runway, that the rules of the game have changed, and the Queens come in with more power than ever – teasing that this will be explained in due course – and that this season kicks off with a ball.

Returning to conformity, the episode shares the expected werkroom entrances.

Venus, 27, from Vancouver, British Columbia, has first entrance privilege, with a side-bang ponytail and ice skating-inspired crushed velvet leotard and statement necklace. Her legs for days and hip cutouts offer a classy contrast of skin to the demure dazzle of rhinestones on her arms and tear-away skirt. Her introduction line plays with double entendre, and the OOD confessional look has Latin lover flair. Venus’ confidence seems unshakable, as she pegs herself as essential competition. Then she realises she is meant to leave the werkroom again – unexpected!

Denim, 24, from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, has the ultimate name-sake patchwork outfit, with SHW galore, and an excess of belts. She offers contrast too, with her duochrome ball-and-chain wig, but with vocal fry in full force, Denim leans into what she terms her Y2K mall goth fantasy. This FTM drag queen now lives in Montreal and is excited to represent, with a boyish colourful goth OOD confessional look.

Kiki Coe, self-declared Fashion Queen of the season, 35 and from Ottawa, Ontario, calls out the unbelievable nature of the werkroom being empty upon her entrance. Kiki sports a bondage PVC look, and has incorporated nods to her Pinoy heritage: red and gold often considered an auspicious colour combination, and while her wig echoes the silhouette we just saw on Denim, the dragons within add personality and differentiation. Her design credentials are bolstered with a flashback to previous CDR contestants on the runway, who wore Kiki Coe designs. In her confessional OOD look, she serves restraint, however.

Luna duBois, 24, from Toronto, Ontario flashes back to the 90s, perhaps by way of her heritage of Nigeria, in her OOD confessional watercolour blouse and scarf, and cream-coloured beret. Asserting she is the shadiest Queen, she also stakes her claim on the being the Look Queen of the season. Her airy tangerine top with a robe-like train (“flirty”) is paired with PVC trousers-cum-boots (“edgy”) and matching near-shoulder length gloves and diamante SHG accessories. Perhaps a tame interpretation of both words.

The music changes to the dramatic for Sisi Superstar’s angelic KISS homage, but in her OOD confessional look, she brings the romance of a rose-embroidered country-style shirt. 31 and hailing from Montreal, Quebec, she declares herself the Queen of the Sewers, and the Messiest Queen of Montreal. Her aspiration is a cross of Elvira and Jennifer Coolidge – interesting that her confessional look diverges so much from what she’s selling.

Melinda Verga, of the Meet-the-Queens video introduction, clocks in at 44, from Edmonton, Alberta, but if you want to call her Daddy Mike because you’re nasty, it’s ok too! The OOD confessional look is all-black (flattering, but non-descript). Committed to being vibrant and proud, her look is straight-forward rainbow colours in stripes and dots. Highlighting her entertainment skills, fashion might not be her strongest suit, so we’ll see how she fares in an episode all about garments.

Kitten Kaboodle, 57, from Toronto, Ontario, leans into the name in the werkroom entrance with tiger stripes and cat ears perched on her pink wig, also fitting as Toronto’s “Pink Pussy Princess”. As a 70s show girl that loves to dance, the lightness of the outfit reads correctly, and the OOD confessional look somewhat carries over the orange-yellow colour scheme underneath an actual leather-daddy jacket, and looking toit for someone who started doing drag 42 years ago.

Sweeping in with retro-classical music is Nearah Nuff, 22, of Calgary, Alberta. Favouring stronger-than-pastel, she sports a not-so-baby blue crocodile-pebbled coat with fur patches for her OOD confessional look, and sings the praises of filler. In the werkroom, she pays homage to hot-pink icon, Marilyn Monroe (and successor Madonna, with a reference to being a Material Girl) without pasties to cover the nip-slip, as well as the dumb blonde stereotype (“certified make-up certificate”). She handled her wardrobe malfunction amusingly, and only somewhat confidently, so the unknown changes to the competition might faze her.

Heralding the arrival of the Matrix Dynasty, Aurora Matrix, 22, of Toronto, Ontario, rounds the corner in a diaphanous dress with an armour-inspired rust-coloured corset and gladiator stilettos. She highlights that wants to bring Asian Excellence to the competition, and that she weaves in her Chinese heritage, with the corset and shoulder ornamentation evoking the terracotta warriors (quite ambiguously). She proudly declares herself the baby, and a dancer.

Boldly proclaiming, “Fuck the fantasy, I’m the experience,” after a fairytale musical flourish, The Girlfriend Experience (TGE) brings in branding, casually and effectively. 31, from Vancouver, British Columbia, and MTF, her “anime super hero” outfit evokes Sailor Moon and the magical girl genre in equal parts to the “stripper” characteristics she self-ascribes. TGE is confident about her look (peep the OOD confessional corset), but mentions not needing to do stunts – but will that be enough, and can she still throw stunts if she needs to?

Afro-Latina Aimee Yonce Shennel, 31, from Ottawa, Ontario, after the Dominican Republic, rounds out the contestants. She seems to have mopped the Heart of the Ocean for her confessional look, but otherwise saves the drama for her werkroom entrance, another PVC bondage get-up, this time with a train! She manages to set herself apart with texture worked into the all-red heart-themed material, and the only big wig – for now. 

The grand prize is confirmed as $100,000CAN over the opening credits, and all Queens file back into the werkroom, taking it all in more deeply. Aimee identifies Kiki as competition to beat, while TGE and Venus are excited to see their bestie – though it means they’ll have to compete for the crown too! Nearah hitches her wagon to that group, declaring their area Pretty Girl Corner, which surely won’t be interpreted wrongly by anyone.

Kiki confidently declares the area she and Kitten have cornered, as being for Designers, which Sisi might not match with. Luna reads Melinda for the basic nature of her outfit, while Venus sees more roof than ready-for-battle in Aurora’s look. TGE, with an eye on the camera, mockingly says she won’t get drawn into any shit-talking. We have a marketing Queen on our hands… Finally, Aurora celebrates the Asian representation by the mirrors with Kiki and Melinda before the first RuMail.

Brooke Lynn enters the room in a grey deconstructed-patchwork vest and trousers, while Brad sports a black lace-panelled shirt with matching matte leather trousers and the shiniest shoes. Traci’s pattern clash twin-set adds a pop of colour. The three judges announce that twists and turns should be expected, starting with the first maxi challenge, as it’s started with their entrance looks – which we’ve seen with UK’s Drag Race season 5 as well.

The novelty lies in the rosebuds, one for each judge, which they can award to their highly-favoured contestants. Brooke Lynn gives hers to Denim, Brad’s goes to Aimee, and Traci’s rosebud is Venus’ now. As first impressions go, this has borrowed well from the Bachelor franchise, though we don’t know if this saves anyone from elimination.

Category 2 of the Premiere Ball is “Shimmering Showgirls”, something seemingly all contestants are excited about, and should constitute easy picks from their existing wardrobes. Finally, tomorrow on the main stage, category is “Me, Myself, and I – Very Best Drag” – again, very straightforward, and aimed at a gentle start.

Kiki is determined to establish a rivalry between Pretty Girl Corner and the Designers, shading Venus’ rosebud for a piece of fabric on a body as not being enough. Melinda is perceived as delusional, on the other hand, for encompassing happiness and therefore deserving recognition. Denim and Sisi gravitate to each other as familiar friends from the Montreal scene, while Venus interviews Kitten about her drag herstory experience.

Aurora Matrix kicks off Category 2 in a Chinese-inspired red-and-gold shimmering number, with yellow tassels dangling from her headpiece. Luna duBois stomps up in a 1920s-inspired silhouette, with a tear-away dress featuring a heart-shaped rear cut-out and feather boa in shades of pink.

Denim’s pale pastel jester outfit translates her clown-like tendency into the literal, proudly showing off her nipples, while Kitten amps up the same colour palette into a trapeze-artist aesthetic – the two of them could get a circus on the road.

Kiki Coe goes full Mackey with her plumage, sticking to a familiar colour scheme (why it gotta be pink!?), but with high attention to detail. Nearah smartly mixes it up with an orange body suit, though her dance moves show a plain rear as her ruffle skirt flips up – not her best asset. Nevertheless, she gets the rare judges’ comment, with Brooke Lynn remarking that she’s giving us the full “Nomi Malone” – high praise!

Bringing back the gold aesthetic, but not from her Meet the Queen look, Melinda Verga probably still isn’t blowing her competitors’ minds, but Aimee also struggles with the comparison to Kiki in her Dominican carnival get-up (and a return to pink).

Serving flapper realness, Venus contrasts her anthracite metallic corset, gloves and skirt, with emerald plumage and piping – a smart way to differentiate herself from Luna’s 1920s look.

Sisi channels the underworld, with a horned wig, and bloody cleavage, and is feeling herself. Her knock into the standing lamp by the chaise-longue seems possible to ignore, but when the furniture tips over with Sisi on it, she’s turned from cunty to comical, even while she tries to style it out.

As the final Queen on the runway, TGE’s royal blue stoned jacket with silver lapels and pink feather accents, gives business women on top, party on the bottom energy, though she progressively loses more clothes, to end her strip tease walk with a modicum of fabric possibly covering her genitalia – who knows, as she has her back turned to us?

De-dragging starts in the werkroom, and it looks like there’s no consensus on trade of the season, though Kitten may stake the claim on Daddy of the season (or Mama, as she prefers). Luna is confident she won’t bottom this challenge, but Denim eggs on the question of who will, with Sisi and Nearah feeling insecure.

On Elimination Day, Tegan and Sara pop in as a surprise for the contestants. They pump them up, and Sisi connects as a long-time fan. While they’re not fashionistas, their experience of performing on-stage provides nuggets of advice.

While dragging up, the designated topic of conversation is a pronoun check, raising that Venus is Meti-Two Spirit and TGE and Denim are trans. This turns to the trans experience, based on culture wars imported from the United States, and TGE relays she’s experienced harms mere weeks after her surgery, so the Queens band together for support.

For judging, Traci wears a floor-length black deep-cut gown, with fur-padded shoulders. Brad sports an illustrative-style black suit with purple and blue accents (possibly inspired by the fantastic Paint runway from last season). Tegan and Sarah sport jacket and trouser combinations, distinguishing themselves in cut and textile choices, as well as cute palm-tree hair for one of them (I also won’t claim to know who is who, though I don’t doubt they have an Ant & Dec rule). Brooke Lynn concludes the judges’ runway presentation with a dramatic purple plume of a sleeve-slit cape over a gasoline-shimmering gown with heavy decolletage jewellery and an ice-blonde updo.

Venus kicks off the runway, stomping down in a leather-feather dark red leotard and chaps combination. Her dark brunette wig choice compliments this excellently, and her headpiece spins, adding a tiny bit of personality beyond the high-fashion model-esque appearance noted by Aimee previously.

Sisi is serving Y2K Hacker Realness with a black leather skirt and jacket with pink piping, knee pads, fishnet tights and platform boots, and a wig and makeup to match her choices. While she feels fierce, the lack of reveal under the jacket is a lost opportunity – while it’s a different aesthetic to her other looks, it’s not a surprise.

Kiki Coe is drowning in pearl necklaces. It’s a traditional Pinoy silhouette, camped up to the max (if a little bulky by the nature of construction), with royal golden accents, and a sceptre to really nail the crowning manifestation. The headpiece’s height makes up for quite straight-forward hair.

Luna duBois references Thierry Mugler with her padded-shoulder black twin set. The sunglasses camp up that homage a little, harkening to alien raves, while her fascinator places her firmly among the stars. It might seem simple, but for now it’s the right side of fashionista.

Aurora Matrix has either slain or become the blue-green colour spectrum dragon, draping feathers and fabric around her nude-illusion bodysuit that is rhinestoned accordingly. Sadly the leg drape seems to literally drag her walk down, making it less fierce.

Nearah Nuff brings the neon orange mullet back from the 80s, with pointy shoulder pads in her glittering black-and-white jacket competing with the neon yellow piping details on her black corset. It’s a shame that her names, written all over her jacket and boots, are so small, as it’s not enough to cover for the otherwise basic nature of the bra-less corset.

Kitten’s shimmering mermaid gown cut hasn’t held her back, as the kitten prop plausibly explains her shuffle walk. The butterfly fabric pattern is repeated with butterflies in the tulle and wig, and it’s clear that Kitten’s wardrobe is dominated by these two colours (and she may be a Lamb). A good thing she’s a seamstress when the judge’s panel invariably asks for variety.

Aimee Yonce Shennel brings her Afro-Latin heritage to the fore with a towering headwrap, and a strong demonstration of colour theory with a coral orange and royal blue colour scheme contrast. There might be too much going on, with a rainbow collar and yellow fringe on the ruffled robe, despite all the meaningful symbolism.

The Girlfriend Experience chooses a muted colour palette in greige, with pastel pink hair dye washing out of the dirty blonde wig. Initially playing like an H&M dress, the sheerness, skimpy hemlines, and pasty-covered boob drop drags it up.

Melinda Verga channels Donatella Versace in another golden look – consistency can be good if you can demonstrate elevation with each change. Her wig-line looks a little harsh, but her homemade dress passes muster for someone who didn’t declare herself a Designer off the bat.

Finally, Denim enters in a Club Kid interpretation of cows and the countryside to pay respect to her upbringing on a dairy farm. While there might be a lot going on, it’s a natural channelling of the Club Kid aesthetic. Denim has demonstrated a lot of versatility across her 3 looks. 

This episode declares Aurora Matrix, Aimee Yonce Shennel, Luna duBois, Kitten Kaboodle, and The Girlfriend Experience safe, avoiding critique (Luna may not be happy).

• Venus is a versatile top, validating Traci’s rosebud
• Sisi Superstar’s energy can’t cash the checks her looks are writing, making her a bottom, but at least she continues to bond with Tegan
• Kiki Coe is a top, with her extravagance and tailoring skills noted, though her resting bitch face might hold her back
• Nearah Nuff is in the bottom, with wardrobe malfunctions in two looks and corsets in three looks, though she’s noted as an entertainer
• Melinda Verga’s personality lands with the judges, though it’s not obvious in her looks, which are critiqued as generally basic, landing her in the bottom. She takes the feedback well though
• Denim’s inclusion of her namesake fabric in everything she does is complemented, with her rosebud award validated

In Untucked, Venus dominates the opening conversation, though many Queens purse their lips at her high placement. Denim’s more artistic approach and Kiki’s Designer credentials make for more palatable top placements in the other Queen’s eyes.

Sisi comes across as slightly delusional to Luna (clock the mug) and Nearah, but catches herself with some belated humility. Denim also gives her some props as a fellow Montreal contestant who supports alt Queens. Nearah and Melinda mentally prepare themselves for lip syncs. Venus nudges Melinda to share more about her personal life, which might be weighing on her: Melinda’s partner had a mini-stroke right before she departed for filming.

However, the lip sync is for the win, between Denim and Venus, as Kiki and Nearah are declared safe and Sisi and Melinda sigh in relief. In fact, all Queens are happy about this change.

Paying tribute to the episode’s guest judges, the lip sync is “Feel It in My Bones” (featuring Tegan & Sara), by Tiësto, from the album “Kaleidoscope”.

Denim’s performance is more sensual, while Venus’ moves are more rhythmic and sharp in general. While the song is energetic, there generally isn’t too much movement across the runway. Denim relies a lot more on making eye contact with the judges than Venus. Both demonstrate flexibility with backbends, but now is not the time for stunts yet. The judges praise Denim, but Venus clinches the win, though sadly no cash tip.

Whether this has put a target on either’s back will remain to be seen in the next episodes… (the preview reveals the maxi-challenge is a group challenge, selling drag products on QV-She. Rajah O’Hara, winner of Canada’s Drag Race vs the World, joins the judging panel with heavy side burns.)

Nessential Power Ranking

Going by the Judges’ critiques and personal impressions, I give my current power ranking.

1. Venus – she won the lip sync, it’s as easy as that
2. Denim – she was up for the lip sync
3. Kiki Coe – she was the other critiqued top
4. Kitten Kaboodle – I know exactly who she is, based on all her looks
5. Aimee Yonce Shennel – paraphrasing Coco Chanel, it’s easier to look in the mirror and take one thing off before you leave the house, than add anything afterwards
6. Aurora Matrix – I love her bringing her culture into what she does, but she can’t just rely on pretty
7. Luna duBois – she has a good sense of fashion, but might run out of gas, or into drama, before others
8. The Girlfriend Experience – if she can push her aesthetic into draggier territory, she will demonstrate versatility
9. Nearah Nuff – she was named safe first out of the bottoms (though I think Melinda will pass by Nearah in the next ranking, due to Nearah’s insecurity)
10. Melinda Verga – she was not rumbled by her critiques, accepting feedback on her eyelashes with grace, looking mentally strong, but, to quote Amy Santiago: Ya basic! She needs to up her wardrobe
11. Sisi Superstar – she was combative about her critiques, so it seems she was not emotionally prepared for them. Sisi may not last long with a challenging mindset

Additional Notes

The edited order of Queens entering the werkoom groups them intriguingly: the first 3 are the episode’s top 3, while the two bottoms succeed each other too. Luna duBois is sandwiched in between – does it mean anything? Probably not.

Also, apologies for the potato photo quality – BBC iPlayer does not provide resolution details in its streams, but I think this has got to be lower than 720.