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| "Squirrel Games" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RuPaul's Drag Race episode | |||
| Episode no. | Season 17 Episode 1 | ||
| Directed by | Nick Murray | ||
| Presented by | RuPaul | ||
| Featured music | Woman's World by Katy Perry | ||
| Original air date | January 3, 2025 (2025-01-03) | ||
| Guest appearances | |||
| Episode chronology | |||
| |||
| RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 | |||
| List of episodes | |||
"Squirrel Games" is the seventeenth season premiere of the American reality competition television series RuPaul's Drag Race, and the 224th episode overall. The episode first aired in the United States through cable network MTV on January 3, 2025. It was followed by an episode of the companion series RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked.
The episode has the selected contestants participate in a talent show; the other unselected contestants are given the chance to rank their competitors. Katy Perry serves as a guest judge, alongside regular panelists RuPaul, Michelle Visage, and Carson Kressley. Suzie Toot wins the main challenge, after placing in the top two and winning a lip-sync contest against Jewels Sparkles to "Woman's World" (2024) by Katy Perry.
Episode
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Fourteen contestants are transported to an undisclosed location where they joined with several previous competitors from the franchise. They shortly learned, in order to continue the competition, the players have to play a children's game of Red Light, Green Light. Replacing its traditional rules, music is played and contenders have to dance across the field, when it stops, they will strike a pose. Any movement detected will cause the player to be pied in the face and eliminated. Afterwards, the remaining fourteen contestants who "survived" the first game are allowed to enter the workroom.
The comedic challenge and character roles is a television parody of the South Korean dystopian survival series Squid Game, which its second season was released a week before the episode aired.
With the contestants getting a chance to meet themselves, RuPaul introduced herself and revealed the fourteen contenders, without knowing, competed in their first photoshoot mini-challenge and the winner is Lana Ja'Rae, earning herself a cash tip of $5,000. RuPaul later announced the first challenge, which have the contestants participate in a talent show.
RuPaul introduces American singer Katy Perry as the guest judge, alongside regular panelist Michelle Visage and alternating judge Carson Kressley.
Production
Earlier in the episode, various cameo appearances were made from past contestants such as Angeria Paris VanMichaels, Aura Mayari, Jaymes Mansfield, Kerri Colby, Kylie Sonique Love, Mayhem Miller, Morgan McMichaels, Trinity the Tuck, and lastly Victoria "Porkchop" Parker.
Fashion
For the runway, Acacia Forgot wears a snowman outfit. Joella has an outer space-inspired outfit. Jewels Sparkles showcases an Ariana Grande-inspired blue dress and she carries a hand fan. Arrietty presents a white dress. Lucky Starzzz has a pizza box and wears a pizza-inspired outfit. Suzie Toot has a coin headpiece. Kori King wears a raven-inspired black outfit. Hormona Lisa shows an outfit resembling a skunk. Crystal Envy's outfit is inspired by a porcelain doll. Lexi Love resembles the MTV moon person. Lana Ja'Rae's outfit looks like a cat. Onya Nurve's outfit includes beauty supplies. Sam Star wears an outfit that looks like a rain cloud, which she removes to reveal colorful hair.
Viewership
"Squirrel Games" was originally broadcast through MTV in the United States on January 3, 2025.
The episode was released in Canada through streaming service Crave, in Australia through Stan, and internationally on WOW Presents Plus with next-day availability starting on January 4.
Reception
In a four-star review, Jason Frank of Vulture laughed when previous contenders being "pelted by pies" from the spoof challenge. During the talent show was filled with "forgettable performances" and contrasted the three finalists from its previous season premiere "stole control of the camera's eye" within seconds. Frank described the guest judge as "excruciating" and named the selected lip-sync song being "actively bad to the point of camp" gave an opportunity for Suzie Toot to win the lip-sync contest against Jewels Sparkles.
See also
References
- Block, Michael (January 3, 2025). "RuPaul's Drag Race just won the perfect Squid Game twist". Collider. Valnet. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
- Yee, Lawrence (January 2, 2025). "RuPaul's Drag Race season 17: Watch the first 10 minutes of the Squid Game-themed premiere". People. Dotdash Meredith. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
- Brocklehurst, Harrison (January 3, 2025). "No way: The new season of Drag Race is starting with a wild Squid Game challenge". The Tab. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
- Wratten, Marcus (January 3, 2025). "RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 gags fans with wild Squid Game challenge". PinkNews. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
- Wardley, Tom (January 3, 2025). "How to watch RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 online and from anywhere". Tom's Guide. Future plc. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
- Frank, Jason P. (January 3, 2025). "RuPaul's Drag Race season-premiere recap: It's a Suzie's world". Vulture. Vox Media. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
External links
| Squid Game | ||
|---|---|---|
| Official media |  | |
| Related | ||
