RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 episode 3 recap: Lucky struggles while Joella survives the lip sync round

The third episode of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17, titled Monopulence, aired on January 17, 2025, on MTV. This week, the queens faced their first design challenge inspired by the board game Monopoly. Tasked with creating runway looks from scratch using assigned colors of fabric, the contestants showcased their creativity.

The episode also featured drama brewing in the Werk Room, with alliances forming and tensions rising. On the runway, standout performances came from Sam, Arrietty, and Onya, who impressed the judges with their interpretations of the theme.

Sam’s performance secured her the maxi challenge win in RuPaul's Drag Race, while Lucky and Joella landed in the bottom two for their unfinished designs. After a lip sync battle to Paula Abdul’s The Way That You Love Me, Joella earned a chance to stay in the competition, while Lucky faced elimination in the "Badonka Dunk" twist.

Badonka Dunk twist was recently introduced this season. It gave eliminated queens a final chance to stay on the show. By pulling one of several levers, they had to dunk judge Michelle Visage into water. A successful dunk saved them; otherwise, they would be officially eliminated.

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What happened in the lip sync round of RuPaul's Drag Race?

The Monopoly-inspired design challenge pushed Lucky and Joella to their limits. Lucky’s struggles began in the workroom, where her lack of sewing experience left her garment unfinished. Joella, despite her confidence in selecting fabric, also struggled to execute a design that met the theme’s requirements. As the judges reviewed the runway looks, both queens were placed in the bottom two.

RuPaul reminded the two queens that it was their last chance to impress him.

“This painter just hasn’t picked up those brushes,” she explained to RuPaul, referencing her abilities outside of sewing.

Their lip sync performance to Paula Abdul’s The Way That You Love Me was crucial for their survival in the competition. Joella’s ability to engage with the song and deliver a good performance helped her secure her place for another week. Lucky, despite her effort, could not match the level needed to stay in the show.

The "Badonka Dunk" twist gave Lucky a slim chance to save herself. However, when she pulled lever three, it did not result in Michelle Visage’s dunking, confirming her exit. Meanwhile, Joella’s survival led her to top 13 of this season of RuPaul's Drag Race.

As she exited, Lucky reflected:

“This was a tough challenge, but I’m proud of what I accomplished.”

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Werk Room drama and runway presentations

This episode of RuPaul's Drag Race highlighted growing tensions among the queens as alliances formed. Lana and Arrietty’s decision to rank each other highly in the Rate-a-Queen twist drew criticism from Onya, who questioned their strategic approach.

Meanwhile, Jewels and Onya clashed over materials, with Jewels accusing Onya of taking trim she had planned to use. In the Werk Room, Onya mentioned:

“Unfair rankings don’t help anyone.”

On the runway, the queens presented their Monopoly-inspired designs. Sam impressed the judges with her cohesive and well-executed look, earning her the win.

“Sam, you own this runway,” RuPaul declared after the presentation.

Onya and Arrietty joined Sam in the top three, showcasing their ability to meet the challenge’s demands. Other queens, including Jewels and Hormona, received mixed feedback for their outfits. Lucky’s unfinished garment and Joella’s lack of thematic execution placed them in the bottom two.

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Watch the new episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 every Friday at 8 pm ET on MTV.