Dragula Season 4 Episode 10 Review (TV Series, 2021)
content warning: flashing lights, foul language, blood, gore, medical/surgical footage, racism, death by suicide
Editorial note: these Dragula reviews will feature spoilers.
We’re finally here. It is the Grand Finale and one of the four surviving contestants will be declared the winner of Dragula season four. This has been an extremely competitive season and I would be glad to see any of the finalists win.
The episode opens with a beautiful look at the final four contestants on and off the set. The cameras are pulled back to show the lights, mics, and editing equipment. Saint starts alone in the Boudoir; Sigourney Beaver is alone in the Cauldron; Hoso Terra Toma and Dahli are by themselves on the streets. They are all so close to winning and are given the chance to clear their heads and live in the moment. One of these four amazing artists will soon be $100000 richer.
The final four reflect on their journey so far. Saint cannot believe they went from going home second on season three to being a finalist on season four. Sigourney points out that no other contestant has survived as many Exterminations as her, reflecting on the true meaning of the Exterminations: another chance to perform and prove your value to the contest. Hoso always saw herself going to the top three and she is correct. Dahli is finally accepting that they are worthy of good things happening to them.
The finalists officially get the brief they’ve been waiting for. Each contestant has to present floor shows based on the tenets of Dragula: Horror, Filth, and Glamour. There are new twists this season. For the Glamour floor show, the contestants must lipsync to “Change the Paradigm” by Austra. They also have to record a live interview for the Boulet Brothers’ podcast Creatures of the Night.
If you’re a horror fan and you’re not listening to Creatures of the Night, you are missing out. I am working on a longer article digging into their podcast. They cover horror news, urban legends, cryptids, folklore, interviews with drag and horror icons, and reviews of horror media. If you like the sillier moments where the Boulet Brothers cut lose this season of Dragula, you’ll like their podcast.
We get to see highlights of the upcoming episode filmed live in the Boudoir. This just fills me with joy. Each contestant is given their starring moment where the Boulet Brothers and series producer Ian DeVoglaer praise what they’ve done in the contest. They cover concepts for the Floor Show and critiques they’ve received on the show. Dragula once again feels like the one reality show where this kind of reflective moment is significant to the outcome of the program, not just padding for the finale.
The rules of the finale are set up. The contestants will be judged on the originality of the concept, the execution of the concept, and the presentation of the concept. Have a great idea, do it well, and make it clear and you can walk away with $100000. The Boulet Brothers judge the finale alone, as it’s ultimately their decision to make.
The Floor Show begins with Glamour and the lipsync performance. Sigourney is in a stunning white sequined gown splattered in blood. Dahli has a beautiful red mermaid gown split up as a suit with black and metallic accents and accessories. Saint is wearing a lovely floor length sequined dress in black and red. Hoso has a beautiful traditional Hanbok in shades of black, red, and gold.
Each contestant found their own sense of Glamour that feels true to their drag persona. The lipsyncs are good, too. For me, Sigourney’s gown just pops onstage. White sequins are always a smart choice when you know a performance is going to incorporate a lot of moving lights and Sigourney’s gown reflects every stage effect with her precise movements onstage.
Up next is Horror. Dahli is this ghoulish priest writhing onstage. They know their body and how to create just a totally inhuman character in their performances. If you liked Dahli’s performance in Resurrection, you won’t be disappointed by this.
Saint is the tooth fairy and it’s terrifying. They have this incredible mouthpiece covered in rotting, bleeding teeth that totally transforms the shape of their face. The decaying wings and rusted dental equipment will give me nightmares.
Sigourney Beaver is a mad scientist in white and black latex. There’s a strong concept to this look that allows her to use her burlesque skills to tell a complete horror story onstage. A mad scientist is experimenting with chemicals in a lab. As she tests out her formulas on herself, she begins to transform into a monster.
Hoso Terra Toma is performing a piece inspired by her experience with cancer. She’s covered in tumors and connected to IVs. Hoso mentioned this in the podcast segment, but a major part of her performance is actually reading from the diary entries she kept while undergoing chemotherapy. We don’t get to hear her read them, but we see her response. This is horror on another level from the rest of the cast. Hoso is my winner for the Horror category.
Finally, it’s time for the Filth floor show. This category has been a running critique on and off the show this season. The contestants haven’t been as filthy as previous seasons. Now, in their defense, not everyone can build a successful drag brand connected to Filth or even come at it as hard as incredible artists like Hollow Eve, Bitqch Puddin’, and Disasterina. This isn’t something that has the broadest appeal out in the real world. For me, the validity of the critique is only true in the context of Dragula. These contestants know that they’re ultimately judged on Horror, Glamour, and Filth, so it would be smart to plan a few performances that showcase each aspect of the show.
Saint is cleaning her cat’s mess in a 1950s housewife version of her 1960s vampire design from Resurrection. They go down to the litter box and start eating what they find. Saint leaves no crumbs and it’s disgusting. Mission accomplished on the Filth.
Sigourney is in a stunning “killed my rich husband” robe staring into a hand mirror. She’s covered in boils and other pustules. It’s a good concept, but I’m not sure it’s actually big enough to read onstage. The goo oozing out of the prosthetics is clear and the bumps are painted pretty close to her skin tone. A little more discoloration on the face and perhaps a nasty infected green goo would’ve really made this concept pop onstage.
Hoso takes an entirely different approach with Filth. They’re dealing with racism, dressing up as an exaggerated caricature of Asian stereotypes. Hoso looks like a bloodied cartoon character from a World War II propaganda short. It’s really upsetting to watch. Hoso found a new approach to Filth for Dragula and it really works.
Dahli is some kind of deranged clown. Their angle on Filth is voyeurism and I wasn’t prepared. I actually had to pause the episode and walk away. It’s a phenomenal performance but it can be very upsetting. It’s an incredibly sexual performance that also deals with asphyxiation. Take care of yourself, check the content warning above, and make sure you’re in a safe place to watch this. The footage will always be there if and when you’re ready for it.
This is a hard category for me to judge. I think Dahli delivered what the Boulet Brothers would want to see in the Filth category. I really struggled to watch their performance, so I don’t have the most rational opinion on it. I’d give the win to Hoso for doing something new and incredibly relevant with the category.
Overall, it’s a great finale Floor Show. I would pick Hoso Terra Toma for the win based on their originality, storytelling, and concepts. I think Saint did consistently great in all three categories and their looks for the finale are fully realized. Sigourney Beaver is an awesome performer and Dahli showed an incredible range of style and characters.
The Boulet Brothers deliberate over the Floor Show. They reflect on the decision to have a top four and feel great about it. I’m going to run down their thoughts contestant by contest rather than category by category.
Sigourney Beaver is Glamour in this contest. Her lipsync was great and she looked flawless. She set the bar too high for herself in this category and the Boulet Brothers wanted more. Sigourney’s Filth performance read really well in person. They loved her look and the popping of the boils left them disgusted. Sigourney nailed the Horror performance and gave exactly what the Boulet Brothers expect of her drag character.
Dahli’s Glamour felt true to Dahli’s character. They liked the look and the lipsync. Dahli’s Filth blew the Boulet Brothers away. They loved it. The Boulet Brothers liked Dahli’s Horror character and physicality. Swanthula loved the blasphemy, but Dracmorda thought it should’ve gone further, even calling it “PG-13.”
Saint had an incredible wig for their Glamour look, but the gown didn’t really move well onstage. The lipsync was very good. The Boulet Brothers really loved Saint’s Filth look. Saint finally understood the performance critique and meshed their style with the theatricality the show needs. The Boulet Brothers liked Saint’s Horror look. They called it a “childhood nightmare personified.”
Hoso Terra Toma had a great lipsync. They also really liked the quality of the costume and the much more feminine presentation than they’ve shown onstage so far. Hoso blew the Boulet Brothers away with their Filth performance. They even called it “queer performance art.” Their Horror performance was great, but it’s the same issue Sigourney had in Glamour. The Boulet Brothers already saw the multiple head looks from Hoso and even questioned if it was a Horror look rather than an incredible, personal piece of performance art.
The Boulet Brothers then break down everyone’s strengths in the contest. Sigourney Beaver is an incredible performer with a killer beauty pageant attitude. Saint is a great artist and performer in their own right who represents an aspect of alternative drag that rarely gets the widest platform in the industry. Hoso Terra Toma is a brilliant young performance artist who has the potential to be a true star. Dahli is a confident non-binary performer who shares their identity and message in an effortless and captivating way.
Then the Boulet Brothers breakdown what Dragula is. They are not searching for an artist to represent their brand. They are giving a platform to an artist that can take over the world after competing in a contest based on their own experience in drag. This is a casting call to join their talented group of drag monsters that they’ve called on throughout their careers for their shows. Winning Dragula is an incredible opportunity, but as we saw with Dahli getting invited back to the contest, winning isn’t everything.
Ultimately, Dahli is crowned the winner. This is exciting. I’m one of the people who believed Dahli could’ve won season two and they’ve only evolved more as a performer since then. They did really well in the Grand Finale and clearly delivered what The Boulet Brothers wanted, especially in Filth.
If your favorite didn’t win the title, that’s okay. You can still support them. Follow them on social media. Buy their merch. See them live when/if you feel safe to go out to a crowded venue again.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be rewatching the season, counting down the days until Shudder uploads seasons one to three on the streaming service.
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Dragula is streaming exclusively on Shudder.
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