Legendary (HBOmax) S01: A-

This show is definitely a win for the streaming service and definitely making a stand towards the LGBT community. As other platforms like Disney+ and Apple TV+ are more afraid and traditional in their content, HBOmax went above and beyond with this reality competition show. That almost didn't take the summer by storm.

Actually storm is a lot to say but it did take me like a storm. The series slowly builded up its fandom, by the end of its first season run it made enough impact that they got a renewal for a second season.

If you don't know what ballroom is, but you are interested in learning more about it, you can watch the documentary Paris Is Burning or stream the FX series Pose to learn more about the underground culture of transgender black and latino community in the late 70's early 80's.

Houses traditionally were founded by mothers, or fathers, who wanted to offer protection and guidance to young queer people that were kicked out of their homes. Every weekend some of this houses would participate in ballrooms to take a trophy or trophies home in different categories. I could not really describe it, you would have to watch it.

You can start by a youtube search of one of the judges Leiomy Maldonado legend of voguing. If you like that, which you will, take a look at this amazing show.

Dashaun Wesley is the host and also a legend from ballroom. Law Roach a famous stylist. Megan Thee Stallion a Texan rapper who's single Savage took tiktok by storm. Finally actress Jameela Jamil from The Good Place to a sit in this judging panel. Each show they would invite a fifth judge to help them give a trophy to the superior house of the night and continue on the run for the grand prize of $100,000 dollars.

Eight houses entered the first season run to try and snatch trophies and money. The houses are: Escada, Ebony, West, St. Laurent, Lanvin, Gorgeous Gucci, Ninja and Balmain. Yes houses are traditionally named after famous designers, after all this is vogue.

The set was amazing with a live audience at the taping of the show, that most of the time followed the rule of dressing up according to the ball's theme. The show started taping at February and March and we almost didn't have a proper ending to it as COVID cases started to pike in New York City where it was shot. Thankfully and sadly the last ball got hit hard by the virus and production decided to tape it without an audience. And the audience was the other 50% of the show. It really felt weird to watch a silent ballroom, without cheer, shade, or clapping. But at least we got to see the final ball of the show.

Now on to the rest of the review and the full of spoilers and thoughts on it.

FULL SPOILERS AHEAD FULL SPOILERS AHEAD FULL SPOILERS AHEAD FULL SPOILERS AHEAD

Episode 1 consisted only on presenting the houses, or better said the houses presenting themselves to the judges to give them and us a little taste of what they could do. Also we've got a sense of the judges personalities. Law immediately standing out as the shadiest of them all, Jameela as the sweet queen, Megan to balance things out and Leiomy to teach us what we should be looking for. For me at this episode the houses that stood out were Ninja, Lanvin and Balmain. Ninja for me giving me the best impression and the first superior house of the season.

Episode 2 was the first official ball themed after Once Upon A Time. The houses dressed as fairy tale characters would have to fight to be the superior house and the first night of elimination. Tyson Beckford was the first special guest judge and he looked like he was having so much fun the whole night, other than that nothing special about him. We had the first bitch fight between Law and Leiomy when Law didn't approved of the houses in the final battle of one of the categories, Dashaun had to intervene and made a decision to keep on with the show. Lanvin won superior house of the Night and they still were on my list of houses to watch out for. Balmain and West had to fight to stay on the show and here was were Jamari Balmain won my heart over and had me rooting for his house as well. The House of West were the first ones to leave the show. Maybe they weren't that bad if given the chance to stay longer, but someone had to go first.

Episode 3 was themed after the circus. Dominique Jackson from the hit series Pose served as guest judge and boy she made an impression. She loved Escada's performance so much that she stood up took Dashaun's microphone and served the group a beat to keep on voguing. This raised a few eye brows from Dashaun and other jealous houses at backstage. The house of Gorgeous Gucci had some backstage drama and lost a member, still they continue to do their thing impressing Law but not Dominique which sparked into a whole dramatic scene between Law, Dominique and Delicious Gucci. Leiomy had this time to stop the bitch fight which created some gags at backstage. Escada was named superior house of the night. House of Ninja and St. Laurent had to fight to stay in the show. Chise Ninja ate St. Laurent up but it was Dominique who gave the final vote in favor of her and her house. Michell'e St. Laurent wasn't thrilled about the fall of her house they had a very cocky attitude during their short run on the show, I wasn't sad to see them go. Up till this point I'm still rooting for Lanvin, Ninja and Balmain.

Episode 4 gave us a wild west themed ball. Nico Tortorella was the guest judge and he din't shine that much, although points for dressing up for the occasion, but we still had six houses fighting for the price, the editing was kinda rough and that was probably why he didn't shine.

My friends had already noticed him, but for me this was when I first really set eyes on Jarred Gucci. Oh wow those golden short shorts my gawd. He walked the body category but surprisingly he didn't even get to the final battle. Also Jamari Balmain was looking fine. The group presentations weren't that impressive. Lanvin won superior house for the second time and Gorgeous Gucci and Escada had to fight for survival, but the judges decided not to eliminate any houses this ball. But for me, this should have been Gorgeous Gucci's last ball. Up until this point their house wasn't that impressive, by some miracle they kept being saved before. After this is another story for them, but yeah Jarred impressive talent helped them a lot. I was happy for Lanvin and Ninja this night.

Episode 5 the remember the times ball, the houses had to dress up as ancient civilizations. Kelly Osbourne was guest judge and she was more like a ghost judge she didn't shine at all, she didn't even dress for the part for starters. My heart was won over by Gravity Balmain he looked so damn cute dressed as a mommy and out of costume as well. I first noticed his sick hands skills here, but Jeter Gucci won that category. Gorgeous Gucci was given the superior house title but this could have also been Balmain's night. Lanvin and Ebony had to battle to stay, serving us the best final battle of the show so far and the house of Ebony sadly had to leave the show. Although they weren't shinning that much before this episode.

Episode 6 the intergalactic ball. Rapper Taylor Bennet served as guest judge and although he did participate he had this cold expression the whole show, but he did tried to give on point feedback to the contestants, another guest judge that didn't dressed up for the occasion. Rise of the fembots was the first challenge and the shade turned a new tone on this one as Chise Ninja was the receptor of some hate comments by Zay Lanvin who made some backstage comments about how he was butch femme and Chise was a cis-gender woman and because of that not butch femme. I found this comments discriminatory, as a community that we are constantly battling for inclusiveness, respect and equality, I found Zay comments very offensive, if I'd been judge I would have send the House of Lanvin to the bottom two and fight once again for survival, just because of that. For me this was my break up with the now over pretentious house of Lanvin. Jamari Balmain slayed the fembot category leaving Zay way back. Even though my break up started with Lanvin they were given the superior house title for the third time. Ninja and Escada had to fight to stay on the show and now it was turn to Shyanne Escada to make those hate remarks to Sharron Ninja. If I had been judge I would have eliminated the house of Escada that night, as a black transgender woman, she should know better than to make those hate comments, specially towards a house that never threw shade at anyone. Thankfully for her the judges favored her over Sharron, on a very boring battle were I thought Sharron Ninja was slightly better. But this was Ninja's last night. Now I'm only rooting for Balmain for the final.

Episode 7 The superhero ball. Winnie Harlow was the marvelous guest judge of the night. She looked absolutely fabulous as expected from a supermodel. She shined with some on point comments throughout the night. This was one of my favorite episodes of the show, no elimination tonight, but the heroes had to fight a villain to win in each category. House of Balmain for me slayed two of the categories, runway that Jamari took over. The hands category for me Gravity Balmain won, but they gave it to Carlos Lanvin on a close vote, I also think Monster 007 won that battle against Carlos. For the Superfashionista challenge again I thought that Calypso Balmain was the real winner, but in another close round of votes Law gave it to Eyricka Lanvin. The final category the wonder twins powers, once again Lanvin won, but I thought Escada did it better, again in a close round of votes Law favorited Lanvin, but they got served agains the villains in an epic final battle against Lolita Leopard 007 and Honey Balenciaga. Lanvin got superior house of the night but this was by far Balmain's night. Lanvin got to choose another house to team up with for the semifinals, choosing the Gorgeous Gucci house. Escada and Balmain would be the second mega house.

Episode 8 The atlantis themed ball. Tamar Braxton was the guest judge and she participated a lot and also had some drama of her own. Two mega houses competed against each other LAGORGEOUS vs BALSCADA. The pretentious house of Lanvin felt over confident of getting into the final but they got served by BALSCADA who owned the night. My favorite moment was when at the best dress challenge Eyricka and Jarred gave the most boring routine feeling so sure that they were going to be winners, but that challenge was for Jamari and London. At the end the judges declared that the mega house of BALSCADA moved on to the final ball. While Lanvin and Gorgeous Gucci faced a survival battle in which Lanvin survived and Gucci said good bye to the show. An angry Jarred Gucci had some words to say to guest judge Tamar, but Leiomy tried to defend her, Tamar wasn't having it and she defended herself and shut Jarred's mouth. Don't you just love some drama. Jarred ruined his house exit giving it a bitter note to it.

Episode 9. The heaven and hell ball. Our last show with such a weird feeling, they started by explaining to us when this was taped, between February and March, when COVID cases started spreading like wildfire across the USA. NYC prohibited reunions or events of 500 people or more, this left the producers with two options waiting for this to pass or taping the show without an audience. They decided the later, the good thing is we have a proper ending, the bad thing about it, the whole episode feels weird, without people cheering, almost boring. The routines felt soft without the screams from the people. The show started with an amazing performance by Dashaun Wesley and Leiomy Maldonado, showing us why they are Legendary. After that house of Lanvin where the first ones to take the stage with a very soft performance, again feeling over confident that they were winners already. This was Remember the Times bad, when back in episode 5 were bottom two. Balmain were next and they totally slayed I even forgot at times that they were performing without an audience, the best part you could see on Eyricka's face that they were in trouble. FInally Escada took the stage, they gave us a good show, for me slightly better than Lanvin, but they were a little bit sloppy and their outfits started to fall apart slowly and finally they just gave us heaven and no hell. This house was the first one to go, a third place for them. Lanvin and Balmain had a 5 elements of vogue final battle to win the grand prize. Without a doubt the winner was the House of Balmain. They slayed at least 3 out of the 5 elements of vogue challenges and they also slayed the first challenge at the beginning of the episode. I was clapping, jumping, screaming, spinning and dipping of happiness over this.

Now to patiently wait for the second season, probably next summer, and hopefully a COVID free summer.