The latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race saw another queen go home way too early and another one stay that should’ve left a long time ago.
This week’s show bares a similar resemblance to the catastrophic cheerleading challenge from season 9, with a Eureka type of result for one of the queens still in the competition (more on that later).
Shuga Cain kicks off Thursday’s program by discussing her narrow lip sync victory over Ariel Versace and how she should be doing better in the competition. This somehow transitions into Yvie Oddly, who has been doing consistently well so far, criticizing other queens like Vanessa Vanjie Matteo for her repeated silhouettes. Yvie also gets into it with Silky Nutmeg Ganache, which continues into the next morning when the girls convene prior to RuPaul‘s “She already done had herses.”
Here’s my thing with Yvie. I like her, a lot, but this constant throwing s**t in other girl’s faces is starting to get annoying. The Denver queen is justified in what she’s said to all thus far, but you need to find that interesting balance between being a lovable outsider and standing your ground (when necessary). Otherwise you’ll turn from Sharon Needles to Phi Phi O’Hara in a blink of an eye, and nobody wants that.
The mini-challenge revolves around the queens doing Galisthenics with fellow queen Love Connie, who is known for her take on those classic Jane Fonda workout videos. Is this the first time that Ru has featured a non-Drag Race vet on the show outside of Lady Bunny?
SPOILER ALERT! It became very evident early on that this was Scarlet Envy‘s swan song. The jabs thrown at her during her Galisthenics dancing became a running theme as the episode went on, and I knew that the end result was going to be her sashaying away.
Plastique Tiara and A’Keria C. Davenport were announced as the winners of the mini-challenge. The maxi-challenge was called the Draglympics, where the teams had to perform in a free-style floor program which includes Fanography, Voguing and Shablam.
A’Keria, who I still don’t know too much about six episodes in, picks all the right people for her group (Brooke Lynn Hytes, Shuga, Silky and Yvie). Plastique, on the other hand, only has Vanessa and Nina West as her potential saviors. Ra’Jah O’Hara has sucked the entire time she’s been there and Scarlet has kind of been all over the place with her performance up until now.
Emmy-winning choreographer Travis Wall and the hottest new gay celebrity Adam Rippon were tasked with helping the queens out with their choreography. A’Keria’s group does fine, even though Silky’s weight does raise some concerns but she blissfully still keeps up with the skinny ladies to the best of her abilities. She also throws some major shade about Plastique’s group and warns the guys about the mess that is to come.
She’s not wrong. Plastique’s team was a mess in different ways. Scarlet just can’t dance. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not something she’s good at. Yvie, on the other hand, continues to have issues with her movements due to her condition but doesn’t want to tell Travis about it. I commend her for that but it takes it’s toll on her later in the episode.
Team Tuckpantistan, which is A’Keria’s group, goes first after RuPaul does his usual shtick with the judges on the runway. They slayed the house down with A’Keria’s twerking, Silky’s facial expressions and so much more.
Team Glamazonia was next. Vanessa was clearly the star of this show, as she should given her history as a backup dancer. Ra’Jah and Scarlet weren’t up to snuff with the rest of them, which led to kind of an obvious bottom two.
Yvie ends up breaking her ankle after the competition, which worries me because I don’t want her to have a Eureka type of ending where she goes home too soon. Love her or hate her, Eureka would’ve been a big threat to the other queens in season 9 had she not injured herself in the cheerleading challenge. I’m just hoping that Yvie doesn’t have to deal with a similar outcome.
The runway theme is All That Glitters, and most of the queens serve up some really interesting looks like Brooke Lynn’s nod to old Hollywood glamour. Akeria’s team was declared the winning group and she won the overall challenge.
That left Plastique, Nina, Vanessa, Ra’Jah and Scarlet up for elimination. They didn’t really read Plastique as she did a great job in both the runway and Draglympics. Nina’s Helga-inspired getup was a mixed bag from the judges (I personally liked it), Vanessa was slammed for her repeated aesthetics, Ra’Jah was just there again and Scarlet can’t dance (WE GET IT).
In the end, Ra’Jah and Scarlet lip synced for their life to Donna Summer‘s “Last Dance”. Scarlet tries to pull out some tricks by cutting up her original ensemble and throwing glitter all over the stage but it wasn’t enough to beat Ra’Jah and she was sent home.
I did not expect Scarlet to go the distance, same with Ariel. But they are far better queens than what Ra’Jah has been doing all season long. Just my opinion.
Observations:
I think the majority of people watching last night wanted Travis Wall to pound them.
Mirai Nagasu > Adam Rippon.
I don’t think this challenge warrants A’Keria a top four placement just yet. I think my problem with her is that she always appears bothered and never in a great mood. Time will tell though.
Silky calling Yvie “Spooky Dooky” was freaking hilarious.
Next week’s challenge isn’t Snatch Game! It’s design! YASSSSSSS!
This is the opinion of one contributing writer and not that of Instinct Magazine or other Contributing Writers.
Vanje’s schtick of wearing a bathing suit and glitter slopped onto her chest is indeed getting old, and the rest of the queens, as well as MIchelle, were perfectly right to call her out on it. For heaven’s sake, at least one time layer some foundation on your chest to hide that tragic tattoo! And put on a dress for heaven’s sake, you’re a drag queen!! I like Vanje, I think she’s entertaining as hell, in the same vein as Bianca, but she seems to only be able to do showgirl drag.