Welcome back hoes and tricks to episode 10 of our RuPaul’s Drag Race rucap. We are only a couple of episodes away from crowning our next drag superstar and the stakes are higher than ever. As Trixie puts it, every queen has a “1/3 chance of lip syncing.” Now that the dead weight queens (Sasha, Jasmine, Kandi, etc.) have all been sent packing there is no room for error. In fact, not even a jaw-dropping person is enough to keep the queens safe, they need to be the best of the best to survive.
Episode 10 begins with our queens gathering in the workroom following the elimination of chicken princess, Miss Fame. And it becomes quite clear that this season has no guaranteed frontrunner. Each queen comes equipped with a special skill or trait that the others lack, which makes this season more compelling than some previous ones. There is no Raja or Bianca this season, just a whole lot Alaskas.
For the mini challenge our queens give us their best real housewives intro. The whole thing is hilarious, especially Katya’s, but unfortunately Violet is given the win and the ability to choose teams for the maxi challenge: a half drag prancing with the drag queens event. That’s right, our queens have to do half man/half lady drag and perform dance routines in pairs. Kudos to the producers for coming up with such an interesting challenge. It sure beats the hell out of a poorly scripted acting challenge!
Violet chooses Katya as partner and saddles Kennedy with Pearl and Trixie with Ginger. Trixie is immediately upset by the decision, worried about Ginger’s upstaging tendencies and lack of dance experience. Each assigned routine is a blend of two unrelated dance styles, like country and the robot, and twerking and the charleston. It’s strange, it’s bizarre, and it makes for good television.
While most of the queens struggle with the intricate choreography, they all manage to deliver noteworthy performances. Pearl is surprisingly lively and obviously sexy in her routine and Kennedy reminds us all that she’s the top dancer in the competition. Katya and Violet handle their material well and ooze sensuality and professional. Unfortunately, Ginger lets her low self esteem get the best of her and Trixie fails to really make an impression on the judges.
RuPaul gives Katya and Violet the win and announces that Ginger and Trixie will have to fight it out in a final lip sync. The two do their best in the lip sync, but it is clear from the beginning that Trixie will be the one sent packing. On the bright side she was the first returning queen to survive more than her initial comeback episode. So, congrats Trixie?
This is the first season where I can’t tell who will win the crown, or hell, even be in the top three! Will the winner be Kennedy, the pageant queen who has managed to show us she’s more versatile than expected? Will it be Ginger, who has slayed the challenges but has yet to make her fashion mark? Will it be Katya, our confessional queen who has been getting better with every episode? Or will it be one of our young fashion queens, Pearl and Violet? Here’s the rankings:
Katya
Everyone on Reddit guessed that Katya would be the one to go home in this episode and boy, am I glad they’re all idiots. Katya now has two wins under her belt and a steady track record of being in the top. She’s hilarious, kindhearted, and is the intersection of glam and comedy needed to win this competition.
Kennedy
Kennedy, much like a tumor, has grown on me this season. She’s grumpy, but sweet, and she is completely hilarious. She may not have the best fashion, but she can sing/dance/ and kind of act, which makes her a fierce contender. Besides, RuPaul seems to LOVE her so her spot in the top seems almost guaranteed.
Violet
Out of the young queens, Violet is clearly the strongest. She may not be an actress, but she has yet to be in the bottom and continues to slay the runways. The other queens may think she’s a one trick pony but Violet has the drive needed to make it to the top.
Ginger
I still think there’s a very real chance that Ginger will be the winner of this season. She’s a big girl with her shit together and her acting chops and quick wit make her almost unstoppable. Unfortunately, she fails to deliver when she isn’t asked to act and with the Hello Kitty ball coming up, who knows how she’ll do? And does she have the fan base needed to secure her the win?
Pearl
Pearl managed to bounce back after last week’s lip sync, but she’s been the most inconsistent of the queens in the competition. Her inexperience with acting often translates to a boring performance and she has style but not necessarily the experience needed to pull everything off. But boy, is she an attractive man, right people? Because that’s all that matters in a drag queen competition.
Trixie
Trixie, I loved your confessionals, but never fell in love with your performances. Your extravagant aesthetic never seemed to match your reserved personality, which made it seem like you were consistently underperforming. I’m glad we got to see more of you but I agree with the judges’ decision to send you packing.
Is this why I'm still single? 