Hello my little biscuits, and welcome back to my RuPaul’s Drag Race recap where I try not to set everything on fire because of unjust eliminations. The episode begins with the queens gathering in the workroom to discuss Robbie’s hard wig line, and the producers getting together in a storage closet to come up with the easiest way to upset the entire fan base. There’s an Andrew Christian mini challenge that eats up time, and Derrick Barry finally wins something, which is unfortunately something that happens more than once in this episode.
Mama Ru arrives to inform the queens of a presidential main challenge in honor of this year’s upcoming Rapture/Donald Trump election. The queens are tasked with making smear campaigns, and then partnered with their greatest adversary in the competition, so that the producers can have an excuse to partner Bob and Derrick. Producers, people want Bob to send Derrick home, not carry him to a win!
As a whole, Team Bob/Derrick is the only one to deliver a noteworthy performance. Bob is great as Blackie Onassis, and Derrick gives a terrifyingly accurate portrayal of every Republican candidate’s wife. Kim and Naomi are adequate in their videos, but both of them lack the charisma and personality to really stand out. At this point, it seems that both beauty queens are serving the same function in this competition. Odds are that we’ll be saying a heartbreaking lip sync between the two of them in the upcoming weeks that will result in Naomi sashaying away- think “Dancing on My Own”, but with even more standing around.
Team Thorgy/Chi Chi is underwhelming. Thorgy can’t focus her concept, and Chi Chi just doesn’t give a good performance. It’s unsettling to see a great queen like Thorgy flounder in a challenge ( it’s like getting acid (betty) reflux.)
The runway theme for the episode is “Black & White Hollywood” realness, and for the most, the queens redeem themselves for two weeks of lackluster presentation. Bob serves Barnum and Bailey glamour, Kim is beyond this planet beautiful, and Naomi pays homage to season 2 winner, Raven! Thorgy, Derrick, and Chi Chi serve beauty as well, but fade into the background with their safe choices. Side note- blackface is both disgusting and terrifying, and whiteface is….well, just terrifying.
Bob and Derrick win the challenge, Naomi and Kim are safe, and Thorgy and Chi Chi end up lip syncing for their lives. It’s clear from the moment “And I Am Telling You” begins that Chi Chi will win the lip sync. You don’t just assign the THE definitive R&B torch song and expect the white clown to win it. The camera is on Chi Chi the entire time, and Thorgy is left to jazz square in the corner until the producers give her the cue to sashay away. If this season made any sense Derrick Barry would have sashayed weeks ago, Acid Betty would still be in the competition, and Carson would have been fired, but alas this season is an illogical/overproduced mess. With only a few episodes left, it’s unclear who will be standing beside Bob as he’s crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar- we’ll just have to see.
RANKINGS
Bob
With Thorgy out of the picture, Bob is destined to be crowned top queen. She’s won three challenges and her gravitas game is on *fleek* They may throw her in the bottom 2 for shits and giggles, but there’s absolutely no way she won’t win.
Kim, Chi Chi, Derrick, Naomi
Individually each of these queens possess strengths, but they pale in comparison to Bob. Kim is stunning, but lacking in the performance department. Naomi is also stunning, and also lacking in the performance department. Chi Chi’s got heart and a bad wardrobe, and Derrick doesn’t know how North Korea operates. At this point Chi Chi has two wins, so she’ll most likely end up in the top 3- the final spot is up for grabs though!
Thorgy
It seems that Thorgy was saddled with a Pandora edit and not an Alaska one. Thorgy was one of the best competitors of the season, so it’s a shame she was never praised or given a win. I guess the producers just weren’t into high fashion clowns this season 😦
Is this why I'm still single? 