The new season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars is here! Watching the queens stomp back into the runway is extremely exciting and while it feels indulgent to enjoy anything in this current climate, this episode was certainly wonderful to watch.
Fan-favorite Shea Coulee addressed the juxtaposition of Drag Race escapism during this week of protests for the Black Lives Matter movement on Twitter. Shea says what many fans, including myself, have been feeling: guilt about celebrating the return of Drag Race during this sensitive time. In her tweet, she proclaims that she has every intention of using her platform to "uplift and amplify black voices" while getting that crown. If nothing else, she is an articulate and important figure who represents Black Excellence, and having her on TV again feels like cause to celebrate.
Many fans have said that the group of girls chosen for All Stars 5 feels random. As several of the queens sashayed into the Werk Room the person I am quarantining with kept saying "who is that?" He has seen every episode of this series. The initial list of queens was not exactly thrilling, but after having seen the entire episode, it appears we are in for a fantastic season. As Jujubee walks into the Werk Room the screams of happy gay men can be heard around the world. Mariah playfully says "Come on grandma barbie" and we are reminded that many of these older queens have several years of chemistry together. Derek Berry enters saying that she put herself in a Britney box and she has so much more to offer... while wearing a Britney costume. Yes mama, I said costume. Derek has something shady to say about India Ferrah before she has even taken a step. Every great season has a great villain. Derek Berry was that villain for season 8 and it looks like this year, she is going to be just as... Toxic.
Mama RuPaul tells the dolls that there is a the rose petals. That was offensive. Jujubee and Blair St. Claire tie for the win of the reading challenge.
As the dolls put on their make-up India Ferrah and Derek Berry go at each other's throats. It is certainly engaging to watch some shade being thrown on the show and the other queens are living for it just as much as the audience probably is. Derek and India certainly aren't the top picks for who the fans want to see on All Stars, but their beef sure is interesting! Derek gives a truly back-handed compliment to India about how she hopes being on All Stars makes her feel validated and calls her two-faced in front of everyone. That's one way to Break the Ice. Honestly... gimme more.
Alexis Matteo starts off the talent show. She does a cute number that shows off her culture and some great references to her time on Drag Race. It would definitely be a gag in a gay bar, but for a tv show, it's very middle-of-the-road. Unfortunately, a lot of the numbers seem like they would be exciting live, but this talent show does not have as many fun surprises as the previous All Stars talent shows have had... until Shea Coulee dances on a pole. She gives her best stripper fantasy and it's really sexy. Mayhem Miller is giving Mayhem Filler... Queen. It was not possible to understand a word she was saying. Mariah does a very artistic piece. It's unique and has a powerful message. This is followed by Mz. Cracker dressed as a pickle. Blair St. Claire sings live and she sounds as good as the fourth best boy in your freshman musical theatre program at Ball State University. She looks absolutely sickening though. Ongina comes out in a mini car. It's hystercial. She does a couple of fun reveals, but overall it is very shocking to see her flounder this episode. She has been a fan favorite for a long time. Derek Berry doesn't make a great... impression. It's a great reminder that live shows in Vegas are full of really drunk audience . And drunk people are much easier to make laugh than... this sober of judges. Jujubee sings live and she sounds so good. Jujubee sounds like your unbelievably talented voice teacher at Ball State University who is a star in their own right. India Ferrah absolutely slays. Our pre-judgment of her may have been India un-Ferrah.
The judges give Mz. Cracker and Alexis Matteo got great critiques. India gets praise and they discuss how she quit drag for a while. Derek gets ripped to shreds and Mayhem Miller gets read for being unintelligible. Ongina is also in the bottom.
Derek has to plead her case to India Ferrah and it is so pleasing to watch. She has to beg her "From the Bottom of Her Broken Heart." India Ferrah and Mayhem Miller seem to form an alliance! This has never actually happened on All Stars. Thorgy Thor suggested it with Shangela on All Stars 3, but Miss Shangela did not comply. Mayhem and India straight up agree to keep each other around if the other is in the bottom. The drama is heating up! The other queens have to decide who they are going to vote for to go home and it is such a fantastic shake-up. Usually, the safe queens get to chill out at this portion of the show but RuPaul is keeping them on their toes. Any decision they make could come back to bite them in the butt if they it they voted to send someone home. Monet X Change was so upset that Manila Luzon tried to send her home she was waiting to give her the boot all season. Making each queen vote for someone to get the chop is going to create so much drama and such high stakes.
The girls vote for who they want to go home and India picks her choice. Based on the alliance and her feud with Derek Berry it feels pretty clear whose lipstick she is holding. Next comes the lip-sync assassin. A queen returns to battle it out with the winner of this week's challenge. There has been a ton of fan speculation about whether or not the show would bring inYvie Oddly! And this crowned queen is not messing around. She leaves her entire legacy on the stage.
RuPaul hands the new responsibility of announcing the elimination to Yvie who proclaims that the queens voted to send Derek Berry home. It is a little shocking to see Derek go home so early because she did make it very far on a season that is regarded as one of the best: season 8. Plus, it's a huge surprise for the show to send the villain home on episode one, but as it is written so it shall be done.
This episode was really phenomenal. It is becoming clear how important this hour and a half of escapism is to the queer community in these trying times. The writer of this article would like to point out that the link to Black Lives Matter has a donate button if readers want to contribute to the movement that allows so many black artists to entertain us and to continue living.
Source: VH1, Shea Coulee