RuPaul’s Drag Race review: Beyon-SAY what?!

There was another acting challenge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, but unlike on All Stars 4, we’re not left shaking our heads in embarrassment! Let’s see how the queens did.

A lot of fans have complained about the acting challenges — myself included — because they have gone from campy fun to straight up hot garbage (if I’m honest). But sometimes I think people (especially newer fans) forget how campy RuPaul’s Drag Race has always been!

I definitely think this week’s challenge walked the line between “campy” and “ridiculous” just enough and, I have to say, these two parodies weren’t the worst! Team Brooke Lynn had to parody Black Panther in Why It Gotta Be Black, Panther? And team Silky had the Get Out parody Good God Girl, Get Out. Despite it being a little weird to have white queens starring in both Black Panther and Get Out when most of the ensemble was black, they definitely got some laughs!

On Team Brooke Lynn, there were definitely some struggles. Ariel just didn’t go all the way and Brooke Lynn kept missing the joke — girl, it’s not that hard to say “Beyon-SAY what?!” Surprisingly, Plastique was one of the standouts for me, and the judges even raved about her. She played the character as more stereotypically Asian, but she nailed it and made it hilarious. Someone I think who didn’t get enough attention for her performance was Nina; it wasn’t a huge role, but she can clearly act. It made up for her dreadful runway look last week (and her not-much better look this week).

I thought Team Silky may falter because, on set, they did not seem confident in their roles and Michelle and Ross weren’t impressed. Silky couldn’t get her lines out, Mercedes kept messing up, Kahana was fading into the background. Still, another surprise was Scarlett, who actually has an acting background and nailed her starring role in Good God Girl, Get Out. Swapping out the race aspect for drag queens is touchy, but the results were pretty funny. Also, Vanjie playing a dorky dad was HYSTERICAL. Seeing her in a full beat and a wig with her little man body in a shirt and tie had me rolling each time.

Yvie was another underdog this week. I gotta say, I didn’t expect much from her after the first week, but this week she proved herself. She played the love interest whose family wanted to kidnap Scarlett because she was a drag queen, and she played the role with the right amount of too much and just enough. Team leader Silky, though, really didn’t impress me, or the judges for that matter.

The runway theme this week was “What Yo’ Sign?” meaning horoscope couture. There are still far too many queens to go through all of them, so let me discuss my favorites, and my least favorites. Brooke Lynn, my Canadian Queen, looked like a water goddess in her Pisces look and Plastique wowed the judges in her Aries couture. I still find myself impressed by Vanjie because we never got a good look at her talent last season of Drag Race, but her Libra look with the giant furry scales was really unexpected!

I’ll be honest and say I don’t love Scarlett. She always looks kind of the same, but not on the runway tonight, y’all! She came out living her blue fantasy in her Pisces look, blowing bubbles as she walked for the full effect! Even though I wasn’t living for it, the judges were gagging over Yvie’s Avatar-ish look, too.

Not everyone killed the runway, though. A’keria’s Pisces ensemble was so obvious and basic, she wore a fish. Groundbreaking.

Nina’s look wasn’t very impressive either, especially for a queen of her caliber. It was very pedestrian, like something a girl starting out on the scene might wear. Shuga Cain and Silky probably had the most confusing looks, because they definitely didn’t look like the astrological signs they were aiming for.

I do agree that Scarlett deserved to be a winner this week, but I’m still torn about Yvie winning with her. Her performance was good, but her look wasn’t my favorite and honestly, Vanjie deserved a win. I truly think Silky should’ve been in the bottom, but maybe my disdain for her is clouding my judgment. Mercedes Iman Diamond and Kahanna Montrese wound up in the bottom, though, and they definitely deserved that spot after lackluster runways and even more lackluster performances in the challenge.

As soon as I heard “Work Bitch” by Britney Spears start — I screamed — but then after that, I was worried that they wouldn’t be able to slay such a bop with the ferocity it deserves. I was proved wrong.

Both those queens worked it OUT on that stage, wigs coming out, flips, splits, everything you want from a lip sync. Unfortunately, it’s too early for a double shantay, and also it would’ve been kind of a waste, so Kahanna had to go home after being in the bottom two weeks in a row.

Next week is — gasp — another acting challenge! But it’s the talk show challenge that they’ve done plenty of times in the past, usually to pretty good results, so let’s hope we don’t fall into the All Stars trap of bad acting challenges that just keep getting worse!

Can you tell I’m still annoyed about All Stars 4?

Random Ruflections

• “Cysters” is gross, so I’m kinda glad Soju isn’t around to keep making it a thing.
• How did Scarlett think she would win last week? “Scarlett is delusional.” Tell her, Brooke Lynn.
• “Is everybody gon’ kill me?” — Yes, Silky, they are.
• Ru is right, Brooke Lynn kinda does look like Suzanne Somers!
• Take a shot whenever Ariel says girl in Why It Gotta Be Black, Panther?
• VANJIE LOOKS SO FUNNY IN A SUIT IN FULL DRAG
• Mercedes is a drag queen and can’t remember “Opulence! You own everything!” … Okay, girl.
• What on earth is Silky doing with all that clown white paint?
• No matter what they do, everything is better than the Sex and the City parody.
• Plastique really stole the show, and Vanjie stole the show on her team.
• Does Joslyn Fox get royalties for Ru going “Wonk Wonk” this week?