If there’s one surefire way to throw off the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race, it’s to throw them an acting/writing challenge. Since most of the queens are split pretty evenly down the line between “lip synchers” and “jill-of-all-trades,” the acting/writing challenge is usually a good litmus test for separating the creative types from those just resting on pretty. It’s a testament to how strong this season’s batch of queens is that they don’t completely fall flat on their faces. But who managed to serve Yo Gabba Gabba realness, and who was left out on the Sesame Streets? Well …
ALASKA – NOT SAFE
I love the fact that Alaksa refused to play it safe this week. Her creativity and wit was the big reason why she and Lineysha won the child drag pageant mini-challenge — Lil’ Pouncake’s catchphrase? “You’re not my father and you never will be.” Perfection. — and her writing and team leadership in the main challenge was fantastic. And as much as Ru didn’t care for Alaska showing up in boy-drag? I was living for it. It as just gender-f*ck enough to work, and her Pee-Wee Herman schtick was on-point. I get that she should have sissied it up a little, but I am ready to die on this hill. Alaska served it.
ALYSSA EDWARDS – SAFE
When Alyssa and Coco first started going at it in the first episode, I sided with Coco. But after this episode, I’m starting to get the feeling that neither side is necessarily right at this point. While the exact reason for their feud hasn’t come to light, there are still enough vague hints that you can sort of piece it together. Either way, Alyssa was just okay. Her personality and attitude still outweigh her talent, but she’s at least mellowing out compared to her episode one bitch streak.
COCO MONTRESE – BOTTOM 2
Oh Coco, what happened here? She’s supremely polished, but I think we may have found her achilles heel: She’s still so wrapped up in her feud with Alyssa that she loses sight of what’s important for the sake of a petty rivalry. Her role as a dummy in the main challenge was a huge missed opportunity, and even if she didn’t know where to bring it, the least she could have done was learned her lines or improvised a little.
DETOX – WINNER
Another stellar week for Detox, who’s really cementing herself at top 2 material. Her character, Clucky the Chicken, was fully realized and she managed to take what could have been a huge liability and make it the premise for some grade-A material. Also, with all the rumors swirling of a possible queen-on-queen Kai Kai, I’m fully prepared to start shipping her and Roxxxy Andrews together. We need to make Detoxxxy happen.
HONEY MAHOGANY – SAFE
I really, really want to like Honey Mahogany. I really do. But she’s just not bringing it at all. Granted, she had to work with Coco this week, which really brought her game down, but even her mainstage was lacking. She seemed to storm down the runway and back as fast as she could so no one would notice she was wearing a pink bed sheet. If she doesn’t step it up, she could be the next queen on the chopping block.
IVY WINTERS – SAFE
Another queen who’s not bringing it. I get the feeling that Ivy is resting on her talent as a seamstress and not much on her personality, because it’s starting to get a bit tired. Her mainstage looks are always on point, but any time she has to actually perform, she’s about as one-note as the emergency broadcast system. She better start bringing her circus performer skills to the game, because as it stands, she’s serving Cirque de So-So.
JADE JOLIE – SAFE
I’m a little surprised at how fast Jade usually is to try and read the other queens, because as it stands, she’s just serving pretty. I mean, bless her heart, she was one of the stronger parts of her team in the challenge, but she still needs to up her game. The video she got from her boyfriend was cute, but cute’s not going to cut it once the numbers start to dwindle.
JINKX MONSOON – TOP 3
I really like Jinkx, and by the looks of it, she’s starting to gain some momentum in the competition. Obviously, Jinkx is a queen that knows how to pen a good script and how to develop characters and jokes, and it served her well in this challenge, as she was her team’s sole saving grace. I’m guessing she’ll make it, at the very least, to the top 5, as long as she maintains that balance between high glam and high camp.
LINEYSHA SPARX – IMMUNE
Oh, Lineysha honey, that was rough. It’s a really good thing she had immunity, because she didn’t deliver at all this week. After last week saw her in total control of herself and how people saw her, her hum-drum Spanish lessons during the cooking portion of her team’s show as a lunchbox letdown.
MONICA BEVERLY HILLZ – SASHAY AWAY
You know, I really wish Monica could have stayed around a little longer, but acting is just not her strong suit. But her performance was even worse when you realized that, not only did she have her script on her the whole time, but her sunglasses would have made it impossible for anyone to tell that she was reading her lines instead of just reciting them. I adore Monica, but I think it was just her time to leave.
ROXXXY ANDREWS – TOP 3
There aren’t a lot of pageant queens out there who know how to really create a character and sell a joke, but Roxxxy knows how to do it with panache. Her lisping Tasha Salad really hit the spot with all of her rim-job jokes, and her diversity and range as a performer could find her in the final three. And as I said, her and Detox? Cutest potential couple ever.
VIVIENNE PINAY – BOTTOM 3
Vivienne Pinay was a queen who was there.