This week we got another funny challenge, and while the challenge itself didn’t shake things up too much compared to last week, Ru’s judging decisions did. What queens performed well but worsened their outlook?
#1 Ginger Minj (avg 2, was #2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4)
As she hits the three-win mark we have Ginger back in the pole position and guaranteed for the final I was an early fan of her fashion, but I’m noticing a distinct lack of willingness for the judges to tag her on anything at all! Is this a free pass for a bigger girl who finally brought a closet full of silhouettes that can compete? Or, is that when she’s performing live her personality actually the biggest thing in the room?
#2 Kennedy Davenport (avg 3, was #3, 2, 5, 3, 4, 6, 2, 2)
Kennedy flew under the radar again this week, but much like Ginger the judges are seeing something special about her that isn’t shining through on this side of the screen. What fascinates me is the SHEER NERVE of her playing it coy this far into the competition. Any subtle performance or runway could easily yield another lip sync! I don’t think we’ve ever seen another competitor as unflappable, and none of the other queens are coming for her at all.
#3 Violet Chachki (avg 2, was #1, 3, 2, 4, 1, 1, 1, 1)
With her arhythmic performance this week I think we’ve seen just about all Violet can wring out of her waifish little body when it comes to comedy chops. If that phase is over and we’re on to strategy and fashion from this point forward she’s probably fine. Despite only owning a single win, she’s now the only girl not to hit the bottom, and she’s always on-point on the runway.
#4 Trixie Mattel (avg 5, was #5, 4, 5, 8)
Trixie gets all good notices in her first week back, and she seems to have regained a bit of her nerve. I don’t think you keep a defeated queen around just for fun. We’ve never had the chance to see her fly solo in a challenge before, but I say we’re getting a “this girl could really be a challenger” arc that may go right down to the wire. I also suspect we’re destined to see her send Pearl home in a lip sync.
#5 Katya (avg 5, was #4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6)
I saw this week as the kiss of death for Katya. She delivered everything the judges were looking for by their own accounts and yet they still gave the win to Ginger. While Ginger might have embodied the original performance, Katya slayed by all accounts. Why would Ru withhold a win from such a killer queen when she’s killed it several weeks in a row? Because she’s not destined for a top spot. Yet, she’s also not going to lose a lip sync to Pearl with her level of aerobics. That’s a safe matchup.
#6 Pearl (avg 7, was #6, 5, 7, 8, 10, 9, 7, 6)
Welcome to Pearl’s decline, both in performance and editing. Her weeks-long bounce-back ended tonight in the episode’s most-obvious failure, and despite a solid lip sync I don’t think she has any more gas left in the tank. Her fashion and wardrobe do not scream next drag superstar. And, Ru has ignored two obvious mini-challenge wins to hand it to queens with clearer narratives.
Goodbye, Miss Fame, you sickening queen. I don’t love how you left, but this feels like the right time for you to depart with your average of seven.