Why do the queens keep throwing in the towel? Don’t they want to join the Drag Race Hall of Fame?!
This is RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 Episode 4! They’ve made it far enough into the competition to see the finish line coming up. There’s a chance to win if they try for it.
The queens need to start playing the game.
It’s an honor to get a spot on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Not every queens gets invited back to show their growth and stuff to the viewing audience after years away.
How the queens perform during that time is up to them. But, if their heart isn’t in the competition or they won’t give it their all, the spot should’ve gone to someone who will fight for it to the bitter end.
So far, we’ve had Ongina gracefully bow out during RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 Episode 2. And now, Mayhem Miller accepted her fate and willingly allowed herself to get the chop.
These actions, while initially noble, have cut the drama and excitement down considerably.
You can’t stress over who will go home when one of the competitors is expecting it to happen. Everything ends up as a moot point.
Mayhem Miller could’ve stayed in the competition if she had fought and shown the same fire she had during RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 Episode 1. She had a legitimate case to make.
India Ferrah had already been at the bottom twice; this would be her third time. The queens are all about competing against the best-of-the-best, so why not eliminate the person who keeps ending up low?
[In confessional] Ugh, God, the first week I vote for her, and she’s crazy upset and she’s taking it personally. And now, honestly, I don’t know why she’s not fighting harder for herself. Like, who is this Mayhem and why have you checked?
Jujubee
Don’t get me wrong, that’s not to say India did the worst in the competition; she has won a round, after all. However, collectively throughout competition based on the queens still left, she had the worst scores.
Mayhem should’ve pushed hard against the others to win their votes for safety.
With Miz Cracker, if she apologized over any tensions and dispelled rumors of plotting, Cracker could’ve saved her. They’re both sisters from the same Drag Race season, and in a game where you need votes, that’s something both queens would love to keep around.
Thankfully, “SheMZ” at least had two moments of drama to make up for the lack of elimination tension.
Firstly, the two votes against Shea Couleé was a gag-worthy scene! The eliminations were mostly near-unanimous votes before this one, and for two votes to land on the frontrunner, everyone had a face crack.
Between the two voters, Mayhem Miller came out looking the best with her explanation. Being super close friends with the eliminated queen AND returning the favor to a queen who didn’t eliminate her were perfect reasons for why Shea got the vote.
I’m not just sickening, I’m contagious.
Alexis Mateo
Alexis, on the other hand, needed to choose her words before saying them.
Did anyone else catch the similarities between Alexis’s reason and the shade she threw at Miz Cracker during RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 Episode 3?
The queens dissecting her words and the shade was thrown back at her relived all the mind games she played. Karma is a shady foe and Alexis fell into the trap.
The second dramatic moment came from Miz Cracker confronting Blair St. Clair about plotting against her. Did your jaw drop at her bringing this up?
It’s great whenever a queen brings something out into the open. Plenty of drama ensues and the truth comes out from anything said in the confessional.
Blair St. Clair can try to deflect, but let’s be real, she was plotting and talking shade about Miz Cracker with Mayhem. Alexis may have used it as a tactical move, but there were kernels of truth in that mind game. The pair could be on shaky ground.
Plus, Jujubee in the middle basking in the drama happening around her was the cherry on that sundae!
The “SheMZ” Maxi Challenge had the potential to be an off-the-walls laugh riot. Unfortunately, the skits fell flat.
Queens didn’t push it as hard as they could, too much dead air, and too many stretched fillers before jokes were delivered and chaos happened. Even when the momentum kicked up, the queens didn’t take it there or it was kept to a “pretty” motif as some players didn’t want to get ugly.
In a comedy challenge, there weren’t many laughs created.
The queens all did well enough to theoretically survive the round; in a bigger cast, players like India and Mayhem would’ve ended up backstage to avoid the elimination. It’s a shame that no one hit it out of the park.
Out of the three groups, the most cohesive one was the Real Housewives of Tuckahoe.
Alexis Mateo and Shea Couleé built their drama from a mellow starting place before turning on each other. They got a few zingers in and offered the chaos you’d expect from a RuPaul’s Drag Race improv challenge, like fake pregnancies, pillow fights, and flipping tables.
Their problem, however, was the chemistry. They didn’t match their fire and go with the moment. Michelle Visage was right that Alexis needed to work with Shea to grow off the scene and push it farther.
I might be pretty on the outside, but on the inside, I’m pure garbage.
Shea Coulee
The same goes for the shoplifting scene between India Ferrah and Mayhem Miller.
Both Mayhem and India started strong with their jokes, but their shining moments didn’t connect. The queens needed to work together to grow the skit instead of hitting a few beats that Ross Mathews pushed as the cameraperson.
Miz Cracker’s win stemmed from her consistency in the skit … and her runway outfit. (Loved it!)
Right from the store window, she played her character and delivered every comedic nuance that was needed to shine. The college admissions woman was essentially an over-dramatized Miz Cracker, but it hit the beats that made it a top contender in an otherwise average round.
Jujubee: If I’m going down, you’re going down.
Miz Cracker: I have gone down. I know you’re going down too, if you play our cards right.
Ross Mathews: What?
Jujubee: I’m still wearing the butterfly ring you gave me.
Miz Cracker: Oh please, let your butterfly flap a little more for me, love. All you have to do is tell these reporters that absolutely nothing is going on between us.
Blair St. Clair: Wait … what, Mom?!
Jujubee: I love you, but I can’t
Blair St. Clair played too much into a one-note supporting character, so she had no room to steal the spotlight.
Jujubee, on the other hand, had the potential to win as her jokes were hilarious. If she had pushed the character harder and played off Miz Cracker’s sultry moves more, there’s a chance it could’ve been neck-and-neck for the prize.
The runway of “Camo Couture” is where the queens shined. Their outfits were amazing!
Everyone brought it to the main stage with their looks.
The favorites of the round were Miz Cracker, Blair St. Clair, Shea Couleé, India Ferrah, and Alexis Mateo. Alexis and Shea going for different prints made them stand out against the other queens and showcased that they were thinking outside the box. The other three had gorgeous and creative looks that made them feel high-fashion.
Jujubee and Mayhem Miller, on the other hand, looked too simple. Their ensembles were chic and fashionable, but they were underwhelming compared to the others on the runway.
And Mayhem’s terse response back to Carson Kressley about his critique said it all. (She was not happy!)
The lipsync battle between Miz Cracker and Morgan McMichaels was so much fun. A great song, strong competitors, and a lipsync filled with gag-worthy moves trying to win the prize.
You could feel that both queens wanted to snatch the victory.
Both Miz Cracker and Morgan McMichaels fought to get their redemption, which they earned plenty with their double-win lipsync. Miz Cracker finally has a lipsync win under her belt, and Morgan showcased her strengths after being cut short during her All Stars run.
Overall, a strong lipsync and one of the best of the season so far. Though, it’s a shame it had a lot of editing jump cuts. The editors can ease it up a bit with the reactions.
Last Thoughts From The Werk Room:
-
The green screen during the male portion of the SheMZ was distracting. Some players kept disappearing into the wall.
-
We need more appearances of The Real Housewives of Tuckahoe!
-
The DUI backstories dispelled a lot of rumors and gave new depth to the characters. Mayhem’s past was surprising and unexpected.
-
The editing of “SheMZ” gave it away that Mayhem Miller would be eliminated. Too many confessionals and cuts to Mayhem. Is there no surprise anymore?
- No more pre-selected teams. We don’t need producer interference manufacturing drama or determining the results of the round. Let it be.
Now, over to you, Drag Race fans!
What did you think of “SheMZ”?
Would you have placed India Ferrah and Mayhem Miller at the bottom? Did you love the double lipsync win? Why didn’t Mayhem fight harder to stay?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Justin Carreiro is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.