RuPaul's Drag Race: ALL STARS 4

[nx01a]

If that’s the case, I would have preferred Peppermint.

I think we all would have... but Pep's busy with projects like being on Broadway so we got Gia isntead.

[CellarDweller]

Time for the All Stars!

[nx01a]

I haven't really been DRIVEN to comment about the past two episodes but I'll do so quickly.
>Gus Kenworthy is WORTHY!!!! I'm only mildly ashamed to say I stalked his Instagram after the Snatch Game of Love. Trinity did a great job as The Woman Formerly Known As Bruce Jenner. The Wendy faint felt a bit cruel to joke about... but I laughed hard nonetheless and rewatched. Brilliantly done, Naomi. Latrice couldn't even make a Touched By An Angel joke and tell Gia to shut the Hell up or be smacked by an angel? Gia trying to parlay her transitioning into an excuse for her bad behaviour and her bad performance was disgusting. Manila saying out loud that she considered voting off strong competitors? Didn't she learn anything from the last time an All Star contestant said that out loud? Gia deserved to go and she went but I'm angry Manila didn't bit the bullet and get rid of Villaintina before she did something else to annoy me. At least with Gia you know she'd get booted next episode regardless. Trinity clutching Villaintina tightly and the two of them ignoring Manila's attempt to get a hug in? Shade.
>Jersey Justice was basically a more slapstick Snatch Game... and the two improv episodes back to back seemed designed to get rid of the queens who can't act to save their lives or to win $100,000. Looking at you, Latrice. I'll never know how you can't just act loud and get in people's faces especially when that's exactly what the challenge calls for... but I have stage experience. Is Latrice really a shrinking violet who can't keep chanting 'Della Reece' or 'Jersey Trash' in her head while smacking a bitch? Sadly, she deserved to go both for her performance and for that sparkling yet basic and done to death runway look. Manila's French Poodle wig would have greatly accented her padded Parisian Runway look. I get what Villaintina was going for with the deconstructed padding look but it just seemed sloppy, and there's a big difference between sloppy and avant garde. And don't get me started about her selfish BS in the midst of the emotional deliberation. As Trixie said in All Stars season 3, "I think that's a lot of emotion for safe." Then not even bothering to remember the judge who critiqued her's name then reducing said judge to her hairstyle? Oooooh, I hate her more by the episode. Rethink this 'alliance' before she stabs you in the back, Trinity!

[Wiccan]

I haven't really been DRIVEN to comment about the past two episodes but I'll do so quickly.
>Gus Kenworthy is WORTHY!!!! I'm only mildly ashamed to say I stalked his Instagram after the Snatch Game of Love. Trinity did a great job as The Woman Formerly Known As Bruce Jenner. The Wendy faint felt a bit cruel to joke about... but I laughed hard nonetheless and rewatched. Brilliantly done, Naomi. Latrice couldn't even make a Touched By An Angel joke and tell Gia to shut the Hell up or be smacked by an angel? Gia trying to parlay her transitioning into an excuse for her bad behaviour and her bad performance was disgusting. Manila saying out loud that she considered voting off strong competitors? Didn't she learn anything from the last time an All Star contestant said that out loud? Gia deserved to go and she went but I'm angry Manila didn't bit the bullet and get rid of Villaintina before she did something else to annoy me. At least with Gia you know she'd get booted next episode regardless. Trinity clutching Villaintina tightly and the two of them ignoring Manila's attempt to get a hug in? Shade.
>Jersey Justice was basically a more slapstick Snatch Game... and the two improv episodes back to back seemed designed to get rid of the queens who can't act to save their lives or to win $100,000. Looking at you, Latrice. I'll never know how you can't just act loud and get in people's faces especially when that's exactly what the challenge calls for... but I have stage experience. Is Latrice really a shrinking violet who can't keep chanting 'Della Reece' or 'Jersey Trash' in her head while smacking a bitch? Sadly, she deserved to go both for her performance and for that sparkling yet basic and done to death runway look. Manila's French Poodle wig would have greatly accented her padded Parisian Runway look. I get what Villaintina was going for with the deconstructed padding look but it just seemed sloppy, and there's a big difference between sloppy and avant garde. And don't get me started about her selfish BS in the midst of the emotional deliberation. As Trixie said in All Stars season 3, "I think that's a lot of emotion for safe." Then not even bothering to remember the judge who critiqued her's name then reducing said judge to her hairstyle? Oooooh, I hate her more by the episode. Rethink this 'alliance' before she stabs you in the back, Trinity!

I'm legit sad that people like you can't appreciate hilarious iconic moments like Valentina's rant. The fact that she didn't even remembered her name and said "The judge with the bun" is actually the best part.

[nx01a]

I'm legit sad that people like you can't appreciate hilarious iconic moments like Valentina's rant. The fact that she didn't even remembered her name and said "The judge with the bun" is actually the best part.

I've seen people online say she was trying to be funny to liven up the crying and generally sad mood. If she meant that bit of melodrama to be comedic, it certainly failed for me as humour. All I saw was a narcissistic attempt to bring attention to herself at the worst possible time, a bit like Gia interrupting Farrah pleading her case, and I have no desire to live out Villaintina's telenovela fantasy.

[Wiccan]

I've seen people online say she was trying to be funny to liven up the crying and generally sad mood. If she meant that bit of melodrama to be comedic, it certainly failed for me as humour. All I saw was a narcissistic attempt to bring attention to herself at the worst possible time, a bit like Gia interrupting Farrah pleading her case, and I have no desire to live out Villaintina's telenovela fantasy.

I didn't think she did it on purpose, I just live for how extra she is.

[Andru]

Apparently Manila's runway look was her backup...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsUaPvenYcj/

[nx01a]

Apparently Manila's runway look was her backup...
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsUaPvenYcj/

I would have loved to hear the judges' bad jokes about THAT look!

[Kieran_Frost]

RUview - Episode IV

I agree with Manila, the queens are acting like they all signed the Rolaskatox blood oath... there is no rule book, she's allowed to weigh her options. RuPaul has previously demonstrated that he admires a queen who plays the game (REF. questioning Aquaria not being strategic with roles, enjoying when Eureka was, etc). I was thrilled she acknowledged that Trinity slayyyyyyed the Snatch Game (which she did). I like Valentina for the tella novella absurdity but I've never been a fan of queens who show very little gratitude with being saved (Kennedy Davenport and Morgan McMichael's spring to mind after Ben eliminated herself). It just feels... classless. The ONE TIME you can suck it up and be nice is when someone saved your ass.

INSTA: ArtbyCheyne
https://www.instagram.com/artbycheyne/


Several thoughts this episode: the return of Stacy Layne Matthews. So much fun; I'm really warming to Henny in All Stars. I'd like to see her in AS5. Second thought: No-one mentioned Carmen Carrera? Not once. Not even Manila? This episode is basically "the B*tchelor", where they are given a rough outline and characters, but have to improvise through it. It didn't live up to the B*tchelor. I love learning what a "booty do" is, HILARIOUS and anything that's akin to Judge Judy makes me happy. Jason looked very sexy as Officer Tony. I love that Ru is branching out in looks. Legs on show last week, the club kid in Season 10, now this Maria Antoinette? LOVE! LOVE LOVE LOVE!

JERSEY JUSTICE
YOU MADE ME LOOK LIKE A B*TCH, B*TCH!
This was probably the best one, as it had the clearest story and both contestants did very well. Naomi really is surprising me. She's been Top 3 the first three episodes, and impressed here too. We've got a real contendor on our hands. She is really great a changing her look for challenges (this and her Wendy Williams looked very un-Naomi).

HOW ABOUT THEM CAKES?
Monique did very well improvising on Bossy Rossy, and Monet did not; so the repeating of history wasn't too big a shock. I'll get to Latrice later. But I agree with Valentina: I'm not really clear on what happened, or who did what? It fell apart. I don't think having three players was a hindrance, that was yet another mind to help fuel and improve the jokes. They had the best chance to shine, in my opinion.

I WAS SNOOKERED BY SNOOKIE
The redemption of Valentina. After her failure at improvising in Snatch Game it was so wonderful watching her go full ugly for the win. I mean... she was BUSTED! It was evvvverything. "I work there. I strip there. I LIVE there!" Gold. I was very surprised that Trinity, who did so well at improvising last episode, fell apart here. Her comic ability is surprisingly inconsistent, it's so... odd. She's so funny, and then??? She's not.

JERSEY TROPHY: Manilla. It was a joy to watch, so quick, so clever; she looked hilarious and that bark was beautifully timed. Her comic timing is excellent, she knows how to land a joke and when to hold back "I swear... sh*t!"

CATEGORY IS... Curves & Swerves; Padded for the Gods
A vast improvement over last week's runway, the queens nearly all brought a level of creativity and originality to the category.

• Manila. I really liked (but didn't love) this French period outfit, but none of that matters because her original look was EVVVVVERYTHING! It was iconic. It's close to being the most liked image of any drag-queen on Instagram. I just don't understand why this glorious moment was denied?
• Monet. The idea was fun (though not breaking the wheel), and for the most part it was executed well (I just wish the champagne glass wasn't bouncing around so much). While she has elevated her looks since season 10, there is still something off about them. It reminds me off her 'golden girls' runway or the 'glitter runway', the idea is solid, but even with coin her looks all still needs a jus.
• Monique. On Fashion Photo RuView Raja complained about the brown cow print, and I get it BUT this was so wonderful; and for once a cow was relevant. It gave me udder realness. I was living. But is her make-up always so... skeletal?
• Naomi. I loved it... but... even though it was heavily padded FOR NAOMI, it still didn't look... padded. Not really. Concept 10, relevance 3.
• Trinity. Like Manila she really took a creative edge to "curves and swirves", the ripples, that static hair. Gorgeous.

PADDED TROPHY: Valentina. I loved this! I know it's very divisive online, which I think is very avant-garde in itself. It's so unexpected, and it do take NERVE to walk a runway with tape but no wig. From the safety-pin earrings, to the raggedy Anne patchwork. It told a story, it was incredibly original and utterly surprising.

INSTA: bibartis
https://www.instagram.com/bibartis/


LATRICE ROYALE
Let's talk about Latrice in All Stars. She is an iconic queen, and she is beloved, but... this series has not really been... hmmmm. Outside of personality, the only talented thing she did was the flags ep1. I didn't even think her Reading was that great (Naomi and Valentina impressed me more). My husband loves Latrice, but I never got it. She's super fun but what's fun got to do with it? There's no such thing as "a fun queen". What is Latrice's talent? It's sure as hell not runway. Her runways have been so dull this season. The dresses are pretty, and they are her best dresses we've seen BUT they are so underwhelming by an All Stars standard. For Curves and Swerves she just does yet another beaded dress. UGH. I'm not gagged she's in the bottom, she's not shone. And with the cannon fodder at the way, she needed to step up or go home.

Lastly I will add: I don't like TEAM challenges not being won (and lost) by TEAMS. It should have been Manilla and Naomi lip-syncing, because they did the best as a TEAM. Grrrrr...

LIPSYNC
(Elton John's "The B*tch Is Back" performed by Tina Turner) The moment they came out dressed as Tina Turner I was squealing, and they did not disappoint. Manila did a good job but Monique SERRRRVED us Tina. The way she walked sticking her leg out first, the stomping, that walking stomp Tina does, that knowing smile, the energy, the kicks, it was just so perfectly embodied. Monique EARNED that win. And she kept her wig on. Praise Jesus!

My Final Thoughts: We're halfway through, and I have been a little disappointed in the season. While it's been entertaining, All Stars should be iconic episode after iconic episode; where everyone is fierce. And I'm a little disappointed. Next week though... that could be truly wonderful.
~ rating: 4 out of 5 [grade: B+]

houseof_jbg
https://www.instagram.com/houseof_jbg/

[Kieran_Frost]

Apparently Manila's runway look was her backup...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsUaPvenYcj/

Living. I love this fan art of it....

INSTA: stacey_foxy https://www.instagram.com/stacey_foxy/

[Kieran_Frost]

RUview - Episode V

The first 14 minutes have already been posted, so no need for spoilers. After the elimination...

Manila is still sad, and I get it. She blames herself for their elimination in AS1, and this was her chance to redeem herself and she failed. But it gave us THAT moment! That image of Manila standing alone, turning back, looking at all the knives out by the queens on the couch. That was pure iconic! I wasn't a massive fan of Monet saying "eliminating a queen based on anything but report cards is wrong, so I'm going to elminate Manila based on a fact that is not report cards." At-least Manila did it for a good reason, not revenge. It's Morgan McMichael's hipocrisy all over again. I agree with Manila a) it's easy to be "fair" when it's your friend who has the better score b) report cards get muddy down the line; do lipsync wins matter more than being safe more often? Does being in the bottom matter more, even if you disagree or it was bottom 3 (not bottom 2)?

spoilers:

Stacy Layne Matthews is back, back, back, back, back again. THE ROAST. This is a verrrrrrry interesting challange based on the cast. Trinity did bad in her Roast (bttm 3). Valeninta was safe. Manila was bttm 2 during her season when she had to write her own stand-up routine. So there is a lot of pressure and a lot to RuDeem. Monique uses her power of choosing the order to put Manila last, which is the hardest position. I was surprised Monique put Monet first (that's one of the toughest spots too). But maybe she was intentionally boxing Trinity between Monet and Monique? I don't know, that choice seemed lacking in strategy. Ru comes to help all the queens and they even get prep and they ignore it. Ru tells Trinity "she's from the south, so are you, think about that." Valentina was told to play the "I so saaaaaad" card to package jokes, ignored. Naomi was hinted at trying to find how to repackage the old thing (like a Millenila)... missed it (but she looked SUPER CUTE in her red jump suit #crush). Manila was told to bring a Will and LISTENED! And look how it turned out! The judges give help for a reason, people. Listen! ROAST IN PEACE TOPS Monet. Very funny. It wasn't iconic, or even as perfect run like Peppermint, but I did enjoy Monet's work this episode. I did like that she didn't forget it was a funeral, and fake cried. I felt I've heard a few of those jokes, repackaged, before (Shea's "Patient Zero" for example). "To go by her original drag name: Methuselah." Monique. She did a character: SMART! She started very strong... it got messy at the end, but overall this was my second favourite performance. The boobs were funny, but she overplayed them. "And I do believe from all the loads she a taken, she might be a sperm whale." Manila. Her entrance, that umbrella, recoiling from Bunny. All hilarious. She had the best jokes, and very much connected it to a funeral theme, which I feel most of the queens ignored (or missed). She really stole the show, and I was so worried based on her last comedy stand-up, so this RuDemption was VERY much deserved and earned. "Lady Bunny wants you to know that, finally, you're the pretty one." BOTTOMS Trinity. I... I was both disappointed and surprised by Trinity. I thought she came to PLAY this season, and yet she's bombing two weeks running. And she's funny? This was a needed RuDemption and she floundered. I actually think it was WORSE than her previous Roast??? She did look amazing busted though. Kudos. "Wish they had solved that joke, b*tch." Naomi. This was the worst one. Without a doubt. Trying to impersonate Alaska's "old, old, old, old, OLD, OLDDDDD, OLDD" was painful. There wasn't a single joke. But she looked stunning. And Valentina. Like Trinity, she actually did worse than the Season 9 Roast. ROAST TROPHY: Lady Bunny. Those jokes... she brought the house down, I get it; she's hilarious. She stole the trophy. Snatched. Gagged. And FINALLY a queen was intelligent enough to impersonate Miss Vanji. YES BUNNY!!! CATEGORY IS... Angelic White Manila. This might be the only time I say this: I didn't love it. It's a shame Trinity's concept was so similar, because it puts Manila is sharp relief. It wasn't ugly, it was merely Manila's worst runway for All Star 4. But she set the bar so high... she can't deliver a 10 every episode. Monique. I loved the top half, that dress was horrible. It was horrible and she had to keep picking it up as it was catching. I'd have liked a small Naomi. AMAZING. Her Prince was fantastic, loved that she thought of a dead celebrity for Angelic White. So clever. Trinity. It was very Clash of the Titans meets holy Valkeryie, I loved it. Valentina. No. The bottom half reminded me of Blair's feathered runway (which I didn't like). It felt disconnected. I didn't like it, though her confessional about it made me chuckle. ANGELIC TROPHY: Monet. I mean... who saw that coming? I'd have NEVER thought Monet would win a look runway, but she was amazing. Instantly it's her best runway ever, it was so well thought out. The stigmata, the red eyes, the casual dropping of the robe, the reveal of the heart, the bored stomp on her train. Everything was firing on all cylinders. I echo Michelle; I'm really very proud of Monet tonight. LIPSYNC (Aretha Franklin's "Jump To It") Manila looked flower power gorgeous and is Monet using her repurpossed black glitter outfit from Season 10? Does that mean we are not getting a RuDemption runway? I hope not. Again Manila does a great job, but for my money Monet won this. She was creatively funny, and surprisingly in the clear comedy gags.

end of spoilers
My Final Thoughts: Again... I was disappointed in the challenge itself. An All Stars Roast should be HI-LARIOUS! Iconic. And this wasn't. But the drama this season, I am here for it. It's more about Manila's continued battle to the top, and the queens falling in her wake. It's... GLORIOUS!
~ rating: 4 out of 5 [grade: B+]

INSTA: zzzbookwormzzz
https://www.instagram.com/zzzbookwormzzz/


spoilers:

THE GAG: no-one goes home and All Star Rules Are Suspended... UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!!!! GAG! We knew a return was coming... but this seems different. It seems like the 4 eliminated queens aren't going to be coming back, but somehow deciding the fate of those still there. Farah and Gia look STUNNING.

end of spoilers
P.S. NO MONET! We have not crashed a funeral in our life. WTF?

[Kieran_Frost]

Wow I'm late. But better late than never...

RUview - Episode VI

The first 14 minutes have already been posted, so no need for spoilers. After the elimination...

The queens RU-turn for their RU-venge. HA! Less of a gag, as this is the third time All Stars has done this, but I do love the drama of when the queens return. Farrah actually looked incredible in her funeral red, and the fact Jasmine did her funeral look exactly the same but in gold for the Christmas Queens episode makes me chuckle. She just doesn't give two f*cks, and I love that about her (and Nina captured that beautifully in season 9 "Snatch Game"). Despite this season being great on drama, I found the reunited queens weren't... that dramatic. Farrah cried but didn't seem too bitter (also UGH Farrah cried YET. AGAIN!). Really Latrice was the only queen who felt her elimination wasn't just. It was all quite tame BUT Jasmine saying she'd not do anything different had me in stitches, as did Valentina talking about her fantasy. There is a "conspiracy" theory (started by Willam) that Ru "saved" Valentina from elimination with this twist. It's a rumour I heard before the season even started (and yes, I blocked the b*tch on Instagram who spoilt it... people who post spoilers are scum). And having now seen the episode... I think it was (at the very least) drastically exaggerated as a "save". I mean how did Ru know she'd be picked out the 4? Or by not eliminating her, why? He could just bring her back seconds later with this challenge?

spoilers:

I love the idea of them lipsyncing LalaPaRUza against one another; it's honestly a very fair (and fun) way for the eliminated queens to claw their way back in AND for the remaining queens to prove why they are still here. Yes it does seem a little tailor made to bring Latrice back, but I was still excited. Having the queens pick their opponent was sinnnnnfully fun; and while we still got some quality entertainment I wish it had been to truly epic songs (like everyone had to do a Whitney song, or a Celina song). THOUGHTS: this episode, in my mind, confirmed why Manila should win over Trinity. If nothing else, that was solified. Trinity has had two bad weeks (Jersey Justice and the Roast); she needed to RU-deem herself hard. And she got Jasmine, and gave us the least interesting lipsync of the remaining queens. Honestly most of the queens (both remaining and eliminated) did a better job than the Tuck. Trinity had Jasmine. Jasmine who didn't even know the words. It was an easy win. If I had two bad weeks I'd use this chance, even with a safe win, to remind everyone the T. And her laziness is not the makings of an All Star Crown. AND TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FACT... we had Manila Luzon. Manila was literally safe this episode, she could have phoned everything in, or even done a bad runaway and it wouldn't matter, she's safe. But does she? NO! She used the runway where she was beyond safe to SERVVVVE and GAG us. She took her safe moment and proved what an All Star does with safe. Her outfit was stunning, so clever, so fun, so original, so quitessential Manila. She stole the runway trophy by a country mile. I said it episode 3, this season is about Trinity vs Manila, and Manila won battle 2. Where as Monet... if there was one time to wear those f*ckin' pussycat wigs and shove it in RuPaul's face it was the episode your 100% SAFE! She had a chance, like Manila, to stand out and risk (basically nothing) in said attempt. Instead she took a page from Latrice's book and wore a boring ol' gown (with really weird holes for arms). So disappointing. CATEGORY IS... Who Cares I'm with Bob the Drag Queen on this one, the runway was a hot mess. I didn't see a theme, Trinity basically didn't do it, Latrice looked awful; only Manila left the stage unscathed. INSTA: ArtByCheyne https://www.instagram.com/artbycheyne/ LALAPARUZA Farrah vs. Valentina to "KITTY GIRL" Obviously we had to have this fight... and Valentina once again proved why she is an All Star and why Farrah isn't. Valentina looked gorgeous in her cat suit, whenever she impersonated a cat it was hilarious, and she totally slaughtered her competition. Trinity didn't slaughted Jasmine, Valentina SLAUGHTERED Farrah. From the moment Farrah's wig got stuck in her face, LOL!!! She was never an All Star. Never ever, ever. Farrah has the worst track record of any Drag Race queen. FACT! Gia vs. Naomi to "ADRENALINE" I feel bad for Gia this season (in terms of her talent being recognised). She KILLED the talent show, and this lipsync was fantastic. Her reads were funny. Her entrance look was gorgeous. And her lyrics in the Henny episode were clever too. Considering I thought very, very little of the boom boom gun when this season was annouced, actually... she has suceeded in proving herself. She's still a b*tch, but now she's a TALENTED b*tch. And that's what counts. We love Raven. We don't love Magnolia Crawford. And the difference is talent. Latrice vs. Monique to "SISSY THAT WALK" The grudge matter. The REAL grudge match. And... I side with a loud "unpopular" opinion online that says Gia and Naomi was the double save. Latrice did not turn it. It wasn't a song for her, she does emotion, she turns the heart of a song, and RuPaul song's don't have a heart. The cut away when she was clearly getting up... that was uncomfortable, because it was such a clear edit to make us think she did better than she did. LALATROPHY: Naomi. GAG! I have been saying Naomi is a sneaky queens. And she TURNED it. My god, it was easily the best lipsync of the night, it was a joy to watch. That Matrix back-bend? The floor slide?? It was STUN-THE-HOUSE-DOWN-STUNNING INSTA: bibartis https://www.instagram.com/bibartis/

end of spoilers
My Final Thoughts: Probably the best episode of the season (after the Talent Show) just for the sheer tension of everything. It was so dramatic, so fierce, so impressive. With one competitive episode till the finale... I have no idea how this is going to turn out??? But I can't WAIT to find out...
~ rating: 4 out of 5 [grade: A-]

[Kieran_Frost]

RUview - Episode VII

The first 14 minutes have already been posted, so no need for spoilers. After the return of Latrice...

So apparently there isn't one episode till the end. HA! I learnt that. Interesting. And I wish Alaska had been given 10 episodes so we could see even more brilliance. Or Ben. *le sigh*. Anyway, Latrice is back and everyone is happy. Valentina' fantasy still makes me chuckle, and Monique saying "she can stay home and just have the fantasy" was HI-larious. And the challenge sounds EPIC! The team division... Latrice was sneaky. She knew damn well Manila and Trinity would be tough to beat; she picked well for herself. I'm very curious about the pairing of Valentina and Naomi, they are often overlooked and can be FIERCE competitors. And I'm here for a French Vanilla fantasy...

spoilers:

THOUGHTS: I. Loved. This. Challenge. It was complex, details, it gave me everything I wanted. Valentina looked HAWT in her painting ensemble; wish Naomi had worn the same thing. HA! Manila was full on bridezilla and I was living for it; and my god I laughed when they tried to stuff Latrice into that jumpsuit. So much fun. I'm not sure I entirely believed they stayed and painted that WHOLE set. I think workers came in once the colour and theme had been established (why would they get the items they wanted before they even finished painting one wall?). My only other burning question: did anyone else think Suzanne Bartsch looked like Trinity in her season 9 leopard "Faux Fur Fabulous" outfit? INSTA: bibartis https://www.instagram.com/bibartis/ THE BEEHIVE RELEASE THE BEES!!! This EASILY won for best decor. Manila you goddess. Latrice looked so beautiful, she should wear more outfits that focus on her arms, and that beehive was giving me Mottormouth Maybelle. It was a great look. Manila looked adorable... and the edit was really trying to make her look like she was f*cking up, when she wasn't. Trinity (for my money) stole the show at the SpellingBEE! And I loved 90% of her outfit, stunning. The bottom part beneath the knee... didn't work. And I didn't remember their drink. [U]THE BLACKHOLEU] I'm not a club guy, but the theme was super fun and trippy. It's almost what I imagine a club is like, rather than the sticky, crowded reality. Both were great hosts, the decor was effective. The drink: Beam Me Up, such a great touch. It wasn't a showstopper, but of the three it was the only one absent of mistakes. Everything was well done. Bravo ladies. The idea to walk Orion's belt was so much fun; and that Pit Crew was PACKIN' CLUB 96 This challenge was important for Valentina, it's quite similar in work and dedication to the episode Valentina went home in... and she just made the same mistakes. She hasn't grown enough. She didn't prepare, she didn't get the lines down. She didn't work out what the details would be. It was just such a shame. Naomi repeating "Club 96" was funny (and Raja and Aquaria impersonating it in "Fashion Photo RuView" was equally hilarious). That was about it in terms of compliments. I even felt their outfits didn't compliment one another; they were similar but that just highlighted how they didn't work as a pair (think: Peppermint's mismatching kimonos for Wintergreen's makeover "Crew Betta Werk"). AND that wig Valentina wore was the same one she used for that "Nina and Tina" fail. Burn that wig, Valentina; it has bad mojo. QUEEN OF CLUBS: Monique. Her bizarre yellow jagged shaped, her bizarre green alien sucking fingers, her bizarre glasses and massive earrings... it was all so wonderful over-the-top, irrational and GORGEOUS. Would I want her to run my club? To quote Gia: Absolutely. CATEGORY IS... Life in Plastic, Is Fantastic Manila. I initially didn't love it, despite it being awesome because it seemed very similar to her iconic spagetti last week (pulled at the waist, hat is the main food, etc). BUT then I learnt she made it in the workroom that day to go with the whole "design" aspect of the challenge. And therefore it's an instant win. Plus she's so gorgeous in that little bob, with the perfect curles and those earrings. She's perfection. Trinity. I did like her pink bubblegum and that hair is so wrong it's right. But I wish Trinity had worn her entrance outfit, that was even more creative use of plastic. So therefore... this is second best. Monet. Concept was fantastic, but much like her season, the execution... it needed something covering the inner nude, because the overly dark shadows through it off. Maybe just opaque on the nipples and vagina would have made it work. EVERYTHING else was gorgeous. But the nude didn't work they way it was supposed to. Monique. I did not get this. It looked... ugly. Naomi. Was the Category "Chi Chi's Neon Runway Part III"? This was boring. Paint it silver and I swear she wore this same idea three episodes ago. BUT the colour pallet was bold (and it was better than Chi Chi's). Valentina. The idea is a 10. But... I don't feel the fully realised barbie doll was executed right. It was 90% there but I think she needed to fake draw the doll connectors, or something to jus the concept. Because the idea was gorgeous. PLASTIC TROPHY: Latrice. Yes... in many ways it's just because for once in her entire existance Latrice tried something new... because ultimately it reads more fitting for AS2's "latex" themed runway; but so what? Latrice actually turned a look. It was a gawd damn miracle being performed on that stage. INSTA: stacey_foxy https://www.instagram.com/stacey_foxy/ LIPSYNC This wasn't even about Latrice winning, it as about Trinity losing. WHAT was she thinking??? It was just so... no, gurl. It reminded me of Monet's "Golden Girl" runway, it was so wrong and not in a good way. I think she was trying to do a Shangela in the fat suit and she missed the mark. HARD. This was such a poor choice... I just don't think a crowned queen would miss fire so badly.

end of spoilers
My Final Thoughts: A very unusual and wonderfully unique challenge. I love new challenges, and I hope a full on design challenge gets featured in more seasons (the way the success of "the B*tchelor" has given us a character based improvisation format challenge since that time). It was a fun episode, with a terrible lipsync battle... and sadly... as the RuDemption was not met: the right person went home.
~ rating: 4 out of 5 [grade: B+]

spoilers:

FUN FACT: Latrice is already the most successful "returning queen", being the only queen to ever win a challenge after coming back from an elimination in the same season.

end of spoilers

Manila's design sketch from her Twitter:

[nx01a]

I haven't been too enthralled by All Stars since spoilers:

Manila

end of spoilers was eliminated but I wanted to share my thoughts on the finale's climax.
spoilers:

A double crowning? While not a disappointment like AS3's result, this win feels like a cop out. I think that Trinity had the best track record while Monet slayed the lip synch, though. Race has been brought up countless times this season by fans and queens alike but I do my best so stay away from such discussions. I'm just glad Naomi didn't win. I was rooting for Trinity from the beginning and would have been happy if any of thee top 4 won except Naomi.

end of spoilers

And the comments are quite revealing as to the behind the scenes of the live crowning. "It took a minute! It took a minute!" Bless her. And notice Katya dressed as Trixie.