As a reviewer of this show, I try to remain as unbiased as humanly possible, but sometimes episodes like “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” season 11 episode 11 really threaten to shake that. I have nothing, but the utmost respect for the queens who come on this show and bare their all and push themselves to the limit to try and win what is supposed to be a fair competition. The last two “All Stars” seasons have not felt fair at all. In fact, majority of the queens seem to be unwittingly cast as background noise to production’s pre-picked winner.
Spoilers ahead!
Let’s Get Ready to Rumble
The semifinalists (A’keria C. Davenport, Dawn, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Crystal Methyd, Jasmine Kennedie, Sam Star, and Joey Jay) have one more shot of making it into the finale. With this amount of talent and brewing drama, it feels like they’re cutting this season off at the knees by not letting them compete normally for a couple more episodes. We’re not even getting a ‘Snatch Game’ this season. Jasmine continues to come at Joey, while A’keria has her “done with this shit” face after having to send home her auntie and deal with Silky’s gloating.
Let’s talk about episode 11’s highlights.
The Drama
The Rate-A-Queen results almost guarantees drama and this receipts round was no different. The surprise was that the focus wasn’t just on A’keria and Silky’s ratings of each other; it was the fact that the girls were pressed that Joey rated Kennedy so high. She had to explain herself multiple times this episode as to why she did it, but the girls weren’t really buying it.
The season 11 originals’ drama starts to bubble up when the girls are back in the Werk Room and A’keria calls Silky a “fake ass bitch” and a “liar” for how she ranked her the previous week. Silky tries to play it off like she’s unbothered, which either shows she’s matured or that she really did something heinous to her former friend. Throughout the episode, A’keria looks like she can barely stand to be in the same room as Silky, making everything really tense with the girls. This also spills over into “Untucked.”
There’s a little drama on the runway when the winner is announced, but I’m going to address that below.
The Challenge
We got a mini challenge, folks, and it consisted of the girls getting sprayed with Dr. Bronner’s soap/foam while performing a lip sync inside a glass box. It was an insane challenge and seemed a little dangerous with the slipping and sliding, but Sam Star won. I agree with this, because almost everyone else was focused on being silly and she actually performed.
The main challenge is a talent show, the All-One Talent Rumble, to be exact. The girls had to practice in front of each other in groups, which proved to be very entertaining. A’keria and Jasmine were perplexed by Crystal’s choices, while Sam was getting in Dawn’s head. The only group really helping each other out was Joey and Silky. I was a tad bit shocked they didn’t put Silky and A’keria together for the drama, but that would essentially hinder them both. Now, onto the actual show:
- Sam performed an original song with really great choreography, but it wasn’t anything special honestly. Also, I hear another Bob The Drag Queen rant about her wearing cowboy hats coming soon.
- Joey did a cha-cha ballroom dance number and, unfortunately, had a couple slips and accidents, which causes her to visually lose her confidence. Woof.
- Jasmine’s cheer performance was actually excellent, even though she looked a little stressed in some parts. I thought it was very technically well-done and unique even with a couple mishaps.
- Dawn’s performance was short, funny and sweet. I thought it was clever and she looked the BEST out of everyone.
- A’keria’s Ru Girls/Dreamgirls performance with life-sized puppets was fucking stupid, but really great at the same time. I loved the stage dressing and the dancers with the fans. I don’t care what anyone else had to say, it was one of the better ones.
- Crystal’s Crossy the Snowman burlesque show was incredibly unsettling in a good way. Only Crystal could pull this off with a straight face. The carrot coming out of her ass and then placed onto her crotch is the queer art we’re meant to protect.
- Silky’s step routine was pretty good, but still lowkey compared to the others. The crowd worked in her favor, for sure.
The Runway
The category is: It’s Giving Crowned Queen and, my GOD, the drag was phenomenal on this damn runway.
- Sam’s look was interesting in concept, but there’s almost too much going on with this cowboy Schiaparelli concept. Definitely the worst look of the bunch, I’m sorry to say.
- Joey was giving pageant winner with this Ursula-purple gown and her smile actually lit up the room.
- Jasmine looked like a Grecian goddess in this green, sea-colored gown with a pretty wig to match. I hate that they keep making references to Michelle Visage hating green, because who fucking cares anymore?
- Whoa, Dawn’s alien bridal gown with florals on the train made me drool. No one does drag like Dawn. It is beyond just quirky, her outfits tell a full story every time she walks the runway or performs on the main stage.
- A’keria’s fiery phoenix gown was CRAZY TO LOOK AT. She looked like a walking flame and this WIG??? One of her best looks to date.
- Crystal’s indigenous Mexican-style outfit is fantastic, surreal and ethereal; larger than life and also a breath of fresh air from her clown drag.
- Silky looked like a vintage Hollywood starlet, with her hair as big as a mountain. She looked breathtaking.
The Guest
The guest judge was Cooper Koch and I had no idea who this was. He was almost too low-key and so dry. I was not feeling him whatsoever. I wish he gave more than “oohs” and “ahhs,” and I don’t think he gave any meaningful feedback.
TS Madison, however, was really sweet with Jasmine about her blossoming into the beautiful woman she’s always been. I love when she gives the trans girls their flowers. She always seems genuinely proud of them.
The Winner and Loser
I truly mean this with no disrespect to her drag because she is a wonderful queen, but the Crystal Methyd fix is in. It’s so blatantly obvious that the producers are going to give Crystal the grand prize that even the other girls are scoffing at it. (The North remembers the Ginger Minj win from last season.) Jasmine’s face right after Ru announces the winner represents the audience’s exasperation. It’s not that Crystal doesn’t deserve to win, it just feels like this was preordained by production before the season even started.
Now onto the bit of drama I mentioned earlier: Jasmine started crying on stage, Joey looked at her and said, “You did good.” I really hate that they do this to the queens. What is the point of a competition if the producers are going to be so obvious about who they pre-picked to win? Jasmine’s despair is almost palpable, because she killed her number. Ru then made a comment about her being emotional, which she tried to play off, but the host wouldn’t let it go so Jasmine emphasized that this is supposed to be a TALENT show, clearly shading Crystal’s performance. Everyone’s reactions on stage were priceless. I’m curious to see how the fandom reacts to this.
Annoyingly, Sam and A’keria fall to the bottom and I fear this is utter bullshit. I’m tired of this show playing in A’keria’s face, and she appeared to be over it too. Because that lip sync to Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls)” was a bit lackluster; it lacked the punch that song exudes. I was honestly expecting more energy from both of them, but they both seem kind of defeated. (Watching “Untucked” later pretty much confirmed this.) Sam had the tricks, but A’keria embodied Bey more, plus she still has drama with Silky. A’keria survives another lip sync.
The Untucking
After Jasmine’s comment on the runway, I just knew this episode of “Untucked” would be juicy. Surprisingly, though, she kept her composure when reunited with Crystal, so kudos to her maturity. That being said, it was still a very interesting episode.
- The cut from Crystal cackling by herself to Jasmine sobbing in the corner behind the stage was diabolical editing.
- Silky and Crystal discussed Jasmine’s breakdown and A’keria’s performance. Silky always has A’keria’s name in her mouth and A’keria barely pays attention to her.
- Sam was legitimately stressed about performing against A’keria to mothertucking Beyoncé. I actually don’t think I’ve ever seen her look this distraught before. This is the vulnerability that RuPaul seeks to see from her all the time.
- Honestly, this was just a very emotional episode, everybody was in tears. And I wonder if it’s less about potentially going home and more about the realization that they were just stepping stones for Crystal’s ascension.
- The part of the episode that pissed me off the most: A’keria walked in, sat down and Silky immediately asked some of the girls to move and sit away from her, which A’keria rightfully calls “high school” bullshit. I can’t stand Silky at the moment (and not just because of her behavior, but because of her heinous “Oreo” comments about Bob and Monét X Change) and I deeply dislike the other girls for following her like a bunch of mean girls. A’keria doesn’t deserve this and I’m mad on her behalf, bias be damned!
Final Thoughts
Whewwwww, chile. This episode had me up in arms. I remember feeling miffed last season when it was becoming obvious that production was going to give Ginger the win no matter what. However, I truly felt like the fan backlash to those shenanigans would’ve kept them from pulling the same shit again, but alas. I don’t think Crystal should’ve won the talent show. I thought Jasmine had this one on lock, just like I thought Joey did last episode.
All this does, both with Ginger and now, seemingly, with Crystal, is make fans resentful of queens they love. Crystal is a tremendous queen in her own right, so why not allow the game to run its course the way it’s meant to? But this is, after all, RuPaul’s show, so it’s her rules.
I’m not looking forward to the next episode, but I will soldier on for the queens truly putting in their blood, sweat, and tears to showcase their best drag. Dawn, A’keria, and Joey, you are the reason why I, and so many others, are still watching.
Season 11 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” and “Untucked” streams weekly on Fridays on Paramount+.
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I am a published writer, full-time editor, an events and entertainment reporter and mother of one. Comic books, drag queens, women’s basketball, queer films and TV shows are my bread and butter.
