Drag Race All Stars E6: 'Pants. Pants I Say...'
Sunday, October 2, 2016 at 10:00PM RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 2 didn't need a runway theme to remind us that Alaska is wearing the pants this time around. RuPaul's joke about goofing off during deliberations, which is genius as we've discussed, only further emphasizes who's the boss this season. And it ain't Ru, okay gurl?
I can't wait to see how this turns out.
That binocular miming bit from Katya was cute but there's no suspense. I think we all know who's turning it out at the finale...
While this season has been nothing short of spectacular it's only flaw may well be the dominance of Alaska Thunderfuck who has won both mini challenges and maxi challenges with alarming regularity even in episodes where she didn't quite earn them. Is Season Two a spectacular fashion show that stumbles on the final runway? We call RIGGERY as Alyssa might say. And speaking of Alyssa. As per usual her emphatically creative emphases or mispronunciations supplied one of the most quotable bits...
My hair is KWAAHHFFFFED
The Challenge: The ladies had to create a personal product, make a commercial for it, and work pants on the runway. Curiously the merchandise could be neatly divided into two groups: sham products with very funny commercials in Katya's "Krisis Kontrol" spray, Alaska's three shaded tape, and Alyssa's energy drink; conceptually fun products that were poorly executed/sold in Detox's talking trash receptacle, Tatianna's "T" set, and Roxxxy's wig glue. We're watching Katya's commercial on loop.
When you kindly but firmly request to speak to the manager pic.twitter.com/uVwYwBGB12
— Katya Zamolodchikova (@katya_zamo) October 1, 2016
Episode MVP: Katya Zamolodchikova on all three fronts: runway, commercial, and lipsynch. We don't know who she would have eliminated but we usually find out in the beginning of the following episode and it's got to be Roxxxy because Katya is a nice girl despite all her problems with demonic possessions.
Results: In the end we all experienced deja vu as we had a repeat of an earlier episode where Katya and Alaska were tops and Tati and Roxxxy were bottoms. In both episodes, Alaska won and ousted real competition Tati in favor of her friend Roxxxy. We were NOT happy with Alaska.
let's talk about deja vu... #choices @TATIANNANOW @Alaska5000 pic.twitter.com/62oS3JBigw
— Dario (@HuremATRL) October 1, 2016
Current Ranking: Knocking Alaska down a peg. Who isn't seeing Kill Bill red after that dirty business in the elimination?
- Katya
- Alaska
- Tatianna OUT
- Detox
- Alyssa Edwards
- Roxxxy Andrews
- Ginger Minj OUT
- Phi Phi O'Hara OUT
- Coco Montrese OUT
- Adore Delano QUIT
Gif As Episode Grade:
Reader Comments (15)
Ugh, so frustrating. And so transparent. Tati's runway SLAYED and her commercial was clearly superior to Roxxy's. It was also just odd that Alaska won the lip sync at all. You'd think Ru - who is clearly setting the path for Alaska to win - would say, you know what, Alaska doesn't need another $10,000 when Katya is there doing win-worthy commercial/runway/ANDlipsync. But then Ru doesn't quite get Katya, does she?
And Alaska's choice is far worse than the perceived slight of Alyssa choosing Ginger over Katya. It was obviously a tactical movie, a move motivated by friendship, and a move clearly out of step with what Ru would have done. Sigh.
I'm over Alaska. She was always gonna be a front runner but they have tipped the scales too far in her favor and I'm tired of her stupid gimmicks for every lip sync. She isn't any fun outside of the challenges either. And that elimination...don't even get me started.
Team Katya all the way.
This was such a letdown. Last episode was one of RPDR's best ever and this was one of the worst. Not only because Alaska chose to protect her friend Roxxxy (and also herself, as Rolaskatox will strategically protect itself against Alyssa and Katya), but because of the producers' manipulation.
1) Tatiana did not have a bottom 2 commercial. She also SLAYED the runway, one of the best ever and an interesting suggestion that maybe if she had gone with her TLC persona rather than Ariana Grande she would have survived the Snatch Game challenge.
2) The bottom 2 were Detox and Roxxxy, easily. Of course, this could in theory have played as Sophie's Choice for Alaska, but the truth is she most likely would have simply eliminated Roxxxy, as Detox has been better the whole season (and was also better in challenge and runway in this episode). Tatiana was put in the bottom 2 to create tension (will Alaska boot off her friend and save the more deserving queen??)
3) Katya won the lipsynch. All Alaska had was a flag. Katya actually brought it. Katya also won the challenge (her commercial was the best by far). She also had a better runway look. The choice of Alaska as winner was blatantly to put her in the position to eliminate Roxxxy and test her reaction. This pisses me off not only because Tatiana was unfairly eliminated but Katya was denied the 10k that come with the victory.
4) Alaska has won three times now, only one of which was a fair win. She beat Katya on the Snatch Game lipsynch fair and square. She was great in the acting challenge, but Phi Phi served her ass on a platter on the lipsynch, so did Katya this time around.
I would expect Katya and Alyssa to wise up and team up, otherwise they have no chance. If any of them gets to win the lipsynch (unlikely, as the show is playing favorites) they must immediately eliminate Alaska, and they now have good grounds to do so (she started with the strategic eliminations, so it's only fair they fight back).
I'll have to rewatch the episode, but the only reason I was ok at the time with Alaska winning again was because I did think she performed better in the lip sync. But overall Katya slayed everything else. The minute Tatiana was in the bottom was bullshit to me. Should've been Detox and Roxxy. I was actually shocked.
And Alaska's decision was pure BS. So annoying.
Such a steady tumble for Roxxxy after emerging so strong right out of the gate at the start of the season. But even she seemed to think she should've gone home.
Thus far, Alaska has been in some strong lipsyncs this season that could've gone either way, but hands down I thought Katya should've won this one. I love Alaska, but I'm just struggling to find a compelling reason at this point for her to be the winner other than our collective love for her. Sure she's performed consistently, but not as memorably as say Katya or Alyssa
Alaska's commercial was very similar to the commercial she did from her season ... Red (or Read). It was funny, but still, it was a slight rehash. I get that the season belongs to Alaska. She is consistently awesome and, had she kicked it into high gear earlier, she probably would have won her season. But Katya got the shaft this week. Her commercial was hysterical. Let's all admit that we have been "crippled under the burden of existential pain" all weekend. That was classic and shows that Katya is no dummy clown.
Agreed with everyone above, and I just want to reiterate how tired Alaska's lip syncs are. Girl, if you stick that foot in the air again or do another fake death drop, I'm going to have to start calling you Pearl.
Katya should have won based on her leg-guitar move alone. Detox's commercial and product were so lame. Tatianna shouldn't even have been in the bottom two. If it wasn't obvious already that Ru has chosen Alaska as the predetermined winner, this episode makes it glaringly clear.
I'm a huge Detox fan but there's no way she's outperforming Alyssa Edwards on this season. She deserved to be up for elimination this episode—her video was the worst of the bunch.
Tatiana shouldn't have been eliminated because she technically shouldn't have been in the bottom. Plus, that would have forced Alyssa to choose between the rest of Rolaskatoxx and made much better TV.
Forced Alaska*
Why is everybody suddenly in LOVE with Tatiana? To me she as about as much persona as a can of tuna. Go Alaska, go!
katya hasn't performed better than alaska this (whole) season... no.
I, for one, welcome our new Alaskan overlords.
Ironic that consistent excellence, a virtue in any performer, becomes a stick to beat them with in a competitive reality TV context. 'Oh, this is so boring'!
One of the things I've always quite appreciated about RPDR is that it has never felt the need to generate fake suspense by sharing out wins, the way a show like Project Runway does - avoiding rewarding the same person too often always produces such ridiculous contortions to justify manifestly inferior choices. Is Ru showing favoritism towards Alaska? Or does he just think Alaska is consistently doing well and prefers her lip-synchs to those of her competitors? (What's the difference between favoritism and judging consistently, if, by your standards, one person often does the best?)
I'm super-sad that Tatianna went home over Roxxxy, but if I were in Alaska's shoes, I'd have done the same thing: get rid of the stronger competitor. Besides, we may think Alaska has this on lock, but Alaska has to be thinking about what happens if she ends up on the bottom: she must feel the other queens gunning for her. Having a queen feel like she owes you one isn't a bad bit of insurance.
It's also sad to see people turn on a queen for being careful in front of the cameras. Katya, Alyssa and Tati have been more fun as talking heads/workroom presences this season, for sure, but at the end of the day, this is a performance competition, and Alaska is just formidable. I miss the old silliness and looseness she displayed in season 5, as I think a lot of other people do, but I'll take a careful backstage presence who saves it for the stage over a totally charming but faltering performer. Beyond the context of this show, its what they bring to the stage or their videos that will sustain them.
Alaska does about the same thing each lip sync, including a gimmick to get up in another queen's face. That face lick was unnecessary. The camera barely showed Katya during that lip sync, and she still outperformed Alaska.
If you are just going to choose Alaska as the winner anyways, why not put Roxxxy and Detox in the bottom like it should have been? You can have your little Rolaskatox drama and get it over with by sending Roxxxy home.
The producers/Ru know who each queen picks to get eliminated, which makes it all the more fishy and gross to me. Alaska could have easily won this season without the riggery of this episode and now her eventual crowning will be tainted for me. It will be even worse this week when Roxxxy is in the top (it's a makeover challenge) and Alyssa will probably be sent home.
Now that Phi Phi is gone, Alaska is suddenly the new villainess?? & hell, she deserves it!!! Sending home Tati is more a strategic move (to eliminate the stronger competitor) than the so-called sistahood bond w Roxxy (BS!!!).
I agreed that the bottom two shld've been Detox & Roxxy & I bet Alaska wld've sent Detok home & kept Roxxy nonetheless!!! Lol
I know Alaska is slaying the competition now but fingers x that a miracle happens & Katya or Alyssa pulls the rug from Alaska in the finale!! That would be DELICIOUS!!