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Hello, hello, hello! We are down to the elite eight of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16, and Mama Ru is once again testing the queen’s sense of style. Who did sew good and who was left bobbin along? Read on and find out!
As the episode opens, Morphine Love Dion is positively gutted that Xunami is gone, and even Plane Jane is emotional, stating that “we lost someone special.” (She also felt the “shocking elimination” overshadowed her Snatch Game win.) Speaking of Snatch, Mhi’ya Iman LePaige feels like Sapphira Cristal should have won with her hilarious impersonation of James Brown (I agree). Dawn points out that the time to play it safe is over – and was also shocked that Nymphia Wind wasn’t in the bottom last week (but that Runway…). Q says that the queens want a big player kicked out of the competition…is this foreshadowing?
This week’s mini challenge is pure chaos and completely unhinged, which is how I like my mini challenges. The queens have to get into quick drag (yay!) and compete in a spit take challenge (a comedic act first performed by Danny Thomas, a person which I am sure only Ru knows in that room…and among most of the viewing audience.) Ru delivers some good spit take prompts, like telling Q that Plane Jane was voted Miss Congeniality, that Plasma received a cease and desist from Patti LuPone and informing Nymphia that she would have to redo the Snatch Game. All of the queens were funny, but our little banana had Ru doubled over with laughter, so Nymphia is the winner.
For the week’s maxi challenge, the queens must showcase their design skills again by creating a from-scratch neo-goth look (think Elvira meets Saint Laurent). Mhi’ya is (understandably) unhappy about this, and our fashion-forward queens, including Dawn, are excited. With some of these competitors, I think the real winner will be the audience.
The queens make a mad dash for the fabric in black, white, and grey shades. Some of the dolls have ideas from the get-go, like Q, who is envisioning a Victorian baby doll look. Poor Plasma is a bit lost, as she has no relationship with Goth. Jane tries to help by reminding her goth is not old-school Hollywood, so that’s a start…I guess. Jane is obviously not a fan of Plasma’s “matronly” aesthetic and says she really needs to do something different. Morphine recognizes that she has no room forever and works on a Latin-flavored Elvira look. Sapphira, working without her potion, also is one of whom goth is not in her wheelhouse, so she just works on something “big, poufy and out there.” Dawn definitely has the most intriguing sketch, promising a “sculptural chandelier moment” – and I am here for it.
Nymphia is again crying wolf, which Morphine vows to ignore, but she can’t use yellow, so she is a bit stymied. Nymphia teaches Morphine a little Mandarin (as Morphine tried to teach Spanish to the banana queen a few episodes back), and it’s a fun moment. Jane feels confident about her two-piece bolero outfit with fringe and embellishments (and she also still has her immunity potion.) Plasma is struggling, and Dawn is worried for her, suggesting she make a smart decision, which apparently means she opts for a shredded coat that sounds like what Jane was working on. Cue a flashback to the great aquamarine velvet design challenge from a few weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Nymphia has a fabulous headpiece working but still can’t nail down a full concept. Jane finds working with decorative chain taking longer than anticipated and Plasma is completely in her head. Sapphira takes on her mother role and gives Plasma a hug and a pep talk, telling her she’s concerned for her “insides.” Mother then goes over to whatever Mhi’ya has going on and just says “Ohhhh….” She decided to help her with her garment – which needs a lot of it – and the other queens are noting this. Side note: if Sapphira isn’t voted Miss Congeniality, I will scream “riggory!” at the finale.
On elimination day, the queens complain about their lack of sleep the night before, except for Mhi’ya, which Jane resents. Dawn says she’s proud of Plasma’s “cute and chic” outfit and Nymphia says she’s not seeing goth in Q’s look. As the queens get ready, Morphine talks about dating as a teenager, stating she dated three girls so she wouldn’t be perceived as gay. Plasma admitted she was afraid to date in her small Texas hometown and has yet to date someone seriously. Morphine adds that as a non-binary person, it’s also hard for her to find the one, but she’s happier since she came out. Good for her.
The runway theme is “See You Next Wednesday.” Ru was not adhering to the theme, but she looked radiant nonetheless. Jane’s sketch didn’t do the finished piece justice, as her Gaultier inspired look was fantastic, covered in shredded fabric, chains and ribbons. Mhi’ya adorned her latex in the front, lace in the back gown with raven accessories. It wasn’t great, but I wonder what it would have looked like without Sapphira’s assistance. Dawn’s elf ears are back and her look is pretty amazing, from her feathered head piece to her hoop skirt (held together with fishing wire.) Morphine delivered what she promised. Her mug was beat to the goth gods and her dress was giving Elvira.
Plasma was more of a 70s era goth Cher (wearing Jane’s wig from the Cher runway), and Sapphira was a goth mom in a sequined spider web gown (which was truly beautiful) – but her “over it” facial expressions really sold the look. Nymphia also pulled off a great look (not like we ever doubted she would) and served a dark spider lady. Q also delivered on her idea with a black and white, puffed sleeve dress coat that evoked a Victorian doll. Kudos.
This week, no one was safe (except Jane, who is still saving her immunity potion.) Jane, Q, Sapphira, Nymphia and Dawn all got positive critiques, while Morphine, Plasma and Mhi’ya found themselves on the chopping block. Ru declared Q the winner (another design challenge victory) and put Mhi’ya and Plasma in the bottom two.
The two duked it out to a TikTok remix of Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary” and if Mhi’ya isn’t on call as a lip sync assassin for the next All Stars, I will be shocked. She gave us a Sasha Velour moment as she shook black petals from her wig (although she left her wig cap n, which kind of took me out of t for a second) and the usual array of flips and energy.
Poor Plasma just couldn’t keep up, giving a performance described as “frazzled and frantic” and was ultimately the queen to sashay away – which was kind of another shocker. One of the top competitors is gone, so what’s next for the other frontrunners? Find out next week!
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