'RuPaul's Drag Race' returns with high fashion and high drama

Oh, thank goddess this show is back. I’m calling it now: I think the top three are going to be Miss Fame, Kennedy, and Pearl.

Miss Fame was killing it with that spiky purple outfit she sauntered in with, Pearl has a unique look that RuPaul always gravitates towards even though she’s booooooring as hell, and Kennedy is a veteran sure to ace most of the challenges. Then again, Violet Chackhi might pull it off if she can reel her ego in.

I instantly fell in love with Ginger Minj after she described herself as an “overweight, ashthmatic, chainsmoking cross dresser glamour toad.” She’s so funny and real, and I hope she goes to the bitter end. Violet Chachki is young and arrogant, but I just about died when she flipped that cape inside out to reveal another tartan plaid outfit. A two-for-one on the runway is ALWAYS a big hit—remember the wig under the wig?

There are some obvious changes for the better; the judge’s table has been freshened up a bit by adding Carson Kressley and Ross Matthews (and guest judge Kathy Griffin), and the offensive She-Mail segment that was finally taken away last season was replaced with a picture of a talking baby. The claws are already out. Age, weight, outfits—nothing is off limits. The mini-challenge was pretty intense this time, since Ru asked them to put on their best two outfits and do both a spring and fall runway.

“Any sensible queen should know how to make a dress.” — Tempest Dujour

The maxi-challenge was all about tearaway resort wear because Ru wanted them naked and afraid; most of the looks were hideous, but Violet Chackhi deserved to win. I was surprised by Max’s ill-advised use of polio crutches as props; it was weird and offensive and didn’t make sense.

Sasha Belle made it through even though she wore a black bra to a naked contest (“I think I was confused by the assignment”), but she won’t last a month. Tempest Dujour wore a loose, ill-fitting suit and a crab belt and Kandy Ho’s makeup was so bad it looked like she painted on a beard, so it’s no surprise both were on the bottom.

They lip synched to RuPaul’s “Geronimo.” When do they have time to learn these sonsg? Kandy Ho at least knew how to dance, actively twerking while Tempest did noodle arms, and that was really her only saving grace.

(Katya had it right when she said “I don’t know what Miss Crab lady is doing during the lip synch but the bearded ho is turning it out.”) Tempest sashayed away, and the fashion week extravaganza came to a close.

Danielle Henderson is a lapsed academic, heavy metal karaoke machine, and culture editor at Fusion. She enjoys thinking about how race, gender, and sexuality shape our cultural narratives, but not in a boring way.