With eight queens left fighting for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar... who shall be next to go in RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13?
This week’s episode started with the queen saying goodbye to Elliott with two Ts and Utica admitting to feeling empowered by the experience of overcoming the lip-sync – a notion which the other queens didn’t share.
The next day the queens arrive in the werkroom and are whisked off to the main stage with psychic medium Char Margolis. Char told the girls that she was going to be exposing all the different relationships going on between the cast.
Rosé and Denali close relationship came up - we see you two!
There was also Tina’s dad who wanted to express support for Tina, and... Utica was visited by her childhood cow? Brilliant.
After the reading, the girls were paired off together with someone that Char thinks they can learn something from.
The pairings were: Tina and Rosé, Olivia Lux and Denali, Symone and Utica and Kandy Muse and Gottmik.
As the queens discussed ideas, we could see who the strongest pair and the weakest pair were.
Olivia and Denali seemed as thick as thieves as they discussed their plan of attack. Denali, obviously putting Olivia in an icy figure skater theme, while Denali would be embracing the pageant queen realness.
With Tina and Rosé, it felt like a could be an interesting dynamic as they were both New York queens but turns out they didn’t have any kind of relationship. Turns out that the more they got to know each other, they seemed to be forming a good relationship with them even flirting with them.
Symone and Utica, now that was an interesting pairing. It was clear that Symone was terrified by what Utica was going put her, which we saw when she explained the story behind the look. While on the other side, Symone wanted Utica to wear an outfit tribute to Halle Berry, which is a stunning idea, but Utica felt uncomfortable about racial appropriation.
Kandy and Gottmik who are already best friends, but their struggles start with the size difference. Luckily for them, Gottmik is a fashion queen and was able to get creative and make their outfits fit their different body sizes.
On the Main Stage, guest judge Loni Love (you better had read that in the voice) was back with Michelle, Carson and Ru judge.
The first queen to strut the runway was Rosé her make-up looked harsh but, the campy 50s housewife dress and apron kind of suited her? The red hair didn’t look so great, but you could defiantly see the family resemblance. Tina came out in a hot pink wig (omg something not red) and a pastel/ black mini dress.
Olivia and Denali were the next pair to walk the runway. Olivia had the signature long blonde braid, and a baby blue mini dress and Denali came out in this gorgeous long elegant sequin gown and an orange vixen wig.
Symone dressed in an under-skin bodysuit and a caramel over-wear and Utica came out in a tiger suit with this beautiful blonde wig, absolutely nailing Symone walk as well.
Gottmik and Kandy were the last pair to walk the runway and the pair radiated each other’s energy and looks and just killed the challenge.
Now time for the judge’s critiques.
Rosé and Tina both got great comments and they both used each other’s signature runway walks and actions.
Michelle let rip into Olivia for not putting Denali in anything that screams trademark Olivia and Denali was told off for the poor paint and lack of blending on Olivia’s face.
The judges were blown away by the resemblance between Symone and Utica. They loved the way they embodied each other.
Gottmik and Kandy had similar praises for how confident they are and trusting in their own fashion artistry to make the outfits work.
It’s that point of the season when Ru asks the queens who they think should be eliminated tonight and we both know that someone is going to take offence.
Rosé, Tina, Symone, Utica and Gottmik all named Olivia, purely on how bad she had done in this challenge.
Olivia named Utica, which to me, wasn’t surprised because I kind of get the feeling Olivia does not like Utica.
Denali named Kandy because she said that Gottmik looked more like Tina Burner to which surprise surprise Kandy got offence.
Kandy then proceeds to clap back by saying that both Denali and Olivia as a team were the bottoms.
After the deliberation, Ru announced Symone and Utica dual winners, which they deserved.
Gottmik and Kandy were declared safe so, that left the other two pairs vulnerable and I personally think Tina and Rosé should have been declared safe at the same time as Gottmik and Kandy.
Due to how poorly Olivia and Denali did, they had to lip-sync against each other. Lip syncing to “Shackles (Praise You) by Mary Mary, they both did some fantastic performance but unfortunately, another favourite of Ru, Olivia stays.
Saying goodbye to Denali was hard because I wanted to see so much more of her.
RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13 continues Saturdays, exclusive to Netflix in the UK.
Words by Bethan Case for Female First.
Tagged in RuPaul's Drag Race