RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars E8 - Finale
Saturday, October 15, 2016 at 7:32PM by Chris Feil
Can you believe that this season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars was only eight episodes? It feels like we have been gagging over the seemingly endless stream of drama and twists for much longer, but now the season must come to a close. After last week, the internet was vocal about Alaska's tantrum and even I took some flak for considering her run otherwise unsatisfying - but Alaska did play it smart with the fallout.
For the queens final challenge, they put on a supersized showgirl musical number with original raps written around their personas. Before the performance, the girls also visited Ru and Michelle Visage for a mini segment of their podcast "What's The Tee?", narrowly avoiding the podcast's shucking for SquareSpace ("you know it really is so easy") and Casper mattresses in a tweaked version of the old Tic Tac lunches...
Best Rap Moment - Katya - "It's a rash, not a herpes sore."
Best Rap Overall - Detox
But the thrust of the episode was Alaska redeeming herself for stumbling so hard in the previous episode. It's hard not to relate to how her self-punishing perfectionism became her undoing, especially how it could lead to weaker impulses (Rolaskatox). She may not have quite loosened up this episode, but she was once again flawless in the challenge and runway, and that perfection was finally interesting. When having to answer why she should be the winner, Alaska's answer was both accurate and unexpected: she is the show's ultimate queen because she's also its biggest fan. Finally, Alaska's passion shown through the flawless veneer she imposed on herself.
Personal/Episode Best Runway - Roxxxy Andrews
The season's most imperfect performer Roxxxy Andrews at least got to go out with somewhat of a bang. The episode all but ignores her, knowing full well that she's not really in the running to win, and once again she flubs the challenge with unmemorable lyrics and shaky lipsyncing. Her redemptive narrative arc had long been fulfilled, but the contrast in her behavior from cruel bitch to ceaselessly humble is still striking and refreshing in such a heated season. Before Ru graciously eliminated her, her runway mopped her competition. Cheers, queen.
The show was clear that Roxxxy had no chance, but it didn't present Detox much better. While she had screen time, it was as if they were trying to justify her presence in the finale, which doesn't feel quite fair considering she's been a strong performer. Her professed reason for winning is to be queen of the weirdos, a passion that the episode never lets her fully elaborate on, preventing an emotional connection between us and her. This show has never nearly been completely balanced on presenting its top three, but this felt the most disproportionate in some time.
Best Speech - Katya
Katya's anxiety and addiction demons have played out in long form between her season seven run, her post-show YouTube content, and now here on All Stars. In a short time, we've been able to become invested in her journey to both accept her talent and herself as enough (the journey to self-love is one that Drag Race tell better than any show on television, period). In her podcast/Tic Tac lunch, she spoke to now being able to name the self-doubting voice in her head in order to dispel it: "You know what, Brenda? Shut the fuck up." We come to Katya for the off-the-wall unexpected humor, but we stay for how she helps us tell our own Brendas to fuck off.
Her flexibility and hilarity were on full display for the challenge, but her real moment came in that final "sell yourself as the winner" declaration:
In season seven, you let me show the world that I'm good enough. And here, you let me believe it myself.
By the runway's end and Ru's proud tears, it was time to crown the winner.
Alaska was crowned victorious, in a well earned win despite the fanbase being largely #TeamKatya. But it's difficult to find fault in the decision - Alaska was not only a worthy competitor (if still somewhat unsatisfying) all season and she's one of the foremost queens in the shows enduring legacy. However, one of the show's consistent problems is presenting a predictable winner over the course of the season (see: every winning queen since Raja in season 3). Maybe doubling doubling down on Alaska's meltdown in the edit was to throw off our scent (it kinda worked), but it's not uncommon for an ultimate winner to falter right before the finale.
And if you want to be extra pissed for Katya, remember that she has no prizes to show for her run on the season. Even Tatianna has $5000 from her shared lipsync win with Alyssa. The emotional arc for Katya was also a sign she wouldn't be our winner - if a contestant has some kind of emotional breakthrough, the show likes to treat that as a personal "win". But we'll keep on adoring Katya, for she is going nowhere!
Gif as Episode/Season/Katya Grade:
Would you call this the show's greatest season? Does Alaska's meltdown sour her victory for you? Or is Katya still your favorite complex human woman of grace and dignity?
Reader Comments (17)
Alaska's over-rehearsed speech really put me off. She should win AllStars because she's a Drag Race superfan? Really?!?! That was the best she could come up with?
I'm firmly on Team Katya. There's heart and humor in everything she does.
I love Katya so so much. "Lenin in the streets, Dostoevsky in the sheets" indeed.
Best season ever for me. Those season 8 girls got completely overshadowed this year.
I found new love in Tatianna, the Tati/Alyssa lipsync making it immediately into the Hall of Fame, the DRAMA on/off the show (You know the drama was THICK when Adore leaving is a distant memory), that final top 4 rap, and of course, getting to see Alyssa again.
I'm still hurt that Alyssa was SO CLOSE to the end and would have made an even stronger 4. She totally would have had a decent shot for the crown along with Katya....
But I can't deny that Alaska deserved it.
From the first day, Alaska was in it to win it and was not there to fuck around. She had a moment of weakness even though she kind of had that shit coming with her eliminations, anyone would have freaked out over doing stellar throughout the whole run and then flopping so close to the end. I can't fault her for that.
Can't fault the Alaska win, but Katya will always have my heart. She was an infinitely more human and hilarious presence in the producer interviews than Alaska. Damnit Ru, couldn't you have given her the win for just one of the lip syncs? Katya is the last person who should walk away from the competition without any tips for her troubles!
lest we all forget.......
The biggest winner ARE Mama Ru & Lego!! They really struck gold this time!!!
We all know deep in our hearts that Alaska is gonna take it, meltdown or not...Ru has been prepping her for the crown WHOLE season!! & everyone luvs a redemption story & Alaska adopts her Queen o Snakes title so utterly & even roll with it w such a RELISH that its hard to laugh along w her.
I juz felt sad for Katya...as mentioned by Chris, she was so close to the crown, & even thot she won 3 challenges, she din manage to win any lip-sync to snag any cash prizes...If there is one small mis-step in the finale, it will be her BALLOON skirt, which Michelle rightfully points out someone could hide in it (I keep expecting Pat to jump outta it during the lipsync!! Lol) & the song they chosen for the final lip-sync is sooooooooooo lame........Leave it to Alaska to smartly smug her make-up to create sum much-need drama in that lacklustre song...
IMO Alaska's gold shimmering gown is the most gorgeous of the night, befitting o a winner. She might deserves her win, but she's still a SNAKE!! Sorry 'bout that..........
Correction: Its hard NOT to laugh along w her....
On the rap & ending speech parts, I thot Alaska & Katya r both equally memorable & strong...
Its muz have been a neck-to-neck fight between them......
I'll alws stick Katya....if noting else, at least she plays fair....she alws pick the weakest queen to go back...too bad she never had a chance to exercise her choice
Rigga Morris won, no surprises there.
Such a lousy ending for a season that initially looked so promising.
was rooting for alaska, but this finale was lacking excitement.
also, the good vs evil narrative going into this finale, lord... it sort of belittles katya, because it's saying she could not win even against such a clearly awful queen (I'm talking about extreme hatred towards alaska here), after not having won a lackluster season before. congrats katya I guess?
I don't think it's fair to compare this season to other seasons and calling it "the best seasons yet" - it's like saying Immaculate Collection is Madonna's best album. It's technically true, but its cheating.
Can't begrudge Alaska's win, even if I had preferred Katya. I'm just sad Katya didn't get any cash prize and Alaska got $30,000 on top of her main prize winnings. Seems greedy. And frustrating that Ru chose drama over worth, giving Detox the win instead of Katya last week. Sure, it was dramatic of Detox sending Kayta home, but Katya winning a cash prize and sending the useless Roxxy Andrews home would make her losing the finale much easier to take.
Glenn -- hmmm Immaculate Collection analogy. Now i get it. So I'm back to season 5 being the best season?
Lindsay -- ugh. no tips for katya. I share your frustration though i sense that all of the queens are very well paid post TV fame.
They filmed all three possible crownings, but per the spoilers posted month's ago by Alaska's ex, everyone in the cast knew she won. The other contestants all but confirmed it. The edit, if anything, downplayed how much Alaska dominated the competition. She apparently won most of the mini challenges that weren't even aired, too, and the judges gushed about her every time she was critiqued except for in the makeover challenge.
I've been Team Katya since Season 3 when they showed her as an also ran on the casting special, but I can't begrudge Alaska the win. She did the best in the contest and that can't be ignored.
Now what I really can't wait for is the old school S1-S3 style reunion with the contestants locked in the studio with Ru and no audience to hold them back (oh at all). It's going to be messy.
Katya should have won the last two lipsyncs. Period. She killed it despite detox doing the predictable booty thing. Detox runways were so underrated. Not the best season at all. I think Ru let a lot if Gans down. Phi phi abd Rolaskatox pretty much killed the season for me.
And I didn't love the entitlement. Alaska did what she needed to do. Did she deserve all of her overall wins, nope. Her lipsyncs and kitch became Hella predictable. But her focus made her unfunded to watch abd root for her. But hey she came for the crown not fans. But not being honest on whtly she kept Roxxy around made her a hypocrite abd that sucks too. At least Detox was real about it. Kind of feal like this season brought out the worst in her. But again she got the crown so why should she care
Glenn - I get that from the perspective of the assemblage of queens, but as far as the construction of the show goes and successfully pulling off most of its narrative threads, I wouldn't call it a cheat
Tee - agreed on Detox's runways. I'm still over the moon for that black and red latex number
I think what I do not like is that they did clearly want Alaska to win, and that is annoying. I don't think she should have won 4 challenges, and she didn't get criticized for nearly anything except in the penultimate episode. She basically wore that finale gown in different variations 1/2 the season, didn't get clocked on her basic pants look, the blue alien thing was cheaply done. She and Detox kind of just do the same gimmicky thing each lip sync and don't get called out on it.
Agreed Ryan. Her lipsyncs with the silly dances became old. And how she won the pants runway is beyond me.
That was the most satisfying finale since before they started doing them "live. And the best group performance that I can remember--talk about a girl supergroup. Bring back taping! Scrap the audience! And the reunion looks better, too.
Best Rap Moment - Detox - "D to the E to the T to the O to the HOLD IT.... X."
Best Rap Overall - Katya
Episode Best Runway - Detox
Best Speech - Alaska
As a fellow superfan, I was gagged at the Shannel/India Ferrah/Phoenix/Gia/Laganja/Shangela/Alyssa references.