"Cher: The Unauthorized Rusical"
Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 12:28PM by Nathaniel R
S10E8 Well, so that was a perfect episode. Not at all Suspect. Sorry for the Cher pun but Season 10 has been on fire with smart casting, great episodes, rainbow colored madness, inspired mini-challenges, and memorable runway themes. The writers and editors aren't sleeping through it either. Note how well Monét's silly RuPaul mimicry (pictured above) kicked off the episode with bad celebrity impersonation and Ru's campy-funny "slap out of it" mini-challenge both dovetailed so neatly into the CHER homage maxi-challenge...
Just about the only weak thing in the episode was the Rusical itself and the performance of almost all of the queens therein. But then the rusicals are nearly always trainwrecks... which is part of why they work from a competition aspect.
You're a winner, baby
Indeed only two queens gave anything remotely like passable Chers - Kameron Michaels (who won the challenge) and Monét X Change (who might have won instead with a different runway look). Miz Cracker and Aquaria both had gag-worthy runways but their Chers were dismal... so the judges really only had two options: Kameron and Monét.
Sashay away
The Vixen was finally sent packing on her third lipsynch with her friend Asia O'Hara doing the uncomfortable honors after a heart-to-heart about The Vixen's anger management issues.
Miss Congeniality?
Asia (who was looking out for the Vixen this episode and who previously helped other girls with outfits) and Monét (who pep-talked Eureka in this episode, and who seems kind in general even when she's throwing shade) are both gunning for "Miss Congeniality" this season, aren't they?
Quotable Bitches
"It sounds like an insane asylum in here" -Miz Cracker
"I hope the other bitches are listening to this because this is good shit" -RuPaul
"The first time I ever lipsynched was in Joey's basement. And that's not a euphemism" - Andrew Rannels
Name dropping
Guest judges: Andrew Rannels and Billy Eichner with a special appearance by Chad Michaels and Todrick Hall; Pop culture references this episode: Joan Rivers, Destiny's Child, Mister Ed, LeVar Burton, Tyler Perry's Madea, Insane Clown Posse, Candy Spelling, Dennis Rodman, The Lion King, Beyoncé, She-Devil, Ethel Merman, Lady Bunny, Mariah Carey's Glitter, and anything and everything Cher related.
Rankings
Shifts from last week indicated with arrows...
| PREDICTION | PREFERENCE |
 |
 |
| Subject to change as we get to know them | |
| 1. Eureka |
1. 🔺 Monét X Change |
| 2. Aquaria | 2. Eureka |
| 3. Asia O'Hara | 3. Monique Heart OUT |
| 4. 🔺 Kameron Michaels | 4. Miz Cracker |
| 5. Monét X Change | 5. 🔺Kameron Michaels |
| 6. 🔻 Miz Cracker | 6. 🔻Asia O'Hara |
| 7. The Vixen OUT | 7. Aquaria |
| 8. Monique Heart OUT | 8. Dusty Ray Bottoms OUT |
| 9. Blair St Clair OUT | 9. The Vixen OUT |
| 10. Mayhem Miller OUT | 10. Yuhua Hamasaki OUT |
| 11. Dusty Ray Bottoms OUT | 11. Blair St Clair OUT |
| 12. Yuhua Hamasaki OUT | 12. Mayhem Miller OUT |
| 13. Kalorie Karbdashian Williams OUT | 13. Kalorie Karbdashian Williams OUT |
| 14. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo OUT | 14. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo OUT |
Gif as episode grade
Reader Comments (24)
There's no more low hanging fruit now. And that is not a euphemism. Although I have my favorites (Monet can come over for dinner!), no one is terrible or unlikeable now. And they all might have won a few seasons ago (ahem, Violet Chachki).
This was a good episode. I finally understood The Vixen and thus really felt for her. The challenge was majorly daunting and I get why the contestants overall did less-than-stellar work. Billy Eichner and Andrew Rannels are both so adorbs, I don't know who I have a bigger crush on.
booooo Miz Cracker was my favorite out of the bunch! I think Monet should have won over kameron, but it is what it is. I’m team cracker all the way and hope she can pull in a win in the next two episodes
The bottom two this week weren't necessarily the worst singers (let's face it: Having seven guys who mostly can't sing at all do a live musical is bound to end up a trainwreck), but they were the ones who gave the least Cher-vibes. And can I say I'm glad to see the Vixen go? In the end, there was nothing but negativity coming from her. (Although, I have to say, she never looked better on the runway.)
And: Hooray for Kameron Michaels. Glad to see her win. By now, she probably has a better shot at Top 3 than Miz Cracker and Monét (who will be battling out Miss Congeniality with Monique). Asia and Eureka feel like locks, and I have a feeling it will be either Kameron or Aquaria for that third spot.
Also: Chad Michaels looks (and sounds) so much like Cher that I actually thought it was her for a moment or two.
I'm wondering if Miss Congeniality will come back or if they will officially change it to Fan Favorite from the last reunion? Maybe they should do both! I hope Asia can get Congeniality but I fear it's just going to go to Vanjie for her endlessly quotable name,
Feels like the appropriate timing but still sad to see The Vixen go. One of the most defining and crucial queens to ever step on that show. I'm happy they gave her that moment with Asia even if the editing was overwhelmingly shady towards her this episode.
I think subpar runway aside, Monet should've easily won since her Cher was the only one I'd say was genuinely great.
Being realistic, I think we know who will win Miz Congeniality. The fandom wants what it wants.
There are people who think this is a mess of a season. I honestly don't know what they want anymore in a season of Drag Race that isn't just reruns of season 5.
I don't think we should be so faintly praising of Kameron. She's flown way under the radar, but this week really stepped up. Great runway, great challenge and was truly the only one who I feel Chad Michaels would have praised. Correct bottom two, I feel, although Aquaria was very close.
What I love about Monet: She may not win this thing, but she won't act like a loser before she's lost. One of the best attitudes we've ever seen on this show, in my opinion. Just unflappable.
Asia and Aquaria have their faults but both bring a level of polish and visual imagination to the table. Eureka has been very strong. And Kameron has never put a foot wrong—she exceeds expectations every single time.
Kameron Michaels is a perfectly competent competitor but america's next drag superstar she is not- she's never been bad but she's never been great and she's always been a little boring. I've been ready for her to go since week 1. Also, Monet would be a much stronger competitor and would likely have won a couple challenges by now if she had a sliver of fashion sense.
all in all this a great season but most of the queens i was excited for had early departures- (vanjie, mayhem, monique, and now the vixen, though it probably was her time to go) At this point it's difficult to imagine anyone but eureka winning, which i'm 100% on board with.
WHEN WILL MIZ CRACKER GET HER WIN?!!!
The Vixen was one of the most complex and compelling queens ever on the show and it is a shame to see her go just as she seemed to be having a breakthrough with her personality. I truly appreciated Asia's talking some sense into her this episode and the last scenes of Untucked, post elimination, were so real and heartfelt that it didn't even feel like a reality show.
The Maxi Challenge was awful, and the runway was surprisingly lackluster, given the potential of the theme. Kameron won both fairly, but even with a lot more screen time that usual, she still did not engage and excite. She is a competent queen capable of very much, but there's a big a difference between being a wall flower and being as boring as watching wallpaper dry. She is leaning toward the latter, and that is a shame.
The bottom three should have been Cracker, The Vixen and Asia. Cracker dodges a deserved bottom placement now for the second time (the other time was when The Vixen was put on the bottom 2 instead of her against Blair St. Clair), so I guess she truly is a judge's favorite.
Asia x The Vixen should have happened last week anyway, so I guess this lip-sync was overdue, in a sense. Performance-wise, it seemed like a tie to me, with Asia's body of work and general dislike of The Vixen being two key factors in having Asia stay.
Finally, Monique's absence from the confessionals was deeply felt.
predictions
- FINAL 4
KAMERON
AQUARIA
EUREKA
ASIA
5 - MONET (wish she was i the top 4 but i think she'll leave soon)
6 - MIZ CRACKER (talk the talk but not quite walk the walk - she channels katya, jinxx and alaska universe of intellectual funny drag but is not as great. PLUS the runway looks are really pastiche and not showing much vulnerability doesn't make her a loveable freak)
I'm not sure what's going on with Miz Cracker. She seems to be very in her head. Want her to shine more than she is. But I actually thought her Cher was one of the best? And god love Monet and Asia. Such a fun gorgeous relationship. Could do without Asia's excuses though whenever things go awry. I do not understand the love for Wureka; she's very talented but the looks are blah. Oddly enough, Aquaria is my favourite. Incredible looks, quietly knowledgable, surprisingly funny and a weirdo. Her Cher was terrible though ahah.
at this point i could see any of the remaining queens in the top three/four, but i only see eureka or asia winning [the former over the latter, unless they're repeating last season's lip-syncher take all format? ]
monet, by being in the bottom two twice, has the odds stacked against her - nobody's won with that on their record
cameron and aquaria don't have the charisma to take the crown, and miz cracker always seems like she should be more of a contender, but...[like trixie her fist time around]
the mini-challenge slapathon was the funniest thing on the show since puppets
Deee-Lite for ever.
Long time due we get Lady Miss Kier as guest judge, where is she??
Toby -- that would be amazing!
Ani Di -- agreed about Miz Cracker.
par -- i think Asia is going to win at this point but I'd love Eureka to win. Not only do I think she has great looks and is really funny but no big queen has ever won. Not even Latrice or Ginger Minj.
I think Aquaria will win. She's shown impressive range and consistency—and proved the skeptics (including me) wrong. She's also a great lip syncer who we may never see lip sync before the finale, and that surprise factor definitely helped Sasha. Plus, finales are *made* for queens like Aquaria to turn unforgettable looks.
Asia is a great queen but her lows have been very low: Snatch Game, Cher. I don't know if an eventual winner has ever bombed that hard once, much less twice. In the modern era, Bob, Jinkx, Sharon and Raja all landed in the bottom but it wasn't due to a catastrophe like Beyonce or Moonstruck. Those queens had slightly off weeks or landed in the bottom due to an insanely high bar across the board.
I felt like I was being gaslit in this episode by being told Miz Cracker didn't do a phenomenal job. She nailed the complex choreography and her runway looked like a Tony Award vomiting on Patti Lupone (in a good way!).
Whats all up with you? THIS EPISODE WAS GREAT AS A WHOLE I GUESS! ;-)
Why Cracker hasnt yet won is beyond me, but since two of my favorites are gone only by having one not so good week (Blair und Monet) I am afraif Miz Cracker goes next or the week after. Eureka is so anoying, please dont handle her the crown. People forget that Asia was more than the last two episodes near the buttom. She was before. Nice personality, some nice looks, but never stood out for me. Aquaria, Kameron & Cracker are my top 3 now, but I have a feeling only Aquaria will make it into the final. So I hope in the End she will win in a Violet Chachki kind of way. BUT besides the always great runways she has a real clever humor. Her Snatch Game was really really worthy of the win for me. Monet is now good at the challenges, but she reminds me so much of bob and has less fashion talent. Much less fashion talent! (#sorry for me english^^)
Why in the world do a lot of you think Asia will win? Y'all, she's likely going home next week. She is way out of her league with the other remaining queens. And the other big thing about her - she makes way too many excuses for her poor performances. She's gone.
I too am confused how people are so confident in Asia making it much farther. Even in the weeks she wasn’t in the bottom 3, which is at least 3 times so far, Asia has impressed maybe once or twice and I don’t think she’s come anywhere close to a win. I also felt like I watched a completely different Rusical. Eureka was easily bottom 3 with vixen and Asia. She looked and sounded like a mess up there. At least cracker and aquaria looked, sung, and danced like seasoned professionals, if not Cher impersonators