RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4 episode 8: What do we do with rigged shows?

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 4 queen Naomi Smalls

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4 became RuPaul’s Best Judy Race for the evening.

But RuPaul’s best friend race it was not.

Find out who became the good, the bad, and the ugly Judy below.

Drag Race All Stars 4 Episode 8—RuPaul’s Best Judy Race: the verdict

How much Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent was Episode 8 packing?

Overall: C.U.N.t

If you admire decency and fair play in your pals you won’t have been Ru-ting for this episode.

But if you prize the qualities of shade, drama, gags, emotional breakdowns, character development and power plays—then girl, this episode was Dorothy and you are her friend.

Iconic, camp, and a death that leaves the gay community shaking—it was indeed the Judy Garland of episodes.

The remaining queens from RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 4

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4: RuPaul’s Best Judy Race. (Comedy Central)

Challenge: C.U.N.

In past seasons the makeover week has tended to fall flat, with low energy and messy Ru-veals.

While it’s true that a defibrillator wouldn’t have gone amiss to pump some life into those bland lip sync numbers—when are they ever good?—the rest of the episode perked up nicely.

Bringing in the boys’ baes helped clean, highlight and contour this episode—resulting in a much more satisfying end product.

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Lewks: C.U.

Category is: Best Judys

Naomi Cher’d with us story, fashion and references—making her chances look Sonny.

Eye loved Monique and Shanida Heart’s on-brand body part lewks.

RuPaul's Drag Race queen Monique Heart

All eyes are on Monique and Shanida Heart (Comedy Central)

Trinity the twins served identical cabin crew and the judges bought a ticket.

Monet looked rich and cute, which, I guess is enough.

But Manila showed us just how much she thought she could sleep on this challenge—by wearing an actual bedsheet.

Not that cute.

But I appreciated it more than Latrice, who wore a gown, again.

Drag Race All Stars 4 episode 8: what do we do with rigged shows?

If I Only Had the Nerve

An RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 4 queen is eliminated

The writing is on the lip stick for Manila’s Drag Race run (Comedy Central)

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO THINK.

Part of me is going full-on-Tyra at Naomi right now.

Manila should have won this season—she was BenDeLaKilling it, and in a just world would have skipped right to the end of the yellow brick road.

But—honestly—a larger part of me is thrilled we finally got to see a scene like this play out.

A first time winner eliminating the front-runner, a queen that was supposedly her hero?

The producers must have been harder than a porn star on the Northern Line.

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Season 8 Naomi was underrated, got tired of the BS, and killed it.

All Stars 4 Naomi was overlooked, got tired of the BS, and killed the show.

I think she knew she wasn’t getting the winning edit.

She slayed more than that stalker from You—and was left just as wanting.

Ru asked her to stop being the sweet ingénue, to do something crazy.

Naomi snapped, and happily obliged.

A star was torn, and a villain born.

Drag Race All Stars 4 episode 8: emotions don’t scare me

If I Only Had the Heart

The devil works hard but RuPaul worked harder this episode, nudging the queens to share some—what she hopes are—Emmy award-winning tears, tails and trauma.

We got a moving—and frankly, long overdue—tribute to Manila’s ex and Season 2 queen Sahara Davenport, as well as tender moments from Latrice and Monique.

Drag Race queen Sahara Davenport (1984-2012)

A tribute to RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 2 queen Sahara Davenport (1984-2012) (Comedy Central)

We also witnessed the always bewildering spectacle of RuPaul-trying-to-conjure-up-the-illusion-of-crying-whilst-clearly-not-upset.

But I wonder if guru-Ru knew the lasting effect of her proselytising would be turning Naomi over to the dark side.

Drag Race All Stars 4 episode 8: herstory check

If I Only Had the Brain

Stonewall Riots of June 1969

RuPaul’s Drag Race pays homage to the Stonewall Riots (Comedy Central)

Was Stonewall influenced by Judy Garland’s funeral?

Maybe, but only the tiniest bit.

It’s a great bit of queer trivia to know the riots and funeral are, in some way, linked.

But placing her at the epicentre feels a bit disingenuous—no account of the riots written at that time mentions Garland as an inspiration.

Drag Race All Stars 4 episode 8: winners and losers

Lip sync, lip sink, or split lip?

Lip sync.

Naomi is turning into one of the fiercest lip sync assassins ever to grace the runway.

Naomi Smalls shakes things up on Drag Race

But it would have been nice to see a few more seconds of Monet, who was clearly feeling that song in her bones and letting it beam through her eyes.

Tributes to our fallen victor: the Man-ila that Got Away

Drag Race All Stars 4 episode 8: the report cards

The points system on VH1’s fantasy league have become meaningless. But who is on top?

1st: Trinity the Tuck

Edit: the one to beat / lip sync assassin (see: Alaska, Ben DeLa Creme).

Has she just won this thing? In a normal season, probably.

But this is All Stars, and with the eliminations going as they are—who the tuck knows.

2nd: Monet X Change

Edit: comeback queen (see: Katya).

The only other gal with three wins under her belt, Monet may be the only one able to stop a fourth #blondeandwhite queen from taking up residence in the Hall of Fame.

3rd: Monique Heart

Edit: narrator (see: Trixie).

A touching moment with Ru is always a good sign, but she needs at least one more win if she stands a chance of snatching the crown.

4th: Naomi Smalls

Edit: Fan favourite that loses out on a top place (see: Alyssa).

She’s not getting a winner’s edit, but she’s certainly cemented her leg-endary status.

I don’t think Naomi can win this season, but she may have already won this season.

5th: Latrice Royale

Edit: Your time is up (see: Roxxxy, Chi Chi).

Bye. Also, what better gig did your fiance have on, hun?

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