RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE recap: "Conjoined Queens"

This week started with the girls discussing another queen coming back. Top picks were Trixie Mattel, Max and Kandy Ho. Ginger was rocking Ben Franklin realness for no reason, but I digress.

The mini challenge, "Orange is the New Drag," started with a comeback surprise for sure! Latrice Royale made a guest appearance as the law enforcement officer from TuckaHoe prison. The girls were asked to do a prison look. Kennedy came out in a stellar outfit with ashy skin and all! Ginger was more grandma in prison. Jadynn came out in a hilarious take on the theme! Katya wore a confusing leopard mask that I didn't really understand. Fame killed it as the prison ho with a Farm Life stomach tattoo. Pearl listed her prison job as nail tech, which I just lived for. 

Pearl did a look that was ghetto fabulous and she worked it. But Violet's Lil Princess was the clear winner to the viewing audience, even though Ru named Kennedy the winner. 

With Kennedy named the winner she got to pick partners for the maxi challenge. Jaws hit the floor when ALL the eliminated queens came back.  Kennedy, in an obvious choice, picked Mr. Ed to work with … I mean Jasmin Masters. In a cast of shade she paired Jaidynn with Tempest, and lemme tell you THAT was read as Kennedy seeing her as a threat and being scared. Pearl and Trixie were teamed up in an adorable friendship burrito. Katya and Kasha were teamed up again with the painful reminders of how that pairing ended in her going last time. Why this wasn't held over Trixie's head in her pairing with Pearl I'm not sure. Violet and Max were teamed up in what seemed like a perfect pairing. Ginger and Sasha Belle were teamed up in what seemed like the ultimate annoyance for Ginger. Fame and Kandy Ho were teamed up in what I'm calling basic bitch realness. 

The teams were set in place and RuPaul said it perfectly when she told she girls "That bitch you threw under the bus might be driving the greyhound next time you need a ride." 

While Tempest and Jaidynn worked hard to make their differences work, on the opposite end you had team Ginger. Ginger was working hard to try and win the challenge but Sasha Belle seemed more intent on socializing around the work room. Kandy Ho and Fame seemed to work well as a team which is no surprise because Kandy seems to want to be Fame so bad she can't stand it. 

Katya and Kasha were a fun pair to watch. Kasha pointed out that Violet has grown as a person while she was away, and that was an excellent point to make. Violet has been making a concerted effort to change the way she comes across in the work room. 

Watching the ideas start flowing in the work room for the Siamese twin challenge was fun. The fart that no one thought to connect at the head was surprising to me. I feel like that would've been a great way to really set your team apart and flex your skills as a make up artist. The tensions mounted in the work room and the queens started opening up about their past was apt to happen. Tempest talked about the torture she was put through known as conversion therapy. The fact that she has any reverence for her mother who subjected her to that is astounding to me. It speaks to Tempest's good character and loving heart. 

Trixie spoke about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepdad for being too feminine. I love that she took Trixie, the negative name her stepdad gave her, and turned it into something she can be proud of, her drag persona. 

Coming down the runway first, we had Kennedy and Jasmine Masters. Their look was pretty plain and basic, predictable from them. They called it Cotton Club realness, I called it noncreative realness. 

Katya and Kasha came down the runway connected at the vagina as Atlantic City slut machines, they were super funny but the characters they were playing we've seen before. Max and Violet had a jaw dropping look that sent Michelle Visage to heaven. I barely recognized Max, she was gag worthy and I couldn't tell them apart. Fame and Kandy did the beaten to death plastic surgery theme, it was unremarkable. However, Fame FINALLY got the "How's your head" joke and the crowd rejoiced. Ginger and Sasha Belle's joined at the boob was underwhelming. They could've done it better. Their boob looked like a McDonalds Play Land tube that kids crawl through. They called it "Peggy Bundy realness" but it was more like awkward tube realness. Jaidynn and Tempest get an A for effort but there was no saving that pairing. Pearl and Trixie shined as inbred pageant queens. Pearl played up the nasty and Trixie went for the joke. Pearl and Trixie won the challenge, to no one's surprise. 

As guest judges Nelson and Leann Rimes watched, Ginger and Jaidynn lip synced for their lives to "I Think We're Alone Now." They definitely both brought it but for Jaidynn this was her third lip-sync and no one survives that. Ginger ending up getting to stay. 

Next week will have Ginger staying after being in the bottom and Trixie Mattel back to fight for the title.