Part two of the Drag Race season 16 premiere has arrived, and it is messy boots.
Major spoilers ahead.
The search for ‘America’s Next Drag Superstar’ continued on Saturday (13 January), with the last seven queens making their way into the iconic werkroom: Hershii LiqCour-Jeté, Plasma, Geneva Karr, Plane Jane, Megami, Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige, and the first Taiwanese queen of the franchise Nymphia Wind.
After making their grand entrances, the group noticed that the workroom was already occupied with wigs and makeup.
“The fact that it’s a split premiere is honestly kind of good because there will be less bitches sucking up air out of the room so I can truly shine,” Jane said in a confessional.
With everyone accounted for, the queens were treated to their first piece of RuMail before RuPaul herself entered the workroom in a stunning black and white suit number.
“My beautiful queens, welcome to RuPaul’s Drag Race. Condragulations you got the job,” Ru exclaimed. “Now, as you may have noticed, you are not the first to arrive. That’s right, seven of your sickening sisters started their journey last week.”
In a confessional, Megami threw some lighthearted shade toward the first group of queens, stating: “Being in the second group is a little bit annoying, but at the same time, by now, America has already forgotten about those girls.”
Before leaving the workroom, Ru tasked the ladies with their first photo shoot mini-challenge, revealing that they were going to team up with someone who’s worked with everyone in the business.
“So shoulders back, tits out, and I’ll see you at the She-Mv,” Ru teased.
After serving face, comedy, and body in a DMV-inspired photoshoot – hosted by Ru and Beyoncé collaborator Ts Madison – Nymphia was named the challenge winner and awarded a prize of $2,500.
With the welcome pleasantries officially over and the mini challenge in the bag, Ru returned to business by revealing the girls’ first maxi challenge.
“No ladykins! For this week’s maxi-challenge we want you to showcase your talents at the Queen Choice Awards,” Ru revealed.
Like last week’s episode, Ru dropped a few shocking twists, including the Rate-A-Queen voting format and the return of immunity.
Shortly after Ru’s departure, the queens started to discuss the new peer evaluation system, with Plasma asking her sisters if they would play fair or dirty.
While the other ladies were mulling over the question, Jane was the first queen to state that her vote would be based on the person’s performance and merits.
“I don’t know all of you all that well yet, and I want to be fair in my assessment. I don’t know how long each of y’all are gonna last in this competition,’ she explained.
“But what I do know is that if I see something that I’m like ‘Yes bitch work’ that’s gonna be my top vote.”
While the other queens seemingly echoed similar sentiments, Hershii didn’t buy what her sisters were selling.
“I don’t know who to watch in this room right now. All these girls are looking like they’re trying to play nice but somebody’s gonna play a dirty game,” she explained in a confessional.
“It’s giving me anxiety a little bit because at the end of the day, I just met these girls that are around me and I don’t trust them.”
The next day, the seven queens entered the workroom to prepare for the Queen Choice Awards talent show and their first elimination.
While painting their faces, the queens opened up about their backstories, including Hershii’s parenthood journey and Nymphia’s close bond with her Taiwanese drag family and fans.
However, before taking the stage, the ladies were hit with one final surprise, but this time, it was in the form of celebrity guest judge Becky G, who told the queens what she was looking for in their talent show performances.
“[I’m looking for] representation. I think that that looks different for everyone. Like, no one else can do what you do,” she explained.
“Seeing you guys take these opportunities, take the stage, and represent yourselves in something that is sometimes even bigger than you, that representation is really important. So I would say that’s what I’m looking for tonight.”
After Becky’s visit, the queens headed to the main stage to deliver their sickening talent at the Queen Choice Awards.
Hosted by Drag Race alum Derrick Barry, the seven contestants gagged the judges throughout the challenge by delivering comedic lip-syncs, gag-worthy rap verses, stunning costume changes, celebrity impressions, shocking platform flips, culture-infused dances, and empowering messages combating the rise of anti-drag rhetoric.
With their talent officially showcased, the queens strutted down the runway in their very best “Made Ya Look” ensembles before meeting the judges.
While the panel showered all the queens with praise, Ru reminded the contestants that they were in charge of selecting the tops and bottoms of the week with the new Rate-a-Queen system.
During the voting process, most of the ladies played nice; however, Jane put the queens she thought did the worst in the top positions – essentially going back on her pledge to play fair.
After submitting their votes, Ru announced that the top two queens – Geneva and Jane – would be the ones to lip-sync for the cash prize, maxi-challenge win, and immunity.
In addition to the aforementioned twist, Ru revealed that no one would be going home this week.
To the beat of Becky G’s track ‘Shower,’ the two queens delivered a gagworthy performance full of drama, turns, nip slips, splits, and stunts.
In the end, Mama Ru named Jane the winner of the Queen Choice Awards talent show and, of course, immunity.
On next week’s episode of Drag Race season 16, the two batches of queens finally meet and are tasked with their first ball of the season.
The 14 sickening contestants will also be tasked with participating in the Rate-A-Queen format again.
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 and its aftershow – RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked – are available exclusively in the UK on WOW Presents Plus every Saturday. Subscribe now via https://uk.wowpresentsplus.com/
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