RuPaul's Drag Race: The Fabulous Bitch Ball 

Last week, the ladies (including a briefly re-appearing Kenya Michaels) got to frock some dads, with mixed results. The incoherent Kenya Michaels was sent home again, and no one cares again. The girls talk briefly about how Latrice has been in the bottom twice, but also about how Chad has never had to lip sync for his liiife. To be fair to Sharon, she only had to in that Frenemies week where she was relying on her arch-enemy, Phi Phi O'Hara. 

The mini challenge sees the girls doing a puppet show featuring one of their fellow competitors. Sharon Needles kills with her Chad Michaels puppet. Latrice's Sharon routine is a little uninspired. Chad talks about Phi Phi's snuggle tooth, and rightly points out that America isn't going to enjoy Phi Phi. Phi Phi does do a decent job of sending up Latrice for being "the Barry White of drag" and for having jewellery bust on the mainstage. Chad wins the mini challenge. 

The main challenge for the week is to draw inspiration from a canine companion and create three different looks. The categories are Daytime Dog Park, Pooch in a Purse, and Canine Couture. After Ru visits the workroom to check on the progress, he announces that the ladies will also have to produce a Broadway-style dance routine ("Think CATS, but, you know, dogs"). Chad Michaels is in charge of the Broadway number, and all of the girls feel like they have too much to do. Their one rehearsal is fraught with disagreements and Phi Phi bitching. 

Latrice Royale (and Babyface, a small red dog)

Daytime Dog Park: Latrice's daytime look is not that great. It does look like something a bigger gal would wear in the daytime, but there is nothing fabulous about it. Her hair is also too flat. 

Pooch in a Purse (party girl): Latrice's party girl is a bit better. The top is a gold sparkly halter that works, but the skirt is a really tight mini that doesn't fit well. It is all stretched in the wrong places. 

Canine Couture: Her couture look is really awful. It is a rust orange gown that is fully sleeved and to the ground. The neck is lined with some gross fur, too. Really not a good look to end on here. 

Chad Michaels (and Filan, a reddish Chinese crested)

Daytime Dog Park: Cher's (I mean Chad's) daytime look is ok. It is cute enough as an outfit, but fairly boring. She really looks like Cher in that wig. 

Pooch in a Purse (party girl): Chad's party girl is really more of a party woman. She says she is "serving Kardashian realness", but she looks pretty old in this look. 

Canine Couture: Chad's couture look is a bit weird. She says she is channeling Cruella DeVille, and I guess I can see that. I think the problem is that Cruella isn't a couture look. 

Sharon Needles (and Callie, a white standard poodle)

Sharon appears to be struggling with this challenge. She (apparently) isn't a sewer, and she is just tired out. She also predicts that she won't be in the top three, which is odd for her. 

Daytime Dog Park: Sharon's daytime look is the most normal thing we have ever seen her in. She looks like bitch walking her dog, and I mean that as a compliment. 

Pooch in a Purse (party girl): Sharon's party girl look is really amazing. She totally looks like a combination of Lindsay Lohan and one of the Olsen twins. She even has the ankle monitor…classic Needles. 

Canine Couture: Despite all her talk of exhaustion, Sharon manages to bang out a great couture look. She made some spectacular boots coated in curly poodle fur. She has a giant wig to match, as well. 

Phi Phi O'Hara (and Hunter, a bloodhound)

Daytime Dog Park: Phi Phi goes for a Barbie doll-inspired look with a hint of Nicki Minaj. I guess it isn't the worst. 

Pooch in a Purse (party girl): Phi Phi looks young and fun in her neon-themed party look. She does pair it with a cardigan that takes away from the whole look, but I like the rest of it. 

Canine Couture: Phi Phi's couture look is pretty good (if not terribly couture). She is wearing some kick-ass thigh-high suede boots and the outfit is like a leotard thing with a coat over it. It works, for the most part, even though her hair looks like it was styled by Rose Nylund and Blanche Deveraux. 

I am choosing not to comment on the dumb Broadway routine…it is really strange and not that entertaining. 

Mainstage

Ru is wearing a somewhat strange black trash bag dress with roses on it, but she manages to work it out and make it fierce, of course. She is joined by guest judges Rose McGowan and the amazing Wynnona Judd. They are joined by standard judges Santino and Michelle Visage. I have been really glad to see mostly Michelle and Santino as our guest judges this season. They are the best at it, and I have a hate-on for Billy B.  

The judges find various failures with mostly Latrice's looks. They really aren't wrong about the problems with them—the first was weird, the second was ok, and the third was boring. The guest judges liked Chad Michaels more than our standard judges did this week. As they have been saying for weeks, he is too boringly perfect. Sharon Needles wins the challenge, which is amazing. Phi Phi is also safe, which means that Chad and Latrice are in the bottom two and will have to lip sync…..for their liiiiiiiiiiiiiiives. 

The girls are syncing to "No One Else on Earth" by Ms. Winona Judd herself. Latrice really struggles with song, and admits that he hasn't done a much country lip syncing. He goes for the soul, again, but it just doesn't work. She was definitely handed the last two lip syncs, so it is only fair that she gets challenged on her third trip to the bottom. Chad Michaels is asked to shante, and stay, and our awesome big lady, Ms. Latrice Royale is sent sashaying away. Ru gives her a heartfelt thanks for being there, and Latrice returns the compliments. It is clear that everyone loves Latrice, and will be sad to see her go. 

This leaves us with our final three, people. Sharon Needles. Phi Phi O'Hara. Chad Michaels. Shabooom!

Hidden Gems

• Not too many good gems for today. The girls were all stressed out while they had to pull all these looks together, and some of the levity is gone from the show because of it. 
  
  
• The judges are also taking it very seriously, and the panel isn't as zingy and light as usual. 
  
  
• The show tried to manufacture a bit of drama by asking each of the dragtestants who should make the final three. It gives us one more chance for a shouting match between Phi Phi and Sharon. To Sharon's credit, she was just answering Ru's question and Phi Phi started yelling out her. Annoying. I am getting worried that she will win.
  
  
• During the judging critiques, the show pans to the Interior Illusions lounge for reaction shots from the girl's dog partners. It is a nice and hilarious touch. 
  
  
• We are thrilled to have a guest commenter with us this week. Junior Mint's thoughts, "I thought Latrice was strong all the way through. She has always been such a strong synced, it is hard to see her go. I love the way her emotions come through". So true.
  
  
• And last word goes to the Peanut Gallery, "You gotta stay on top. Girl peaked too soon, sadly." She will be missed.