‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8,’ Episode 3 recap: Supermarket, swept

The short length of a RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season, combined with the typical two-episode premiere drop, means we get pretty deep into a season in just a few weeks’ time. After this week’s third episode, we’re actually a quarter of the way done. Three episodes might not seem like much, but when it comes to building narratives that we’ll see pay off this season, 25 percent into it is when we should be seeing the stories form.

So it’s somewhat alarming that at this point in All Stars 8, I can think of … one? storyline that’s in motion. And I can only tell you about it because of Untucked! On the whole, this season features a cast that should be quite exciting in terms of raw potential, but has yet to gel as a group. The queens are focused on their own performances and redemptions, and it’s leading to more limited interaction between them. (Not helping this: the reduction and moving of deliberations to Untucked. But I won’t start beating that horse again.)

This reflects a greater trend in American Drag Race over the last several years, one in which fan response and a change in philosophy has led to less focus on interpersonal drama. I understand the impulse, especially since pockets of the fan base have repeatedly proven that, if there’s a reason to send hate to a queen, they will. But previous seasons (All Stars 6, Season 14) have still managed to build storylines without much personal drama. All Stars 8 is basically just airing a competition that looks like a Drag Race season, without any of the signatures that make it a television show.

With nothing else to go off of, we’re left to just evaluate the competition on its merits. And in this week’s Supermarket Ball, the results are … okay! Nothing terrible, mostly, nothing much to write home about. The judging is a mess, but truly at this point, that’s not news with All Stars 8. But ultimately, this episode doesn’t quell my concerns about this season. When Drag Race is going to be nothing but a competition, it needs to be great—and we’re not getting that yet.

The three categories for this edition of the ball challenge are Legen-dairy Queens, with looks “inspired by the dairy section” of the grocery store; Fruity Patootie, “inspired by nature’s candy,” aka fruit; and Supermarket Supermodel, in which queens must make outfits out of materials you’d find at a supermarket. (Very Project Runway series premiere Gristedes challenge.) However, the items are simply brought in by an expanded Pit Crew—including Bruno appearing from the voting booth, which makes LaLa Ri faux-faint with excitement.

Obviously, it’s the self-constructed look that has the 10 remaining All Stars queens most concerned. Mrs. Kasha Davis, who is admittedly not a designer (questioning why they have to make their own outfits, she asks, “Do we have to whittle our own pencils to write a note?”), is among the most concerned. But the absolute most scared is LaLa, who is fully experiencing a traumatic response to this challenge coming up again.

“I cannot make nothing worse than the bag look,” she says, wanting to leave her gift bag glamour in the past. She’s learned to sew, so she’s a whole new queen! Never mind that, upon her first attempt, she forgets to even put thread in the machine. “God, Jesus be with me,” she whispers in a confessional. Something tells me she’ll need more than God and Jesus to get her to a win this week.

Not concerned at all, however, is Jessica Wild! She notes that she hasn’t done a ball challenge before, but did great in the unconventional materials challenge in Season 2. More than that, she’s a seamstress, so she’s got a natural leg up. In general, while a ball is about three garments, the queens who can design great final looks are in the best shape. That’s the look you’re in when the judges are critiquing you, and it’s the one that’s going to define your performance in the challenge.

Jessica indeed does well this week, and scores a top placement with three polished, well-put-together looks. She does a remarkable job styling her final look, which could otherwise underwhelm as a simple bodysuit with stuff glued on. Her overall presentation gets her the win, to the surprise of some of her fellow queens. Admittedly, I’m a bit surprised too—but as a Jessica stan, I’m utterly delighted she’ll get her shot at the $30,000 tip.

Also critiqued are Kandy Muse—who delivers the same silhouette twice, but gets kudos for her final look—and Jimbo, whose looks guest judge JoJo Siwa seems particularly into. LaLa also scores in the top, and of those named to be in the top, she would probably be my winner. Her Fruity Patootie look, a take on a caramel apple, isn’t great, but her self-made look is surprisingly chic. Taken with her striking Legen-dairy category entry, and she made the most lasting impression across three very different looks.

In the safe crowd are Kahanna Montrese (whose banana look for the second category is a stunner, but whiffs a bit on the final look), Heidi N Closet (whose well-constructed final look goes without comment, much to her chagrin), Jaymes Mansfield (whose output is a bit too predictable for my taste) and Alexis Michelle, who would be my actual pick for the win. Alexis’s looks are incredibly polished, but not repetitive—and her blueberry gown for the second category is probably my single favourite look of the night. It’s disappointing to see Alexis doing so well in these early episodes, only to mostly not be recognized by the judges.

She at least avoids negative critiques, though, which is more than can be said for Darienne Lake and her Rochester sister, Kasha. Darienne mostly does well, but she has a couple of technical mistakes in her garments (in particular how milk “drops” are placed in her first gown) that drag down her average. When everyone is mostly solid, those kinds of mistakes drag you down.

But Darienne has no real room to fear considering Kasha’s final look. It is a birthday party monstrosity, with so much going on that your eye has no room to settle. It’s easily the worst look of the night, and combined with her seeming willingness to go home, it basically makes Jessica’s choice for her.

It is Jessica’s choice, though, because she wins the lip sync! The Lip Sync Assassin is returning Canada vs The World champion Ra’Jah O’Hara, who is gobsmacked to hear about the $30,000 prize on the table. Perhaps wanting to help a sister out, or just not knowing how best to approach Kim Petras’s “Coconuts,” she fails to impress in her lip sync. Meanwhile, Jessica wisely pulls out a breastplate that can bounce with the best of them, and she does exactly what you’d expect of this lip sync. Jessica wins, and she sends Kasha off to the Fame Games.

Overall, an underwhelming episode of All Stars 8, and one that leaves me nervous for the season’s future. But hey, while 25 percent of the season may be done, 75 percent remains. And there’s plenty of time for them to turn things around. At least, I hope there is—this cast deserves a season to match.

Untucking our final thoughts

✨ The Other Half of the Story, Deliberations Edition: Lots of interesting stuff in Untucked this week. The safe queens actually don’t believe Jessica is in the top, and are shocked when the returning queens announce she’s won. Meanwhile, Heidi is quite upset she’s not in the top, and gets prodded about it repeatedly by the others (especially Kandy). She actually threatens to quit at one point, under her breath to Kandy, but it seemingly goes nowhere. Still, I can’t imagine we’re seeing this if it’s not going to pay off later. The crucial thing for this week, though, is that Kasha fails to properly plead her case to Jessica, all but giving her her blessing to send her home. The queens are divided, though: Alexis, Kandy, Kahanna, Darienne and LaLa voted for Kasha, while Jimbo, Kasha, Heidi and Jaymes voted for Darienne.

✨ The Other Half of the Story, Fame Games Edition: Not a lot of great output in the Fame Games this week, honestly. Monica Beverly Hillz’s outfit for the Fruity Patootie category is cool, and much better than her Legen-dairy look. Conversely, I like Naysha Lopez’s Legen-dairy look a lot, while her Fruity Patootie look is yet another bodysuit.

✨ JoJo Siwa is a delight throughout the episode and Untucked, but it does seem like she’s on a slightly different frequency than the rest of the judges. I personally appreciate her enthusiasm, especially since it doesn’t prevent her from offering constructive criticism. As we see in Untucked, she knows Kandy Muse’s “Lucky” verse, and raps it with her during critiques. Taste!

✨ Ts Madison returns to the rotating judge’s chair, and proves once again why she should probably just be given the chair permanently. Her fiery critique of Kasha’s look cuts through the bullshit in a way Ross Mathews and Carson Kressley haven’t in seasons. She, like JoJo, is infectious in her enthusiasm without sacrificing her ability as a judge.

✨ Jessica’s response when Ru asks if she’s ready for the Lip Sync Assassin: “The question is: is she ready for Jessica Wild?”

✨ Speaking of the LSA: Ra’Jah doesn’t leave the stage after losing the lip sync, and instead just goes to the back. I’m not sure if this is the new format, or that Ra’Jah just wants to hang out. But it’s very funny, because she just looks like a member of the cast afterward. She even appropriately gags upon learning about the Fame Games!

✨ Kasha and Jessica are revealed to have been the votes against Kahanna last week. Jessica is more easily excused, thanks to her tight bond with Puerto Rican sister Naysha, while Kasha fumbles upon being asked about it. “I hate games!” she says in confessional. “The best I could play is UNO.”

✨ Jaymes accidentally starts a conversation about kinks when she says her grey hankie around her neck is for bondage. Alexis asks if anyone’s been in a sex swing, and in full Tyra Banks “How many people were scared?” fashion, immediately raises her own hand.

✨ Speaking of Alexis, she is going full court press with her crush on LaLa! We learn she also slid into Jimbo’s DMs once upon a time, but nowadays, she wants LaLa to come over for dinner. “I make a wonderful roast chicken,” she says.

✨ “There’s always time for kindness.” My heart. Miss you already, Mrs. Davis.

The next episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars will stream Friday, May 26, at 3 a.m. EDT on Paramount+ in the U.S. and on Crave in Canada. Check back every weekend after new episodes for our recaps and power rankings, and subscribe to our drag newsletter Wig! for exclusive Drag Race content delivered straight to your inbox every Tuesday afternoon.