Welcome to RuPaul’s Drag Race Power Rankings! Every week, we’re debriefing the week’s new episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 to determine which queens are riding high, and which need she-mergency care. Which queens owned everything in their Monopulence looks, and which are falling behind in the pack?
14. Lucky Starzzz (last placement: 3)—ELIMINATED
Well, this sucks. I can’t quibble with any of Ru’s decision-making here: Lucky’s outfit was bad, the presentation was worse (the terrible mug! that lifeless hair!) and she felt like she had to do something out of her usual wheelhouse when no one was putting that pressure on her. Yes, it’s unfortunate that she got “pretty fabrics” instead of unconventional materials, but she really should’ve known that was a possibility considering other modern design challenges, and there was no reason to default to a simple silhouette instead of trying to make something high-concept out of the fabrics. Then, in the lip sync, Lucky got soundly defeated by Joella; she did way too much at first, and at times, it seemed like Lucky didn’t even know the words. The end result is that one of the most interesting queens of the season is now the Porkchop. Lucky for All Starzzz—excuse me, All Stars.
13. Joella (last placement: 6)
There is something intriguing about Joella’s brand of delusion that I can’t quite look away from. She got read down by Hormona Lisa in the cold open. Hormona! Joella, stand up! Anyway, Joella’s bodysuit was awful, but I’m somewhat impressed she got anything done considering her experience level. One day, perhaps, the queens will learn that you have to come with basic sewing knowledge to guarantee making it past the early phases of a Drag Race season. Kudos to her for the lip sync, though: she really commanded the stage well. She earned her spot for another week—and if her delusions in Untucked are any indication, she’ll continue to entertain us for as long as she’s here.
12. Kori King (last placement: 5)
I personally don’t get Kori’s placement. Yeah, she wasn’t the most opulent-looking on the stage, but her outfit was cute, and it fit her brand better than any runway she’s presented so far this season. Plus, she didn’t break the rules! That alone should have landed Hormona in the bottom over Kori. But I think the show has plans for Hormona, including some kind of feud storyline with Kori. What better way to add some fuel to that fire than a low placement for Kori? Still, I don’t think there was a chance in hell of Kori landing in the bottom two over Lucky or Joella this week, so she was relatively safe, even considering her placement.
11. Hormona Lisa (last placement: 7)
I guess I just don’t know what to say here. Hormona did something explicitly against the rules, and while I assume she’d claim not to know using her own stones was a problem, there’s just too much suspicious behaviour here. Presumably, Hormona did the work in her hotel room, not in the werk room where a producer would be there to stop her. (Hormona says she showed up in the morning with a fully finished garment, and Lexi Love calling her out happens off-camera.) Why would you do that for any reason other than trying to avoid someone telling you no? And while she’s now claiming others did the same (a fact indirectly backed up by Lexi), why didn’t she call them out in the moment? Her gown turned out lovely, but that’s only worth so much when the circumstances are so suspect. Like I said, I’d have absolutely put her in the bottom for the rule-breaking alone. Fair is fair.
10. Acacia Forgot (last placement: 7)
I’m waiting for Acacia to show us something that demonstrates why she’s in this competition. She just doesn’t seem hungry to win, and is very comfortable with her specific, country-infused style of drag. Her Dolly Parton-inspired look was emblematic of that: it wasn’t the worst of the week (though I hated the jeweled treatment on her breasts), but there’s no world in which it was going to win this challenge. Between this and her talent show performance, it seems Acacia forgot that, in this competition, you can’t just rest on the drag that got you here—you have to keep pushing forward.
9. Lana Ja’Rae (last placement: 6)
Poor Lana kinda got clowned by the production decision to reveal not only the Rate-a-Queen rankings, but how each individual queen rated their sisters. Her alliance with Arrietty was exposed, and while Onya Nurve seemed to take more issue with Arrietty than Lana, it’s still not ideal. While this is not All Stars, so there’s not a present fear of a social game, Drag Race is proving this season that it is always down for an extra twist. I have a feeling if anything comes about that does have a social component to it, Lana’s sisters won’t forget. As for Lana’s outfit: it was fine. Kinda hated the hem, but it was a safe garment overall.
8. Suzie Toot (last placement: 1)
I wish I liked this devilish look more. It felt very Suzie, and this early in the game, showing you can keep your brand consistent even when you have to make something on the fly is a good thing. But considering the category called for opulence and expensive-looking garments, this look was a bit too costume-y. It kinda had the same problem as Acacia’s to me, but I did think this was a better effort. I would call it more of a creative solution to a problem (Suzie wanting to make it through this week while staying true to her drag) than a real shot at winning the challenge. Plus, she has a win under her belt, she’s not going anywhere.
7. Lexi Love (last placement: 1)
Lexi seemed very proud of that trick with the fabric unrolling, and I get it! It was cute, and a great reference! But I think she needed to spend more time on the outfit as a whole, because it was just too simple. The biggest issue for me was how short it was. Like Suzie, I think Lexi found a way through the challenge more than trying for the win. That said, the most intriguing thing that happened with Lexi this week was her calling out Hormona for cheating. I like that Lexi is paying attention, and isn’t afraid to speak up if she sees something suspect. Hormona was mad at her, it seems, but I also don’t think Hormona has a lot of time left in this competition, so Lexi shouldn’t sweat it too much.
6. Jewels Sparkles (last placement: 2)
While Onya was in the wrong for taking Jewels’ trim—she asked and Jewels said no, so any claims of “sharing” after that were a little silly—I don’t love how Jewels handled it initially. Gossiping with a friend loud enough that Onya could hear, but not actually confronting Onya, isn’t the stuff of reality TV greats. I will give her credit for delivering in the argument once Onya called her out, though. On the runway, Jewels looked good; the ruching was well-done, and the dress fit her beautifully. I didn’t love the headpiece, but overall, this was a very solid effort from Jewels.
5. Lydia B Kollins (last placement: 4)
I really liked this ruched Big Bird look from Lydia! A couple of the other queens struggled with the bright yellow fabric (Kori literally landed in the bottom for it) but Lydia’s choice to pair it with her dark hair and makeup made for a compelling contrast. I’m not sure I would’ve placed her high for it—honestly, the top five on my own scorecard this week were all really good—but it was a strong showing for Lydia Butthole Kollins. God, Ru really likes that middle name, doesn’t he?
4. Crystal Envy (last placement: 2)
Crystal’s drag name may be a bit generic, but her drag sure isn’t! I thought this was a really gorgeous look on her, with some cool detailing (the cape! the head-wrap!) and a good choice of hair to complement the deep blue. I’m not sure if I would’ve placed her in the top either, though, and though the judges weren’t explicitly judging queens in the same colour against each other, I’m sure another queen excelling in blue likely meant she was never going to land there. But this is another very strong showing for Crystal. Might I be underestimating her chances in this competition?
3. Onya Nurve (last placement: 3)
It do take Nurve to take your fellow queen’s trim without their permission, use it to create an amazing garment and then outplace her in the challenge. I don’t like that Onya took another queen’s materials after being told no, but I have a harder time being mad about it than I do with what Hormona did. Hormona’s illicit rhinestoning was explicitly against the rules, and I get the sense she tried to hide it. Onya’s action was so blatant, I can’t help but admire the audacity of it. Still, I’m glad she didn’t win, partially because of the message it would’ve sent, and because it was the clear third of the top three on a construction level. But that’s no diss: Onya’s emerald garment looked gorgeous, rich and truly Monopulent. A terrific showing, if one with a bit of an asterisk.
2. Arrietty (last placement: 5)
Arrietty’s a bit of a shit-stirrer, isn’t she! Her and Jewels’ chismosa corner, introduced this week, is likely to continue to cause drama, and Arrietty was unapologetic about her and Lana’s strategic play in Rate-a-Queen. That said, she’s messy, but not herself a mess—quite the opposite, she’s a stunning queen who turned out a gorgeous garment this week. The styling, particularly her mug and hair, was spectacular. I like someone who can cause some drama but back it up with great drag. She wouldn’t have been my winner this week, simply because the actual champion was so dominant, but this was a great runner-up showing.
1. Sam Star (last placement: 4)
The second Sam turned the corner on the main stage, it was over. Sam certainly inherited her garment construction skills from her drag mother! The amount of work in this garment alone would earn her a top spot, but it was the styling that got her the win. That hat! That fan! It was a feat of construction. Sam made something that would be stunning even if she brought it from home, all while using monochrome fabrics. More to the point, she looked incredibly expensive. We’ll see how Sam continues to grow in this competition, but this is a start to her journey worthy of her last name.