Last week on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 13, the queens faced their first design challenge of the season when RuPaul Charles asked them to cap off a three-look ball with a newly created garment inspired by and made from “bags.” Gottmik was declared the overall winner, her first, over Rosé who had to settle for second place for a third time. Left in the bottom two was LaLa Ri and Joey Jay, a “Fancy” lip sync convinced the judges that LaLa was the one deserving to stay.
This week, the competition continued with a “Disco-Mentary,” requiring the queens to share the herstory of the disco movement in a dancing challenge.
Below, check out our minute-by-minute “RuPaul’s Drag Race” recap of Season 13, Episode 6 to find out what happened on February 5, beginning at 8/7c. After following along with our live updating blog, be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite queens on VH1’s reality TV show, who annoys you the most, and who you think will ultimately join the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winners list.
8:02 p.m. – As it’s always said, “if you’re not watching ‘Untucked’ then you’re only getting half the story. That’s especially true tonight as we saw the fallout of last week’s combative “Untucked” episode continue to play out. In the episode, Tamisha Iman had returned to the work room dismayed by her own performance and without the patience for what she called arrogance from Kandy Muse. The two began an argument over Tamisha’s impression of Kandy’s personality that resulted in Kandy needing to leave the room with friends Gottmik and Tina Burner in order to calm down. Tonight we saw that the fight continued beyond the filming of “Untucked” with neither queen capable of de-escalating the conversation. Tamisha’s main point was that the girls who won in the initial weeks were separating themselves from the ones that had lost, creating a divide between the cast that caused the winners to see only each other as threats.
8:05 p.m. – Although the mood was still “bad girls club” energy the next morning, the queens had to shed that by working together to a mini challenge about standing out when posing against a matching wall. Ru asked the girls to pair up with someone they’d like to compete with in both the mini challenge and the maxi challenge, without knowing what the maxi challenge was. The pairs were: Rosé and Denali, Tina and Kandy, Symone and LaLa, Olivia Lux and Utica Queen, and Elliott with 2 Ts and Tamisha. As the previous week’s winner, Gottmik got to join any pair of her choice to make a throuple. She chose her best friends, Kandy and Tina.
8:09 p.m. – In the mini challenge the groups had 30 minutes to create dresses out of wall paper and then have one of them model it in front of a matching wall while the other provided commentary. Ru had a good time with all of the groups, but ultimately liked Elliott and Tamisha’s presentation of an animal print that they likened to Carole Baskin best. Next, Ru asked the girls to help bring a new “Disco-Mentary” to life by dancing their way through the history of disco culture. Each pair was given a chapter of the disco story to represent with a choreographed dance.
8:18 p.m. – While the groups made plans for their performance, Denali and Rosé clearly had high hopes for their chances at a win this week. Denali told Ru that their dancing skills as a pair would allow them to push themselves further. Ru was more concerned with why Rosé kept getting so close to a win without actually taking it. Rosé admitted to having a wall up still that is preventing her from showing any vulnerability which is something Ru tells her is what will make people fall in love with her.
8:29 p.m. – The queens met up with choreographer Miguel Zarate for a first lesson in the moves they’d be making. In the throuple’s rehearsal, Gottmik struggled connecting with the moves at the same pace as Tina and Kandy. Symone and LaLa needed extra time in their hip popping lessons wile Tamisha and Elliott had to contend with a hula hoop as a prop. Utica had an awful time trying to manage her prop, a flag, but her partner Olivia picked up the steps with ease. Naturally, as the best trained dancers, Rosé and Denali were given the most difficult choreo of the day, but were confident that they could rise to the expectations.
8:40 p.m. – The next day as the queens prepared for the performance and runway show, Tina, Gottmik and Kandy officially announced themselves to the rest of the cast as “the mean girls” with a team huddle moment. The fast friendship of the three had evolved into them relying on each other in a way that set them apart from everyone else, a likely spark to the fight between Kandy and Tamisha.
8:41 p.m. – Olivia reflected on her younger years struggling with weight and described for the other girls how in high school she finally went on a strict diet to reverse obesity. Eventually the changes in her life at that time lead to theater which in turn introduced her to a dream of drag. On the other side of the room, Kandy admitted (in ear shot of Tamisha) that her childhood was about fighting and defending herself with “hood smarts” in the streets. She said that this is why she does things like popping off with Tamisha, but is working on that aspect of her personality and instincts.
8:52 p.m. – This week Ru was joined on the main stage by Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley and returning guest judge Loni Love. In the “Disco-Mentary,” the throuple opened with a disco girl group vibe that put the focus on Tina’s exuberant energy. Next, Elliott embodied the sexy and free energy of the era, outshining Tamisha who looked like she overthinking each step. Utica played into her discomfort with dancing by making comedic faces, but Olivia set the floor aflame with crisp moves and a huge smile on her face. Trained dancers Rosé and Denali certainly hit all of their marks in their segment, but lacked any semblance of a personality. In a group number, Tina, Olivia and LaLa all stood out from the pack and then LaLa doubled down by turning out her dance with a more subdued Symone in the final segment.
9:02 p.m. – On the runway, the queens walked in the category “Little Black Dress.” Tina started it off with a reveal of a, yes, little black dress that she had brightened up with her signature red, yellow and orange touches. Kandy came next in an oversized canvas paper dress handprinted to look wet and dirty. Gottmik went over-literal with “the littlest black dress,” appearing near-nude with just a tiny dress and box covering her crotch and butt. Elliott kept it clean as an “opulent woman” in a black dress, Tamisha wore a self-made black classy gown, and Olivia came down in a simple black mini and a huge curly wig. Utica came next in a conceptual look inspired by gold earrings she was also wearing, followed by Denali in a spider-inspired velvet and beads dress. Rosé came next in a tulle-framed black dress, LaLa arrived in a very mini dress with silver drips of beads, and Symone walked last in a skimpy number made from extensions and referencing a RuPaul video.
9:11 p.m. – Based on judges’ scores, Ru announced that Gottmik, Denali, Rosé, LaLa and Symone were all safe, to the relief of Symone and frustration of Denali and Rosé. Tina was the first to receive a critique. Loni called her performance “out of the world,” but Michelle thought she could make small changes to her runway looks to make them better. Carson thought Kandy’s look was messy and Michelle thought the performance dress was plain while her attitude needed more variation. Elliott was clocked for a “regular” look, which was in contrast to how exciting her dance performance came across to the panel. The judges told Tamisha that she can let loose a little more and have “more fun” with what she shows them in the competition. Olivia earned high praise for both wigs she wore because it showed how perfectly she exuded a true disco vibe. Last, Utica’s dress on the runway was misunderstood by the judges, necessitating her to have to explain it. They also weren’t a fan of how she turned disco into comedy in the dances.
9:23 p.m. – After private deliberations, Ru decided that this week’s winner was clearly Olivia. Tina and Elliott were the other safe tops, joined by Utica as the one safe bottom. That meant that the episode would conclude as it began, with Tamisha and Kandy going head-to-head to determine which would stay and which would go. In their lip sync to Blu Cantrell‘s “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!),” Tamisha gave a classic drag performance that relied on composure and a solid rehearsal of the lyrics while Kandy delivered a more grounded performance that pulled intensity and emotion out of her. In the end, Ru decided that it was not Kandy’s time to leave and that she’d be the one to stay. With gratitude to Ru and the whole show, Tamisha said goodbye and in pure class gave Kandy a hug on the way out telling her not to worry. Tamisha “Class Act” Iman! Backstage she declared that she’s going home to immediately start working on upping her game to get ready for “All Stars.” Yes, please.
NEXT WEEK: Ross Mathews hosts a late night talk show spoof that puts acting, comedy and instincts to the test in an improv challenge.
