RuPaul’s Drag Race Recap: Hold My Purse While I Snatch the Crown

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Okay, let’s be real: Snatch Game hasn’t been consistently great for ages. Last year, only Onya and Jewels really landed, and the rest was pretty rough. The year before that, it was the same story – Plane and Sapphira were okay, but nothing special, and everyone else just struggled to get through it. Honestly, since Jinkx Monsoon’s legendary Judy Garland – which was an all-winners season, so the stakes were higher – it feels like forever since we got even two truly amazing performances in one season. I barely remember when Snatch Game reliably delivered at least a couple of masterclasses every year.

This trend was especially clear when looking at seasons 11 through 16: no queen who won a regular season ever placed well during the Snatch Game challenge. While Snatch Game was a consistent part of the show, it wasn’t considered crucial to a queen’s overall journey to winning. Because of this, winning the challenge didn’t really carry much weight. The performances just weren’t consistently strong enough to make a real difference at the end. Looking back, winners like Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Deja Skye, and Plane didn’t deliver Snatch Game performances with the same impact as queens like Jinkx Monsoon, Bob the Drag Queen, or Aquaria, whose wins in the challenge were key to their overall success. For those winning queens, Snatch Game was a major stepping stone.

I believe this season’s update to the Snatch Game was a success because it really challenged the queens. They were able to explore more physical humor, which made the segment feel new and exciting. Interestingly, both the best and worst performances this season were more extreme than we’ve seen in a long time – and that actually made for a more compelling episode overall!

This season’s group of contestants was consistently good, but no one really stood out as a clear winner. It felt like choosing between several equally talented performers. Last year, the two strongest contestants, Onya and Jewels, ended up as the top two, and I think this year’s winner, Nini, wasn’t dramatically better than the other finalists, or even those who were eliminated earlier. However, the strength of this season’s Snatch Game challenge shows just how talented the whole cast was, and it was genuinely fun to watch – which is a real win these days.

I thought the show’s format worked really well! I’ve never been a big fan of the usual Snatch Game challenge. It always felt too isolating, with the queens spread out on stage. It was also odd to see their full bodies while they were stuck sitting on stools. Only Jimbo, as Shirley Temple, really used the space to her advantage with her standing and tap dancing. This season’s Snatch Game of Love Island was much better because it got the queens moving and interacting in a more realistic setting. It’s no coincidence that the strongest performers were those who combined funny lines with strong physical performances. I also loved the confessional segments – they gave each queen a chance to deliver prepared jokes before having to improvise, which created a nice balance.

Before I talk about how each queen did, I was happy to see the top three all doing actual celebrity impressions. I agree with Myki Meeks – Snatch Game is about the art of impersonation, especially within drag, and the show should prioritize that, even if RuPaul doesn’t always. I really dislike when queens create completely original characters, and it’s even worse when the only interesting thing about them is that they’re gay. We saw a lot of that on the current season of UK vs the World, as I pointed out last week. It’s great to see the show specifically recognizing and rewarding strong impressions.

Let’s talk about the performances! Athena Dion played “Greta,” a character based on Aristotle Onassis’s first wife, before Jackie O. (He was actually married before, to a woman named Tina, who later married his competitor.) Athena hadn’t originally planned to play this role; RuPaul asked her to switch from her initial idea of Charlie Chaplin revealing he’s gay. That was a smart suggestion! This new version is much simpler, letting Athena lean into her Greek heritage, and it works well.

Jane Don’t, playing Truman Capote, was a standout. She was well-prepared, quick on her feet, and fully embodied the character. While her voice wasn’t a perfect match to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s, it was still very effective. She skillfully balanced planned moments, like taking notes, with spontaneous responses to the questions. Her joke about Cary Grant was a highlight of the episode, and confusing David Attenborough with Cynthia Nixon was almost as funny.

Mia’s portrayal of “Bloody Mary” is hilariously bad – it’s so sad, it’s funny. The whole performance is a mess from beginning to end. She doesn’t seem to have any idea who the character is, and struggles to even complete a thought, let alone tell a joke. While her line about “bloody shoes” is memorably awful, the best part is when she accidentally calls a plane’s “cockpit” a “pitcock.”

Nini’s performance reminded me of David Attenborough, and I’m torn about it. She’s clever and has a well-developed character, which I appreciate. However, she wouldn’t have been my choice to win. My issue is that it felt less like traditional drag and more like a character sketch. While Jane’s performance felt like a classic drag king act, Nini seemed to be simply portraying Attenborough. Her makeup leaned more towards theatrical than drag aesthetics, and her character felt very down-to-earth. It was a polished performance, but it lacked the over-the-top glamour I expect from a drag show.

Darlene plays Mrs. Claus, but the performance feels lost and doesn’t quite land. I appreciate that she’s developed a Mrs. Claus character beyond a simple stereotype, but the humor isn’t very strong. It feels like this concept could have been great for a challenge like Snatch Game, but it doesn’t quite work here. Darlene is naturally very likable, but she’s still learning how to effectively showcase that charm in her performances.

Kenya’s portrayal of Lizzo is disappointing. It feels one-dimensional, focusing only on her sexuality and body type. Watching her performance, I realized how much of Kenya’s actual, vibrant personality is missing from her roles. It just lacks joy and playfulness.

Okay, let me tell you, Myki absolutely killed it this week – easily my favorite performance! Her take on Drew Barrymore was spot-on. I was completely captivated by her mannerisms, especially how she sat and held her mouth – it was perfect. She didn’t just do Drew, she embodied the whole talk show persona, and it was hilarious. There was this brilliant, almost satirical take on how millennials talk, and she nailed it. She blended actual Barrymore quotes with original lines that felt completely authentic to the character. Plus, she looked fantastic! It was just a really clever and well-executed drag performance.

JoJo Siwa’s performance isn’t a complete failure, but it’s definitely not strong. In the Werk Room, she struggles to come up with a clear concept and never really considers a Siwa-inspired approach. While choosing a dancer is a sensible idea, her choreography doesn’t quite fit the character. She’s better at embodying a persona and answering questions than some of the other contestants, but considering the success of previous JoJo challenges on Canada’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, this version’s shortcomings are particularly noticeable.

Discord’s performance as the pope was visually funny, and she had some strong jokes. However, I felt like I was laughing at her rather than with her, which is a key difference. She’s usually a standout in the Snatch Game challenge, so it makes sense why the judges didn’t put her in the top this week, even though she’s usually a strong contender.

The runway challenge was ’80s Ladies, and the results were mixed. Athena channeled Joan Collins with a beautiful dress, but her makeup made her look older than intended. Jane’s Kate Pierson was cute and polished, while Mia’s Prince was her strongest look of the season – thankfully hidden under a large wig, and surprisingly, she kept a breastplate! Nini nailed Cyndi Lauper, and Darlene’s Dolly Parton was well-executed; she might benefit from incorporating more breastplate elements into her drag. Kenya’s Chaka Khan was a major miss – a simple tube dress and gloves weren’t enough. Myki’s Olivia Newton-John was accurate, but she unfortunately chose an outfit with notoriously ugly shoes, which Michelle called a disqualifying mistake. Juicy’s Celia Cruz was stunning, and it was great to see her with hair! Discord’s Reba featured her best walk yet, although her makeup was quite scary. The outfit itself was fine.

Jane, Myki, and Nini deserved to be at the top, and Mia, Juicy, and Kenya were rightly in the bottom. Nini ultimately won, though I wouldn’t have picked her myself. It felt like the show wanted to remind viewers that Nini is a strong competitor, as she hadn’t been highlighted recently. Myki was my favorite during the Snatch Game challenge, but Jane performed the best overall this week. RuPaul correctly chose Mia and Kenya for the bottom two, and they lip-synced to “Head Over Heels” by The Go-Go’s. Kenya won the lip sync; the upbeat song didn’t suit Mia’s more intense style, and Kenya clearly had more fun, hitting all the right moves. However, it’s time to send Kenya home. She hasn’t excelled in any challenge. While Mia’s Snatch Game was terrible, she’s been performing better overall than Kenya. Kenya is great in interviews, but her performances and runway looks have been consistently weak. It’s hard to see how she can succeed at this point. Since Mia performed well in the lip sync, it was the right time to eliminate Kenya.

And Also on Untucked…

Juicy was upset after receiving criticism that she wasn’t connecting with the judges, admitting she’s still figuring out her own identity. She hinted at some recent personal struggles that she’ll likely share later. Discord was frustrated with not placing in the top group. The girls who were safe hid snacks from Mia. Guest judge Brooke Shields made a fabulous appearance backstage. Everyone believed Kenya was going to be eliminated.

Sending Mia home makes sense because she’s the first of the five Florida girls to be eliminated. Having so many contestants from Florida was becoming difficult to manage.

At first, I thought the season was lacking new ideas. But it turns out the producers were holding back some big surprises! I clearly underestimated them.

Darlene shares her experiences with the Trauma Makeup Corner, expressing her gratitude for the supportive queer community she’s found. Growing up, she felt a lot of shame about being gay, but she’s been on a journey of self-discovery and is visibly becoming more comfortable and open throughout the season. Many feel her transformation is the most genuine of all the contestants.

The latest episodes of the UK version of the show are surprisingly compelling, even though the contestants aren’t quite as strong as those on the U.S. season. Sminty’s elimination was particularly well-done – a classic example of someone being undone by their own actions and attitude. She was arrogant and unprepared, and then tried to blame others for her mistakes, which made for great television. I’m still hoping Gawdland does well!

A friend, Kat, who is Greek American, perfectly captured the impact of Athena Dion. Kat said watching Dion is incredible, praising her representation of Greek Americans and playfully calling her a ‘diva.’ She described Dion as the person who seemingly does everything at a Greek festival – leading dances, cooking multiple dishes (while subtly critiquing others’), presenting awards, and even selling handmade jewelry. It’s amazing how she’s everywhere at once! Kat believes Dion embodies the ultimate Greek queen – someone who effortlessly balances many roles and isn’t afraid to embrace glamour. She jokingly hopes Dion will send her a traditional evil-eye kaftan as a thank you.

Jane and Nini are currently considered safe. Myki is gaining popularity, while Juicy is losing ground, though it’s unclear who might replace her. For now, it’s best to keep both of them in consideration.

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2026-02-21 07:57