‘All Stars 6’ Episode 6 Recap: Kylie Almighty and the witches

WARNING: If you haven’t seen episode six of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6, there are major spoilers ahead!

So, I’m not even going to say anything about the “game within a game.” We already know that nothing has been revealed there. Ru is really egging this on, so this better be good!

I’m just gonna start with talking about the episode. I thought it was actually quite… Normal… This week. There were a few challenges within THE ACTUAL CHALLENGE, but it felt a bit like old Drag Race, without all the twists and turns and shenanigans. I mean, I know it’s TV and you have to make it interesting, but this “game within a game” think is LONG. Ok, I said I wouldn’t speak about it, so moving on. 

As an actor and theatre/film geek, I’m always happy for an acting challenge. And not just so I can sit there and come up with better choices I would have made if I were in the queens’ roles (although I have done this), but because I just love the theatrics of it all. It’s always camp, always over-the-top, and always fun. 

This week, the queens were asked to perform in Rumerican Horror Story: Coven Girls. Obvious choice. I’ve seen every season of American Horror Story, but no season hooked the gays in quite like Coven. Witches, spells, glamour, fashion, stupid boys, camp, blood, and all that fierceness radiating from some of the baddest film divas to ever do it: Jessica Lange, Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates. What more could the gays ask for?

And speaking of the legendary Miss Angela Bassett, she showed up virtually to coach the queens for this acting challenge. I’ve always wondered how she felt about Ryan Murphy wanting to cast her as an intersex person with three tits on American Horror Story: Freak Show, and she confirmed that she thought it was absolutely insane. I’m glad the challenge ended up involving more in common with Coven than Freak Show, even though most of the characters were inspired by Freak Show characters — it was my least favorite season, and I’ve always thought it was quite problematic and exploitative. But, anyway…

Many of the characters were nods to both Coven characters and Freak Show characters; Trinity and Ra’Jah’s characters were obviously inspired by the popular two-headed conjoined twins who were played by Sarah Paulson in Freak Show, even though Trinity’s character was also a nod to Angela Bassett’s three-tit character in Freak Show; Nobody else but Pandora Boxx was going to be Myrtle Snow from Coven and get to say the famous “BALENCIAGA” line, which she did outstandingly; Jan was perfect for the annoying Lea Michele character (a read, I know); A’Keria was a sassy human Voodoo doll character made popular by Gabourey Sidibe in Coven; Eureka took on Kathy Bates’ bearded lady-inspired character from Freak Show; and Kylie killed us with an over-the-top Jessica Lange-ish performance that we didn’t expect. 

When Kylie and Ginger decided to do “rock, paper, scissors” for the Jessica Lange part, I was thinking “Kylie, just give it to Ginger. She’ll turn it out.” And, by looking at the rehearsal, I almost thought I was right in thinking that Ginger should have gotten the role. The rehearsal was… rough. But Kylie eventually got there, and absolutely turned it as the “Witch Bitch” herself. Of course, Kylie ended up winning the challenge this week. 

But, before we go on to the lip sync, let’s talk about the runway: Oh, My Goth! I honestly think every look was sickening, ESPECIALLY Ra’Jah and A’Keria, who have been turning some of my favorite looks this time around. There has been very little that the judges can read the queens about as far as their looks are concerned. However, even though Ra’Jah and A’Keria looked amazing, unfortunately both of their performances fell a little flat this week. I agreed with the judges here. 

A’Keria, who made it to the top 4 of her season, is one of my favorite queens. She’a one of the rare pageant queens who actually get to show the judges that they are truly well-rounded… No pun intended. However, I agree that her performance was a little monotone. I’m not sure what it is A’Keria hasn’t been feeling this All Stars, but damn girl!

Ra’Jah has grown a lot since her initial appearance on the show and it shows. Her looks are stunning every single time, and she has definitely proven herself as a seamstress. However, the acting was just… Meh, this week. So, she and A’Keria ended up in the bottom, rightfully so. 

Since Kylie won the challenge, she got to lip sync against none other than Manila Luzon herself. I thought she was gonna get eaten up. I was wrong. She killed it again… Against the uber talented Manila Luzon (who was robbed during her All Stars season). Kylie, I’m not sure why I’ve been underestimating you, but you snatched wigs this week! Let’s see if she keeps it up. 

It was pretty clear to me that Kylie would pull A’Keria’s lipstick. She was the obvious choice to go home this week. It was a bummer, but I totally agreed with the decision. But, I loved the way A’Keria exited the stage: gracious and with a smile, like the true pageant queen she was raised to be. I love that she didn’t go off defeated, because she has a lot to be proud of. 

But then… Yes, of course. RuPaul and her shenanigans. We all know, at this point, that A’Keria isn’t REALLY going anywhere. Or is she? Look, we are 6 queens down and pretty much at the halfway point, so hopefully this “game within a game” will be RU-vealed next week!