RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 10 features the franchise’s biggest cast yet. This time around, 18 Queens assemble into three groups of six to twirl and whirl their way to the finale. Before they even get the shot, though, the top three Queens of each bracket must compete in the semi-finals to earn a spot in the big lip sync smackdown. With a point-based system back in play, that means alliances, drama, and plenty of shade. Before we discuss who makes it to the semi-finals in All Stars 10 episode 9, make sure to check out our breakdown of All Stars 10 episode 8.
Note: This breakdown includes spoilers for episode 9 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 10.
We finally got some drama in Bracket 3, thanks to Daya Betty and Alyssa Hunter’s little spat. Are we all on Alyssa’s side with this one, or are you waving the Team Daya Betty flag?
Jeanette: Did Daya’s accusation make sense to anyone else? Like girl, Alyssa is entitled to her own opinions. She thought Cynthia did the best. Cool. It’s her MVQ point to give. As the Untucked clip proved, Alyssa said she’d give her point to “the queen—who since day number 1—has been consistent,” not to the queen with the most wins. Daya won episode 7, but she didn’t win episode 8. Cynthia didn’t win either, but she performed pretty well in both episodes and received all that praise in the country challenge. I call that consistency.
Also, no one wants to give their point to someone who asks for it—never mind begs for it.
Shana: I mean, it sounds to me like Daya Betty made a ton of assumptions there and then decided she was entitled to the point. If Alyssa said she was giving her messy point based on who was consistently doing well, and Cucu has in fact consistently been doing well while being overlooked by the judges, there was no inconsistency there. I mean, other than it conflicted with whatever narrative Daya made up in her head.
Lyra: It wasn’t that Daya Betty remembered the conversation between her and Alyssa differently. It’s that she thought she deserved the point because she thinks she did better than Cynthia. And instead of saying that with her full chest, she kept going around in circles like if Alyssa wronged her. She didn’t. Alyssa gave it to the Queen she thought was the most consistent. That was Cynthia. Point, blank, period.
What was your favorite moment between the queens in All Stars 10 episode 9?
Jeanette: My answer is just Denali. She was a good sport. A great sport. One of the best sports in the entire show. Her talking about how she could be upset about not winning episode 8’s lip sync but choosing to focus on the fact she still won and delivered something amazing? CLASSY. Her immediately taking accountability for potentially hurting Ginger’s feelings (even though Ginger was referring to Alyssa)? COMMENDABLE. Her rushing to hug Cynthia after she made it to the semi-finals, even though it (wrongfully) booted her out? EMOTIONALLY MATURE.
Seriously, I admire Denali’s grace so much. Even with her dreams challenged and shattered, she remained a professional through and through.
Shana: Cucu, running around and smacking folks with her chancla to get them to break up the fighting. Period.
Lyra: Acid Betty giving her point to Cynthia. The way that her voice broke made me think about all the little things that we’re not seeing. Because this wasn’t about strategy. This was about making sure someone who deserved it made it through the next round. And this moment endeared me to Acid Betty in a way I never thought when it came to her.
Let’s discuss the challenge. Did you like it? Did you hate it? Did the dog thing creep you out a bit?
Jeanette: Please, someone, was there a challenge like this already? Why do I have a memory of the queens doing a similar shtick in the earlier seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race? Why do my Google results turn up nothing except questionable things I don’t want to see? Did I somehow think up The Golden Bitchelor before Ru? Should I get a lawyer? Ask for a writing credit? Sound off in the comments.
That aside, I guess this challenge was… okay? The concept had potential, but the whole thing fell a little flat for me. Honestly, Zane Phillips—the hunky guy from Fire Island—was the true standout for me. He rolled with whatever the queens gave him. So, yeah, I guess that about sums up my feelings for all this.
Shana: Choices were certainly made. Everyone looked, uh, like choices were made, too. There were some funny moments and all, but the way RuPaul picked the teams and handed out the characters was…something. Pairing one of the weakest at improv with the obvious strongest, I think, set Alyssa Hunter up to fail harder than she otherwise might have. Like, a lot of the jokes didn’t land and wouldn’t have landed regardless? But it was glaring paired opposite a Ginger Minj who was Ginger Minjing.
Lyra: The challenge was dumb. But the Queens and Zane Phillips did such a good job that it kind of worked. Zane was totally committed to the bit and kind of adorable in his golden retriever realness. And Ginger Minj, Daya Betty, and Acid Betty gave stand out performances that were creative and really showed how well they do at improve. Acid Betty in particular almost made me spit out my drink when she was giving her commands. Denali was a little lost. So was Cucu. But Alyssa…it wasn’t giving. And you weren’t able to dig yourself out of the mess of a performance you gave.
Runway! Drop the thoughts.
Jeanette: Paper Dolls might be one of my favorite runway themes of All Stars 10 so far. And really, everyone turned it out. One by one, I watched the queens serve look after look, and then, we got to Cynthia. The “Noooooo! Why????” I unleashed rattled the walls of my house. If a young, aspiring middle school fashion designer hodgepodged that together, I’d say, “Sure, yeah,” but this is All Stars, and that outfit should have never made it to the stage.
Just for the record, I knew as soon as I saw Ginger and Acid that Michelle was going to tell them to knock that Marie Antoinette crap out, but as a literary nerd, I loved Ginger’s concept. Also, she was Queen Elizabeth I, if we’re getting historically accurate, Michelle. And, if we’re getting vulnerable, I totally thought Acid was homaging the wardrobe from Beauty and the Beast for way too long. Silly? Yes, but also, look it up! Pull up a picture of that wardrobe right now—go on—and tell me you don’t see it, too!
Shana: Cynthia Lee Fontaine’s cucu needs to set that look on fire. Yikes. It was giving Party City decorations. And I hate saying that, based on what she explained about the look in question.
Speaking of fire: Acid Betty’s “eat the rich” message, with everything getting burned down, was everything. 100/10. No notes. Go off. Was I like “oh, FFS. Not Marie Antoinette” when I first saw it? Absolutely. But like. It was still a well-done and different take (paper!!!) than we usually see, even before Acid turned around.
I also don’t understand why Michelle read Ginger for “Marie Antoinette,” when she had the Shakespeare theme…and the look was giving Elizabethan England. As in, literally, it was giving Elizabeth—look at her!—which matched up with the Shakespeare of it all. As in, Ginger Minj didn’t do French Revolution, or even French, anything—much less Marie. For historical reference: Shakespeare and Elizabeth I were both long dead before Marie Antoinette was even born. Also, the fact that Ginger chose Hamlet to carry just sealed the deal for me. It’s my favorite, and it might or might not have helped me ace a big ol’ exam back when I was in school. Loved it, loved that she chose the quotes and typed them, too, loved it.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Alyssa and Denali’s looks when they first walked out, but once I had the context, I was 100% sold. I think that’s one of the great things about a platform like this, actually. The queens get to show us not just who they are as individuals, but, wherever possible, their looks can expose us to just a little bit of their culture. Mad props to both of them for going that route. (Also, go watch some international Drag Race franchises.) Daya Betty’s look was so polished, I was like “where’s the paper?” Mad respect to her and her creativity for that one.
Lyra: My baby Cynthia Lee Fontaine. I love you. Truly do. But that was a major flop on that stage on par with Lala Ri’s paper dress in Season 13 of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
As for the other Queens, I loved Denali’s look. It was vibrant, creative, and you can tell that a lot of love went into that look. But it’s Acid Betty’s hair in particular that I remembered. That was a piece of art and made her look like a paper doll walking off the pages of a coloring book or something. Same thing with Ginger Minj’s hair and that crown of pearls she had in her hair. Creative AF.
Do you agree with RuPaul’s top 2 All Stars in episode 9?
Jeanette: This is the first time I’m saying not really. Ginger? Yes. Was it the best thing I’ve ever seen her do? Not even close. However, it was consistently funny. Even when the focus wasn’t on Ginger, she delivered comedy, and she did so in a way that didn’t intrude on her scene partner like we’ve seen other queens do in the past.
But Daya, I’m split on. Her intro as Roody the Poodle lacked oomph, and it felt like she was just barrelling forward, trying to stuff in her jokes, which, admittedly, were pretty funny (“Honey, is your collar too tight… because you look like you’re gagging” killed me). However, I think Denali could’ve easily taken the win.
The judges are right. The “nervous support animal” concept was an interesting one, but it ultimately got confusing in her intro. Still, if you’re asking me, the hot tub scene only worked because Denali was there. The chemistry between her and Daya was solid, and if it were a group challenge, I’d give them both the win. But, if we’re talking individually, Denali did a better job at becoming the character. Daya was kind of just playing a version of herself—although, let’s give credit where credit is due, she stomped that lip sync.
Shana: Yeah. I mean, Ginger’s the improv queen. Her drunken diva doggy worked better than anyone’s weird AF character. I might’ve been torn between Cynthia and Daya for the challenge itself, but once you factor looks in…well. I said what I said up above.
Lyra: Honestly I’m down with Ginger Minj. This was an improv challenge and she’s a comedy queen. She deserved to be top two. But Daya Betty? Nope. Like Jeanette said, I felt like her jokes were too forced. Acid Betty was the surprise one that had me cackling when her voice turned deep and she gave those commands. Unexpected, funny, and unique. Acid Betty should’ve been on that stage for Top 2.
Bracket 3 has named its top 3 All Stars! Are you happy with who is moving on to the semi-finals?
Jeanette: My feelings are complicated. I’m not surprised Ginger and Daya are moving forward. Honestly, you’re all lucky Ginger made it because if she didn’t, I might have thrown my computer out the window and cried big, messy tears. My feelings for Daya are nowhere near as strong, but she has come a long way from Season 14 and jumped far, far away from the shadow of her drag sister, Crystal Methyd. But then there is Cynthia…
Listen, I absolutely ADORE Cynthia! Watching everyone unload their MVQ points on her in the opening made me smile, and seeing her tears when Acid said her name at the end had me crying, too. Acid probably said it best: “She makes everyone happy.” Cynthia is professional. She is polished. And she is drenched and dripping with charisma. Still, it feels unfair to Denali, who arguably performed just as well, if not better (She just secured a win in episode 8!) than Cynthia. But, hey, that’s All Stars. Talent matters, but so does popularity, and I’m pretty sure Cynthia could secure a table with Regina George in Mean Girls if she wanted to.
Shana: I made it very clear at the beginning of this bracket that I’m all in for Ginger Minj, and I stand by that. Once again, if she has no one who believes she was robbed in Season 7, I’m dead. I’m also satisfied with her making it through to the semi-finals. In fact, I would’ve been rage typing on all my socials if she didn’t. On the other hand, I kind of hate how she made it. There was a place here or there where the production fix was maybe a little bit too obvious, and there was absolutely no sense to it because she’s an icon on her own. No help needed. So, from that standpoint, I’m just kind of frustrated with how the bracket played out overall.
Looking at track record, plus the overwhelming love and support coming from the other girls, Cynthia absolutely deserved to move on. She’s great at what she does, arguably could’ve/should’ve been top 2 in the country girl group challenge, and is the joy and comic relief we need right now. I also think that someone who’s been there for the other queens the way she has (Daya Betty made some comments in a recent interview that I now can’t find…) deserves all the opportunities to shine in the world. Is this just a stupid TV competition? Yes. But also no. There’s real money and exposure involved, and someone like our Cucu deserves all of the above.
If we go back to Daya Betty’s track record/entitlement spat with Alyssa Hunter, well. The thing is, she thought she was entitled to that extra point because she felt she’d been consistently strong. On that point, she was absolutely correct. So, yes, she also deserves to move on. Besides, if the bully of the season tries to start some mess with Daya Betty, good effin’ luck to Mistress. Grab y’all’s popcorn.
And Daya. Girl. If you double-cross your Bracket 3 bestie Ginger for her, I’m finding you and fighting. (Or not. I’m kinda a weakling, ok?)
Lyra: I like that Ginger Minj is moving onto the semi-finals. She deserves it. But I’ve got to admit, I’m on the fence about Cucu and Daya.
I think other Queens performed better than Cynthia in this bracket. But performance or track record is only a piece of why people get chosen on Drag Race. It’s also about charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. And Cynthia has all of those while also being kind. That’s what got her to the next stage of the competition.
Then there’s Daya. I think Denali performed better than her from top to bottom, from looks to content. The one thing I will give Daya though is that she killed that lip-sync. No one can take that away from her. But I would’ve liked to see Denali move forward before Daya did.
We have officially reached the semi-finals! Any predictions (or fears) for the next episode when the top queens across each Bracket finally merge?
Jeanette: I wanted to go full detective mode. You know, print out pictures, draw lines, connect dots, and write cryptic sticky notes. Instead, I just paused the screen on that neat little graphic depicting all the top queens from each Bracket, and then proceeded to envision how these next few episodes will play out. And you know what I decided after all that? Mistress is my biggest concern. (Isn’t she everybody’s. We all watched episode 5.)
My feelings about her toxicity are no secret around here. I’m not entirely sure how Ru plans to whittle down the remaining nine queens, but Mistress is walking in with an alliance and an eye for trouble. I’m worried she’ll see Ginger Minj as the biggest threat and make it her mission to tear her down. Then again, we’ve got some other big personalities who could keep her in line. Aja, where you at, girl?
Shana: So. I watched the promo. Imma need someone to shut down Mistress when she comes for Ginger Minj. We’re not doing this. Absolutely not. Cucu, get that chancla ready, please and thank you.
Lyra: Oh my god, I haven’t watched the promo yet for the next episode! Ok, so spoiler-free predictions, the messy Queen known as Mistress Isabel Brooks is going to hit a wall when it comes to Aja. And it’s going to be glorious. Because Mistress is used to being the unshakeable force on Drag Race. What happens when two big forces come together? Explosions, tension, and a lot of good TV. Only solution? Cucu intervention for sure.
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars airs new episodes every Friday on Paramount+.
