If you’ve not noticed by now, I may or may not be in need of some serious Ru-hab, but I can’t help it as RuPaul’s Drag Race has spent its third season being as campy and fantastic as you might it expect it to be. However, the last few weeks have thrown some serious curveballs into the proceedings and we’ve been hovering around the top six for what seems like a good minute. After there was a non-elimination episode (Ru love America and America loves opportunities) that was followed by the elimination of polarizing second timer Shangela, we got a bombshell.
Somebody’s. coming. back.
Yes, Mama Ru has been hearing how people think she sends some of her queens home too soon, so one of the previously eliminated queens will be coming back into the house to join Raja, Manila, Yara, and Alexis in the top five. Ahead of the episode tonight, I got to wondering…
Who will it be?
My money is on India. I don’t think the judges would bring back Phoenix or Venus, simply because we didn’t see enough of them to get a true view of what they can do and if Ru is bringing somebody back into this thing, it’s going to be somebody that she thinks can win or put up a serious fight. Mimi would likely be a no, mostly because of her lip synch faux pas and how poorly her style was received, but I can see her being put back into the house for the sake of stirring things up and her comedic skills. Mariah left on kind of a sour note, as well, but she never turned it out enough for anyone to believe she could be a threat. Stacey is an outside threat to come back, as it’s obvious how Ru likes her and how much she sees in her, but I only see Stacey in another season, not as a replacement in this one. She could have grown by leaps and bounds since her elimination, but I just don’t think it would be enough to really challenge anybody. Carmen left too recently to come back and considering how she gave up in her last episode, the judges aren’t likely to reward her with another shot to half ass it.
Now, that leaves Shangela, Delta, and India. I think Shangela would have been a good candidate to bring back, as she clashes with people in the house, she’s an underdog, and she’s got more than enough potential to win this thing. But considering how she recently signed up for a pilot on NBC, I think she doesn’t get a third reprieve. Delta may have the style to throw down with the top contenders, but in no way, shape, or form is she ready to be America’s Next Drag Superstar, as her personality always willowed whenever she had to be an “entertainer” and I think the judges recognize this. India left early enough to where we didn’t see her full potential, but she stayed long enough to where we got a little bit of a feel for who she was and what she could do. I personally wasn’t huge on her during her time on the show, but I think she’s an ideal candidate for something like this.
Whoever Ru brings back, I know Drag Race’s homestretch will be supremely entertaining television and a blast of feel good energy at the end of a long Monday.
If you want to check out who gets brought back and how much of a kerfuffle this causes in the house, you can check out Drag Race tonight at 10:00 on Logo or tomorrow night at 9:00 on VH1.
While we ponder who will be coming back, here are some preview videos found on Logo’s website:
TV Preview
Manila Gets Frustrated
Yara has fierce hair and Alexis is flirty
I'd like to see Mariah return. I thought she displayed a lot of elegance and poise, and was one of the most polite queens behind the scenes, which I found refreshing. I also thought Stacey Layne Matthews had a certain something — she surprised me in a good way.
The can bring Shangela back if they choose too because the NBC pilot has being recorded now as where Drag Race was recoded MONTHS prior to it even airing. If someone was brought back, it happened months ago we're just now seeing it.