One Returning Winner, A Divas Tribute, and an Update on Our Drag Race Fantasy League

Two episodes in Awards Daily TV takes a look at how the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars is shaping up and who has taken the early lead in our fantasy league.

Two episodes in and All Stars 3 has given fans a lot to look forward to. After the surprise return of Bebe Zahara Benet and an uneventful talent show the remaining queens wowed audiences with pitch perfect impersonations of Mariah Carey, Julie Andrews, and Patti LaBelle. For now the season of “ru-demption” is anyone’s game but someone has already taken an early lead in our first Drag Race fantasy league!

A Talent Show & VH1 Divas Tribute to Mama Ru

As  brilliant as All Stars 2 was, the one downside was that a formidable frontrunner was crowned from the beginning with eventual winner Alaska Thunderfuck. This year however has no such problem. Ben Dela Crème is clearly leading the pack after landing in the top two weeks in a row but Shangela, Bebe Zahara Benet, and even Aja have proven to be fierce competition.The one major twist of the season so far is the return of a former winner, Season One’s Bebe Zahara Benet. Personally I have mixed feelings about a sole winner competing against a group of queens who couldn’t even make it to the final three but Bebe deserves a comeback. She competed so long ago that younger fans on social media have no idea how talented she is. They’ve never had the chance to hear Ru scream out an infamous “Cameroooon!” On top of that she deserves a chance at more money especially after MAC cosmetics cheated her out of half of her prize money the first time around.

As exciting as the season is shaping up to be the format and challenges seem to be taken directly from last season with a talent show and giant musical number. If the season continues to borrow from last season it might risk coming off as stale and Joey’s beginning to question the set-up as well. “I loved the idea of the Rusical number (we can just honor RuPaul every week,right?) but I am kind of bothered how it’s following the same format that All Stars 2 did. I am starting to really miss the design and fashion challenges from the earlier seasons.”

I’m a big fan of the past two musical numbers but this is the second year in a row where all of the contestants have performed solidly well making it hard to warrant an elimination at all. My personal favorite this year was Chi Chi Devayne’s Patti Labelle and I was shocked she wasn’t considered a top three competitor. Joey does have a point about Milk’s unrecognizable Celine impersonation. “How…the living hell…was Milk safe and Chi Chi in the bottom?! Chi Chi has sweet potato pie backup dancers! Celine Dion is one of my favorite divas ever (I won’t bother you with my renditions of “I Surrender” and “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”), and that was NOT iconic Celine. And that breakdown Milk had on the runway? Girl, bye.”

With the season set-up to give middling contestants a chance at Ru-demption it’s always sad to see queens go home so early. Watching Thorgy Thor reignite her inner saboteur was especially painful for Joey. “I really wish Thorgy would have gotten out of her own way, because I think she offers something entirely different to RPDR.”

Fantasy League Standings

The Rudemption theme is ringing true not only for the ten competing queens but also for the Awards Daily TV team.  After falling to third place in the Water Cooler Podcast Oscar league Megan has taken an early lead raking in a lot of points from Ben Dela Crème. The season has just begun but Dela has clearly become the MVP of the season.

1. Megan – 35 Points
2. Jalal – 31 Points
3. Joey – 13 Points
4. Jazz – 12 Points

Readers, which queen are you rooting for this season and what are your thoughts on the season so far?