The finale for the 11th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” premiered Friday, crowning Crystal Methyd the franchise’s newest winner.
Following the format introduced in the previous season, three groups of six queens competed in three-episode non-elimination brackets, with the top queens from each bracket merging for two elimination semifinal episodes before a lip sync battle finale. In the brackets, each week’s top queens gain points and lip sync for an extra point, while the rest of the queens each give away a point to another competitor.
When the queens for this season were announced, I wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy its episodes. I strongly disliked the last all-star season because each bracket’s lineup made it obvious which three queens would rise to the top. I initially felt similarly about this season. However, a twist surprise allowed only two queens from each bracket to move onto the semifinals, disrupting my predictions and preventing heavy-hitting queens like “Drag Race” legend Morgan McMichaels from making the merge.
Another gripe I had with the previous season was how obvious the outcome of the season became, since winner Ginger Minj won all but one challenge she competed in. Admittedly, while I predicted that Methyd would win this season when I originally saw the cast, the series had me severely doubting that expectation, as I thought five different queens might take the crown at various points throughout the season.
That unpredictability came largely thanks to the control the queens held over the course of the competition. Spreading out the wins and decreasing the number of advancing queens made relationships matter so much more this season, with drama between the queens making each week an interesting watch, as fights and alliances raised tensions in the Werk Room.
One of my favorite alliance moments of the season was when the bottom queens of the purple bracket agreed to give all of their points to Jasmine Kennedie — one of my favorite queens from the franchise — in an effort to push front-runner Kennedy Davenport out of the merge. As Kennedie tied Davenport and competitor Sam Star, RuPaul decided to send all three into the semifinals — a heartwarming moment of the season.
Alliances weren’t the defining trait of Methyd’s victory, though, as she decided to keep her cards close to her chest. This strategy also created an interesting storyline, as Methyd’s self-reliance became a major plot point, demonstrating that her talent alone was worthy of the crown.
“All Stars 11” improved on previous seasons’ shortcomings by bringing back the comeback queen, a twist added last season in which one of three chosen queens who don’t make the merge is randomly selected to return to the competition. Last season, the queen was only reintroduced in the finale, and she was eliminated in her first lip sync, destroying any momentum for the twist’s storyline. But this season, the comeback queen re-entered at the start of the semifinals.
This comeback queen, Joey Jay, had a strong run on the season, rising to become the runner-up. Jay’s arc is exactly what “All Stars” is made for. After being the second eliminated on her original season, she came back to the competition with the mission of making RuPaul laugh — a goal she achieved over and over again.
The season was a success because it took a format with potential and elevated it with stronger storylines and drama. Even queens who took a competitive backseat in the semifinals, like A’keria C. Davenport and Silky Nutmeg Ganache were at the forefront of the viewing experience with their interpersonal drama. “Drag Race” is at its best when queens give stellar performances against a backdrop of reality television stories.
Season 11 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” will go down as one of my favorite seasons of the franchise, as it perfectly blended the competitive and combative aspects of the show without predictability. The season was executed wonderfully, and I hope the producers take note of this success as they “Ru-invent” the show’s future.
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