The Premiere of 'All Stars 3' Definitely Didn't Disappoint

Photo: Twitter (@RuPaulsDragRace)

HONEY. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Drag Race season is officially upon us, and the All Stars 3 premiere did not disappoint. Last night's episode started with Hall-of-Famers Alaska and Chad in a Handmaid’s Tale sketch letting us know that show will follow a similar format as previous seasons. (Which we all know will change because Ru is nothing if not full of surprises.)

As always, one by one the queens entered the workroom and first up was Trixie Mattel on roller blades with a face painted with more coats than The White House. Trixie has had an incredible success since her season, a testament to her true talent. Like Alaska before her, Trixie is the one to beat.

Enter Milk, whose casting comes as a bit of a surprise, but seems to make sense. Milk’s looks always surprise, sometimes for the better, other times for the worse; she rarely plays it safe. Handsome out of drag and very opinionated, some of her shade and wit came across not as well as intentioned. A true competitor, Milk is certainly winning the race to be the most unlikable. Can she get back on track.

The queen of Louisiana, Chi Chi DeVayne came through in a yellow dress that referenced her trash bag entry dress on her season. (Props to Chi Chi for finding yellow trash bags and whatever part of her ensemble she later eats!) Chi Chi is a fan favorite whose rise and success despite her circumstances is an inspiration to us all and really shows what drag race is all about.  

Comedy queen Thorgy enters in her finest Pippin get up. We learn pretty quickly Thorgy is still holding on to some gripes about her season and has almost nothing else to talk about. Let’s hope she focuses on the crown ahead of her and not the one on Bob’s head so that she can slay the competition...

Morgan McMichaels was a choice most didn’t understand until she opened her mouth. Morgan came in seemingly seeking to impress a Disney villain with her attitude. She starts immediately exchanging not-so-pleasantries with Milk, letting everyone know that she is there to win (something she assumes everyone else isn’t there to door, at the very least, isn’t possible to do by being nice).

Next is Aja, a Brooklyn queen who had a major GLOW UP. Her look was simple but stunning. A neon lewk that sold sex and glamour. It seems really strange for Aja to be on an All Stars season so soon. (She was just on our TV screens a few months ago, after all.) However, we must trust RuPaul implicitly.  

BenDeLaCreme, where ya been? Having been pretty much off the radar to many, Ben’s return for a shot at the All Stars crown is refreshing. A former Miss Congeniality, she’s charming and fun, but is that the title she’s focused on winning in this competition with drag heavyweights?

Kennedy Davenport did the most and she also did THAT. Ol’ girl came in with a mushroom shaped mound of hair, a jeweled masquerade face and a disco ball. Team Extra. Team More Is More. What’s great to know about Kennedy in this competition is that she’s gonna put on a SHOW! She is an impeccable performer and a force to reckoned with.

Another stunt queen was delivered to the workroom by the name of Shangela Laquifa Wadley. She came out of box and has also come out of her shell since her former seasons. She’s gone on to much success after her two former seasons and she’s here to prove she belongs here. Replace all confederate statues with statues of Shangela, because she’s a loser who actually should have WON.

Enter RuPaul. The nine queens gather around in excitement to hear what she’s has to say. The season doesn’t seem to really start until Ru appears. She enters and she brings the good news (or bad news depending on who you ask) that there is a surprise 10th queen. It’s Bebe Zahara Benet. Bebe is the first winner of the show and also the first former winner to compete in an All Stars season. This makes sense for her because when she won, they filmed the whole season with a camera that seemed to have Vaseline on the lens and the prize money was a fifth of what it is today.

Ru announces that rules will be the same as they were in the last All Stars season. Lip Sync For Your Legacy and $10,000 to the winner of each challenge. The true prize, however, is the right to choose who of the bottom two goes home.

Just like that it’s time for the first mini challenge: READING. A shady start that was welcomed especially because the more reads we can hear the better. In an unexpected turn of events, BenDeLa wins the mini challenge with some iconic reads.

Ru announces that the main challenge is a variety show and that the queens can showcase any talent they choose. Dancing queens Kennedy, Aja, and Shangela pulled out stunts and shows performing their high energy dance numbers of their own songs. Shangela shines the way she always does with polished professional performances that let the whole room know she is to be taken seriously.  Kennedy gagged the entire crown by flipping on to a platform above her and Aja gave the girls a 6-foot death drop that Vanessa Hudgens would later call a shablam. (Later, she lip syncs against a literal pork chop; it was solely for Ru’s entertainment.)

Musical talent wasn’t skipped over though! Thorgy played violin incredibly well. It was different and refreshing. It was not a favorite, but it was enough to keep her safe. Trixie sang an original song dressed as what one would imagine Jolene from Dolly Parton’s hit song would look like. This choice for her was not expected as she is a supreme comedy queen, but it was well received.

Bebe Zahara Benet gave a regal lip sync that served Lion King meets Asaka from Once on This Island. It was a bit on the nose, but it was fierce nonetheless. Inspired and immaculately styled, Bebe is one to watch this season.

Milk’s performance was very Milk. It was far from a traditional lip sync. She changed "outfits" several times because the outfits were cut outs presumably velcro’d on her body suit. It was funny and fierce. But BenDeLa gave the only real comedic performance of the night: a cabaret number with a lot nipple tassels. Think Russian nesting dolls but with bras. It was exhilarating and hilarious.

Chi Chi wore flats and carried a baton she almost never used. Yikes. As a fan favorite, this was disappointing for everyone who watched, but she can be sure that most everyone is still rooting for her. Morgan McMichaels decided to perform a number she’s never done before which makes total sense on a show composed of the best of the best. She performs nearly the entire number looking at other queens and it falls as flat as Chi Chi’s shoes.

In the end, the most underestimated queens of the season ended up on top. Aja and Ben get to lip sync for their legacy and the fate of Chi Chi and Morgan McMichaels rested in their hands.

The first lip sync sets the tone for the whole season, and this one is gonna be incredible. The song was Nicki Minaj’s "Anaconda" and both queens hit it out of the park. Seriously, Aja and Ben showed up and showed out. Aja gave us the best version of this song you could see in a drag suicide and Ben managed to make it hilarious. Ben wins the first challenge, but honestly this must’ve been a very tough call.

BenDeLa saves us all from the resident villain of the season and sends home Morgan. However, when Morgan returns to the workroom to exit, a message from Ru hints that Morgan may get the chance to return and redeem herself.

This episode represented all the best parts of Drag Race and honestly, next Thursday can’t get here fast enough!!