Top 10 Moments from RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 5

On top of the elevated cast, “All Stars”’ twists to regular Drag Race rules have alway kept things interesting. So it was a welcome shock to hear that each week’s winner would lip sync against a proven dancing champ. This excitingly added more All Stars to the mix and upped the ante on footwork. With eliminations either done by single vote or group consensus, there was more chance for drama. And since assassin wins meant the bonus money was rolled over a week, the stakes were raised on all fronts. Yvie Oddly’s lip sync showed just how dangerous the guests could be,with a season-best performance in the first episode. Assassins shook up the format and made All Stars feel new again.

Ooo girl [meant to be read out in the “OOO GIRL SHE ALREADY HAD HERS” style Ru does in the video clips each episode], from episode one, India Ferrah was already getting attention for stirring drama. So it was all the more intriguing to hear her claim that Alexis Mateo had plotted against Shea Couleé. India was up for elimination, so the allegations seemed like a conniving tactic to save her skin. Ferrah’s initial toxic feud with Derrick Barry left it more difficult to decode the truth and lies. Despite denials from the other queens, it was sad to see that Shea couldn’t trust Alexis for the rest of All Stars. It was uniquely strange to see how worried Alexis was by India’s hidden notes the week after as well. And when all the queens were reunited in the finale, Mayhem vindicated Alexis by debunking India’s claim. Talk about entertaining TV drama!

Body and personality were highlighted endlessly in the Love the Skin You’re in fashion challenge. India led with a bold celebration of racial harmony that was beautiful in both concept and design. Amongst the many skin-tight earth tones, Ongina’s feather dress looked intensely abstract. In reality, it showed off her Filipino heritage and gave viewers a creative break from many samey-looking frocks. Shea Couleé’s skin-tight look was the most on-the-nose choice, though it used a nude illusion to craft a strong statement on the theme. All the curves, glitter and neck rings mixed with that sharp Afro for a startling runway for Shea.

For a standup show, Miz Cracker put herself and Shea in the back-half of the festivities. This left them an opportunity to triumph after Jujubee and Blair St. Clair awkwardly stumbled over notes. The comedy allowed Cracker to finally shed her inner saboteur, as she satisfyingly got more animated than ever before. Her reads on Shea’s music and Juju’s makeup were hysterically cutting, especially since the jokes didn’t initially appear to be about them. Shea overcame a lack of material and found humor in her Season nine loss. Plus she returned the favor to Cracker with puppet gags and a stellar show closer. Both queens rose above their fears to seriously impress guest Jane Krakowski.

To shake up the regular musical challenge, this season of All Stars had the competitors sing about their celebrity crushes. Jujubee hilariously riffed on John Stamos and “Full House,” while Miz Cracker packed in so many lewd boxing and soldier jokes about Sylvester Stallone that it was hard not to laugh. The morbid cannibalism humor from Blair was a clever twist, since she chose a horror icon. Shea one-upped Mariah Balenciaga’s aquatic superhero lines with some thirsty lyrics about Chadwick Boseman. And honestly, her Wakanda pun was a step up from all the other comic references in the bunch.

For a runway all about picnic materials and shady family members, the queens interpreted things wildly differently. Cracker’s sleazy cousin had us giggling at her need for organ transplants and the rap sheet she kept alluding to. On the floor, Cracker’s wiffleball and shuttlecock accessories were unique, as she had crafted a genuinely striking dress. Jujubee’s giant hat was an iconic choice, and her delivery of her two names had everyone in stitches. Shea Couleé brilliantly honored her season 9 grandma to give us a window into her wacky relative. And she knocked it out with her risqué bridal-meets-chaps combo minutes later. The challenge was so creatively fun that even Alexis Mateo’s imperfect look gave the judges material for cup jokes.

A design-your-own-room challenge saw Jujubee pile plenty of jokes on top of her group’s script. So when she tied three spectacular looks together around holidays, she secured a win. Whether it was a modest witch or a sultry bunny, her range of styles blew viewers away. And this win was particularly emotional as it was her first ever across three seasons. Juju’s tears and humor in the moment only added to the joy of it all. While Monet X Change reminded us why she won her season, Jujubee’s knack for playing off her competitors kept us cracking up. After so many seasons of slaying it, it was wonderful to really see Juju turn it out all episode-long.

India Ferrah had a lot to prove given her noted fame over being attacked, and let’s just say she turned it out immediately. Her talent show lip sync immediately showed her command of the crowd and her dancers. We lost it watching her hilariously spin her whole fight with Mimi Imfurst into clever lyrics and laughably violent choreography. India’s head-spins were so insane that Ru was shrieking and slapping the table. Frankly, it was so physical that you could get dizzy just watching it. After the drama she’d stirred against Derrick coming on the show, India’s ability to really go all proved she could walk the walk.

Everyone was on edge with RuPaul’s phone call ahead of the finale, so it was a joy to see it meant queens came back. We got Elsa, “Frozen” realness from Derrick Barry and some bluesy petals with Mariah, while India shocked us with her body-oddy-oddy spin on a similarlook. Ongina had a startlingly surreal update on her newspaper outfit from season 1. We got a powerful and regal frock from Blair, which turned hair into a crown. The detail in Jujubee’s spiritual look was divine, and honored her heritage with style. Miz Cracker herself found a stunning blend of Barbie and Russian princess. Shea’s lush ode to her mom’s fashion left us gobsmacked, for a runway that was arguably one of the series’ best….ever.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Mariah's Performance in “Werq the World” Variety Extravaganza
Because Politics & Drag Go Hand in Hand

Blair's Three-Looks-in-One Runway
Because Fashion Can Time Travel

Miz Cracker vs. Morgan McMichaels Lip Sync
Because Playing Together Is Fun to Watch

Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman & Ru Have a Moment
Because They Made Fan Theories Real

Roxxxy Andrews’ Thick & Juicy Reveal
Because Great Reveals Never Get Old

With the brilliant comedians of All Stars 5, the Snatch Game went off the rails in the best way. Alexis Mateo’s obscure Walter Mercado had us cackling at her lame predictions and riffs on being psychic. Her 180 into a shady Mercado that snapped at Cracker and threatened India was all the funnier by contrast. Jujubee delivered a pitch-perfect Eartha Kitt whose constant veering between vile and wholesome had Ru gasping at thermostat gags. She embodied Kitt better than any contestant before her, to the point where frogs and exits were entertaining. Shea Couleé’s risky choice as the male Flava Flav was too wild to believe in gender, which comically justified her choice. With goofy rhymes as well, Shea narrowly won a neck-and-neck Snatch Game.