#RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 Episode 5 Review: Snatch Game of Love

Finally! The queens are making the most of the All Stars format on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 Episode 5. They’re using strategy and campaigning to get ahead.

No more of these easy and uneventful eliminations. If someone wants to stay or compete, they should play the game.

“Snatch Game of Love” is the second time with the new rules where the elimination was completely up in the air. (And I loved it!)

If there’s anything you can say about India Ferrah, it’s that she fights for her opportunities.

Sure, she had the worst track record out of the remaining queens, but she wasn’t going to simply be eliminated. Using whatever little information she had was a smart and powerful strategic move. Those are the types of moves that change everything on reality TV.

India flipped the game on its head and made this an exciting elimination round.

Would you have rather it been a simple and expected round of everyone voting India? No, because that would’ve been dull and boring. For as much as we want to award performance, we can’t ignore the strategic and drama elements too.

We had drama, a great competition, and elimination debates about why certain players should go home. “Snatch Game of Love” snatched our wigs in all the right places.

Now, the big question of it all: Did India Ferrah lie about Alexis Mateo campaigning on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 5 Episode 3? That’s a tough one because there is a kernel of truth in there.

Alexis Mateo and Mayhem Miller did vote out Shea Coulee, and the queens did have their chats in the whole group about what it would mean to vote out Shea. Though, I tend to believe some type of conversation did happen.

This could be a case of how it’s framed.

India Ferrah: I can’t sit there hearing something that is weighing on me. Do you remember when you were in the bottom with me and Mariah?

Shea Coulee: Mhmmm.

India Ferrah: Alexis and Mayhem came to me asking me to put your lipstick in.

Shea Coulee: What?!

India Ferrah: Yes. They came to me and asked me to put your lipstick in.

India’s position is that Alexis Mateo and Mayhem Miller came to her about voting Shea and discussing which lipstick she put into the box. We know the queens as a group discussed Shea, but we didn’t see the targeting conversation. However, we can guess the queens came to her afterward asking if she voted out Shea.

Did more scheming happen? Maybe, but we can’t confirm since there was no video footage to show this. Alexis is innocent until proven guilty.

Her vote on Shea, however, doesn’t look good in her favor. Why would she vote out Shea when there were other options that round?

Snatch Game returned and it gave us the excitement we look forward to every season.

This Maxi Challenge is one that has to make a comeback every year. The queens look forward to it, the judges love it, and the fans are obsessed over it. Plus, if a queen can’t survive Snatch Game, they shouldn’t win. (Simple as that.)

Even with a decade of Snatch Game, it’s still shocking whenever queens make the same mistakes expecting a different result.

[As Walter Mercado] I was looking in my future and I saw you coming.
Alexis Mateo

Like, why is Miz Cracker impersonating Lady Gaga? Two queens have tried and failed to make the pop diva a hit. Lady Gaga isn’t a funny character.

And, why is India Ferrah impersonating Jeffree Star? Jeffree says witty and controversial things, but internet personalities don’t translate easily to the Snatch Game stage. Perfect examples would be the past roles of Poppy and Gigi Gorgeous.

Going into Snatch Game, those two were obvious losses.

Alexis Mateo, Jujubee, and Shea Coulee shined in their roles! If there were a top and bottom half this round, all three queens would’ve ended up at the top.

Alexis picked an outlandish character that provided an easy road for funny one-liners. Sometimes all you need is a character that gives you something to talk about, like astrology in this case.

Jujubee’s performance of Eartha Kitt was purrrr-fection! (I have to make the pun. It’s a must.)

She combined the positives of Chi Chi DeVayne’s and Valentina’s past attempts at Eartha Kitt, and she added plenty more sultry cat quips to make this one of the Top 15 best in Snatch Game ever. You couldn’t help but laugh when she purred and delivered a one-liner.

Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman: Contest #2, I’m originally from Canada, so if we went up there for a winter visit, how would you keep me warm at night?

Jujubee: [As Eartha Kitt] I would sensually walk to the thermostat and turn up the thermostat to a sensible 74 degrees.

[RuPaul laughs through it all]

The same goes for Shea Coulee. Shea dominated Snatch Game and made this a Top 5 winner!

Flava Flav is an iconic and hilarious personality. Shea had a treasure trove of material to work with for the challenge; there was never a moment that mellowed or flatlined. Constant laughs from one scene to the next.

Shea had this round in the bag.

The runway of “Prom Queen Fantasy” didn’t translate to the main stage. Except for Jujubee, everyone looked too glamorous or couture than actually being at a prom.

Jujubee’s outfit was fun, airy, and felt like she was partying from an 80s teen movie. At least Miz Cracker attempted to look like a teen with her acne breakout and a dress that a teen would wear to look more high-end.

Still, the remaining queens looked like they were attending the Met Ball instead. Especially Blair St. Clair; her look overall was stunning and completed the fantasy she had in her head.

Jeffrey-Bowyer Chapman: Contest #3, starting with the line, “Roses are Red”, recite a romantic poem about why I should pick you.

Shea Coulee: [As Flava Flav] Roses are red, buses is yellow, I just realized that you are a fella!

[Everyone laughs]

I loved the meaning behind Shea Coulee’s outfit.

The Carrie inspiration and nod to her loss during the RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 finale tied together with the frustration she’s felt since losing. Everyone loves making cheeky jokes in good fun, but after many instances of seeing falling rose petals, the joke must’ve stopped being funny for Shea.

Now, she has her redemption.

The lipsync of “Open Your Heart” by Madonna was fun and peppy. When Shea started the number in a slow and sultry movement, it was clear she was going to win.

RuPaul loves a dramatic entrance and build-up for a lipsync.

Vanessa Vanjie Mateo put up a good effort against Shea as the lipsync assassin. Vanjie kicked, death-dropped, and lipsynced her way into our hearts, but Shea turned out that number and outmatched any move Vanjie delivered.

Plus, the camera kept turning back to Shea, so you know the editing was in her favor. It’s just the way the segment goes.

India Ferrah getting the chop wasn’t surprising, especially since this was her fourth time at the bottom.

India’s journey stayed close to Roxxxy Andrews’ performance during RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 2. Plenty of flash and victory at the beginning before hitting a consistent trail at the bottom for most of the season.

The victory wasn’t going to be hers at the end.

While things didn’t work out in her favor, India still left her mark and played the game. Though, if Derrick Barry had stuck around, things could’ve been different and India may have pushed harder to defeat her nemesis later in the competition.

Last Thoughts From The Werk Room:

• RuPaul and Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman are living their soap opera fantasy!
  
  
   
• RuPaul’s gown on the main stage looked stunning. Mama Ru served the prom queen fantasy that we all needed.
  
  
   
• Jujubee and Shea Coulee teaming up during Snatch Game was a smart move. They set each other up for jaw-dropping zingers that made them top contenders.
  
  
   
• Jujubee’s love for her cats is major proud parent energy.

Now, over to you, Drag Race fans!

What did you think of “Snatch Game of Love”?

Was Shea’s performance of Flava Flav a Top 5 performance in Snatch Game herstory? Who was telling the truth between Alexis vs. India? Would you have voted out India?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Justin Carreiro is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.