#RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 Episode 9 Review: The Snatch Game

It’s the Maxi Challenge we’ve all been waiting for! The Snatch Game is back on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 Episode 9.

This game is the challenge that separates the queens into the frontrunners and the fillers. If a queen does amazing in the Snatch Game, their odds of making Top 4 rise high. If they stumble, they’ll need to shine elsewhere or face elimination.

Many past Drag Race queens defined their legacies during a Snatch Game. But did this Snatch Game leave its mark in Drag Race herstory?

Overall, the Snatch Game for RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 was pretty good.

More than half of the queens got laughs out of RuPaul. The number of laughs made it uncertain which queens would end up at the top, which helped raise this higher compared to some past Snatch Games.

The flaw, however, was that none of the queens truly matched the highest highs of past iconic performances, like Kennedy Davenport as Little Richard or Aquaria as Melania, to name a few.

Sure, Paris Hilton, Jonathan Van Ness, Harriet Tubman, and others were funny, but no one cracked the Top 10 Best Snatch Games ever. The group had jokes that landed somewhere in the middle.

Though, what brought down the Snatch Game was how some of the queens hit the lowest of the lows. Bob Ross, in particular, will go down as one of the worst. (We’ll get to that in a bit.)

Firstly, Gottmik as Paris Hilton ruled the Snatch Game!

The second Gottmik switched over to Paris’ iconic fake voice; she had RuPaul eating out of the palm of her hand. Her jokes landed each time, and she worked well with the queens around her.

Gottmik redeemed the Paris persona as a Snatch Game performance after Raven’s fumble during RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 2.

Elliott with 2 Ts: Kandy, how do you feel?

Kandy Muse: Being in the bottom two is one thing. Being told “sashay away,” saying your goodbyes, turning around seeing the whole cast is the most gut-wrenching feeling ever.

Though, that doesn’t mean another queen should try Paris again. Gottmik hit it out of the park here, but this role isn’t one that other queens can make funny. Paris falls into the same group as Beyonce or Lady Gaga (i.e., iconic characteristics, but she’s tough to master).

The same goes for Rosé.

Her turn as Mary, Queen of Scots, was hilarious with the accent and sharp quips combination, but her persona worked because Rosé was under the crown steering the ship. Another queen may not be as lucky.

Denali shined as Jonathan Van Ness from Queer Eye. She did so well that she could’ve been the one to snatch the victory too.

She mastered Jonathan’s mannerisms with the hair flips and jokes. And Denali played well off the other queens to deliver quick-witted jokes that made RuPaul laugh.

Her quick zinger off of Elliott’s fumble was a masterclass in improv.

If her runway hadn’t looked too much like a costume, Denali would’ve been the top or second-place contender. Snatch Game was a pleasant surprise for Denali’s performance.

Tina Burner, Symone, and Kandy Muse ending up in the middle wasn’t a surprise.

All three performances were funny and hit the beats they needed to stay in the competition. Tina matched Richard Simmons’ tone, so that helped her to stand out. It wasn’t a breakthrough performance, but it got the job done.

Symone and Kandy Muse, on the other hand, were hilarious. However, they were hilarious for just being themselves.

I think I can see her sex pistol!
RuPaul

Come on, Kandy Muse just played Kandy and Symone played Symone.

Sure, they included the references, but the personalities were all them, and they naturally get the laughs from RuPaul/the queens. Overall, they were safe and would’ve gotten high if the majority of queens fumbled.

Speaking of the queens who fumbled, Olivia Lux, Elliott with 2 Ts, and Utica Queen hit the ground hard.

Olivia Lux and Elliot couldn’t match their characters. Both queens kept repeating the same notes to showcase the characters. However, they weren’t funny and didn’t venture into new territory.

The queens should always be hesitant whenever RuPaul gives a clear warning that they might be in the wrong direction.

How’s your head … wig?!
RuPaul

Case in point: Utica Queen.

What was with the squirrel wig?! Utica should’ve worn an actual afro, especially since Bob Ross’s hair was an afro!

The problem with Bob Ross is that he’s not a funny character. He brings a lot of nostalgia, and he calms people down, but he’s not funny in a Snatch Game fast-paced setting.

Utica kept thinking too outside the box to land jokes that no one would find funny. The point of Snatch Game is to make RuPaul laugh. RuPaul loves quick wit and scandalous campy zingers.

Bob Ross is not the one to do that.

The runway category of “Fascinating Fascinators” brought a few queens to the top. The round’s favorites were Olivia Lux, Rosé, Utica, Symone, Gottmik, and Denali.

Olivia, Utica, and Denali had the type of campy outfits you can’t help but love. They’re fun, they’re outrageous, and they have a cheeky wink to the audience.

Plus, the references came out looking stylish and chic. Like Olivia’s mad scientist was fitted, Utica looked editorial as a fashionable picnic, and Denali had the perfect campy touch as the diner waitress.

The winner’s circle is dead. But between us, baby, the winner’s circle was never a thing because I was not part of it, and I guarantee you that I’m gonna f****** make it to the Top 4. Bitches beware!
Rosé

Rosé’s trend of ruffles continued for another runway. However, this ensemble worked for her since it was styled perfectly, and the roses matched her signature reference.

Symone, on the other hand, shined for her inspiring statement and sleek look. This ensemble leaves a lasting impression because of its impact and how little it needs to translate in a gown.

Gottmik, of course, killed it as the editorial punk. The moment she walked out on the runway sealed her victory for RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 Episode 9 because of its high-end design and fashionable appeal.

The lip-sync of “Fascinated” was signed, sealed, and delivered by Utica.

Her quirky expressions, her long movements, and her sexy moves balanced both humor and sexiness to the judges. Plus, whenever a queen makes the most of the stage, she steals the focus and connects with the judges.

Utica stole the spotlight from Elliott throughout the lip-sync. Elliott could barely pull it back when you have Utica dominating the song at every turn.

Utica, on the other hand, needs to pull it together in the competition. She’s failed two comedy challenges now, and if she can’t keep RuPaul laughing, her chances of surviving aren’t looking good.

Last Thoughts From The Werk Room:

• The rock song during the Mini Challenge was so catchy! The Mini Challenge was just another fun filler game that didn’t have any stakes to it.
  
  
   
• Hopefully, Denali’s parents have come around since filming to accept her passion and career in drag.
  
  
   
• Porkchop needs to return for RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars in the future!
  
  
   
• Olivia has given up on the Miss Congeniality crown to call these queens out. She isn’t the one to deal with anyone’s shadiness.
  
  
   
• The queens had no clue who was in the bottom two. Did you notice their shocked looks when Olivia got called out? They weren’t prepared for the outcome.

Now, over to you, Drag Race fans!

What did you think of “The Snatch Game”?

Which was your favorite impression? Do you agree with the elimination? Is the rock song stuck in your head?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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