Category: Spoilers

Oh, baby. I think ABC has another hit on its hands, and it comes in the form of another sudsy primetime drama with the venerable Milo Ventimiglia as the head of the ship.

The Company You Keep is like a fascinating twist on Romeo and Juliet, which, as we know, saw the children of two feuding families falling in love. Here, these families aren’t feuding (yet), but their children are undoubtedly embarking on a clandestine relationship that has all the makings for a tragic end.

But let’s not worry about the ending right now, when things are just beginning, and everything is oh, so sweet. Instead, let’s dive into The Company You Keep Season 1 Episode 1, a pilot that makes a strong case for this series to be the latest addition to your must-watch list.

While The Company You Keep has a lovely, robust cast, all eyes will immediately be on Milo Ventimiglia, whose Charlie Nicoletti is nothing like his former role, the dad of all dads, Jack Pearson, on This is Us.

Ventimiglia is a fabulous actor and a perfect lead, giving Charlie all the charm in the world to make you believe he’s a master con man. A family man, but a con man, nonetheless.

And at the heart of matters, this is a show about crime, though you might not realize that going by the promotional push.

The pilot hinges on whether or not you find the central pairing appealing because even though there’s a whole con to work through, and copious levels of deception, the relationship between Charlie and Emma is paramount to making this whole thing work.

Charlie and Emma meet right after their respective romances end on truly terrible notes and bond over many cocktails and a copious amount of lies.

While Ventimiglia may be more of a household name, Catherine Haena Kim more than holds her own as his romantic counterpart Emma, who has a beautiful on-screen presence.

Where Charlie is close with his family, you can tell from a quick conversation with Emma’s mom and an awkward family moment that Emma’s relationship with her family may be a bit more exasperated than fond.

It doesn’t take long to see why these two were cast for these roles, as the chemistry speaks for itself. It’s effortless and sexy in a way we don’t always get to see on broadcast television, and the series leans into their connection, which is a good thing because it’s the best part of the pilot.

The series employs a perfect montage of these two going off-grid for 36 hours, existing only with each other in a likely overpriced oasis where they can just be two people unburdened by the complications of their lives. And even though we’re aware these two are on a collision course, you want to root for them.

Charlie and Emma do everything during those hours but tell each other the truth, and it’s relatable, even if not realistic.

Fantasy is one thing, Charlie. Reality is another.

Emma

I’m sure we all dream of a day when we can be anyone we want and live the kind of life we’d love to live, completely unapologetically. But the key word there is dream because it’s not real. Eventually, you have to close the door to the penthouse suite, get into your truck, and amble your way back to your everyday life.

For Charlie and Emma, their lives are the complete opposite. While it will most likely be some time before the two find themselves on opposing sides of the law, you start to wonder as the hour winds down whether or not it will matter because these two are well on their way to falling in love.

Slow burn? This series has never heard of it, as both parties seem willing to throw all caution to the wind when starting a relationship. Sure, they spent a lot of time lying to one another, but they know each other’s classic rock band preferences, which appears to be enough to get them locking lips again after a minor bit of angst at a fancy gala.

But their roads are destined to converge as Charlie finds himself working for the very woman Emma will be in hot pursuit of because, of course, that’s where this tale was always going.

Charlie: That was a lot of mustard on that sandwich, Pop.
Leo: Come on. I’ve gotta commit to sell it.
Charlie: I think you oversold it.

The opening scene of the series is meant to show us a few things, but mainly introduce us to the Nicoletti family and set the stage for the big con gone wrong that will have them atoning for their sins through at least this first season.

The plot is giving Ocean’s 12. Remember that hidden gem? It’s the one where the ragtag group must come back together to pay back the money they stole in the original flick, all while in a picturesque European city.

Well, the backdrop here is Baltimore, and the group is much smaller, but the Nicoletti’s prove throughout the first hour that they can pull off the big score when necessary.

The Pastor Earl con comes about very quickly as a means to make some quick cash and for Charlie to assuage his guilt about letting his love life ruin things for his family.

And it’s during this con we get to see the most from the Nicolleti’s and what they each bring to the table.

Leo and Fran seem very in love and very much seasoned veterans of the criminal game.

They know how to work a scene and do their jobs effectively. It’s nothing for them to slip into a character and sell the hell out of it.

Meanwhile, Birdie is the glue that holds it all together, and her sibling dynamic with Charlie is one of the hour’s highlights.

Where Charlie is the unmistakable face of things, Birdie is his right-hand woman and the techie of the group. Without Birdie, it’s safe to say the high-tech aspects of their operation would be in serious jeopardy.

There’s a much bigger story surrounding the Nicoletti’s, and they tease just enough in the pilot to get you asking some serious questions about their past and their future as a cohesive criminal family.

There always seems to be that one big score that will set everyone up for life that always goes bad and leaves everyone floundering.

Except here, the family is able to get a nice hefty chunk of that money back, but when it comes time to call it quits, no one is actually willing to walk away.

Leo is suffering from memory loss, but he’s not letting that stop him right now, though you have to imagine that it will become a major issue down the line.

It also sounds like Charlie may have spent some time behind bars at some point, perhaps taking the fall so his family wouldn’t, and though he seems okay about it, there could be some lingering feelings there. You don’t do hard time and not come out feeling somewhat jaded.

The Nicoletti’s seem like a very devoted family, but now that their backs are against the wall, it’s easy to see past wounds and old demons resurfacing.

Daphne’s arrival means they’ll now be working for someone else and playing by a new set of rules. It’ll be interesting to see how they fare and what kind of plans they make to get out from underneath someone else’s thumb. Could this be the thing that brings their family closer together or drive them further apart?

And we’ve got the ever-looming worry about what happens when Emma and Charlie’s relationship stops being nice and starts getting real.

The pilot sets up a genuinely intriguing premise and delivers on the flirty, sexy vibe of the trailers. But now it’s time to sustain that level of interest, and if the pilot is anything to go by, we should be in for something special this season.

The Notes I Kept

• The first shot is of Charlie doing a neat little card trick, and if we don’t get to see a casino con at some point, I will be devastated.

• I appreciate a good dramedy, and the series does a great job of mixing humor into things in a way that doesn’t take away from the serious subject matter and the tone of the hour.

• Ollie is adorable, and I’m curious how much they shield her from the criminal parts of their family. Of all the characters introduced in the hour, I walked away most curious about Birdie and Ollie.

• How did Charlie find out where Emma lived? It’s hard to imagine she gave up her address so willy-nilly, but then again, he’s a master thief, so this is probably a stupid question to ask.

• When you think of a good con man, you think of someone unrecognizable.

  You need a forgettable face to weave in and out of situations without drawing much attention. Charlie is devilishly handsome, but he’s so slick and everyday man-ish that he makes it work. Plus, he has that man bun when he really needs to switch things up.

• Charlie and Emma were upset about their respective relationships ending, but they were not THAT upset.

  I think they both knew deep down they weren’t the ones for them, and it makes their willingness to engage with one another so quickly feel earned because it feels less rebound and more once in a lifetime connection.

The Company You Keep comes in very hot, and it’s a fun time. If there’s one thing to criticize, it’s that the hour isn’t longer, and we don’t get to spend more time with all the new characters this show introduces to us.

We still have to get to know the Hill’s and immerse ourselves further into the Nicoletti family. Luckily for us, there’s much more to come.

I want to know all your thoughts about the pilot and what you’re looking forward to seeing from the rest of the season!

So, please drop into the comment section with your thoughts and surprise! You can watch The Company You Keep online via TV Fanatic anytime your heart desires!

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Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.

Sad news out of the TV world today as it has been revealed that iconic actor and comedian Richard Belzer has died.

He was 78.

Belzer passed away Sunday at his home in southwest France, his longtime friend Bill Scheft shared with The Hollywood Reporter.

“He had lots of health issues, and his last words were, ‘F–k you, motherf–ker,’” Scheft told the aforementioned outlet.

Belzer had several big roles throughout his time in the spotlight, including John Munch on Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

“Richard Belzer was the first actor to welcome me when I started at SVU,” executive producer Warren Leight tweeted on Sunday.

“Open, warm, acerbic, whip smart, surprisingly kind. I loved writing for Munch, and I loved being with Belz.”

“We sensed this would be his parting scene. Godspeed Belz.”

NBC and Universal Television shared the following statement:

“Anyone who ever had the pleasure of watching Richard Belzer portray Det. John Munch — whether on Homicide or Law & Order: SVU – over four decades will never forget how much he inhabited that beloved character to make it his own”

“His professionalism, talents and dedication to the craft made him a pillar in the industry, but it was his humor, compassion and loving heart that made him family.”

“Our condolences go out to his loved ones as we join them in mourning his loss, but also in celebrating his memory.”

“I’m so sad to hear of Richard Belzer’s passing,” actress Laraine Newman tweeted.

“I loved this guy so much. He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL.”

“We used to go out to dinner every week at Sheepshead Bay for lobster. One of the funniest people ever. A master at crowd work. RIP dearest.”

Belzer played Munch initially on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993-1999, before moving the character over to SVU from 1999-2016.

SVU star Mariska Hargitay shared a statement on Instagram.

“I will miss you, your unique light, and your singular take on this strange world,” she wrote, adding that she feels blessed to have known, “adored” and worked with the actor.

Law & Order and SVU creator Dick Wolf released a statement to Variety on the news.

“I first worked with Richard on the ‘Law & Order’/’Homicide’ crossover and loved the character so much, I told Tom (Fontana) that I wanted to make him one of the original characters on ‘SVU.’”

“The rest is history. Richard brought humor and joy into all our lives, was the consummate professional and we will all miss him very much.”

Christopher Meloni shared a photo of himself kissing the actor on the cheek, alongside the following:

“Good bye mon ami. I love you.”

May Richard Belzer rest in peace.

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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.

Sometimes, we don’t know people as well as we think.

It’s a lesson that will come two-fold on Alert: Missing Persons Unit Season 1 Episode 8 on both the case and in the personal lives of Nikki and Jason.

A case hits close to him for Mike and brings a different side of him out, while on the homefront, Sidney shares her truth about Keith with world-shattering results.

The Keith mystery is coming near a head, and “Crag” will hopefully start ushering us into a conclusion with the final two episodes of the season.

And Sidney is key to that with the information she has to deliver to her parents.

A Cop or a Criminal?

We may see another side to Mike when he brings a case for the MPU connected to his mentor.

Mike had some experience in law enforcement before joining the unit, and he has a close connection with his mentor, whose opinion he values and who has left a lasting impression on him.

His mentor will bring him a case because she’s searching for a missing police officer that may be under her watch, and she hopes that Mike and the rest of the MPU can locate this man, Craig before it’s too late.

Of course, when you think about a missing cop, the first thing that comes to mind is what type of work they have been doing on the job and if there are people with vendettas against him.

We don’t know what type of cop Craig is, but if he crossed the wrong person, or there’s a criminal or something from his past who wants to seek revenge, they could be behind Craig’s disappearance.

Undoubtedly, it’s what Mike and the rest of the unit will look into first.

The promo teases that there may be more to Craig than others know and definitely more than Mike is willing to believe.

Based on some of the promo pictures, it seems Mike is too invested in this case and taking things hard, but he’s also not open to reason.

When it comes to situations like this, you have to follow the evidence no matter where it leads you, but Mike may be resistant to assume the worst of Craig, who is someone he presumably knows.

The evidence they’re finding may suggest that Craig has a second life he’s keeping under wraps and may be dabbling in some bad things.

We see Nikki finding a box with lots of money and IDs, so does that mean Craig is involved in illicit activities and may have considered a grand escape?

Or it could mean he’s undercover, and that was for safekeeping.

Whatever the case, it sounds like something that will spotlight Mike and have him take the lead. That’ll be interesting for his development and a nice deviation from the Nikki and Jason pairing getting a lot of attention in the field and off.

Sidney Tells the Truth Half a Decade Later

Sidney has been holding onto the information about what really happened the night Keith disappeared.

It’s puzzling that she went her parents go so long without telling them that Keith drowned. Ever since “Keith” returned, she has been at odds with him, not hiding the fact that she believes him to be an imposter.

Even when “Keith” has an excuse for everything and some of the evidence seems to back him up, she’s been resolute in her stance.

Jason chose to get to the bottom of her feelings, and they left Alert: Missing Persons Unit Season 1 Episode 7 with him, demanding she tells him the truth.

Backed into a corner, Sidney won’t have any other choice, and thankfully, it means we’ll get the ball rolling on this Keith mystery.

But the synopsis teases that whatever Sidney says will lead to Jason having severe doubts about Keith and whether or not the kid who has been in their home so far is really the son they lost many years ago.

Interstingly, while Nikki is likely to be there for the conversation, they don’t imply that Nikki has any doubts about Keith or what Sidney said.

Does this mean Nikki will be the holdout and stay firmly on Team Keith? She and Sidney have already been at odds with one another since “Keith’s” reappearance, and this won’t be any better.

We also see in the promo that Jason will confront Keith about his identity, finally giving us the type of momentum that we’ve been craving for most of the season.

Jason was already a bit leery after the car incident, so whatever Sidney shares may push him over the edge for good. But how will Keith react to Jason confronting him?

He doesn’t react well to confrontations, and he deflects whenever someone gets too persistent.

I can imagine him doing the same thing in this instance, but he’s also been suggesting that he’s having a hard time with lying and that he hates that he’s keeping things from people.

Keith has nearly told his truth to his friend multiple times by now. It would be nice if this installment also gives us some truths from Keith’s end.

Of course, he may deflect from his identity again and focus exclusively on his kidnappers or whoever those shady people are, stalking him and threatening him and the family.

If he comes out with that, he’ll gain the sympathy he may deserve and get help from Nikki and Jason. And while Sidney is angry about him posing as her brother, perhaps she’ll sympathize with him too if she knows how afraid he is.

Bones Don’t Lie

Of course, a key part of determining who Keith is and what may have happened to “Real” Keith is whatever results come from the skeleton from the lake.

C is already reconstructing the face to see what the person looks like, and he’s close to having an identity.

Sidney hinges so much of her truth on whatever those results are, so they’ll either help her or hurt her.

With only a couple of episodes remaining, we should definitely be finding out those results in this episode. Pacing-wise, it makes the most sense.

But what they’ll reveal remains a mystery.

We’ll be here to unpack the episode and more of our theories with a full review.

Alert: MPU airs Mondays at 9/8c on FOX.

Hit the comments with all of your working theories and thoughts!

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Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.

Ever since Asher returned to Chicago Med, she’s been trying to stand up for other heroin users. She knows what it takes to stay sober and wants to help others get there, too.

Archer took her side when she fought the AI program automatically flagging patients as potential drug users.

But on Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 14, she may be on her own after Archer learns that a new mother is using heroin.

The issue involves whether to let the mother go home with her newborn. According to a clip in the spoiler video, Archer doesn’t think it’s appropriate, but Asher disagrees.

Asher doesn’t want to give up on this woman after going through her own battle with heroin addiction. But is she making the right call by fighting to keep this mother and child together?

Things get tricky when a parent struggles with addiction. In many cases, CPS does what that computer program did and automatically assumes that a parent with a drug problem will neglect or abuse their child.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that, but on the other hand, we’re talking about a woman who just gave birth for the first time.

Newborns need lots of care, and caring for a tiny, helpless baby can be stressful. New parents often find it challenging to get enough sleep or tend to their other needs, and if this mother doesn’t have a support system at home, she’ll find it difficult.

And people with drug addiction problems often turn to their favorite substance when stressed, so having a baby in the house could lead to a vicious cycle of drug abuse and neglect.

Still, every case is different, and taking the baby away could send the mother into a tailspin, making it harder for her to kick her habit.

Archer is an old-school doctor who likely comes from the outdated abstinence-only model of substance use treatment. Asher first came into Will’s life when she went to a safe house for users set up to try to reduce the harm to heroin users; she understands the value of practicing harm reduction.

That alone will cause the two to butt heads.

That’s a shame; they’ve gone from enemies to colleagues, and Asher has gotten close enough to Archer to convince him to try to rebuild his relationship with his son instead of distrusting Sean all the time.

Rather than being at each other’s throats, Archer and Asher need to figure out a treatment plan that serves the mother’s and child’s best interests. Taking the baby away is not the only option; they need to ensure the child’s safety while the mother works on sobriety.

Asher and Archer aren’t the only ones who will clash; Charles will get caught in a labor dispute.

Charles’ relationship with Liliana puts him in a unique position. Most doctors are unaware of the lives that blue-collar workers lead, such as janitors and cafeteria workers. These people are vital to the hospital’s ability to stay open, yet they are often invisible to the medical staff.

But Charles is dating Liliana, so she’s no longer invisible to him. When negotiations break down over a new contract, it’ll test his loyalties.

He’s dating Liliana, but Sharon has been his best friend for ages, and he knows she has a good heart. How will he navigate this conflict?

Charles might try to make the union’s case to Sharon for Liliana’s benefit, but that’s not likely to go over well. Sharon may not appreciate his interference, and Liliana may feel he’s speaking for her.

This storyline is compelling partially because we rarely address class issues on medical dramas. Doctors get glimpses into patients’ lives — including some who don’t have the funds to pay for needed treatment –, but those issues are secondary to whatever the doctors are going through.

Besides the Janitor on Scrubs, how often are the custodial staff featured on medical shows?

AI will probably feature prominently in this story. Some people fear technology will take over jobs such as cashiering and cleaning. Since Dayton owns the hospital, he probably wants to introduce AI solutions for some of this type of work.

That could be why the negotiations break down in the first place. The labor union may want to keep AI out of janitorial work, while Dayton insists on using technology throughout the hospital.

If so, it’s not only Sharon that Charles or the union will have to win over. Dayton is not easily persuaded to abandon tech solutions and will dig his heels in twice as hard if he’s pressured to do so.

I also wonder if there’ll be any fallout from Will and Grace’s decision to ignore data about that patient’s chance of survival in favor of doing everything to help her.

Grace swore never to abandon her data again, another surgeon was pissed, and only Will thought they did the right thing.

Will anything come of the other surgeon’s complaint? And how does Will view Grace now that she’s flip-flopped back to the side of data over humanity?

What do you think, Chicago Med fanatics? Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know!

Don’t forget that you can watch Chicago Med online while waiting for the newest episode to air.

Chicago Med airs on NBC on Wednesdays at 8 PM EST / PST.

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Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.

Is that blood in the water? No, it’s a bloodbath!

The claws came out, and the stunts were brought to the main stage on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 Episode 8.

No one is safe during the Lalaparuza. We were on the edge of our seats to see how this round would turn out. (And it didn’t disappoint!)

“LipSync Lalaparuza Smackdown” packed plenty of high tension and energy into one round. Fans of the lip-syncing eliminations would love this competition.

There are no Maxi Challenges to throw the queens off. No runways to judge the taste level. The decision is all about lip-syncing, something the queens get paid to do on a daily/weekly basis.

I love this tournament!

RuPaul’s Drag Race (and, by extension, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars) has done variations of this Maxi Challenge. Whether battling it out as a twist or a knockout-style tournament, the drama will always whittle down to one queen getting the boot.

The queens can’t ever plan for this because they never know if and when it’ll pop up during their season.

The Lalaparuza should become a staple of Drag Race each year. We get plenty of great lip-syncs, the queens have to prove to the judges their lip-syncing abilities, and the drama of who wins/loses causes plenty of chaos.

What more could we ask for? Bring all of it, RuPaul.

Now, let’s get into each of the lip-syncs. Firstly: Malaysia Babydoll Foxx vs. Marcia Marcia Marcia to “Boys Don’t Cry” by Anitta.

Malaysia picked Marcia because she thought she could easily beat her. Why deny it?!

Malaysia lost her lip-sync for two reasons: (1) she underestimated Marcia’s dancing ability beyond Broadway, and (2) she couldn’t keep up with the high-energy song.

[In confessional] Bob walked onto her first runway purse first. Aura left that runway curse first.

Luxx Noir London

Marcia was flipping and serving stunts/fierceness to the beat; this song could be similar to her wheelhouse. Malaysia tried to keep up and did a good job serving the lyrics and moving around the stage. But the outcome felt wrapped up mid-way through the song.

Marcia got the advantage by getting to choose the lip-sync song.

On the other hand, the lip-sync between Loosey LaDuca and Spice was the complete opposite.

Spice got to choose the song (“Do You Wanna Touch Me” by Joan Jett), which was stronger in her wheelhouse. However, Loosey was edging her out at every turn.

Loosey went for a slower turn by exuding 80s rocker with sultry movements. Spice tried rocker moves, but she came off a bit too campy at times and off the beat. If she had paced herself better and hit the rocker vibe harder, she could’ve snuck the win out.

I agreed with the judges that Loosey snatched this victory. She felt more like Joan Jett during the number.

The lip-sync of “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” by Celine Dion was the surprise sleeper hit no one saw coming. This performance was the one where you can’t ever predict bad luck coming.

The combination of Salina EsTitties choosing the ballad AND it being a song she performs weekly in her drag routine (very successfully, I remind you) was a deadly force against Luxx Noir London.

Feel how you feel, baby. Let it out!

Mistress Isabelle Brooks

Does anyone else agree that Salina slayed this number from top to bottom?

From the emotional beats to her comedy drops, Salina knew this song from end to end. She perfected the number, so it wasn’t a challenge for her. Luxx served great emotion, but the music didn’t gel with her quite as well.

Salina dominated this number; it was hard to look away when she naturally drew all the focus.

Now, here is the number that caused the most debate. Who do you think won the battle between Jax and Mistress Isabelle Brooks?

“Tell It To My Heart” by Taylor Dayne is a high-energy song that gives queens plenty of opportunities for stunts, emotion, fierceness, and a clean lip-sync. Anyone could’ve won this lip-sync, which is why the winning queens were so gagged by who won.

Mistress did a great job focusing on the song’s lyrics and energy.

She stole focus plenty of times, giving the judges her mix of comedy and flair. I agreed with the judges about why she ultimately won. She would’ve been the winning contender in most cases due to her captivating energy and boob dance.

Though, I can see why it was a close race against Jax.

Jax was landing powerful stunts and matching the beat/essence of the song. She seemed like a lock many times during the number that she was winning it.

If it weren’t for Mistress’s energy and strong performance, Jax probably would’ve won. No one would’ve been upset based on the decision.

This number shows that you can’t predict who will win a lip-sync. You can have all the acrobatics and stunts, but sometimes a different element will pull a queen ahead.

Anetra vs. Sasha Colby in “I’m In Love With A Monster” by Fifth Harmony was another very close race.

Both queens were serving stunts, hair flips, and sexy moves. This song was perfect for two strong performers and lip-sync contenders; it felt natural like it could be in their drag line-up.

In this case, Sasha’s energy and hair flips stole the show.

Something about Sasha pulls you in and makes you want to watch. I couldn’t look away whenever she flipped her hair and looked at the camera. It was a close race, but she did a great job of edging Anetra out.

Compared to that lip-sync, “Don’t Go Yet” by Camilla Cabello between Malaysia and Spice was one word: rough.

Did they not practice the song at all? Or did they both forget the words?

Anyone could’ve won this lip-sync. Seriously, anyone! All they had to do was remember the lyrics and serve them on the main stage.

[In confessional] It’s a new day in the Werk Room, and I am happy to enter my top era. I am being a full-on top. Like, Spice dom top era. Entering right now.

Spice

Malaysia won because she knew the lyrics better than Spice and kept the act/energy going longer. If Spice hadn’t kept turning every so often and learned the song, she would’ve won.

Though, we have to give her credit. Her strategy of choosing a song Malaysia didn’t know was the right idea! You have to know the song you’re competing with to get the advantage.

For a fun surprise, three-way lip-syncs can be an exciting time. The main stage doesn’t get too crowded, and the queens have to think on their feet to stand out against other competitors. It’s a nice treat when they pop up.

“The Right Stuff” by Vanessa Williams seemed like a good song that worked for Anetra, Luxx, and Jax.

All three queens could easily match the lyrics, serve some stunts, and add some flair to steal focus. It’s a mid-tempo song with plenty of high moments to get the wow factor.

Out of all three queens, Luxx suited it the best.

Her long hair and white lip-sync assassin outfit paired well with the sultry song. Plus, her choice of an empowering sexy lip-sync number gave the judges exactly what they wanted. They were living for it, and we were living for it too.

For the final lipsync of “Finally” by CeCe Peniston, Anetra was going to dominate this number regardless of who she lip-synced against.

Jax? Spice? It didn’t matter. Anetra had this in the bag; she basically chose who she wanted to send home.

Anetra’s high-energy number of stunts, duck walks, and comedy created a powerful trifecta. Jax toned it down more with only a few tricks, instead focusing on the lyrics and essence of the song. However, it was a battle she couldn’t win when a powerful lip-sync assassin was her competitor.

[In confessional] Loosey, if you think you’re perfection, there might be a case of drag delusional. Girl…

Mistress Isabelle Brooks

Jax losing “LipSync Lalaparuza Smackdown” was shocking, especially since it was a lip-sync competition. This competition seemed like something she could easily glide through.

Her overuse of the stunts and connection to the songs could be where she went wrong. Simply having stunts can only take you so far, and she had a string of bad luck. If her name got pulled even once, she probably would’ve stayed since she would’ve chosen her target.

Last Thoughts From The Werk Room:

• Anetra choosing to save Spice was the biggest shock. Did you expect that? It would’ve been an easy win, but I’m glad she went for the bigger competitor.
   
• Mistress was quick to read all the queens who doubted her. She didn’t let them breathe for a second.
   
• Bruno from the Pit Crew sitting on the main stage was so cute. It’s nice whenever the Pit Crew members get more of a showcase beyond just wearing hot underwear.

Now, over to you, Drag Race fans.

What did you think of “LipSync Lalaparuza Smackdown”?

Are you sad to see Jax go? Which lip-sync number was your favorite? Did you think any of the queens wrongfully lost their lip-syncs?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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