This review contains spoilers.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 18 concluded Friday with Myki Meeks as America’s Next Drag Superstar, and I couldn’t be happier. The season was full of ups, downs and fumbles by the judges and the production team, but despite it all, the contestants provided memorable moments and remarkable runways.
The final three
After narrowing down from the starting group of 14, the finale featured the top three contestants.
I doubt anyone was surprised to see Meeks win this season. Her theater kid personality and quick wit solidified her as a fan favorite early on, and her win streak grew as the episodes progressed.
Honestly, I took a while to notice Meeks, but absolutely fell in love with her after her campy Bride of Frankenstein burlesque number and her spot-on Drew Barrymore impersonation, which landed her an appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show.” It just felt right to see her take home the grand prize of $200,000.
Season runner-up Nini Coco, took the lead early on, winning the first challenge and solidifying her as a strong contender for the crown. While her looks were polished and her lip-syncs impressive, Meeks was a more versatile and deserving winner.
Darlene Mitchell was the dark horse of the season. I don’t know if anyone — even herself — expected her to make it past the first few episodes.
However, Mitchell fought her way to the top with an endless supply of prop comedy and smiles. She was an absolute joy to watch, and I hope the show continues to reward campy, silly queens like her.
Production pitfalls
The most shocking twist of the season was the elimination of frontrunner Jane Don’t. Don’t now holds the record for the most high placements within a single season of “Drag Race,” landing in the top or winning challenges a total of 10 times, but she was sent home the single time she placed in the bottom two.
Don’t’s elimination felt incredibly forced, and it was upsetting to see a contestant who had done so well be sent home just for shock value.
Before the finale, the bottom 11 competed in a lip-sync All RuPaul-A-Paruza Smackdown for a cash prize of $50,000. The bracket-style lip-sync competition featured songs exclusively by RuPaul, and, while I loved the queens’ performances, I disliked being forced to listen to so much of RuPaul’s music.
Predictably, Juicy Love Dion took home the prize after multiple lip-sync performances that taught me new ways in which the human body can bend.
While I always love watching Love Dion perform, I wish this season returned to the format of older ones, replacing the lip-sync competition with a drama-filled cast reunion. It felt like the show tried to sandwich the contestants’ arguments and lingering tensions in between lip-sync performances, which created a confusing tone for the episode.
The future of “Drag Race” — if it has one
“Drag Race” has spanned 18 seasons and spawned many spin-offs, creating variations of the original show such as “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” as well as franchises in a multitude of countries. At 65 years old, RuPaul still sits at the helm of it all, judging both “Drag Race” and “All Stars.”
However, in recent seasons, it’s become clear that RuPaul’s sense of humor and pop culture knowledge are simply outdated. How much longer can the show survive if its host doesn’t get her contestants’ jokes or references?
I’d like to argue that RuPaul can relate to the younger queens just fine; the producers just need to let them. The relationship between the competitors is my favorite part of the show; whether I’m watching Don’t laugh hysterically at Mitchell’s best attempt at a comedy roast or Athena Dion leap out of her seat to cheer on Love Dion, the bonds between contestants are at the heart of “Drag Race.”
For me, the most touching moment of the season was when RuPaul teared up while talking to Mitchell about their mutual journeys to sobriety. It was a powerful instance of vulnerability that felt genuine and organic, and I think the show needs more of these moments of human connection.
“Drag Race” has been an accessible source of queer representation and joy for those of us from places with less public queer communities, and I would be sad to see it go. However, the show needs to learn to let its contestants tell their own stories if it wants to remain a destination for viewers instead of a pit stop.
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