RuPaul’s Drag Race is back and as sparkly as ever, which should be expected with Season 18’s “Let There Be Light” theme. This time around, each of the 14 queens feels polished and seasoned. Perhaps that correlates to the majority of queens being over 30, or maybe it’s due to better casting. Either way, Season 18 is shaping up to be one of the show’s most exciting seasons in recent years.
After the controversy stemming from Season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, most fans are ready to get back to basics and discover some new names to fall in love with. With Drag Race going back to its classic formula, you’ll find few complaints from us. And since RuPaul loves a good acronym, we’ll be conducting our reviews using the word DRAG (Drama, Runway, About That Challenge, and Gooped, Gagged, and Goated). Read on for our thoughts, musings, and reactions to RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 4.
Drama: Briar was the main character this week, from the opening argument in the beginning to her fainting on stage. Are we buying what Briar is selling?
Jeanette: As a local, I always want to support the Boston queens, but Briar makes that extraordinarily difficult. Listen, if you want to win RuPaul’s Drag Race, you need to have the whole package, which includes personality. Briar can turn a look (just not this episode), but she also purposefully pushes buttons, and there’s nothing congenial about that.
Perhaps Athena said it best, “Briar is in the wrong because she expects other people to respect her boundaries, but she doesn’t respect anybody else’s boundaries in the Werkoom.”
Period.
Her interactions with Athena, at least on camera, still come off as “pigtail pulling.” But, again, the keyword here is “on camera.” Athena maintains Briar is saying “nasty” things behind the scenes, and Mia seems to be keeping it pretty real. It doesn’t help that Briar just sits there with a blank, almost uninterested expression. Maybe that’s her defense mechanism. Perhaps it’s guilt. I’m not quite sure, but the whole thing feels off.
I’m glad Mia and Briar had their little heart-to-heart later in the episode, but then we’re hit with the fainting incident, and I’m right back to scratching my head. This show is A LOT of pressure. The queens might also struggle to get the proper amount of food, water, and sleep because of the stress, so I won’t accuse Briar of “faking it” because that feels icky. However, it is really telling when a good chunk of your castmates suspect it’s theatrics. That’s all I’m going to say. Regardless, I’m glad she’s okay.
Lyra: Briar really bothers me because she wants others to respect her boundaries but she doesn’t respect other queens boundaries. And yes, I’m talking about Athena. She has made it very clear that she doesn’t f*ck with Briar. But Briar continues to be in her space, says rude things off camera to her, and then doesn’t respect when Athena doesn’t want to be touched.
Drag Race in itself is a lot of fun, barbs, and dynamic outfits. But it’s built on respect. And if you don’t know that balance yet, then maybe you aren’t as good of a queen as you think you are or you’re not ready for a worldwide stage. I think it’s a little of both. Hopefully Drag Race will be a humbling experience for her where she’ll grow.
Lizzie: She’s giving mean girl who doesn’t want everyone to know she’s a mean girl, and I just don’t like that. Perhaps it’s just that she feels inauthentic to me, but I believe Athena when she’s saying nasty things behind the scenes, because from what we’re seeing on camera, it feels like she would. Obviously, we don’t really know what’s happening, but in reality TV shows, perception is half the battle, and the problem with Briar is that she lost that battle very easily.
The touching thing particularly bothered me. I feel like a person who is this bad at boundaries is also a person who is saying nasty things behind the camera. So no, I’m not buying what she’s selling, and that even involves the fainting. I almost feel like she was trying to drum up sympathy, it just didn’t work.
Shana: Yeah, I agree with everyone. I’m not here for her or her drama. She doesn’t have boundaries, she picks at people in a way that crosses lines, and she’s just annoying AF. I also have watched way too much Drag Race from way too many franchises because, like, I remember at least one other fainting incident, and that was way less fake than this felt. Just seemed like really bad acting. And while her talk about how she was always treated like othered, or like she was doing something wrong, (or however she put it) at least provided some context, I’ve still got limits on my patience that she’s long since met.
MORE: Need more? Read our RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 3 Breakdown!
Runway: Okay, but did some of these queens actually wear it better?
Jeanette: I disagreed with half of Ru’s winners. Juicy, Ciara Myst, and Vita definitely wore it best, but as for everyone else? It’s questionable. (Also, why is Michelle calling Juicy’s fur cheap? Like, you guys gave her that fabric to work with. Blame yourselves.)
Truthfully, though, I’m most upset about Myki Meeks losing to Nini Coco. Law Roach criticized Myki for not using the JLo fabric better, but um, Nini just did a catsuit and literally wrapped a piece of green fabric around her body like a mummy. The Michelle I used to know would’ve ripped her to shreds for that. What do you mean by “it works for you?”
Lyra: Ciara Myst was definitely my favorite. From the walk to the construction, she understood the assignment and made a mashup look that was elevated. Honestly, I think she should’ve won. Sorry Vita. The Lil Kim of it all was missing, even if it was opulent.
This is where things get controversial. (For this roundtable at least.) Juicy’s look did look cheap. And it’s because she didn’t double up the trim or try to make it look thicker. But it’s probably because the trim and train was hard enough. As for Nini Coco, oh she smoked Myki Meeks. Why? Because Myki’s look didn’t look cohesive and she was doing too much. As for Nini, it was a perfect blend of the looks requested. And it was done in a silhouette that emphasized her curves and body but still was recognizable.
Lizzie: I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Juicy, because when the season started, she was basically like, “I can’t sew, I can’t do comedy, I can’t sing,” and I wasn’t sure if she was selling herself short or if she just really didn’t have what it took to go far in this competition. But she’s been a pleasant surprise for me. That being said, Ciara Myst was outstanding too.
Shana: I had at least one thing that I hated about every single look. Even Vita, who was the clear winner, did too much for me with that white dangly bit right in front.
About That Challenge: Is it slightly toxic for Ru to ask the queens to pair up with their ‘best friends’ only to pit them against each other after?
Jeanette: It’s not “RuPaul’s Best Friends Race!” I get it. Everyone is your competition, but it does feel a little shady. For whatever reason, I always forgot about the Who Wore It Best challenge format, so when Ru tells people to pair up with their bestie only to reveal later they’re now their competition, I’m like, “Oooo, that’s cold.” That said, I like that it highlights a queen’s character. Some people turn a little nasty, others continue showing support, and even help their “partner.” In that sense, I consider it science.
Lyra: It’s was so messy when Ru asked them to pair up as “best friends.” And it’s especially true because Briar has latched onto the one person who can stand her and seems to be rubbing it in Athena’s face. So yeah, mess. But also, I need the criteria to start making sense here. Because challenges like this happen and they judge a queen with one set of criteria and then turn around and judge with another. Basically, this show needs a refresh.
Lizzie: Slightly? 100% toxic, but this is reality TV, and Ru kinda loves to be messy, so should we really be surprised? It made for a better show! The last thing I want is for the show to be boring, and as much as in real life I’d be like that’s an unfair twist, I am watching Ru Paul’s Drag Race, so bring it.
Shana: Nah. It’s a competition, and it’s reality TV. Nobody should trust anybody at any time, least of all RuPaul.
MORE: Don’t forget to check out our RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 2 Breakdown!
Gooped, Gagged, and GOATED: Do you agree with RuPaul’s choices for bottoms and tops in RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 4?
Jeanette: Bottoms? Absolutely. Briar’s outfit was terrible. As for Kenya, I love her, but there was nothing meat or denim about that dress. It wasn’t even Spider-Man colors, which arguably would have been better. Thankfully, my girl can dance, so it all worked out for the best because I would’ve been sad to see her go home.
Tops? My feelings get muddier. Vita looked gorgeous in that color, so yeah, wins all around, but what the heck is Jane Don’t doing in the top? Again, I love her, but this outfit did nothing for me… or for her. In fact, it made her look matronly. I hated it! As for Ciara, the outfit works, but her lips, I just find them too distracting. They take up the entirety of her face, and I’m saying this as a fan of Trixie Mattel, so it means something when I say makeup is too much.
Lyra: Look, I love Athena, but that outfit shouldn’t have been safe. It’s dated and giving Bianca del Rio in Season 6. She should’ve joined Briar, Kenya, and Discord. Jane as well because I didn’t get what you were doing at all with that look. The one bottom that hurt was Kenya. She’s a really talented queen that knows herself and how to dress her body. (Coming from a fellow big girl.) So she did a good job on the construction of the dress but not the execution of the actual challenge.
As for saying goodbye to Briar. Wrote these answers before watching the end, where she got booted. There’s still room to grow even if she’s gone.
Lizzie: The bottoms were dead on. I’m even happy with Briar leaving. I think this is such a strong group, and she was truly one of the weakest links in general, with her personality issues not helping her at all. The tops …eh. I agree with Jeanette that Jane Don’t is just cruising at this point, because why was she there? I loved Ciara, and I loved Juicy, but I feel like I didn’t love anyone else. A lot of people were in the middle for me this week.
Shana: I think within the context of me not caring for most of the looks, the tops and bottoms were more or less correct. At least Vita winning and Briar going home were. Can we please have a challenge I enjoy again soon???
