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 13.
Drama: Were you surprised that everyone flopped the puppet show mini-challenge?
Jeanette: Yes and no? I don’t particularly love the puppet show mini-challenge. In my opinion, the best part about it is seeing how the queens makeover the puppets. The show itself is almost always underwhelming for me. That said, this one was really bad. The constant cuts to Ru completely absence of amusement were lowkey giving me anxiety. I think Michelle once said that “Ru is an easy laugh,” so if you can’t make him chuckle even once, you’re doing something wrong. (Nini’s Darlene puppet did look fabulous, though!)
MORE: Catch up with our RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 12 Breakdown
Lyra: Honestly yes, I was surprised. Because not everyone is going to do well. That’s a given. But for EVERYONE to actually bomb and leave no crumbs, that doesn’t happen. There’s always someone who stands out. Even worse, this puppet show mini-challenge show ended up being so bad that they said the crew would get the prize. I don’t think that’s ever happened before and I really hope that they get that money. This should’ve signaled to me that this was going to be an unprecedented episode of Drag Race.
Runway: Any runway looks you want to scream about?
Jeanette: Myki was the standout for me! The rose hair was absolutely stunning, but both looks (the full rose and the reveal) were giving. I kind of wish the thorny dominatrix leotard was a deep green to mimic a rose stem, but really, that’s my only small complaint.
Also, can we talk about Nini? Only on RuPaul’s Drag Race would we get a sexy, club-kid Lady Liberty reveal, and only on RuPaul’s Drag Race would it be my second favorite outfit of the night. Nini has such a unique balance between fashion and camp. She doesn’t always rank among my favorite looks, but I always, always appreciate them, even when I personally think some of the other queens beat her out.
Lyra: Honestly I didn’t totally love anyone’s outfit this season. But I did like parts of it, which is a first for me. I like Myki’s rose hair. It was unique and really beautiful. But I didn’t like the rest of her outfit. For Darlene, I loved how weird and bedazzled her top was. But I really didn’t like her opening outfit and the lack of padding for her reveal didn’t work. For Jane I hated her opening opening. But she did look hot in the reveal, so there’s that. And then Jane Don’t and Nini Coco. Their opening outfits were blah but I liked everything from the neck up for the reveal.
Just bits of pieces of everyone in Drag Race Season 18 Episode 13. That’s what I liked. No complete looks. And at this point of the season, shouldn’t the standards be a little higher? But who am I to say anything when I’m eating chips and dips and these queens are beat and padded (mostly) while standing on stage for hours…
About That Challenge: Did you think the Karen Challenge worked so close to the finale, or would you have liked to see something stronger/more fun?
Jeanette: I was a little surprised when Ru announced the Karen Challenge. Was it a decent idea? Sure, in theory, but this entire episode felt pretty underwhelming to me… and we are quickly approaching the finale. This should be the time we’re really seeing the queens at their best. Instead, I’m watching them utterly flop a silly puppet show while barely cracking a smile during any of their Karen performances.
Maybe this is controversial, but I thought Ru outshone a lot of them. Darlene—I’m sorry, girl—was playing a supporting character in the RuPaul Show. Ru’s little dance after Darlene asked to see his credentials was genuinely one of the few times I laughed throughout this entire thing. Comedy gold!
MORE: Need more? RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 11 Breakdown
Lyra: As soon as production realized how bad they did at the puppet challenge, they should’ve pivoted. Because it’s no fun when EVERYONE bombs. Then there’s no one to really cheer for. Also it makes the final picks seem like weak choices by production. That’s the last thing you want on a franchise getting close to the end of the season and their 20th year. But here we are scratching out at this Karen challenge.
And you know what made it worse? Ru was better than all the queens (except Juicy which we’ll talk about below.) And I know that she’s an icon and has a lot of scene experience. But this challenge just felt like it was a way to show how unfunny these queens were next to the glory of Ru. Gives the ick for sure…
Gooped, Gagged, and GOATED: Do you agree with RuPaul’s choices for bottoms and tops in RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 13? (More importantly, can we talk about Jane’s elimination???)
Jeanette: Tops? Yes. Myki Meeks absolutely deserved first place. Her slo-mo seat recline was one of the highlights of the entire Karen Challenge. She found a nice balance between believability and stupidity. Like Michelle, I was also proud of Juicy for really giving it her all. Not only did she let loose, but she also embraced a character from her culture, and it brought such a unique edge to the stereotypical “white lady Karen” the internet loves to make fun of.
Bottoms? That’s a big no. Technically, Nini and Jane make sense, but Darlene really could’ve traded with either of them, and I wouldn’t be mad. As I mentioned above, Darlene got outshone by Ru. Yes, they had a good time together, but her character lacked, and she was arguably the least “Kareny” out of everyone. In some ways, it felt like she should’ve been in the bottom for that alone.
I really enjoy both Jane and Nini, but anyone who has been following along with our weekly episode breakdowns knows I’m such a sucker for Jane Don’t. It breaks my heart that she fumbled what has otherwise been such a strong run in this competition… and was eliminated? Listen, maybe Nini’s lip sync was stronger, BUT WHAT ABOUT TRACK RECORD? Jane was the clear frontrunner. One stumble, one time in the actual bottom two, and she’s gone. I’m truly gagged.
I see the perfectionism in Jane. I get it. I know it. Her low placement last week scared her, so she overplanned and overrehearsed this week. Really, Jane didn’t take her own advice. She forgot to listen to her scene partner, and because of that, she missed a lot of stuff I don’t think she would have otherwise. I’m not saying Jane did great in the challenge, but I don’t think she deserved to go home. (Can we sign a petition or something?)
Let’s not forget how many times Kenya, who fumbled the lip sync MULTIPLE TIMES, got to stay. And let’s be real, Discord squeaked by a few times, too. This season has felt so staged and manipulated. Usually, I agree with Ru’s decision, but something has been off this time around, and Jane’s elimination is proof of that.
Lyra: No. I don’t agree with these tops or bottoms. Firstly, let’s talk about who should’ve been the winner? It was Juicy. And it’s not just because I’m Latina and we supposedly stick up for each other. (We do. But that’s not your business.)
Juicy gave it her all this episode in a way that felt over the top but also spot on when it comes to the Karen experience. I’ve met that Karen who argues over a space, throws her husband into the mix, and pretends to be hurt. She’s real. And I feel like she was the one that committed to the bit 100% while showing us that personality Ru has been begging for. Sorry Myki. You just fell a little flat to be in comparison to Juicy.
Then there’s the bottoms.
As much as I love Darlene… it should’ve been her and Nini fighting for their lives in that lip-sync. Because yes, Darlene, Jane, and Nini did the worst. But come on Drag Race. Are we not considering track record? Because you were making all sorts of excuses to keep Kenya and Discord. But now it’s like bye, see you later, Jane Don’t?! Trash.
Don’t even get me started on the editing of the final lip-sync there. We barely got to see Jane Don’t so it made it seem like Nini was killing it. And maybe she was. Don’t want to take that away from her. But how am I supposed to judge this show properly if I can’t see the actual contestants?! I can only go by what you show me on a show that continues changes it’s own rules about everything. Jane should’ve made it to the end.
