After 16 episodes, RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18 comes to a close and declares America’s Next Drag Superstar. Starting with 14 queens, Season 18 enters its finale with three finalists: Darlene Mitchell, Myki Meeks, and Nini Coco.
This episode might be different, with a live audience in attendance, but we are still using our acronym: 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 16. And a big condragulations to the winner: Myki Meeks!
Drama: Did anyone else notice Athena “side-eyeing” Jane when she won Miss Congeniality?
Jeanette: I’m pretty sure the cameraman/editor made sure we didn’t miss it. Athena, love her, miss her, but also, the delusion to think she would win Miss Congeniality is truly astounding. Mother Athena was THE drama for the first handful of Season 18’s episodes (see our earlier breakdowns for that). Don’t get me wrong, I know Athena has a special relationship with Juicy and did a lot to support her and some of the other girls, but Miss Congeniality was not her category to win.
Side note: Jane winning makes sense, but some part of me feels like it’s a consolation prize. Perhaps Ru’s way of being like, “I know you should’ve been in the top 3, but how’s this instead?”
MORE: Catch up with our RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 15 Breakdown
Lyra: Thank you camera person for catching Athena not being happy about Jane Don’t and her win. Truly love the shade and can’t help but think of the production room going, “OMG ZOOM IN ON ATHENA’S FACE!” But also… in case Athena was feeling some sort of way. Someone who is congenial wouldn’t be this upset that someone else won this award. Just saying…
But you know who should’ve been Miss Congeniality? Darlene Mitchell. No matter a wig or a dress, if you needed something, Darlene was there with her little cart and wigs. And if I could go back, even though I love Darlene, she would be 4th runner up and Miss Congeniality. Then Myki and Jane could battle it out. And the real congenial queen would have that title.
Runway: No typical runway again this week, but what entry looks stunned?
Jeanette: I thought everyone looked great. The queens pulled out their drag eleganza, and I loved every second of it. That said, Discord got me again. The punk-glamor look—yes! The safety pin jacket—shady, but yes!
Another side note: When they flashed back through all of Nini’s runway looks, I gagged. Yes, I’ve always known she can turn a look, but there was something about seeing them all right in a row that really, truly, made my jaw drop.
Lyra: While all the queens brought their best looks, there were absolutely some that stood out and left the others in the dust. Mandy’s train was a work of art, Vita’s hat was beautiful, but Kenya. OMG Kenya. Absolutely ethereal. Maybe needed a little less chains. But OMG beautiful. Just even her stage presence. It feels like she’s come into her own. The confidence.
And then there were the ones who just brought the same kind of looks and gave us nice. I’m looking at you Athena and Jane. Because this just you with a train or bigger hair. DD Fuego looked like she was at her wedding. Discord was just pins. And Mia… what is this demure look? Nah. Don’t like. Giving maternal. Want my big back.
Finally, the best looks that I did not like… all of the finalists. It was definitely in their style and wheelhouse. But nah. Pass.
About That Challenge: Which of the top 3 queens do you think nailed their lip-sync performance?
Jeanette: NINI COCO! I mean, wow. She should be touring with Gaga or something because it was that good.
Personally, each performance appeared in ascending order for me. Darlene was fine, but meh. Myki had me excited and impressed. Then, Nini just came out and slaughtered. That said, that’s just one facet of this competition, and just because she absolutely owned doesn’t mean she deserved the win, but more on that below.
MORE: Need more? RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 14 Breakdown
Lyra: NINI COCO, WHAT EVEN WAS THAT?! That was Lady Gaga concert stage performance. She was refined, but in a way that felt accessible. She had a lot going on, but in a way that didn’t feel like you couldn’t take it all in. And it was so memorable and fun. I honestly didn’t know that she had it in her. But wow.
As for the other girls, Darlene was fun and maybe not as polished. Myki was too polished and could be reproduced in a factory because dependable. And then Nini came in and was fun, fresh, and uniquely herself. Just wow.
Gooped, Gagged, and GOATED: RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18 crowns Myki Meeks as the winner. What are your thoughts?
Jeanette: Real talk, I always thought it would come down to Jane Don’t and Myki Meeks, both two of my favs. With Jane relegated to the sidelines, Myki was the obvious winner. Predictable, perhaps, but that’s usually the case with these things. Myki’s track record is great (she won the last three challenges in a row), and she said it herself, she’s versatile, which is what this competition is about.
Charisma. Uniqueness. Talent. Nerve. Myki checks all the boxes in my opinion. While Nini reeks of talent, I’d argue she lacks charisma. On the other hand, Darlene oozes charisma and uniqueness, but needs a little more polishing in certain areas. The fact of the matter is, all these queens deserve to be where they are. Myki is the best choice to wear the crown, but I’m going to say it again, had Jane not been questionably eliminated, we might’ve been looking at another ending in Season 18.
Lyra: Not even surprised that Myki won this season of Drag Race. There was that spark of hope that the bedroom queen Darlene could win. But that didn’t happen. (Which, even if she didn’t win, she won the world with her uniqueness and honesty.) But since Jane Don’t was out of the competition and Myki had the best track record, she won by a landslide.
As for that final lip sync. Myki won that. Because she was giving what was required of the song. Nini wasn’t. She was dancing and singing to the beat of her own drum. But even then, this episode showed that Nini works best with her own original styling and music. And that I’m interested in seeing more of.
