RuPaul’s Drag Race Season-Premiere Recap: I Like It Like That

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Hey, that was … pretty good, right?

After eighteen seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race, plus numerous All Stars, international, and Vs. The World spin-offs, the show’s format is very familiar to everyone. Over the years, Drag Race has evolved from a low-budget production into a popular, award-winning series, but it now feels a bit dated. The decision to no longer host the finale in a large theater feels disappointing and cheap. RuPaul doesn’t have the same energy as before, and some of the classic challenges, like the talent show and Snatch Game, aren’t as exciting anymore. What’s most frustrating is that recent seasons seem to focus on very young contestants, as the show prioritizes discovering and developing new talent for future All Stars seasons, rather than showcasing polished, experienced queens.

While the season 18 premiere doesn’t completely reinvent the show, the first episode offers a lot of promise. The biggest strength is the cast – they’re a group of experienced and talented performers. Last season, a queen who was only 32 was considered older, but that age is now common among the contestants. The show really highlights that many queens are in their 30s, and most of the younger queens are nearly 30 themselves. Several contestants are already well-known nationally, and even those labeled as newcomers have professional stage experience. Overall, it’s a very accomplished and polished group of queens.

This season of the show is starting off strong with a surprising first challenge. Instead of the usual talent show or girl group performance, the queens were immediately tasked with creating outfits from limited materials – a “drag on a dime” challenge. This was a smart move because it allowed viewers to get to know the queens better in the Werk Room and forced these usually well-prepared performers to rely on their fundamental skills. The episode shook things up: two confident queens faced unexpected struggles, an underdog emerged as a strong contender, and at least one contestant revealed a significant insecurity. This is exactly the kind of drama and transformation that makes Drag Race so compelling!

So let’s run through the girls:

Athena Dion was the first queen to enter the Werk Room, declaring, “Honey, this is how you throw a party on Drag Race, bitch.” This opening line perfectly captures her style: classic, glamorous drag that feels a bit old-fashioned. She’s the mother of Morphine Love Dion and has auditioned for the show for 14 seasons, so she’s incredibly determined to win. Athena isn’t afraid to stand up for herself – she even got into a disagreement with Briar Blush over something minor – and she’s a confident performer who clearly loves being on stage. However, her confessionals felt stiff and read, making them hard to watch, and her makeup was quite severe. While she doesn’t sew, she took classes beforehand, and her quick drag look was decent. I didn’t think her skirt shape was ideal, but I definitely wouldn’t have placed her in the bottom group.

Okay, so Kenya Pleaser is seriously bringing the energy! She actually started out doing Lizzo impressions, which is amazing. This week’s mini-challenge wasn’t a challenge exactly – it was just RuPaul and Jamal Sims watching us perform with, well, nothing! Basically, we had to entertain RuPaul on a bare stage. Kenya totally crushed it, because honestly, she’s entertaining no matter what. But the main challenge? Oof. Making a garment out of random stuff was not her strength. She really struggled, and it’s going to put her in a tough spot next week. But honestly, I wouldn’t count her out for a second! This just gives our most fun queen a really clear path to shine, and I’m excited to see how she bounces back.

Let me tell you about Nini Coco, this incredibly talented queen from Denver! When she first came out shouting “gayyyy!” I’ll admit, I didn’t think much of her – I quickly sized her up like I often do with the queens. But boy, was I wrong! She’s a mechanical engineer who makes all her own drag, which isn’t immediately obvious, but she completely blew me away. In the ‘drag-on-a-dime’ challenge, she created a whole look out of gift bags, cleverly referencing LaLa Ri’s infamous attempt. It was brilliant! Honestly, it was a structurally amazing outfit, and it really stood out amongst all the traditional fabric looks. Okay, the visible bra in the back wasn’t the most flattering, but overall, it was fabulous and so bright! And I have to say, I absolutely loved the matching orange center lash – she’s a really smart queen.

Jane Don’t is arguably the standout queen so far, and currently my pick to win. Like Bosco and Irene the Alien, she’s quick-witted, fashionable, and hilarious. She doesn’t play the villain, but she’s definitely not afraid to speak her mind. Her entrance look was a showstopper, reminiscent of Schiaparelli. On the runway, she showcased a surprisingly fabulous, yet unconventional, pastel green and pink skirt suit, proving she has a unique and strong sense of style, complemented by incredible makeup. I was thoroughly impressed with everything Jane did this week – she’s definitely one to watch!

Discord Addams is the next queen to enter the competition, and it’s clear the show is already setting her up as a target. She’s a self-proclaimed punk queen originally from Chicago (though she now says St. Petersburg, the details are a bit murky). The show’s editors consistently portray her negatively, seemingly looking for opportunities to make her look bad. To be honest, Discord often gives them plenty of material – she’s extremely confident, got upset about being safe from elimination, questioned why Cardi B wasn’t a top performer, and even criticized another queen’s outfit. It’s hard to tell if she’s intentionally playing the villain role, or if she just speaks her mind. Her runway look was fun, but the editors deliberately cut the music during her presentation so the judges could mock her walk. It was a pretty harsh edit, but also undeniably amusing.

Following Discord, we have Mia Starr, the third queen from Florida this season! It’s amazing to think that just three seasons ago, Malaysia Babydoll Foxx was the first Florida queen, and now there are five on the same season. It seems the show has moved away from focusing on queens from New York, which used to be their main source of talent. Mia is a professional dancer with an impressive resume – she’s performed on Rihanna’s Loud Tour, in Jennifer Lopez’s Super Bowl show, and even played the male lead in Camila Cabello’s “Havana” music video. Now, she’s hoping to become the star of her own show. She wore a decorated corset on the runway and managed to avoid elimination, but it’s a bit concerning that she didn’t get a chance to interact with the judges, suggesting the show might not be heavily invested in her yet. I like Mia so far, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what she can do in a performance challenge.

DD Fuego is the next queen to enter the competition, and she’s the only one representing New York this season. While polished and sweet, she didn’t quite make a strong impression in her first episode. She’s still figuring out how to stand out. She spent a lot of time explaining what she isn’t – for example, she’s proud of her Latina heritage but wanted to avoid stereotypes. It’s good to break away from familiar tropes, but she needs to define herself with something new. Her runway look, a rainbow and tinfoil creation, was okay, but barely safe from elimination.

Juicy Love Dion, the daughter of Morphine and granddaughter of Athena, is up next – though the show simply refers to her as Athena’s daughter to avoid making Athena seem older. Her overly lengthy introduction is, “The party princess of Miami and Mykonos is finally here! Yes, baby, the Juice is loose!” Honestly, “The Juice is loose!” would have been enough. Despite the long intro, I instantly loved her. She’s stunning and gorgeous, captivating to watch on stage with her beautiful eyes and graceful movement. She lands in the bottom two because of her unfortunate skirt, which is understandable, but I think it’s actually a good thing. It gives her valuable time with the judges. Other queens, like DD or Mia, could have easily been in that spot for more screen time, but instead, the judges got to know Juicy. With her potential underdog story, the inevitable rivalry with her mother, and being the youngest competitor at 24, she already has three compelling storylines, while others are struggling to create even one. I think she’s a serious contender and will go far in the competition.

Okay, next up was Vita VonTesse Starr, hailing from Montgomery, Alabama. Now, despite sharing a last name, she’s not related to Mia Starr as far as anyone knows. This queen is a pageant pro, and she came out with one of those long introductions – honestly, I’m a sucker for them! She rapped, ‘Baby it’s easy to see / That I’m the key / You can question those other girls / But never Queen V.’ It’s a slightly unusual rhyme scheme, like something Robert Frost might write! But seriously, her runway look was incredible – a black and white umbrella creation with disco ball details. If she’s as funny on stage as she is talented with a sewing machine, she’s a definite contender to make it to the finale.

Next up is Briar Blush, a queen from Boston, who immediately made a splash with her memorable entrance line: “WHY ARE YOU RECORDING ME?” She seems a little too eager to play the villain, making a dismissive “Meh!” to the other queens as she walks by – a clear nod to a previous queen’s strategy for getting attention. However, I quickly started to like Briar. During a confusing argument with Athena about some gloves, she broke the fourth wall, looking directly at the camera and asking, “Where does she get off?” It was a hilarious moment! Her runway look was a sparkly pink cat outfit that, while safe, was undeniably fun and deserved to avoid criticism.

Following Briar’s harsh attitude, Mandy Mango, who seems like the nicest contestant so far, arrives. Mandy is charming, a bit quirky, and genuinely kind, but she doesn’t appear to be a strong competitor yet. She’s a nurse in her everyday life, and she even wore a nurse’s outfit for her entrance. Compared to the other contestants, her makeup is simple, and she comes across as a little shy. On the runway, she wore a burlap dress with a unique design, but her accessories were a poor choice. She haphazardly covered the dress in flowers, and petals fell off as she walked. Despite the fashion missteps, Mandy seems like a wonderful person and the contestant I’d most like to get to know.

Ciara Myst is up next, and I’m struggling to really connect with her drag. She’s definitely creating a spooky look, and she has a background in special effects makeup, but I’m not a big fan of the Hocus Pocus aesthetic she’s going for—I prefer a darker, more unsettling horror vibe. It’s a well-executed style, but it just doesn’t resonate with me personally. Her runway look reminded me of Mystique from X-Men. The tights didn’t perfectly match her face paint, though they were clearly well-made. She earned her spot as safe. I wonder if she’s holding back on some of her creativity for the show, and I’m hoping to see her embrace a more unique and less mass-produced ‘Spirit Halloween’ vibe in the future.

Darlene Mitchell is the next contestant to enter the Werk Room. She describes herself as a confident performer, but she used to perform under the name Trash in Los Angeles before getting sober and focusing on life at home. Darlene embraces a playful, campy aesthetic inspired by the Midwest. She’s surprisingly witty and seems to be holding back, and she has a uniquely striking look. I’m already rooting for her! For her runway debut, she wears a short nightgown-style dress that shows off her incredibly long legs. The look is well-executed and she looks fantastic – she could be a serious contender.

Next up is Myki Meeks, the fifth queen from Florida this season. Myki is adorable, fun-loving, and kind, and she considers herself Orlando’s premiere host. However, she didn’t really stand out this week. Her entrance look was a purple velour outfit that was nice, and her runway look, in blue and beige, was also just okay. It seems like she’s saving her best performance for the comedy challenges, so I’m going to wait to fully evaluate her until then.

This week, no one was eliminated, but RuPaul put Kenya and Mandy in the bottom two, choosing to save Juicy. Surprisingly, the lip sync battle was between the top two queens, Nini and Vita, after Jane was declared safe. They performed to Cardi B’s “Enough,” and the result was unexpected. It was a challenging song for both of them, likely because they assumed they wouldn’t be going home and hadn’t fully learned the lyrics – and there were a lot of them! Vita, who I expected to easily win, struggled with the rap and was also hampered by her outfit. Nini, while not naturally suited to the song, knew all the words and delivered a performance that grew stronger and more confident as it went on. Ultimately, Nini Coco won the lip sync and the challenge, which was a shock! But it’s great for the season to have some surprises, and it’s sure to spark a lot of discussion online. Overall, this season is shaping up to be really exciting, and I can’t wait to see what happens next week.

And also on Untucked…

Throughout the episode, Discord expressed frustration with Nini consistently being highlighted, while queens like Jane avoided engaging in drama with her. Cardi B made a surprise backstage visit and was incredibly kind, especially giving her LGBTQ+ makeup and wig team a chance to share their feelings about the show. There was an awkward moment when Discord asked Cardi to compliment her look. Juicy broke down in tears, comforted by Athena, and Kenya became anxious about the possibility of facing Juicy in a lip sync battle.

Cardi B was a fantastic guest judge! She was enthusiastic, offered honest feedback, and wasn’t afraid to be critical when needed. It’s easy to forget she got her start on reality TV, and she clearly still knows how to entertain. One of my favorite moments was when she said a contestant’s look suggested they’d ‘had a time’ at Michael’s.

• Funniest single word of the episode: RuPaul calling Mandy Mango just “Mango.”

• My meanest and most nitpicky critique of the week: Nini Coco should have shaved her arms.

During the makeup portion of the episode, nothing dramatic happened. However, Jane unexpectedly broke down in tears on the runway while thinking about her father, who taught her how to sew. It felt like a genuine emotional moment, not something the show’s producers encouraged. It’s refreshing to see that kind of raw emotion, and it’s good that Jane probably won’t be criticized for being ‘too vulnerable’ later on.

My boyfriend and I created teams of drag queens for the season, and we’re competing to see who can pick the best performers. The person whose queens collectively place highest (with extra points for correctly predicting the winner) wins! Here are the teams, in alphabetical order. Let’s see which team is stronger!

Here’s a list of names: Briar Blush, Jane Don’t, Kenya Pleaser, Mandy Mango, Myki Meeks, Nini Coco, and Vita VonTesse Starr.

Athena Dion, Ciara Myst, Darlene Mitchell, DD Fuego, Discord Addams, Juicy Love Dion, and Mia Starr are listed as potential partners.

It’s still very early in the competition, but my predictions for the top four are Jane Don’t, Vita VonTesse Starr, Juicy Love Dion, and Darlene Mitchell. I think Kenya Pleaser, Athena Dion, and Nini Coco will also be strong contenders.

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2026-01-03 06:57