RECAP: RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18, Episode 3
Sorry for the delay on this week’s blog! I’m in Ft. Lauderdale getting fucked harder than poor Mandy Mango on this season.
That said, Episode 3 was an improvement over the curiously flat second episode, and reassured me that my faith in this group of queens was not misplaced. I am apparently the only homosexual on Earth who enjoys “RDR Live.” The concept of a queer “Saturday Night Live” show is great, it’s just the execution that has sometimes been lacking. But not this season! I thought it was easiest the funniest installment of “RDR Live” that we’ve had, and the queens generally did well or better. I don’t think anyone truly flopped this challenge, which is a refreshing change of pace from last season.
Check out the first 10 minutes here:
The other important aspect of this episode is we got some clear indications of plotlines/narrative arcs for a few of these queens. Briar Blush is clearly the irritating little sister who you still love, even though you wish she would go eat boogers in her own room. Discord Addams is the charmingly delusional friend you secretly hope never gets her shit together. Myki Meeks seems poised to be the next in the Alexis Michelle/Jan/Rose/Marcia Marcia Marcia tormented theater-kid dynasty. Etc.
And then there is Athena Dion, who has what I think is an unusual and compelling arc. As the grand dame of Miami clubs and mother to a successful house, everyone assumed she would be the next Sasha Colby. Last episode – the girl-group challenge where she got in her head and flopped – proved that is not the case. Instead, we have drag titan struggling to regain her footing and not spiral into defeat. I am fully invested in this arc, and I’m rooting for her.
Read on for my take on each segment on “RDR Live 2026,” this week’s wildly uneven “Animal Attraction” runway (a callback to Season 6?), and this week’s judging, which – let’s be honest – felt forced across the board.
SPOILERS, SWEETIE!
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Here’s the whole “RDR” Challenge, which is available for free from the “Drag Race” YouTube:
Segment 1: Butter-Churning Contest with Discord Addams, Mia Starr, Mandy Mango, Darlene Mitchell
Great cold open for the “show,” really funny concept, absolutely something I could see them actually doing on the late, lamented “Big Gay Sketch Show” (that is a compliment). Discord and Mia were fine in roles that were never going to be more than Safe. Darlene was a highlight, doing a Pokemon Mega Evolution of her core drag character, which is basically an alcoholic slushie from Wet Willie’s that somehow became a person. Great physical comedy from her. And poor Mandy really did give it her all as an Amish housewife, but I agreed with the judges that she abandoned the character and went for manic, low-brow comedy. Which is normally a home run for this show’s judges! But I can see why it didn’t work here, as it was meant to be a counterpoint to Darlene’s 1988 Whitesnake Fantasy. On the runway, Discord’s alligator runway had a concept – the human-skin bag was a nice touch – and her walk remains a treasure. Mia was…fine. I loved Mandy’s deer concept and there were many elements of it that appealed to me; her best look so far, I think. Darlene looked amazing as a cow, but really, Darlene – flats?!
Monologue: Athena Dion w/Briar Blush
Athena was polished and poised for this monologue. She did the job professionally. I was glad to see her stabilize after last week’s flop, but I could still feel the nerves as she almost seemed to be willing herself to do well, instead of just…doing well. She’s doubting herself, and I get it, but I still hate to see it. That’s why it was perfect to have the Inner Saboteur character for this monologue, and Briar was an inspired casting, given her work room friction with Athena. But Briar really did stick in one gear, and went for the low-hanging fruit (the fat joke, when Athena is, like, statuesque). She could have done so much more with it. On the runway, Athena and that owl look were neck and neck for runway of the night. I liked Briar’s swan runway the more I looked at it. It is certainly beautiful and dramatic.
Musical Guest: RuPaul
I am also apparently the only homo in the world who enjoys RuPaul delivering a stiff, soulless lipsync to one of her C-list tracks. It’s camp. It’s charmingly checked out. I certainly appreciated the beefcake answer to the Robert Palmer Girls in the background, I’ll tell you that. Also, fun fact: that remix of “The Queendom” was my most-listened-to track on Spotify last year. It was the struttin’-that-ass song of 2025.
Segment 2: Make-Up Noir, featuring Vita VonTesse Starr, Nini Coco, Kenya Pleaser
Another genuinely funny sketch concept, although the deliveries kept it from being fully successful. I thought Vita’s choice to play her Butch character as a super-dry film noir star was inspired, but I agree that it didn’t work with the energy the others were putting down. Nini was the best in this group, with solid comedic timing and an understanding of how to react and not just act. Kenya is a ball of fire and I love that energy, but she seemed the least prepared for this sketch. It was either nerves or trying to remember the lines, but she wasn’t fully engaged here, minus the hilarious Butch thrashing. On the runway, I appreciated the wild swing Vita took with her zebra look; I could pick on little details, but overall it was great. Nini’s frog runway was incredible and she sold it perfectly – this girl is the total package so far. I love Kenya, but her round-the-way Toni the Tiger look was not enough when compared to what Vita, Darlene, Athena, Nini, Ciara, and Juicy were serving. That was a Season 4 look on Season 18.
Segment 3: QNN Queen News Network, featuring Ciara Myst, Briar Blush, and Jane Don’t
The least-successful segment of the show. The script was weak compared to the other bits, and I don’t think Ciara or Briar did well with it. I would give the edge to Ciara for the reactions alone, but even then, it wasn’t standout. Jane stole the entire, lifeless bit with her Pride Mom character that literally could be a “Weekend Update” guest panelist. She gave us Hot Dish Realness House Down Rain Boots, and I could taste the raisins in the potato salad from here. On the runway, Ciara’s chameleon was really cool, however I think she has an issue with reconciling her concepts with execution . The tongue was not connected to the mouth, was it? It was just…wrapped around her? I actually did not care for Jane’s macaw look. Beautiful, yes. But everyone else showed up as a literal animal and she seemed afraid to go all the way with it. That bummed me out.
Segment 4: Young Michelle, featuring Myki Meeks and Juicy Love Dion
Upon second watch, definitely the best segment of the night. Both Myki and Juicy were good here. The plotline was that Juicy feared comedy, and Myki had to encourage her/pull this performance out of her. I don’t know how much of that is true, and how much is narrative, but they worked together great, the script was charming, and the dude they brought in at the end was a lovely sight to see. When you see where she started and then what she ultimately put out there, Juicy genuinely did really well in this challenge. Myki’s cheetah runway may have been the worst of the night; I know she and Kenya almost certainly didn’t coordinate their looks before they came on the show, but the fact that they both served almost identical takes on big cats is hilarious to me. And honestly I preferred Kenya’s. Juicy looked exquisite in that pangolin outfit. It was right up there with Nini’s frog and Athena’s owl for look of the night for me. It honestly could be worn to the Met Gala.
At judging, the tops of the week were named Darlene Mitchell, Jane Don’t, and Juicy Love Dion, while Vita VonTesse Starr, Briar Blush, and Mandy Mango were in the bottom. I honestly think Ciara should have been in the bottom this week. Possibly her runway saved her – any quibbles I may have, it was still a stunning piece. Vita being in the Bottom 3 for a performance that probably would have been Safe in many other “RDR Live” versions is a testament to the strength of this cast.
Juicy Love Dion was named the winner of the challenge, and I have some thoughts on that. Upon first viewing it felt like a forced win, as I thought Jane was the highlight of the challenge. But if you factor in runway, and if you also consider the delta between expectation and delivery, I really do think that Juicy was the standout here. I’ve come around on this win. (Besides, Jane is already starting to crack under the pressure of being the frontrunner, and that worries me.)
Vita was spared from the Bottom 2, and I have to wonder if that was a warning shot to up her energy. I love Vita. I think she’s gorgeous, regal, and clearly talented, but her energy is on the low side. They will not crown a lowkey winner, and I think she has the goods to get to the end.
On the other end of the spectrum, we have Mandy Mango, who arguably didn’t deserve to be Bottom 2 this week, and certainly did not deserve Bottom 2 last week. Briar probably did deserve B2 for being underwhelming in not one but two segments. But it was pretty clear where this was going before the (objectively bad) lip sync song “Love In Real Life” by Lizzo even started.
Briar has gone on social media to confess that she didn’t know the words to the song (I can’t blame her, and I say that as a former Lizzo stan who would like to see her get back on track), and she agrees that Mandy ate her up in that lip sync. Which Mandy did. I’ve seen some people argue that Mandy was too manic, and…I guess? The song is manic, it’s part of what I don’t like about it. I thought Mandy matched the music’s intensity. Briar made an attempt, but it was not great. Parts of it were ungainly. Even she admits it.
And yet, Briar won and Mandy was eliminated. Briar is very clearly a main character of this season, and they weren’t going to bounce her this early. But Mandy is, unfortunately, one of those girls they cast to go home early, no matter. Kind of like Laila McQueen in Season 8. I don’t think it mattered at all what those queens did, they were going to find a reason to push them out the door as soon as possible. I think Mandy fit the profile for this season’s focus on shining a light on the good things in the gay community, both with her personality and also her day job as a nurse at a sexual-health clinic. But she does need a bit more polish. Still, she won that lipsync, and I don’t think anyone would argue that. I’m sorry to see her go.
NEXT WEEK: A design challenge in pairs. Those two things always go well!
What do you think of Season 18 so far? Which queens are you rooting for? Let us know in the comments.
