We are back for Episode Three of Drag Race. This week, we saw RDR Live, the infamous sketch comedy challenge, and as with previous seasons, Season 18’s RDR Live proved that the struggle is real. The writing was inconsistent. The editing was heavy handed. But at least much of the cast surprised us with their improv skills.

It was a bunch of drag queens in a who-can-be-the-stupidest contest, a much needed escape from the chaos in the real world. 

“RuPaul’s School of Overacting”

SNL cast member Sarah Sherman—whose body-horror comedy was once described by the New York Times’s David Cronenberg as “if he had been swallowed by a mulleted clown”—was the perfect guest judge for RDR Live. She arrived on set as a rainbow-brite harlequin, complete with matching ventriloquist puppet. (I think I saw that same doll at an East Vancouver vintage shop last weekend, sitting next to a taxidermied pangolin.)

We saw new sides of the queens on Episode Three, and not all of them were cute. The producers made Boston-based Briar Blush one of the stars of the episode as the annoying little sister of the cast. After flitting about, throwing shade, and literally poking an exasperated Athena, Briar cast herself as RDR Live hostess Athena’s “inner saboteur.” It didn’t pay off—the judges called her forgettable.

Kenya Pleaser brought us top-rate talking head in the episode with confessional cutaways on How to Succeed in a Drag Race Improv Challenge. She and Nini Coco played sentient cosmetics in the Lipstick Lovers sketch (plus, Jane’s lipstick headpiece from Episode Two made a cameo appearance on Nini’s head).

Myki Meeks from Orlando, better known by fans as “that queen that looks like Aria Stark,” talked about her impressive theater background when she first entered the werkroom. When she was paired with Juicy Love Dion in the Michelle Visage office supply store skit, Myki coached the younger queen on her performance nerves. Juicy’s fears were unfounded: despite “not being an actor,” Juicy’s confident delivery and queenly poise outshined scene partner Myki and earned her a top placement for the episode. (Side note: by Episode Three, Juicy has confessed to viewers that she can’t sew, can’t sing, and can’t act… girl, what are you doing on RuPaul’s Drag Race!?)

Mandy Mango and Darlene Mitchell appeared together in a half-baked butter-churning competition sketch. Darlene’s white trash biker chick overshadowed Mandy’s conservative Amish character, and Mandy landed in the bottom for the third episode in a row.

I felt bad for Mandy, though. Last week, she was read by the judges for doing too much and then this week she was read by the judges for not doing enough with her character. Mandy’s Drag Race run is unfortunate—a casualty of storyline production.

Keys to the Queendom

Who wouldn't have fun in those shorts. MTV

This edition of RDR Live brought RuPaul to the mainstage for a rare live performance, half-stepping to her 2022 song “Queendom” as the musical guest for the variety show. I watched Episode Three with my sister and nibling (neither had ever seen an episode of Drag Race). For me, watching the legendary RuPaul perform is compelling–call it cringe, but I appreciate her well-crafted pop, and her looks are nearly always perfect. But my nibling’s reaction was telling: “The dancing guys behind RuPaul look like they’re having a lot more fun.” Keep that media empire humming, Ru.

Some Girls Do, but Jane Don’t

Unsurprisingly, comedy queen Jane Don’t had a strong showing on Episode Three. As part of the RDR Live News Skit, Jane played a Minnesota PFLAG mom that was one part Debbie Novotny of Queer As Folk, one part Allison Janney in Drop Dead Gorgeous, and one hundred percent stupid. Her brilliant characterization and flawless comedic timing made her a breath of fresh air in an otherwise bland skit. Sarah Sherman said she’s “taking notes.”

 

Thanks, Jane; I’ve been saying “poppers” in a Minnesota accent out loud to no one for days.

Briar wasn’t the only “inner saboteur” at play this week. Jane’s performance on Season 18 has been so strong that the producers gave her a touch of the All-Stars Season Three BenDeLaCreme treatment, when DeLa got so in her head about winning challenges that she exited the competition by writing her own name on a tube of lipstick–let’s be sure to keep Jane away from the Wite-Out. After Jane’s stellar performance in the challenge, she had a menty b in the werkroom, sharing with the other queens that she was worried her winning streak would alienate her from the rest of the cast. It wasn’t a good look for Jane, but it seems to be the only way the producers can keep her from appearing as the most obvious winner ever. Jane, don’t worry about what the other queens think!

“From this day on, I will stop freebasing pangolin”

Episode Three brought us a magnificent collection of runway looks to the theme of “Animal Attraction.” If you were hoping for a furry festival, you might be disappointed, as the majority of the cast interpreted the prompt to the tune of glamorous eleganza extravaganza.

Discord “That’s definitely a walk” Addams finally got to hear about her runway during RuPaul’s walkthrough before the challenge. “You looked like a crazy person,” RuPaul told Discord, “in the most entertaining way possible.” Humiliation kink, Ru? 

Discord’s albino alligator look in Episode Three was no joke, though: a sickening take on animal skin in fashion featuring a human skin handbag with her own face screaming out of the side.

There goes Ru's pangolin scale empire. MTV

The top three queens of the week all had stunning looks. True to her roots, Darlene Mitchell appeared as a cow-cowboy hybrid complete with black hat, cape, and hooves. Jane Don’t wore a gorgeous feathered gown in eye-popping colors, channeling the tropical macaw. Juicy Love Dion found herself at the top of the pack in a glittering gown composed of thousands of golden scales modeled after the endangered pangolin. When asked “why pangolin?” by the judges, Juicy spoke to the species' vulnerability to poaching, thus ending RuPaul’s black market stock in powdered pangolin scales.

Briar, Vita, and Mandy landed in the bottom, with Briar and Mandy lip-syncing to Lizzo’s “Love in Real Life.” Mandy delivered another high-energy performance, but most of it was edited out of the episode in favor of Briar. Being in the bottom two for the first three episodes sealed Mandy’s fate as the next to sashay away. We’ll get to enjoy Briar’s mullet for at least another week, yay!

See you next week for Episode Four!