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RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18 Episode 1 Was Thirty, Flirty & Thriving!

MTV's RuPaul's Drag Race Season 18 got off to a strong start. Here's a rundown of our 14 queens, our thoughts on the season opener, and more.

Another new year means another new season of MTV's RuPaul's Drag Race! Season 18 has finally graced us with the presence of 14 new queens, and for the first episode's design challenge, we'll go queen by queen for this episode breakdown. So let's get to it, 'kay?

Athena Dion – First in the workroom, first in my heart. I'll try not to compare all the queens to past ones, but Athena's experience and status on season 18 is giving Bianca Del Rio (though not as good). She's THE hostess with the mostest from Miami and a staple in the Florida scene.

Kenya Pleaser – As Derek Berry is to Britney, Kenya Pleaser is to Lizzo. She's fabulous and has all the attitude, even if the design challenge wasn't her finest outing on the runway, and she did spin out about being in the bottom.

Nini Coco – Engineer by day, drag queen by night, and she makes her own outfits. Design challenge was great, as expected, but that lip sync song was absolutely foul. I get it, guest judge Cardi B, lip sync for the win to a Cardi B song, but damn, was that boring. I mean, good for her, she won the week, but meh.

Jane Don't – More like "Jane Don't be a bitch" – she just likes a good shit talk kiki with all the other mean gays of the season. This year's group seems to be Jane, Discord, and Briar, but we'll just have to watch and see. Her looks are alright, but I loathe that shower curtain number she made. Craftsmanship? Great. The look? Chopped, mama.

Discord Addams – Clearly, she knows she's on television and is not afraid to use that platform to talk as much shit as possible at all times. I was on board with her looks at first, but if she's gonna be nothing but mean to everyone for no reason, I'm going to have a problem rooting for her. However, her walk – HER WALK. Mama, busted.

Mia Starr – I said I wouldn't compare constantly, but she walked out, and I was like, literally, Selina EsTitties?? Mia has been working as a pro backup dancer for some high-profile acts, and I can't wait to see her turn it.

DD Fuego – She reminds me of Miz Cracker, and I can't put my finger on why. Maybe it's the hair, maybe the mug? IDK, but she's fun and kinda sassy. Her looks? Unpolished, especially in the design challenge, but she's safe, so all good.

Juicy Love Dion – Oh my goodness, how fragile are you if you're completely crashing out over being in the bottom for wrapping yourself in strips of fabric a'la Lexi Love? Girl, it's fine if you don't agree, but you put on your big girl panties and go to work on that lip sync, nbd.

Vita VonTesse Starr – Guuuuuurrrrrllll, I might have to take back calling Athena the Bianca of the season, Vita's gown-making skills are *chef's kiss*. Her runway is undeniably a winner, it's straight from a drag version of Hello Dolly. Actually, Athena can stay the Bianca of the season, because Vita is the Sapphira Cristál of season 18. Humble, fabulous, classy – check.

Briar Blush – In a season of Florida queens, we have a mass-hole. Briar is a Boston queen and she's giving Kandy Muse levels of "I think I'm better than you" and it's cringe. If she sticks around like this all season, it's going to be a hard watch for me.

Mandy Mango – She's cute and campy, but definitely not a design or crafty queen. Her look was not it this week, but I super want to see all the looks she brought, because her entrance look was giving Pokémon Health Centre and it was PEAK.

Ciara Myst – I'm not going to talk about a certain spooky winner of RuPaul's Drag Race season 4, but the aesthetic vibes are THERE. Miss Soda Pop is a prosthetic makeup artist, so be on the lookout for lots of looks from her.

Darlene Mitchell – She's officially an LA queen, but she's leaning into her Indiana corn-fed roots and giving midwest queen. She's cute, quasi-retired from drag, got sober, then came back as a bedroom queen, and I'm here for what she's serving and her delightful attitude. Delightful Darlene!

Myki Meeks – Let's go Orlando! I swear, it's like this season is "oops, all Florida", but I don't mind it so far. A Florida heave season is a rare aesthetic, and the drag there is so varied, we get queens like Suzie Toot existing alongside Latrice Royale and Lucky Starzzz and everything in between.

As for format, I don't love that we kept the "lecture with the guest judge" thing right before calling the queens back to lip sync; it feels like it slows the pace of the episode to a crawl and takes away all the tension built in the competition. I appreciate that they're usually coming in to talk to the trans queens and the dolls and give encouragement, but can we not go back to workroom walkarounds for this? Or maybe idk like any other time in the episode? Maybe keep it in Untucked?

Drag Race Season 18 is off to a strong start with nobody going home. Next week's episode is "Q-pop girl groups" which makes me wonder if we get some off-shoot of K-pop? Will they have to hunt demons in drag? Or are we leaving the demon role to Discord? We'll find out next week!

RuPaul's Drag Race season 18 airs on MTV in the Americas and is streaming on WOW Presents Plus in all other markets.

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