The final episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under is here at last. Even though Season 13 of American Drag Race had more episodes than any other season in herstory, this 8 episode season somehow felt longer. This finale was a real Down Under downer until RuPaul announced the winner.
The first half of this episode is a snooze fest. Fans on Twitter have been raging about how bad this season is and this episode falls in line with the criticism. The many issues with this season include having contestants who participate in racist behavior, having no queens of color after episode three, very bland runway looks, and terrible comedy performances. Scarlet Adams having done blackface certainly tainted this season and beyond its problematic nature, this season was also just no fun. The Snatch Game was terrible and the talking heads were rarely funny. Art Simone was brought back without explanation and Karen From Finance was disappointing after episode one. Kita Mean is one of the only reasons to watch the season and this episode.
The queens have a lunch date with RuPaul and Michelle Visage before participating in their final challenge. This moment is usually fueled with excitement and pride but there is something so oddly casual about the dolls Down Under. Plus Michelle and RuPaul give some really unqualified therapy advice. This whole section of the show is slow and uncomfortable.
The queens have a nice moment at the make-up mirror where they discuss how hard it is to be queer in their families and for a moment we get a glimpse of what this franchise could have been, but it is quickly ruined by one of the worst finale performances in Drag Race herstory.
The performance of I’m a Winner Baby is a loser baby. The choreography is shockingly simple and these dolls cannot dance. They are barely even serving face. A good rule of thumb for drag queens in this challenge: do not sing! Kita Mean sings and she sounds good but sustaining notes allows us to get ahead of what the queen is saying and it does not feel as exciting as rap. Art Simone looks very cool, but her verse is not memorable. Move over Roxxxy Andrews, Karen From Finance is here to make it clear that she has the worst verse in Drag Race herstory! It is a four-line monologue about how we are all winners? The tone, vibe, and delivery sound like a Mr. G song from Summer Heights High.
On the runway, the category is: best drag. Art Simone has a signature and gorgeous bright blue look. Art is clearly talented, but it feels as though she was at the party the whole season chilling in the corner. Karen From Finance is so boxed in. Her final runway is an office lady look. It is not so much exciting drag as it is a community theatre production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. She seems to have focused on the latter half of that title. Kita Mean looks gorgeous as a drag angel. She does the wing reveal better than most dolls have on the runway. Sorry, to Courtney Act who did the sexy version of this.
Scarlet’s final runway is…. bad? Her dress is pretty, but her shoulders are very pronounced and her wig is so small we can barely see it! She needs a much bigger wig and her earrings are too large for how tiny the hair is. The proportions are all wrong. This look feels shockingly amateur for this drag queen.
Kita Mean is announced the winner of this season, which is one of the only good decisions made on this version of the franchise. This has been a rough one, but it is finally over and now we can prepare for what will hopefully be a much more exciting RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season.
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