We have made it, Drag Race followers! The crown has been snatched, the confetti has fallen, and our jaws have dropped.
America has discovered its subsequent drag famous person on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 Episode 16.
This was a decent race to the end, presumably one of many tightest in Drag Race herstory. However there was little doubt that your favourite drag queen’s favourite drag queen wasn’t claiming one other large win and leaving her mark in herstory.
The crowning episode is usually an evening of celebration. Every thing from the lip-syncs to the interviews to the tacky segments is about making it a glitzy night time to have a good time drag.
“Grand Finale” was no exception!
And I would be remiss to not speak about how empowering the grand finale was for drag queens and the 2SLGBTQ+ group as an entire.
It has been a troublesome 12 months for drag queens, particularly as a result of all of the hurtful debates and discriminatory laws focusing on them. The injustices have began piling up, and it was nice of RuPaul’s Drag Race to take a stand and assist communicate out towards it.
Drag shouldn’t be a criminal offense, however wanting this sickening must be.
RuPaul
Drag Race has such an enormous platform and helped to vary minds, together with educating viewers in mainstream media.
Utilizing elements of the grand finale to encourage donations to the ACLU Drag Protection Fund and have a good time drag queens and drag/queer bars was an impactful transfer that may do a number of good. Extra individuals can be educated concerning the trigger in the event that they weren’t earlier than.
Plus, the inspirational call-to-action video was so touching and heartwarming!
The most effective issues concerning the grand finale is the finale appears.
The queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 did not maintain again in creating their finale appears. The queens are likely to serve their finest ensembles on the finale stage and get their wow second.
It is onerous to decide on a high favourite when all of the queens introduced it.
Nevertheless, if I would slim it all the way down to my Prime 5 favorites, the grand finale entrance appears can be Spice, Loosey LaDuca, Anetra, Mistress Isabelle Brooks, and Sasha Colby. These 5 all had a great mixture of trend and glamor.
Spice’s pink satan ensemble (with matching pink pitchfork) was so cheeky and stylish. Her pure punk fashion discovered an amazing steadiness with the glamor aesthetic of the robe.
Alternatively, Loosey’s zombie bride was all concerning the high-fashion shock issue!
My jaw dropped when she bent all the way down to reveal her uncovered mind throughout the wig. She served a enjoyable reveal that did not take away from the remainder of the ensemble.
Plus, she purposely skipped the memo that the queens wore tones of pink, pink, and white/gray to the finale.
She completely ignored it. She needed to with that outfit thought.
Anetra’s black and pink samurai kimono was each purposeful and stylish. The ensemble completely match her aesthetic of showcasing motion.
You may inform together with her outfits that she’s both able to strut the runway or serve a stellar lip-sync quantity.
Mistress’s pink latex robe, as soon as once more, showcased her aptitude for serving appears and sexiness on the primary stage.
And Sasha Colby’s My Truthful Woman-inspired pink robe gave us one other serving to of Sasha’s impeccable trend style. This time it was all about glamor and class with a contact of cheek.
Like RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 Episode 16, the primary a part of the grand finale targeted on the queens performing unique lip-sync songs. This strategy changed the “Lip-Sync For The Crown” match bracket that had been held ever since RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9.
Though I loved the numbers this time (we’ll get to this in a bit), I nonetheless had the identical points because the final grand finale.
These lip-sync numbers haven’t any bearing or weight on who RuPaul will select to compete within the Prime 2 lip-sync.
They’re enjoyable to observe and provides the queens one ultimate likelihood to wow, however the judges have primarily made their selections.
What I cherished concerning the Lip-Sync For The Crown match was that it provided actual stakes.
A tangible manner for viewers to see the queens compete and be judged based mostly on the lip-sync battle. And it was the final likelihood for a queen to earn a spot, even when the judges and viewers dominated them out.
With out it, the judges could make no matter choice they need. In essence, 85 minutes of the grand finale meant nothing as a result of the Prime 2 had already been determined.
Why watch all that filler when all that issues is the Prime 2 announcement and the ultimate lip-sync?
The Prime 4 lip-syncs have been all thrilling and enjoyable. Not one of the queens had a dud quantity that sealed their destiny early on.
In comparison with the earlier grand finale, these performances all appeared to be on the identical enjoying subject. Dance numbers, upbeat songs, some reveals/twists, and fierce power.
That is the best way the unique lip-syncs must be held. Give every queen a preventing likelihood and the chance to have their “Willow Tablet” shock second with their tune.
One of many queens did not shock me together with her jaw-dropping efficiency, however the second spot was up for debate.
My favourite of the 4 performances was Sasha Colby.
Her snake goddess-inspired routine served up the essence of Sasha Colby on a platter. Like, numerous hair flips, attractive and highly effective strikes, fierce stares, large reveals, and her commanding presence as a famous person.
She was made to be on the stage.
I wasn’t shocked that she snatched one of many Prime 2 spots. When the edit exhibits everybody, together with her drag daughter Kerri Colby and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 6 winner Kylie Sonique Love, giving a standing ovation, you understand she has this recreation within the bag!
As talked about above, the second spot shocked me based mostly on the lip-sync.
I cherished Anetra’s season efficiency throughout RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15, and I used to be rooting for her to make it to the Prime 2. Primarily based on the finale lip-syncs, Luxx Noir London had a stronger efficiency.
Her dance strikes and fierce power matched her trend tune completely. Plus, when the dancers pulled the material off her to disclose an much more sickening pink ensemble, that twist was unbelievable!
Paris. Milan. New Jersey. Luxx Noir London!
Michelle Visage
That is the kind of gag that will win somebody a lip-sync. Luxx not attending to the finals with that lip-sync sealed that it did not matter.
Do not get me fallacious, I am not upset that Anetra moved forward; her efficiency was enjoyable, and she or he earned a spot within the finals too. Nevertheless, the lip-sync outcomes felt like they might’ve had a special end result.
The filler difficulty was a priority all through “Grand Finale.”
Did anybody else really feel prefer it dragged on a bit an excessive amount of? Quite a bit was occurring in 90 minutes.
A efficiency by Leland/Orville Peck with the queens, the Bob Mackie award, a efficiency and interview with Jinkx Monsoon, Miss Congeniality, the call-to-action video, and many others.
Collect her! It’s Mistress Isabelle Brooks.
Michelle Visage
A few of these issues we wanted, like Miss Congeniality, however different elements might’ve been trimmed down. It felt apparent that the finale tried to fill in time gaps.
I am all the time grateful for extra Drag Race time, however the pacing must be aligned higher.
For the Lip-Sync For Crown ultimate tune of “Knock on Wooden” by Amy Stewart, Anetra and Sasha served up one other thrilling efficiency.
These two queens are breathtaking each time they carry out; you may’t look away, or else you may miss one thing magical. Like Sasha revealing the burlesque bikini or Anetra pulling out the pink coronary heart cloth.
Welcome to her meet and greet. It’s Sasha Colby!
Michelle Visage
Each queens made it a decent race to the end! I agreed with the ultimate selection being Sasha because the winner; she ate up your complete season, and this finale was no exception.
Sasha dominated the present together with her star energy. She’s an expert, and everybody appeared blown away by all the pieces she dropped at the grand finale.
Final Ideas From The Werk Room:
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Malaysia Babydoll Foxx successful Miss Congeniality was stunning. She wasn’t in my high guesses for who it might’ve been. Kudos to the finale for dropping a welcomed shock.
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RuPaul must carry out extra. She all the time appears to take pleasure in getting on the stage and singing considered one of her songs. It is her present; let her do it.
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Your complete Jinkx section felt misplaced in the course of the finale. It was like all the pieces stopped to have a break earlier than bringing it again to Drag Race.
Now, over to you, Drag Race followers!
What did you consider “Grand Finale”?
Did your favourite queen win the crown? What was your favourite look? Which dance quantity stole the present?
Share your ideas within the feedback beneath!
Justin Carreiro is a workers author for TV Fanatic. Comply with him on Twitter.
