RuPaul’s Drag Race “One Night Only” review (15×01): The best premiere in years
The Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race season 15 in "One Night Only"
Each week I am ranking the maxi-challenge performances and runways each episode of RuPaul's Drag Race season 15. Here's the rankings for “One Night Only”.
RuPaul's Drag Race is back with its biggest season yet. Sixteen drag queens are vying for the title of America's Next Drag Superstar and a cash prize of $200k, the largest in the show's herstory.
30-second episode review
After season 12's redefining premiere “I'm That Bitch” with queen Nicki Minaj, Drag Race has struggled with their premieres as the casts and episode count have ballooned. However, season 15's “One Night Only” seems to have found the solution—a supersized episode with a slightly different format than we're used to. While we do have split entrances, having them all in one episode allows us to meet all the queens in one week but have some time to get to know them separately before the marathon of a maxi-challenge. In my opinion, the talent show should be reserved for All Star seasons, but this was a solid entry with a lot of good performances and three great performances. Sure, there were a lot of lip syncs, but for as many safe boring ones there were a slew of exciting unique ones.
The show was also paced really well. Despite there being a record sixteen queens I felt I was able to get to know a little about each one. Even those that weren't one of the main characters of the episode like Aura or Robin.
The Maxi-Challenge
In a rare alignment, I agreed with the tops and the bottoms this episode (but I'm still anticipating some buffoonery very soon). The only change I would have made is critiquing eight girls—four tops (ouch) and four bottoms (a nightmare)—so more of the massive cast could get feedback.
The Tops
Anetra: Give her an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. One of the best talent show performances in Drag Race herstory. I laughed, I cried, I gagged. What I loved about the number (similarly to Pangina Heals' on UK vs The World) is the breadth and pacing. She hit multiple talents back to back (comedy, voguing, jiu jitsu!) so there isn't a moment to rest in those sixty seconds—not a second wasted. And she was smart for not telling the girls about the jiu jitsu. The gag when she hit that first board was palpable.
Marcia Marcia Marcia: While she is a beautiful and graceful dancer (you betta werk that BFA), often more sincere performances don't do well in the talent show (Gia Gunn was robbed!). Which is why it was brilliant of Marcia to frame her performance around a teenage girl worshipping her “teen” idol Ross Matthews. It was stupid (complimentary). It was impressive. It was drag.
Jax: If you're going to do a lip sync, this.. is how… you do it. The impressive stunts aside—three back handsprings and then landing on your titties!—bringing out a jump made of braided hair ATTACHED TO YOUR HAIR is what we call high drag. Elevated. I pity the fool who has to lip sync against her.
The Bottoms (from best to worst)
Loosey: I agreed with Loosey's low placement based on the performance (girl… unless you sound like Jan or Monet don't even try it), but even the audacity to sing live saves her for me. Unlike Jaremi FKA Phi Phi O'Hara and Adore Delano before her, I think everything around her performance was solid (song choice, look). It's just the actual performing that was her downfall. I think her look saves her too.
Amethyst: Such a terrific concept that was bungled in execution. The judges were completely right in that she delivered the punchline way too soon. The wine should have been the first joke, then the baby reveal at the end. It would have been nice if she had some set-pieces like the other girls that she could search around. Instead, it just looked like an actual mother walking through the park.
Irene Dubois: In concept, this is a killer idea. But this (ironically) would have made a terrific TikTok video. Sketches and standup don't do well in the talent show because they're low energy and often lack levels, Irene took that to the next level. If she had done this as a song like Trinity the Tuck in All Stars 4, then maybe it would've gone over better.
The Runways
The cast of RuPaul's Drag Race season 15
The runway category is “Who is she?” I was looking for pieces that clearly communicated who the queen is, their personal style of drag, and, of course, a well put together garment. Overall, the runway was a bit underwhelming especially for a category as broad as this. I wish I saw more inventiveness or interesting concepts. Here's my ranking:
Sasha Colby: Icons being icons. This is Vegas showgirl elegance after dark. I love the maroon and black color palette and how the somewhat understated dress lets the headpiece do the talking. Sasha, the fashion girl of the season? TOOT.
Sugar: The more I look at this look the more I love it. While I was skeptical when she walked out and it was a clear Belle reference, the way she elevated it with the corset and asymmetrical skirt that had a fun belt detailing up top. TOOT.
Mistress Isabelle Brooks: For a runway titled “Who is she?” Mistress understood the assignment. If I knew nothing about her I would know she's a DRAG QUEEN from Texas. Rhinestoned and fringed on every inch with a perfectly proportion-ized body. Mistress is teaching the children (or at least Sugar and Spice). TOOT.
Luxx Noir London: It's a bit reminiscent of Drag Race Season 10 winner Aquaria's evil twin runway, but the color palette compliments her skin so beautifully (she is oiled for the gods). And she's right, does anyone still wear a hat? They should. TOOT.
Loosey LaDuca: Body-ody-ody. Loosey's silhouette is correct. The definition of hourglass. The second she stepped out I got the Britney reference, but what I love is the dress stands on its own. This is drag, mama.
Malaysia Babydoll Foxx: And this is drag, baby(doll). A classic silhouette, pristine white and dripping in glittering rhinestones. You could see her even if the lights were off. Not only that, but the body was correct. TOOT.
Spice: Similarly to Sugar (I'm hoping this isn't a recurring theme, though), I love the elevated Disney princess vibe. What made this slightly less successful than her twin is the color. Obviously you couldn't really get around it with the Ariel reference, but I think you lose some of the detailing that stood out in Sugar's look. Still I clocked the ostrich feathers. TOOT.
Robin Fierce: Sure it's a body suit, but it's a beautiful sparkly body suit with a tearaway! There were some fit issues at the top of the garment, but I really enjoyed that hair which was reminiscent of the bagel from Everything Everywhere All At Once. If you know, you know. TOOT.
Anetra: It's giving C-3PHo and I'm living for it. I don't love the black bulletproof vest, but the fact that she made this gives me confidence that she'll kill design challenges. TOOT.
Jax: I might be biased because I live in the East Village (and have stepped on a rat in Tompkins), but I loved this 80s/90s retro NYC look. It reminded me of an elevated version of Asttina Mandella's infamous ASOS jacket runway from UK Season 2. Like that runway, the girls that get it get. And I got it. TOOT.
Irene Dubois: I'm a horror gay, so I immediately understood and loved the reference to Alien. I do wish there was something trailing off of it, whether a cape or a train (or a tail). The bottom just feels a little bare. But still gorg. TOOT.
Marcia Marcia Marcia: It's clean, well-done, and on-brand. Still, it left me underwhelmed for a first runway, especially since it's so similar to her entrance look. I'm hoping to see more um… versatility from her as the season progresses. TOOT.
Salina Estitties: After her entrance and performance looks I was nervous for Salina, but I liked her deconstructed West Coast Latina getup. The jacket/vest give a shoutout to her culture while the draggy pants elevate it and tie it all together. But that hat and shirt… still, TOOT.
Amethyst: I like this vague pastel K-pop girlie-inspired look, but it also feels a bit like the outfit is wearing her (ironically, I hate when the judges use this critique). It looks well-made and she styled it well, but something wasn't clicking for me. Still, not bad. TOOT.
Princess Poppy: I was… underwhelmed. While it's certainly pretty and I liked the shape of the tutu, something in the bodice wasn't quite right. Whether it was the nude illusion or the shape I'm bot sure, but this wasn't doing it for me. BOOT.
Aura Mayari: Baby… you can't come in with that much confidence and then present this on the runway. The bottom half looks like a design challenge gone wrong—it's just a piece of fabric wrapped around her waist—while the top half is lost completely on the stage. BOOT.
My Top 3 Power Rankings
Each week, I will rank who I think is going to be in the top 3 and those that are in the hunt. Here are my current predictions:
Anetra: Few queens have dominated an episode of Drag Race as much as Anetra did this one. We see mixed results for queens who win the premiere (it seems either you make it to the finale or flame out midway through).
Sasha Colby: I mean… like Sasha said in her entrance: period. She's a legend, which usually doesn't mean much on Drag Race. However, she's a legend still in her prime. Plus, there doesn't seem to be anything she can't do.
Mistress Isabelle Brooks: The narrator/commentator of the season usually doesn't make the finale (see: Katya), but Mistress is shaping up to be more of a main character rather than a supporting role. She seems to be representing the traditional drag queen (as opposed to the TikTok queens) which I think gives her fuel.
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Karl Delossantos
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.
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