It feels like 84 long years since season 10 of RuPaul's Drag Race crashed onto our screens hot on the heels of a lukewarm All Stars 3.
Season 10, much like this writer's younger self, was brimming with potential. Really, it could've been great. Instead, it dropped out of uni, blew a bunch of cash on travel and moved to the Gold Coast.
My finale look for today. Source: Twitter
But hey, we're not here to judge.
Strong, well-cast characters, a revamped set, interesting challenges, and no immediately clear front-runner made for an exhilarating first few episodes. The Vixen came to fight, Blair St Clair was serving up endearment realness, Miz Cracker and Aquaria were locking horns on the runway, and Monét X Change and Monique Heart were providing viewers with much-needed comedic commentary.
The good, the bad and the ugly - these are my 10 most memorable moments from the season.
10. The Vixen Vs Aquaria Vs Miz Cracker
While this scene was particularly hard to watch for a conflict-averse Cancerian like myself, it also set the tone for the entire season, introducing The Vixen's ongoing narrative as an entirely necessary pot-stirrer. While Cracker and Aquaria were quick to bury the hatchet (we love legends supporting legends), The Vixen went on use her 'villain' role (and the airtime that came with it) as a platform to discuss racism and racial bias in the LGBTIQ+ community, especially within the Drag Race fandom.
9. "Brown cow, stunning!"
Aside from inspiring Aquria's reunion look, this quote has to go down as one of the sweetest of the season - if not the entire franchise. Monique's earnest, good heart energy (take that, BDE) was captured when judge Michelle Visage criticised her "giraffe" print leotard.
Monique seemed immediately taken aback.
"You say giraffe, but I got brown cow!" She exclaimed.
Michelle replied: "Girl, no, that's a giraffe. Cows ain't spotted like that. That's a giraffe."
To which Monique said: "I saw it and I thought, 'brown cow - STUNNING!'"
8. Monét living her sponge dress fantasy
Cleaning products/brands have always been a *little* bit gay. Handee wipes. Handy Andy. Tuffy. Mr Muscle. Fairy spray-and-wipes. The list really does go on.
But Monét took it one step further. Following her cleaner-with-a-mop entry look, she put together a dress made entirely out of green and yellow sponges. Hilariously, she then seemed SHOCKED that her fellow contestants weren't as swept up (ha!) with it as she was.
7. Aquaria's Melania Trump
I know that I wasn't the only person expecting Aquaria to fall flat on her face during Snatch Game. Perhaps I was even hoping for it - her extreme confidence and prior attacks on Miz Cracker had left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. However, her genius embodiment of the United States' First Lady, Melania Trump, was definitely a turning point.
Complete with a Tiffany's jewellery box concealing a "help me" note, the performance was easily the best of this season's bunch.
And never forget - "any hole is a goal!"
6. Monét x Change VS Dusty Ray Bottoms
In my opinion, this was the first (and one of the only) memorable lip syncs of Season 10. Monét's almost-but-not-quite-death-drop had me pegging her as a finalist.
5. The final four perform 'American'
There's nothing like a good final-four musical number to get those otherwise dormant finale juices flowing, and this year's performance of 'American' did the trick.
4. The birth of Miz Cookie
Fan favourite Miz Cracker was gagging for a win when it came time for the highly anticipated makeover challenge. Paired with Chester See, a straight male musician and social media influencer, it wasn't immediately clear whether the 'House of Miz' would succeed on the runway - but the introverted duo exceeded all expectations. However, what makes this moment truly memorable is the ongoing relationship the two have maintained.
"Makeup changes your face, but drag transforms YOU," Cracker wrote. "Chester, thank you for showing America what drag can do. I have gained a lifelong friend."
3. Blair St Clair opens up about dark past
The first contestant from the traditionally conservative state of Indiana, Blair St Clair's unique brand of dainty-diva Broadway babe helped the youngster make her mark on the competition (and her fellow queens). However, it was her ability to open up about her dark past - just prior to her elimination - that proved she was an articulate, switched-on, multi-faceted queen with a big, bright future ahead of her.
2. Vanjie
While I'm currently experiencing the dreaded 'Vanjie fatigue' (my doctor says I just need some rest - send flowers), it's impossible to look past the chuckle-inducing catch-phrase that took the world by storm against all odds. Never before has a first-eliminated queen left behind such a dictionary-defying legacy. Word on the street has it that the popular exit-slogan has earned Vanessa 'Vanjie' Mateo a coveted spot on Season 11.
1. Asia O'Hara comes to The Vixen's defense
This season's redemption was always the vulnerability of its contestants. Dusty Ray Bottoms opened up about her experience growing up in a religious household and surviving 'conversion therapy'. Cracker shared what it was like to grow up in poverty, while also revealing that she found creative inspiration in her mother's looming vision impairment. Hell, even Eureka had a moving anecdote or two.
But it was Asia O'Hara's ongoing support for her fellow contestants, which reached a startling crescendo at last week's reunion episode, that stands out as this season's most important take-away. Her ability to speak truth to power is one that has long been revered within the LGBTIQ+ community - and no amount of mainstream success should distract us from the very real struggles this TV show was born from.
