RuPaul's Drag Race: Best Final Three Ever?
Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 1:09PM Which team are you on for RuPaul's Drag Race's finale next week? I'm so curious because for the first time I'd be happy with nearly any outcome. I suspect Kim Chi will take the crown as Bob or Naomi might too closely recall the last two winners under Clown and Fashion wings of drag respectively, and Kim Chi is a new direction.
It's always strange during the season when they take that week off before the finale. Monday rolls around and... no queens. [Scene from Nathaniel's House: "Life is empty," he cried dramatically while turning off the TV last night. And... scene.] Though Season 8 started strong and only crashed in the middle with the Snatch Game before returning to glory, we're left with (gasp) the strongest top three ever. If you'll allow a little "it's all about ME" moment, this is the only time in Drag Race herstory where my three favorite contestants all made the finals. That's like having, I don't know, your two favorite films of the year in a dead heat for Best Picture.
How about you?
Final Preference Order for Season 8
1 Kim Chi 2 Bob the Drag Queen 3 Naomi Smalls 4 Thorgy Thor 5 Acid Betty 6 Chi Chi DeVayne 7 Derrick Barry 8 Laila McQueen 9 Robbie Turner 10 Cynthia Lee Fontaine 11 Dax Exclamation Point 12 Naysha Lopez
Drag Queens, RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race, TV, drag
Reader Comments (19)
As a shy lover of puns myself, I am #TeamKim. I agree with you that the "something new" vibe would help her win, but Violet was also given a "new generation" angle to her win last year too. Kim has a bigger following but Bob has more noise going on around her, so who knows. Great year, despite the dip in the middle!
It's a curious case. I'm very happy with this final three—one of the strongest ever. But I thought this year's early roadkill (losers from episodes 1-6) were weaker and more forgettable than other years, including last year.
I would be ecstatic to meet Mrs. Kasha Davis, Jaidynn Diore Fierce, Tempest DuJour, Max, Miss Fame, Trixie etc. I wouldn't cross a parking lot to meet Laila, Dax, Naysha, Robbie, Acid Betty or Cynthia.
Kim is undeniably the best look-based queen ever on the show. She may stumble and trip in heels, but she never stumbled in a runway look.
That being said, Bob is the best performer- definitely the best this season, and maybe the best performing queen overall. While undeserving of the "ratchet" and makeup flack, she is decidedly not reliant on look. But who cares when she is the most watchable?
I like Naomi, and she has legs for days and can vogue to the heavens. She's my "least favorite" of the three but still fierce as hell and deserving.
My number one would be Bob + Purse-Purse.
It took a while for me to get to like her but I'm Team Bob. After Thorgy left - still in recovery - I felt only Bob has the extra it factor that really pulls her over for the win. She's smart, political, funny and I think will accomplish the most as a winner. But I do think Kim has the storyline that could give her the crown and she's the most popular on social media.
This season went so fast! What an incredible cast, huge step up from last season as it was super hard to see them go each week.
I still think season 5 has the best top three with Jinkx, Alaska and Roxxxy for me.
I'm #TeamBob all the way, but it seems like they've set up Kim for a win narratively, and she also seems to have a slight edge in social media support. A win for Kim would feel kind disparate with their actual performances this season, and I'd feel better about it if we'd actually seen her LSFYL (that last foursome stunts mobility and barely counts) but I can't be mad if she wins. This is an incredibly strong top three, though I personally would replace Naomi with Thorgy, but that's more drag style preference than a knock on quality. Of these three, I'd get off my ass to go see Bob perform before the others, but they're all great in their own way. No one will look back on this final (or this season as a whole) with shame like........well, you know.
#TeamBestFriendRace!
I will be happy with any of the top 3 winning but my order of preference is 1. Kim 2. Naomi 3. Bob but I love them all!
Naomi wouldn't make my Top 3 but I can't object to her. Best Top 3 since All Stars, which maybe shouldn't count. Bob and Kim are both real finds, and Ru clearly focused on casting worthwhile queens after the disastrous Season 7. Glad to be back in the show's glory days.
Team Bob.
I'm going to the finale tonight, but I actually haven't watched a single episode this season yet. =(
I guess I'll be the totally contradictory person and disagree on both fronts. lol. I think Bob has this in the bag. He's not nearly as #teamlook as Kim or Naomi but he's way more well-rounded and has a better track record than the other girls. If it wasn't for that lipsync between him and Derrick, he basically would have sailed all the way to the end like Bianca. To me, Bob just seems like the obvious winner. I guess I will admit rooting for Bob from the beginning because he's the first queen I've actually known and seen live before they made it on the show.
Also I think season 6 is the strongest top 3. Bianca was the most obvious winner in the show's history, Adore was most improved and people love to shit on Courtney but she had talent and gave some great looks (angel wings, klaus nomi, etc.)
But much improved from last season where I genuinely didn't care about who would take the crown.
#TeamBob though Kim Chi is a force of nature and a work of art. Love Naomi but wanted ChiChi to bring her hardscrabble glamour into the finale. Oh, well. Ru never rewards a pageant queen when there's a nightlife queen to choose.
I'm going to agree with those that said Season 5 and Season 6 had stronger top 3s. Hell, I think Seasons 3 and 4 could make an argument for being stronger based off just the top 2 from each of those seasons. Then again, I find Naomi Smalls horrendously overrated, so that probably colors my perception.
I think Bob is going to win it, but wouldn't be unhappy with Kim Chi.
How'd I rank the winners (including Bob and Kim)
1) Bianca Del Rio
2) Sharon Needles
3) Raja
4) Bob the Drag Queen*
5) Jinkx Monsoon
6) Kim Chi*
7) Violet Chachki
8) Beba Zahara Benet (Note: never seen season 1, so this is based off post-show stuff I have seen her do)
9) Tyra Sanchez
What is hilarious is, outside of Bianca and Bob (should she win) is I'd have picked another to win in almost every season.
Bob SHOULD win. I can't help but wonder how much her race colors the talk around "ratchet drag" or being a "loud-mouth.". Though I wish she would step up her fashion and make-up game, drag is about performance. I like Kim Chi, but girl can hardly walk in heels, and she doesn't have the cultural references that make a great queen.
As a committed viewer since season one, I think the overall feel of the show has changed. It's not as spontaneous or fun any more. S8 has been a big step up from S7 but the earlier seasons were all more exciting.
I'm actually ok with any of those three winning. I'm pulling for Kim Chi because us nerds with speech impediments need to stick together.
i don't know who'll win but i'll put money on who won't [naomi, you're lovely but don't bother getting your hopes up]
team chi chi forever
Kim Chi could very well be this year's Ginger Minge. Seems like a natural choice for something "different", but then they revert to the same old. Good thing is, the same old is actually great this year. Bob is my favourite and I think it's between him and Kim Chi. Naomi winning so soon after Violent *would* look a bit shady.
I'm seriously #TeamTop3 and could see them tape a tie outcome between Kim and Bob like they did with Bianca and Adore.
I am of the opposite belief. This is definitely an underwhelming top 3 - Kim Chi, as fierce and cutesie as she is, doesn't have that much of a compelling personality for me to latch on to. Literally every single thing Naomi Smalls served this season I saw Raja do 10x better in Season 3. Bob the Drag Queen is probably the best out of the bunch for me, but i'm just not that passionate about her.
This was a pretty underwhelming cast of players overall, not very many explosive personalities (where are the Alyssa Edwards, Raven, Detox, Laganja, Gia, Jujubee, Yara, Alexis) that've made the show so great in seasons past. This is the second disappointing Drag Race season for me - just hope that S9 is better.