Drag Race 2.0

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Aug 3, 2024, 3:45:00 PM8/3/24

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Prospective Drag Race contestants submit video auditions to the show's production company, World of Wonder.[7] RuPaul, the host and head judge, views each tape and selects the season's competitors.[8] Once the chosen pool of performers is on set, they film a series of episodes in which they compete against each other in various challenges. Each episode typically concludes with one contestant being eliminated from the competition. Rarely, the outcome of an episode has been a double elimination,[9][10] no elimination,[11] contestant disqualification,[10]contestant voluntarily quit or removal of a contestant on medical grounds.[10] Each episode features a so-called "maxi challenge" that tests competitors' skills in a variety of areas of drag performance. Some episodes also feature a "mini challenge", the prize of which is often an advantage or benefit in the upcoming maxi challenge. Following the maxi challenge, contestants present themed looks in a runway walk.[12][13] RuPaul and a panel of judges then critique each contestant's performance, deliberate amongst themselves, and announce the week's winner and bottom two competitors. The bottom two queens compete in a so-called "Lip Sync for Your Life";[14] the winner of the lip sync remains in the competition, and the loser is eliminated.[12][11] Generally, the contestant that the judges feel has displayed the most "charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent" (C.U.N.T.) is the one who advances.[11][15] The final contestants remaining compete in a special finale episode wherein the season's winner is crowned. In early seasons, the finale was pre-recorded in the studio with no audience. More recently, the finale has taken the form of a lip sync tournament before a live audience. The season 12 finale was filmed remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] The whole season is typically filmed in four weeks.[17]

Mini challenges are quick, small assignments that RuPaul announces at the beginning of an episode. One of the most popular mini challenges, which has appeared in every season since season 2, is the reading challenge. In it, contestants satirically criticize one another in a process called "reading", which was popularized by the 1990 documentary film Paris Is Burning.[18] Maxi challenges vary in the skill they test; some are group challenges that involve singing and acting, while others feature comedy, a talent of choice, dancing, or makeovers.[19] The winner receives a material or monetary prize.[20][21] Until the show's sixth season, the winner sometimes also received immunity against elimination the following week.[22] Drag Race's most popular seasonal maxi challenge is Snatch Game, a spoof on Match Game wherein contestants impersonate celebrities or famous fictional personas.[23]

RuPaul has been the series' head judge since its premiere. For the first two seasons, Merle Ginsberg joined him on the panel; she was replaced in season 3 by Michelle Visage, a longtime friend of RuPaul and his co-host for The RuPaul Show.[24] Santino Rice served as a judge from season 1 through season 6.[25] From season 7 onward, Ross Mathews and Carson Kressley have replaced Rice, alternating in his former seat.[26] New York City makeup artist Billy B held a regular judging spot in the third and fourth seasons when Rice was absent. Most weeks, one or two celebrity guest judges join the panel.[27] After appearing as a recurring guest judge in seasons 13 and 14, Ts Madison joined Mathews and Kressley as an alternating judge from the fifteenth season.[2]

The first season of Drag Race was accompanied by a seven-episode web series titled Under the Hood of RuPaul's Drag Race, which Logo TV made available for streaming on its website. The series featured behind-the-scenes and deleted footage from the main show's tapes.[28] From season 2 onward, a companion show called RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked, which has the same premise, has aired instead. Untucked largely focuses on conversations and drama that occur between contestants backstage while the judges deliberate on each episode's results.[29] In most seasons, it has aired on TV following the main show, but it was available only online for season 7 through season 9.[29][30] A number of smaller web series also accompany each episode of Drag Race. Whatcha Packin', which began at the start of the sixth season, features Michelle Visage interviewing the most recently eliminated queen about their run on the show and showcasing runway outfits they had brought but did not have the opportunity to wear.[31] In 2014, the web-series Fashion Photo RuView aired for the first time, co-hosted by Raja Gemini and Raven who evaluate the runway looks of the main show. Since season 8, a five- to fifteen-minute (later eighteen- to thirty-minute) aftershow called The Pit Stop has also been produced. It involves a host and guest, typically past competitors of Drag Race, discussing the recently aired episode.[32][33][34] Each season's host (or hosts) are different; to date, these have included the YouTuber Kingsley, Raja Gemini,[32] Bob the Drag Queen,[33][35] Alaska Thunderfuck,[36] Trixie Mattel,[37] Manila Luzon,[34] Mont X Change, and Bianca Del Rio.

Season 1 premiered in the U.S. on February 2, 2009, on Logo TV. Nine contestants competed to become "America's Next Drag Superstar". The winner won a lifetime supply of MAC Cosmetics, was featured on the cover of Paper and in an LA Eyeworks campaign, joined the Absolut Pride tour, and won a cash prize of $20,000. One of the nine, Nina Flowers, was determined by an audience vote via the show's official website. The winner of season 1 was BeBe Zahara Benet, with Nina Flowers winning Miss Congeniality. In late 2013,[38] Logo re-aired the season as RuPaul's Drag Race: The Lost Season Ru-Vealed, featuring commentary from RuPaul.[39]

For season 2 (2010), 12 contestants competed for a lifetime supply of NYX Cosmetics and be the face of nyxcosmetics.com, an exclusive one year public relations contract with LGBT firm Project Publicity, be featured in an LA Eyeworks campaign, join the Logo Drag Race Tour, and a cash prize of $25,000. A new tradition of writing a farewell message in lipstick on the workstation mirror was started by the first eliminated queen, Shangela. Each week's episode is followed by a behind-the-scenes show, RuPaul's Drag Race Untucked. The winner of season 2 was Tyra Sanchez, with Pandora Boxx winning Miss Congeniality. On December 6, 2011, Amazon.com released season 2 on DVD via the CreateSpace program.[40]

Season 3 (2011) had Michelle Visage replacing Merle Ginsberg on the judging panel as well as Billy Brasfield[41] (commonly known as Billy B), Mike Ruiz, and Jeffrey Moran (courtesy of Absolut Vodka) filling in for Santino Rice's absence during several episodes. Due to Billy B's continued appearances, he and Rice are considered to have been alternate judges for the same seat on judges panel.[42] Other changes made included the introduction of a wildcard contestant from the past season, Shangela; an episode with no elimination; and a contestant, Carmen Carrera, being brought back into the competition after having been eliminated a few episodes prior. A new pit crew was also introduced consisting of Jason Carter and Shawn Morales. As with the previous season, each week's episode was followed by a behind-the-scenes show, RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked. The winner of the season 3 was Raja, with Yara Sofia winning Miss Congeniality. On December 6, 2011, Amazon.com released this season on DVD via their CreateSpace program.[43]

Season 4 began airing on January 30, 2012,[44] with cast members announced November 13, 2011.[45] The winner headlined Logo's Drag Race Tour featuring Absolut Vodka, won a one-of-a-kind trip, a lifetime supply of NYX Cosmetics, a cash prize of $100,000, and the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar".[46] Like the previous season, Rice and Billy B (Billy Brasfield), shared the same seat at the judges table alternatively, with Brasfield filling in for Rice when needed.[42] The winner of season 4 was Sharon Needles, with Latrice Royale winning Miss Congeniality.

Season 5 began airing on January 28, 2013, with a 90-minute premiere episode. Fourteen contestants competed for the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar" along with a lifetime supply of Colorevolution Cosmetics, a one-of-a-kind trip courtesy of AlandChuck.travel, a headlining spot on Logo's Drag Race Tour featuring Absolut Vodka and a cash prize of $100,000. Rice and Visage were back as judges on the panel.[47] The winner of season 5 was Jinkx Monsoon, with Ivy Winters winning Miss Congeniality.

Season 6 began airing February 24, 2014. Like season 5, season 6 saw 14 contestants competing for the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar". For the first time in the show's history, the season premiere was split into two episodes; the fourteen queens are split into two groups and the seven queens in each group compete against one another before being united as one group in the third episode. Rice and Visage returned as judges at the panel. Two new pit crew members, Miles Moody and Simon Sherry-Wood, joined Carter and Morales.[48] The winner won a prize package that included a supply from Colorevolution Cosmetics and a cash prize of $100,000.[49] The winner of season 6 was Bianca Del Rio, with BenDeLaCreme winning Miss Congeniality.

Season 7 began airing on March 2, 2015. Returning judges included RuPaul and Visage, while the space previously occupied by Rice was filled by new additions Ross Mathews and Carson Kressley.[50] Mathews and Kressley were both present for the season premiere and then took turns sharing judging responsibilities. Morales and Simon Sherry-Wood did not appear this season and were replaced by Bryce Eilenberg. Like the previous two seasons, this one featured fourteen contestants competing for the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar", a one-year supply of Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics, and a cash prize of $100,000. The season premiere debuted with a live and same-day viewership of 348,000, a 20 percent increase from the previous season. On March 20, 2015, it was announced that Logo had given the series an early renewal for an eighth season.[51] The winner of season 7 was Violet Chachki, with Katya winning Miss Congeniality.