RuPaul's Drag Race (TV Series 2009– ) Poster

(2009– )

User Reviews

Review this title
52 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
10/10
Fantastic show on so many levels
julialug11 February 2014
This is a great show. One of the best reality shows I've ever seen. Those interested in fashion, makeup and pop-culture will find it instantly interesting, but beyond the obvious, you'll find a show that makes you think about life, about parenting, about friendship and about love. It is truly wonderful to see these amazingly talented people that went through hard times, but are still able to find joy and beauty in life.

They say Drag is the art of illusion. And isn't illusion a fantastic subject? Films like "Pan's Labyrinth" and "You Will meet a tall dark stranger" make me think so. For me, this kind of art can be appreciated on many levels, and watching this show, just makes me like I could feel/be fabulous too.

(I'm married, with three kids, just saying!)
66 out of 81 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Long overdue review...
marymcfarland-0186610 April 2022
I'm ashamed to say I was late joining this Fandom. I don't really watch competition/reality TV, I find most of it ridiculous. BUT... My son asked me to watch Drag Race with him at some point during covid. We binged...well...all of it. And I'm a forever fan.

I always liked RuPaul...now I LOVE RuPaul. This show, all the queens... it's helped me connect with and relate to my son in a way we might not have been able to do otherwise.

2 thumbs up.
27 out of 32 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Addictive
dsprcBz17 May 2011
I am addicted to this show – stumbled upon it on VH1 with the Jocks in Frocks episode, was totally entertained by it, then looked it up on the internet and started watching all episodes, (ALL episodes, extras included) of Season 3, 2 and 1 on the Logo site, and I'm straight as a flagpole.

Can they put this on DVD please ? – The Logo site keeps buffering with the same damn commercials (I like the Orbitz commercial tho w/Carmen, Manila and Shangela, tho). They must include the Untucked episodes on the DVD.

It's funny how so many people take this reality show contest sooo seriously – I mean the winner is crowned to a live audience of 3 people, and the host of the Grand Finale in the Untucked episode is eating fried chicken out of a bucket (that's why I love this show) It's so campy and yet so glamorous.

I'm so addicted – I can name every queen of every season, and since I'm sick and can't do anything but stare in front of a computer, I'll critique them all

(Season 1 – The Originators) Bebe Zahara Benet – If Snatch Game were in Season 1, she'd nail Oprah / Nina Flowers – The fiercest androgynous look ever / Rebecca Glasscock - The 1st pretty girl of RPDR / Shannel - The prettiest "real" eyes / Ongina - The prettiest bald queen / Jade - At times, prettier than Rebecca / Akashia - Worst runway walk ever / Tammie Brown - Kinda spooky look / Victoria "Pork Chop" Parker - First big girl to go, will make the trivia list

(Season 2) Tyra Sanchez – Straight women would've gone for him, he's a pretty boy / Raven - A macho pretty boy / Jujubee - She's Got Personality, lots of it / Tatianna - Prettier than Rebecca / Pandorra Box - Looks more like Kathy Griffin than Kathy Griffin / Jessica Wild - Miss Popularity / Sahara Davenport - Miss Ballet Moves / Morgan McMichaels - Miss Rebel / Sonique - Miss Acrobat / Mystique Summers Madison - Miss Splits / Nicole Paige Brooks - Reminded me of Julia Roberts, yes Julia Roberts / Shangela - (Seasons 2 & 3) I like and dislike her cause she's got lots of talent but her character on the show reminded me of someone really "shady"

(Season 3 – I like this season best thus far, simply because of the variety of contestants)

Raja – The fiercest ever runway walk / Manila Luzon - A glamorous camp queen / Alexis Mateo - Competitive, deserved top 3 / Yara Sofia – Wish she were in top 3, likable personality, but what's up with the freaky contact lenses / Carmen Carrera – The pretty girl of season 3, pulls off the female illusion the best / Delta Work - The prettiest of the big girls / Mariah Paris Balenciaga – Perhaps the most beautiful of all 3 seasons queens / Stacy Layne Bryant Matthews, etc. etc. - Already looks like a woman / Indiah Ferrah - She's got $600 boobs and she's gonna wear them / Mimi Imfurst – Aptly named / Phoenix - 2 episodes is not enough to pass judgment / Venus D-Lite - Madonna lives

The Judges: who cares? The Pitt Crew: Nice touch, Ru.

I hope Season 4 is just as enjoyable as Season 3. Can't wait for the next generation of Hoogers.
63 out of 86 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Ground Breaking
quintero9329 March 2014
This show is truly ground breaking. This show allows all of America to see a bit of what gay culture is. Not to mention that its funny and the competition is fierce. IT makes people look at how talented and funny drag queens are. Drag is truly an art and it takes skill experience and talent. This show has guest judges apart from the standard judges which are Rupaul, Michelle Visage, and Santino Rice. The guest judges have included actors,singers and TV personalities. The challenges are design to test the queens and to allow them to show America why it is they should win. Acting, singing, rapping, comedy, dancing, impersonation, have all been bases for challenges. Anyone who is obsessed with pop culture should watch this show.
38 out of 52 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
The most real reality TV so far..!
guanyuu23 November 2013
I just watched the 1st season of Repual's Drag Race and because of the positive energy this show implements; I attend to watch more Repaul's seasons. First of all, for those who compare this show to American Next Top Model and other shows of the same genre; you are wrong in so many levels since the core, for starters, of both shows are totally different. Rupaul's show focus on testing drag's surviving skills in the preforming business. Papering self make-up & hair, sewing unique outfits, dancing & lip-syncing, are some of the jobs assigned for the contestants in Rupaul's Drag Race because these queens are exposed to them every time they want to channel their drag persona on stage and more importantly, to themselves. In terms of human quality and productivity, Rupaul's Drag Race has a lot to offer. Being drag is not easy or safe even in our time. Drag Queens and cross-dressers has had it the hardest among the gay community considering that the majority of drag queens are gay. They put literally themselves out there for the world to judge and there are some, even among gay guys, who try to segregate themselves from them and feel repulsed by them so a drag lady has to be really courageous and develops an unbeatable character to feel strong & stable against all criticism about her life. This is another value that the show is trying to bring through the course of the race. In terms of other reality TV shows, I feel that Rupaul's Drag Race is the most genuine of them all although, ironically, the concept of the show is based on men dressing as women which is should not be up-normal anymore. Rupaul is trying to deliver a positive message in his show about loving oneself which is lacking in many competition shows. I have seen a dance competition show where the majority of the contestants below 20 and the judges are emitting real sociopath behavior when it comes to evaluating the young contestants outcome, all for the sake of the shock value to improve the network ratings. Others might find problem with the tune of the show and how it represent drag in stereotypical image which is incorrect. Drag queens are flamboyant by nature and these individuals have to channel their femininity while they are in the dress and make-up so the only question is if the viewer is comfortable about which 45 min of drag and what does it represent or if the viewer really know the difference between drag queens, transvestites, transsexuals, gays, etc. As the first show of its kind, I find that the creators and the producers of the show have done a great job and if there is a little bit of shallowness, it should be with tolerable amount especially comparing to other reality shows and computation shows which are now quantity with no quality.
25 out of 35 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
Not my show anymore
peterkowalski27 March 2021
I used to watch the show from the very first episode; back in the day, it wasn't popular, it wasn't that interesting, nobody knew about it. I stuck with it through thick and thin. Watched it all, because I loved it from the first sight.

After all the seasons, international editions, all stars, covid, in and out, I look back and see how over produced and fake it has become. How clear it has become DragRace is not about Drag anymore; it's about taking drag to the bank. It's not about personality, fashion, carisma, talent. It's about what sells at the moment, and what won't.

Sashay. Away.
38 out of 59 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
A great show (which has lost its way)
femkemvs22 March 2020
Every generation has its tv shows that sweep the airwaves. Rupaul's Drag Race is certainly amongst those for this millennium. It's not just a show; it's a cultural phenomenon that has brought the art of drag to the mainstream and earned countless fans in the lgbtqa+ community and beyond.

Drag Race is among the better reality tv competition shows because it is so fun and inventive. There's a little bit of everything in there, from fashion to comedy to acting to singing. Many of the queens to come out of the show are icons and have helped make drag as popular as it is today.

However, where Drag Race in the past seemed to be above the usual shady reality show tricks, in recent seasons it has become more and more unfair and seems to be more rigged than it ever was. Most fans agree that the show's peak was seasons 5 and 6, but since then (for the most part) it has been losing its way. Season 7 is famous for being a disaster, season 9 was good but the change in format for determining the winner was one of the shadiest things Rupaul has done, season 10 was messy and season 11 was the most unfair season of the show so far. Storyline and drama seems to have become the show's primarily focus, sacrificing fair judging for causing a stir. Yet, the earlier seasons did not need this to create a good story. Season 5 had the best storyline of any season and it didn't feel manufactured or forced by the judges. There was a definite attempt to replicate it in season 11, but because it wasn't natural, it didn't work. Things like that make the enjoyment for the show go down, along with the quality.

This does not mean the show has become awful, but it has experienced a drop in quality. The earlier seasons will always be the peak of the show and unless Rupaul changes the way things are done, I think the show will continue to go downhill.
12 out of 17 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
BEST SHOW EVER INVENTED!!!
shannonlawolfe25 February 2018
I have seen every episode to date and just cannot get enough, obsessed is an understatement. Color, comedy, drama, entertainment, and all kinds of feels... This show has it all! Rupaul is legendary.
14 out of 21 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
More creativity, less designer made "camp" couture
tobiashennelund4 October 2021
I must say I enjoyed the previous seasons more - where the Queens did more of their outfits themselves. I still love watching RPDR, but I think the show has lost some of its creativity since the newest Queens just pay lots of money to a designer to make their outfits. I mean that is great too, but it just separates the "rich" queens from the more "average" queens. I think you should consider to bring back some of the old school concepts even more while still renewing the concept. Also, I would say, the outfits has become way to overly "camp" where I think it looses its flare - not a lot of womana there tbh. ;)

Sorry for all the criticism, I just REALLY want to contribute to make the show even better. :)
2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
always the same
aliburaktugrul14 May 2020
(sorry for my english first of all ) I was a Huge fan of the show 8 YEARS AGO ! and my love of the show slowly ended. Because its ALWAST THE SAME ! EVERYTHING ! just watch all the seasons you will see what i try to say.. the background musics and everything.. in first 5 minutes always the same background music and then other music came and 10 minutes later the other music comes .. and it gets too borring every season because people doesnt like shady queens and queens knows it now and there is NO DRAMA now ..queens not saying what they want or thinks anymore because they know fanbase would cancel them. Season 12 was soo borring to me because queens seems like they are not showing who they really are.. and then people says old seasons were better .. SMH Bottom line is The Fan base ruind the Show ! and it beens more than 11 years and stage challenges the set is always the same ..they could improve the lip sync lightings and everything but no they only spend money to the guess judges .
10 out of 18 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
3/10
The show has become very Stale and Boring now
maddison-5965716 March 2021
In the beginning this show was very original and interesting, however some 12 years later it has actually become very boring and unoriginal. The show has become stale due to over production of the show. You have this show, all stars, drag race Canada , drag race uk, and werq the world. It is just too much. Now it seems like any gay man can put on a dress and be on drag race!
14 out of 20 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Absolutely fabulous
emmarosepollard23 April 2019
I was introduced to RuPaul's Drag Race late last year and have gone through about 6 seasons in a short space of time (plus series spin offs and spin off films!). It's so addictive, hilarious, bitchy and utterly fabulous. It's such a celebration of diversity, LGBTQ+ communities and just being fabulous in general. The catchphrases used are so catchy ("Okuuuur!") that you will find them creeping into your everyday language. An utter joy to watch and it makes me so happy that we are in a time where this show exists.
6 out of 10 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Serving Fish
hjalsayegh8 February 2016
The checklist for this show reads like this :-

  • Reality TV - Drama - men in drag - cheese extra thick - beauty pageant


I'll be honest and say this show has everything I DESPISE all crammed together! I watched it by accident one day (season three mid episode) and I thought it was a normal beauty pageant show... then the camera went back stage and my mind took a minute to process... wait what? WHAT?!?!

So what's the verdict? I LOVE IT!!!!!!!! not only is everything done tastefully and with a lot of dignity attached to it, it also manages to do that with a lot of fun and not taking itself too seriously.

The show Humanizes the people on it so you don't see a "drag queen" you see the contestants. (Raven you will always be my fav!) at their best and not so best. each bigger then life and an entertainer at heart.

Rupaul keeps it interesting with lots of fun little twists and event and the clothes (and the shoes, oh god the shoes!!!) are always beautiful.

I love that the show celebrates different body types, they're not all skinny and tall blondes, curvy girls have a real shot here and some you'll fall in love with.

Right now this show is by far the best American reality TV show there is. which queen will you root for this season?
14 out of 30 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
A great show with iffy moments.
diiegonapoli28 November 2019
Overall review: The show is totally untraditional, original and unique, it's very addictive and has taken the art of drag to a different level. The show is also wallbreaking considering that it boosts the LGBT community while also being very popular and accepted around the world. However, the show has demostrated to have flaws that we can see in the edition, foreign queens struggling with the language, some storylines and mostly in the judging of the show, which is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) problems. Some fan-beloved queens (or others?) had been saved off eliminations and runway tragedies over other great competitors (i won't point on any queens here, but if you watched the show you know who these are) and the judgement has poor consistency when some queens are judged off some problems that other queens have and are being ignored and praised for it. But overall the show is good, and that is why i give it 8 stars. Now ranking all seasons:

Season 1: 7/10. Very good season, just ignored by fans for several reasons. Now on the good side, this season gave some great queens such as Ongina, Bebe Zahara Benet and Nina Flowers. The show just got started and we weren't familiar with "robbed queens" or "drama", it was just pure competition and the queens didn't clash (very strongly) throughout all season. It was an entertaining season and a very talented winner and runner up. The filter was rough and the season had no snatch game (a popular comedy challenge in the show), and the runways were not so evolved as we can appreciate in later seasons, but back to the initial point, good season overall, with an awful aging.

Season 2: 8/10. Great season. In my opinion one of the most forgettable of them all, but the season was refueled from, what some fans consider (me not included), one of the worst seasons of drag race. This particular season had some of the most iconic and adorable queens, say Tatianna, Jessica Wild, Pandora Boxx, or Jujubee. Enjoyable snatch game, several unforgettable moments for big fans of the show, greater runways and better challenges than last season. Overall, enjoyable season, with a bad aging.

Season 3: 9,5/10. Fantastic season in general. Hilarious and iconic moments, improved lipsyncs (some of them), very talented queens, solid storylines and to wrap it up this season had a lot of surprises. Questionable snatch game, but great stand-up comedy challenges to back that up, some of the most iconic runway looks and some of the biggest names of drag race (Manila Luzon, Shangela, Alexis Mateo, Raja). Good aging.

Season 4: 6/10: Average season. The runway on this season was pretty bad, i won't lie, some of the queens were obviously several steps above others, there were not a lot of surprises or controversial moments (except for one that gagged tf out of everyone), and i guess we can say some queens were very beloved by fans. We also had the first real villain on the show that received a very malicious editing. Very mediocre season, i think.

Season 5: 10/10. Great in every sense and way. A lot of surprises, a great snatch game, a notoriously improved runway and the ultimate fan favourite Alyssa Edwards, with the biggest rivalry in the show ever, with Coco Montrese, which are at the same time two of the biggest names on this show so far. The season aged very well and in my personal opinion the winner was very deserving. Great lipsyncs and comedy challenges, and the first roast ever which was hilarious. Flawless season and probably in my top 2 of favourite seasons.

Season 6: 9/10. So far the most deserving top 3 of the whole show, and a lot of fan-favorite queens. We had some of the best lipsyncs EVER, and a hysterical snatch game. Runways were great and we had a lot of funny moments from the queens. The judging on some parts was controversial, and so was the editing, but overall it was a great season.

Season 7: 4,5/10. Now... The judging on this season was absolutely terrible, and the season contained comedy challenge after comedy challenge, which was a struggle for most queens. The runways were very good since we had a lot of fashionable queens (Some of them modern, some of them not so modern), but most decisions were controversial and problematic. Very bipolar snatch game. The editing left several queens in a very bad position and some of them were straight up impossible to love, and they literally edited one queen out of the season.

Season 8: 9/10. Good season. The queens that couldn't make it on the runway made it in the challenge and vice versa. Some eliminations were shocking, but not unfair, and we had some of memorable runway looks and lipsyncs. I only wish this season was longer. A few desicions were a little stupid, but nothing that could hurt the season too bad.

Season 9: 10/10. Fabulous season. Some of the greatest lipsyncs ever and some of the best runway looks ever too, a great snatch game (that might be an unpopular opinion but i really enjoyed the jasmine masters, liza minelli and marlene dietrich impersonations). We got gaga on the show finally, and the Kardashian Rusical / 9021-HO challenge were some of my favourite challenges ever.

Season 10: 10/10. My favourite season ever. I'm a big fan of great runways and comedy challenges, so i feel like this season was right made for me. Runways were better than ever and overall the season was very fashionable. Not one but two hilarious rusicals and a very bipolar but funny snatch game. A lot of good storylines and a decent judging.

Season 11: 7/10: A very good season with a great cast, but sadly the judge was non-sense in most episodes, refering to a lot of favouritism for a specific queen and a lot of weird eliminations. The snatch game was... cough. But happily the fashion and lipsyncs were very good on this season, and generally we can say it was an enjoyable-to-watch season.
4 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Everything you need!
msbrissa-6006416 June 2020
This show is amazing. It has drama, fashion, comedy, all wrapped up into the essence of what it means to be a drag queen. The show has become apart of gay culture, and continues to show what it means to be LGBTQIA+ through the stories of its contestants. It's entertaining, light-hearted, and always a blast to watch. Okurr!
5 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Inspiring Queens!
Evil_In12 February 2022
These Queens are all an example of strength, will, and that dreams can come true if you work for it. Admire them all. Loved every season except season 7, those were the weakest Queens as regards skills.
4 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
66-yr-old married hetero woman & rare TV watcher ADORES this show!
fionawebster28 February 2021
Let me state this first: I mostly DETEST reality TV. I think it's demeaning to the hapless wannabees who participate, and degrading to our society. (Witness our abysmal 45th president!) But I do have an outsider's curiosity about fashion, so I enjoyed the first few seasons of Project Runway. I watched one season of America's Top Model and was appalled by how stupid the models were, how unfunny the show was. That was it for me--heck, I hardly ever watch late-night talk shows. All the same, I'd been impressed with Ru Paul from a couple of his early TV appearances, so I checked out his Drag Race. Man oh man did I get addicted quickly! I started at the beginning and am watching the 7th season now. Unless it really jumps the shark, I plan to stick with it all the way through.

What makes the show is Ru Paul himself: he's quite intelligent, creative, educated about culture, funny as hell, warm-hearted, self-mocking, spiritual (I've seen a couple of his lectures)--and refreshingly humble, given his undeniable beauty/glamour/fashion-sense and meteoric rise to fame. Oddly for me, usually a cringer at puns, I even like his ample use of wordplay, because he whips out his puns at top speed, with impeccable comic timing, drawing on a wide range of references. His repartee with the other judges (all sweet human beings, with the marked exception of the weirdly bitter, inconsistent & nasty Michelle Visage) also shows off his lightning wit. And when he's listening attentively to an especially inarticulate/ignorant queen in the workroom, he's hilarious in how he gives them a very flat, "huh" facial expression that cuts them dead in a way that's brutally honest, not at all mean-spirited. Even when he (rarely) loses his temper, it's well-controlled and justifiable.

Because of who Ru Paul is as a person, the tone he consistently strikes, this show is about so much more than drag queens or LGBTQ+ people. It's about competition, showmanship, fashion and (exaggerated) femininity, for sure, but it's also about family, friendship, culture, self-actualization, body positivity, and love.

I guess the only thing that puts me off a bit about the show is that more often than not I've never heard of his celebrity judges. But then, I am a 66-yr-old who's watched little TV. So that doesn't even knock down my rating by one star. Oh, and there is some bullying among the queens that the viewer has to put up with--but I suppose that counts as "snarky" humor these days: they are adults, after all.
4 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Super show
claudiocafaro9 February 2022
Every season is different and fun and some are just trash but there are really lovely seasons and queens it's a great show! And it's getting bigger every year, now you have so much different drag races like Hollan, all stars and much more!
3 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
First season in UK Better than 12th Season In USA
njegiclazar15 March 2020
You'd think they learned something from RPDRUK... Where is All that Nerve Carismma and Talent in this season TWELVE?! Such a disappointment.
3 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
2/10
More reality TV than competition
crows-are-bros11 September 2020
The biggest issue with this show is the production and overall priorities. It is focused on being a reality TV show more than it's focused on being an honest competition focused on finding the very best. They call it the olympics of drag -- but that's hardly true.
16 out of 26 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
All round incredible
wesleykenthargreaves17 September 2018
It isn't just a fake modelling show. It's so much more. It talks about their struggles and experiences as well as modeling the runway expressing who they are and spreading the message that it's okay to be different
4 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Like a drug
kalki-821-65715821 July 2019
Love the show so much. I'm addicted. Colorfull, sparkly, funny and beautiful Drags.
3 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Absolutely obsessed
klaud_nyne9 February 2019
I started with season 10 and now I only have a couple more to watch, got my best friends, my brother and my mum all watching it too! SO funny
2 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Because I'm Weird Like That
passionroosevelt20 September 2020
Oh I totally love watching RuPaul's Drag Race because it gives me that creativity motivation that I need in this entertainment industry as a writer and director. I'm a black female but I get excited when these guys transition into elegant Queens and strut down the runway way. I do fashion show with plus size women so watching this show gives me so much inspiration. I love watching them do their outrageous makeup and design these fabulous wardrobes. I can watch this everyday all year long.
2 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
MAMA RU RULES !!
pegfilippello18 March 2020
My favy show of all time. I have seen every second of each episode as well as Untucked. Love you Ru. You've made me a better woman
2 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
An error has occured. Please try again.

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed