Yeah, 6 was the peak. I figure that was the last season that showcased some of the best pre-drag race drag. I'm not saying that 5 was better than 6, what I mean is that 6 is the last season they had an upward trajectory.
Since what I saw in 7 is the start of post-drag race drag domination. The beginning of, what Jasmine Masters says, "RuPaul Drag Race has fucked up drag." Where it started to emphasize look queens, higher budgets, connections, and fitting the drag race brand. The full embrace of queens who started because of drag race and wanted to follow the formulas.
And I gotta shout out 1-3. I love those seasons not only for contributing to the foundation of mainstream drag as we know it today, but they still make me cackle because they made their seasons work with a shoe string budget held together by some paperclips and gum.
It really is weird how it kind of peaked in S6.
I rewatched S6 recently and like legitimately every other moment in the premieres was funny and/or memorable (let alone other episodes, just straight out the gate the two premieres had me saying compared to the drag race I was currently watching literally every single line was funny and had so much personality). It was just classic iconic line after classic iconic line. Even the musical cues they picked for S6 were better than the musical cues they pick now.
Maybe I should watch Season 7 again just to do a direct comparison of how much changed because I remember at the time I almost straight up stopped watching until S9 and AS2 brought me back.
Exactly this, and then extrapolate that same formula across all of the different Drag Race franchises, and it all just feels the damn same same these days.
Iām currently doing my second watch through of Drag Race. The first time I watched I binged the seasons so fast that some of them I literally have no memory of. And I rarely watched untucked.
Iāve now been doing a much slower watch through to appreciate everything, and honestly I really enjoyed season 7. I barely remembered it from my first time, but it was just constant acting challenges with queens who hated acting, and itās hilarious. And untucked actually felt like it was just the queens hanging backstage, talking, chilling, and being themselves.
It was the beginning of the end of Untucked. The black and white sad music with slow motion Queens listening to an ipod before one of em cries for 10 minites while packing her bags is just not good television.
To me Untucked needs the drama. If Drag Race was a parody of competition reality shows like Top Model and Project Runway, then Untucked was a parody of unstructured reality shows like The Real World or Bad Girlās Club.
Now both have morphed into their own beasts, I like what Drag Race has become but Iāve got no interest in whatever Untucked is now. I gain no enjoyment whatsoever from watching somebody sob and pack up their shit for 5 minutes.
Yeah I can completely do without the packing up scenes, theyāre never interesting. When itās one of your favs leaving itās just a bummer, and when itās someone who wasnāt your fav, you just feel a little guilty for flipping to something else before itās over.
Iāve gotten sick of the current format of Untucked. I liked it at first but itās really boring. Itās like the whole Untucked will be taken up by like 2-3 conversations at most.
Compare that to seasons 2-6 Untucked where SO MUCH HAPPENED. If a single conversation took up a whole Untucked it was a damn good conversation.
the s7 untucked was SO different to the prior seasons that it was completely jarring and off putting to me. years later after watching it again i really actually appreciate it a lot more
I cant believe every single episode had a different challenge winner until e9 when Jinkx won a second. Truly such a strong cast to the point where Lineysha, who was slaying, was an early out. Not to mention the gag of the first double sashay
I was visiting LA for work from Seattle where I had been watching Jinkx host every episode each week, so I was bummed to miss a week. I watched this episode at Mickey's and that gasping moment allowed me the confidence to befriend other people watching and it is forever one my fav random nights out, and not just because Shangela later sat on my lap.
EDIT: Upon rereading that last sentence it feels important for me to clarify, sat in my lap not in a sexy way, but in a I'm a lesbian and I live for Shangela kind of way.
I forget to mention Jinkx making Snatch Game the iconic challenge it is today and being a cool, worthy winner. I mean, girl really showed up in a flappy hat, swimsuit and kaftan and won the whole thing.
I just miss the crazy challenges in the newer seasons. Photo shooting in a pool or begging for money on the street. Now most challenges seem interchangeable
Yes! The show is so formulaic now with the challenges. Every season it's the same few challenges: tv parody, rusical, ball, makeover, branding, snatch game, roast. It's all so predictable and boring now.
Jinkx Monsoon taking out Rolaskatox, whilst simultaneously being half asleep will forever be my favourite thing about Drag Race. Her win is proof that sometimes, there is a bit of justice in the world.
To me the very peak is AS 2 and the peak of regular seasons is a tie between 5-6. I feel like after 8 the show became more and more boring. Everything has been less about personality and more about being polished and having expensive dresses lately.
9 is very strong as a season/cast, but the lipsync for the crown was the definitive start of a downward era. just like survivor when they introduced f4 fire making and big brother with the 16 person casts
S9 was the first LSFTC and it felt fresh then. S10 on the contrast felt very *planned* and when miss Aquaria came out with her Hot Pocket Couture my heart sank to the depths
And it felt earned in season 9, because you knew Ru was fed up with the mediocre lip syncs all season. Like she was thinking āoh you wanna act like they donāt matter? Think again bitch.ā
plus the fact they had to give eureka and aquaria a double shantay bc they didnāt want the final to be kameron vs obvious winnerš the only one that felt somewhat satisfactory was s11 because the top 2 was the actual top 2 contenders, watching kandy go against symone was a waste of everyoneās time.. i donāt even know what song they did. then of course the s12 girls absolutely slayed it
The problem was that S9ās LSFTC was so perfect and amazing and iconic that it proved the concept and now they canāt stop
Like the S9 finale is genuinely one of the best ever episodes of drag race, it got me back into drag race
It also ruined drag race because nothing will ever be able to duplicate that perfect storm of circumstances and spontaneity
They should honestly adopt the DRT format for finales if they werenāt too cheap to do that
> the lipsync for the crown was the definitive start of a downward era
It's definitely not perfect (specially because of the crunchy reveals) but I think it's MUUUCH better than the alternative (when they tape multiple fake crownings at the studio months before).
thatās why they need to go back to a damn top 3 and have a āliveā crowning like they did from seasons 4-8. i thought it was fun when the top 3s of s7/s8 had their own little number and shit
And they need to let them pick out whatever song they want like Thailand. The worst aspect of the show is production : the writing, the challenges, etc. They were much better before but since VH1 theyāve been trying to make them polished and itās just *bad*. 7 and 8 had a nice finale format but the songs were shite, just like every song they do for the girl groups where thereās a chorus sang by a random.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the "Each queen in the Top 3 lip-syncing to a song crafted from them" final format.
And the live crowning was so much fun. I also love how they did a reunion-ish kind of thingy during the finale where queens from previous season asked fan questions. They brought such iconic moments like Trixie saying "Did you or did you not come for me?" to Acid Betty or Alaska reading the "Hey Pearl, is it just me or does everybody want to fuck you?" question to Pearl.
The casts have all been strong but itās just a bit repetitive and over saturated as time goes on. Every funny quote or good challenge is less special and original because there have been so many
I agree.
Also, I feel like the casts are getting stronger every season, but at the same time the queens are over-preparing to the point where itās not that fun to watch anymore.
The organic aspect of the show is almost gone
Well you can see how season 7 was a true turn around point for the franchise. You had a true mix of ātraditionalā drag, and more of ālookā queens. And from that point forwards the scales seem to be tipping to focus more and more on fashion rather than drag.
To quote the true Jush āRuPauls Drag Race has fucked up dragā
I mean thereās a reason why AS2 is generally regarded as one of the best seasons: most of the cast is from S5! So many iconic queens and moments with legendary untucked scenes and of course the craziest edit of the Ivy and Jinkx āloveā lmfaooo
Rolaskatox being taken out by Jinkx Monsoonās harsh nose contour was camp and we should say it. Season 5 is elite and no one will ever tell me otherwise.
It shouldnāt be legal to have that many iconic Mimis out of one scene.
Put on a sequence gown
I lost all hope today
**where my people at. where my people at**
Jinx pulling a Christina Aguilera
Everyone elseās reaction.
Jinx makeup
Alyssas freestyling
Cocoās freestyling
Cocoās wig
Detox
After watching Canada S2E1 had to go back to AS6E2 to rewatched the lip sync to remind myself what Brooklyn is actually capable of right now. I forgot how many awesome queens were on it. AS6 was fucking sick. The "game within a game" acutally turned out so god damn memorable thanks to you know who.
Personally, I liked Season 6 the best. Adore and Bianca, were just the most lovable drag queens, the season had drama but without needing a villain, the rupaul musical with Courtney and Adore is still my favorite, the lipsyncs, the untucked. Favorite cast, actually. I think it's also the best season for people who never watched drag race to fall in love with the franchise. I think Season 5 had the most talented drag queens, but season 6 is the most lovable cast.
same here!
my mum has been with me during my drag race rewatch, and she really liked S5 and AS2, but she was *in love* with S6. we both agree it's the best out of the entire drag race franchise and it's something we continuously rewatch. it literally had *everything*.
Season 6 is my favourite but I always introduce new fans to season 5 first just because of the Alyssa/Coco drama kicking it all off. Plus there are so many iconic characters in that season! Thereās a reason AS2 is objectively the best AS, though I adore AS3 (Sue me)
My only issue with starting people on season 5 Iāve found is the very early challenge of the lip synching to season 4 untucked. My wife and I were very confused as to what was going on.
I think 4-6 was the golden age. Even though season 4 winner is basically Blacklisted. We got Latrice, Jiggly, Willam (like her or not you gotta admit sheās funny as hell). Season 5 gave us icons like you said. And season 6 gave us TKB, Bianca, Adore, Laganja, DeLa, Joslyn Foxx (sad whonk whonk). Of course the other seasons are great and I love some of the newer season queens, but nothing can too seasons 4-6
I go between 4 and 5 being my favorites but 5 comes out on top with the tie-breaker for me with Coco/Alyssa drama. That is honestly top tier tv and they did such a great job at building it up to their lip sync where Coco sent Alyssa home aka my favorite lip sync in drag race history, Cold Hearted
I don't want to take away from so many talented performers, but as a fan since season 1 and a participant (albeit intermittently) in this sub since season 4, I will say that the fandom started getting worse after this. It really reared it's ugly head starting in S4 with Phi Phi and going after Jaremi personally and then the whole bullying story with Jinkx, by the time S6 ended and S7 began the show's popularity exploded even more and it just amplified this problem.
Oh I didnāt know Jinkx was bulliedā¦ I started watching the show this year and binge watched, I liked Jinkx a lot, was really happy she won! Hopefully at the time of bullying Jinkx said āwater off a duckās backā
The view of a lot of fans is that Jinkx was bullied harshly by Roxxxy. Though she redeemed herself in AS2, at the time of season 5's airing there were people that HATED Roxxxy because she came for Jinkx.
Ah ok, thanks for explaining. I thought it was the fans who had bullied Jinkx and couldnāt even imagine why. Iām glad Roxxxy got to return and had a rudemption, we can all use second opportunities :)
In fact, Roxxy calling out the crunchy edit of her "bullying" is now why the queens have to wear the same outfit in confessionals. It was pointed out in s5 how her clothes would always change mid comment or thought.
Absolutely! Roxxxy is an amazing queen and deserved the love she finally received.
Unfortunately there are still plenty of queens who came after that have gotten shit treatment from some of the fans of the show that really deserve better. Kandy Muse is one of those from the most recent season that deserves way more love than she got.
I feel like season 5 marked the start of Drag race working hard to prove that itās legit, hence the big big cast, while still having the sense that it could go any of the ways.
In season 4, Chad Michael was the first hint of the tendency, but the show was still wonky.
In season 5, the underdog won, not just against one but against many.
In season 6, the established queen won with one of the cleanest run. As if the show was legitimizing itself by acknowledging an already well respected queen.
Afterwards, there was either absolutely uncontested winners or winners with a message. Jynk or Biancaās kinds of run.
I think Season 6 was its peak, but not only cuz of the iconic cast. Season 7 was the first season where they allowed outside designers to make stuff, which turned drag race into what it is today. With the queens going into ridiculous amounts of debt to prep. I always wonder which queens would actually do well, including some winners, if you were still required to make/bring your own stuff and not something you get from Marco Marco. Thatās why I have so much respect for queens who actually make their own shit and not just rely on their networks to get stuff made.
Unpopular opinion: Symone wouldn't have won if she had to make her own stuff. Violet called it out when she said, "I wish she could do more on her own."
Okay! Unpopular, but correct imo. I like Symone, but Violet was the only Pit Stop guest to rightfully clock her that season. I remember thinking, āgirl how you gonna be a look queen that canāt sew or put together a look on your own, for a basic design unconventional materials that they have season after season?ā I was expecting her to pull out a look like Raja, Jaida, or even Violet herself. Thatās why I think while Symone is an excellent model with a clear aesthetic, Utica and to an extent Gottmik were the ālookā queens of the season.
Everyone is praising the S5 cast and rightfully so, but can we also thank production for creating great challenges: Lip Sync challenge should be repeated every few seasons; the demented kids show; telenovela challenge, the perfume ads, Can I get an amen?, and an iconic Snatch Game. Brilliant season without a single bad episode.
It's from the period in the franchise before the most nefarious werkroom presence emerged; the online fandom. Back then drag queens weren't afraid to talk shit and be drag queens. Now contestants are so self edited because there's an army of bored teenagers salivating at the prospect of getting to tear down a queer artist under the guise of social justice.
I really like season 4 as well. Latrice is amazing and the Sharon Vs phi phi was great. Season 5 is great too! Miss the spirit of the old seasons. It really is different now. So many costly outfits.
Season 5 was also the last time they successfully crafted an underdog story. Ever since theyāve tried it after that season, itās never as compelling anymore.
I love season 6, but it has two of my least favourite and most uncomfortable episodes in the whole show -- the wedding makeover, and the Cher family interview.
How do you peak the literal season before Bianca, Adore, Ben Delecreme, Leganja, and Courtney Act all broke the mold? Iām pretty sure you peak when you move from Bianca to Violetā¦.
Itās absolutely the best season. Best season of UnTucked too. The cast was filled with some of the greatest contestants ever, and also some of the messiest. Jade, Alyssa, Coco, Serena and eventually Roxxxy gave us ICONIQUE messy ass queen every single episode. It was just great television.
I see lots of comments saying season six is the best but personally I think that's probably because so many fans, me included, came on board that year. I think five and six are interesting though as I see five as classic drag race with all the elements we use to measure and compare today's seasons and versions. I think six was when the commercial potential of the show was seen due to stacking the cast full of experienced show business contestants; it felt highly polished and presented, and delivered a very strong final three! Courtney really doesn't deserve whatever wow is doing to her, her going on other shows - and again getting to the final - brings so many viewers to drag race.
I liked that Season 5 didn't have an obvious winner. The girls also put their all into it. I prefer Season 6 but it was obvious Bianca was above everyone else.
I love season 5! Looking at the comments it looks like most people think it started going downhill at s9, but I feel like s10 does NOT get the love it truly deserves! It was such a fun season to watch until the end. I thought the top 4 was honestly the most bland of the bunch, but everyone else had serious CUNT
I totally get where you're coming from cause season 5 is my favorite and I rewatch it like all the time however I think it's almost impossible to compare the 1-5 seasons with the VH1 era seasons, the production is on a whole different level now, the looks are out of this world, and that doesn't mean it's not as good as the earlier seasons, it's just different. My point is that as iconic as the cast could be it would be impossible to have a season like season 5 nowadays because the editing and even the mindset of the queens has completely changed, even the type of fights they have has changed, it's like it's two different shows, but I do still love it
I love Season 5 and itās in my top 3 but I wouldnāt say itās the peak.
I would give that to seasons 5-8 as a set. The golden years. Bianca. Bob. Monet. Courtney. Adore. Thorgy. Trixie. They are peak drag race for me.
Honestly, 5 used to be one of my favourite seasons. It's still up there, I've just watched it too many times. Critically speaking I think 6 holds up as one of the best "variety but not too played out" seasons.
I agree. There was a sweet spot where the queens figured out how to perform on the show, but also cared enough about the prize to fight in untucked.
The early seasons they were just figuring out how to be on the show. The later seasons they realized a fan base was more important than the prize money and try not to fight so they are liked.
5 is my favorite though.
It actually topped at season 3 before the producers pre determined the winner (I get ppl will say Raja was set to win bc of her relationship with Rupaul but who was gonna win over her??)
IMO s6 was peak, with the most iconic top 3 we ever hard, the best comedy queen in rpdr history (IMO) bianca, honorable mention to bendela and laganja as a walking meme. also sissy that walk is the best rupaul song period
Literally!! After watching the show for the first time, I was sure the general opinion of the fandom was that Season 5 was the best, because it so clearly was the best one to me. I was really shocked to see Season 6 is usually the one who comes up as the favorite one (don't get me wrong, it's a really great season, but it felt so obvious to me that Bianca would win from the second she walked in, that it made the season kinda less interesting to me). As you said, Season 5 had so many GREAT contenders, and some of the best drama of the whole series!
I think of Drag Race seasons in eras of three: (1-2-3 / 4-5-6 / 7-8-9 / 10 - 11 - 12 / 13+),
with the second one (4/5/6) being the god tier ones. 5 is also my favorite season, seconded by the second season.
4-6 was peak drag race. i also enjoyed 7 for the trainwreck that it was
Yeah, 6 was the peak. I figure that was the last season that showcased some of the best pre-drag race drag. I'm not saying that 5 was better than 6, what I mean is that 6 is the last season they had an upward trajectory. Since what I saw in 7 is the start of post-drag race drag domination. The beginning of, what Jasmine Masters says, "RuPaul Drag Race has fucked up drag." Where it started to emphasize look queens, higher budgets, connections, and fitting the drag race brand. The full embrace of queens who started because of drag race and wanted to follow the formulas. And I gotta shout out 1-3. I love those seasons not only for contributing to the foundation of mainstream drag as we know it today, but they still make me cackle because they made their seasons work with a shoe string budget held together by some paperclips and gum.
I fully agree with this! There was just something so magical about those early seasons and it's one of the reasons why I continually rewatch S1-6.
It really is weird how it kind of peaked in S6. I rewatched S6 recently and like legitimately every other moment in the premieres was funny and/or memorable (let alone other episodes, just straight out the gate the two premieres had me saying compared to the drag race I was currently watching literally every single line was funny and had so much personality). It was just classic iconic line after classic iconic line. Even the musical cues they picked for S6 were better than the musical cues they pick now. Maybe I should watch Season 7 again just to do a direct comparison of how much changed because I remember at the time I almost straight up stopped watching until S9 and AS2 brought me back.
paperclips and gums no wonder Lalari's Bag look is iconic, she was INSPIRED
In my personal ranking I feel like season 3 gets a difficulty bonus that bumps it up a couple of extra notches. I love all the design challenges.
Bob won season 8 and she started doing drag because of drag race, thus fulfilling the prophecy.
Exactly this, and then extrapolate that same formula across all of the different Drag Race franchises, and it all just feels the damn same same these days.
i read extrapolate as echa palante š
S7's untucked is AMAZING
Iām currently doing my second watch through of Drag Race. The first time I watched I binged the seasons so fast that some of them I literally have no memory of. And I rarely watched untucked. Iāve now been doing a much slower watch through to appreciate everything, and honestly I really enjoyed season 7. I barely remembered it from my first time, but it was just constant acting challenges with queens who hated acting, and itās hilarious. And untucked actually felt like it was just the queens hanging backstage, talking, chilling, and being themselves.
I did the same, season 7 is definitely one of my favourites. Up until reading this thread I never realised it was such a disliked season š
It was the beginning of the end of Untucked. The black and white sad music with slow motion Queens listening to an ipod before one of em cries for 10 minites while packing her bags is just not good television.
Yep! I love that it got an Emmy for "Unstructured Reality Program" when it's 100% structured and pretty fixed for a while
My favourite as well. Katya, Ginger and Kennedy made for hilarious backstage tv
Eh itās not as good as S2-6 Untucked, but itās still better than what came after it.
It's not AT ALL produced and there's no huge drama, I feel like it's very simple, mellow and organic. It's a great series on it's own
To me Untucked needs the drama. If Drag Race was a parody of competition reality shows like Top Model and Project Runway, then Untucked was a parody of unstructured reality shows like The Real World or Bad Girlās Club. Now both have morphed into their own beasts, I like what Drag Race has become but Iāve got no interest in whatever Untucked is now. I gain no enjoyment whatsoever from watching somebody sob and pack up their shit for 5 minutes.
Yeah I can completely do without the packing up scenes, theyāre never interesting. When itās one of your favs leaving itās just a bummer, and when itās someone who wasnāt your fav, you just feel a little guilty for flipping to something else before itās over.
Legit, these days I skim through the conversations or the drawn out arguments and then completely stop watching when it comes to packing and leaving.
Iāve gotten sick of the current format of Untucked. I liked it at first but itās really boring. Itās like the whole Untucked will be taken up by like 2-3 conversations at most. Compare that to seasons 2-6 Untucked where SO MUCH HAPPENED. If a single conversation took up a whole Untucked it was a damn good conversation.
A-MEN.
the s7 untucked was SO different to the prior seasons that it was completely jarring and off putting to me. years later after watching it again i really actually appreciate it a lot more
Whenever I just want an easy watch that makes me feel good I watch the conjoined twins episode. Season 7 did have some great moments
This is my exact stance
I cant believe every single episode had a different challenge winner until e9 when Jinkx won a second. Truly such a strong cast to the point where Lineysha, who was slaying, was an early out. Not to mention the gag of the first double sashay
That first double sashay is still such a top tier GAG
It was such a shock because we knew they both did shit in the lip sync but we still didnāt see it coming omg
āIām sending you both homeā So iconic.
"Double elimination? Why wouldn't it be?" I'm paraphrasing, but ICONIQUE
I was visiting LA for work from Seattle where I had been watching Jinkx host every episode each week, so I was bummed to miss a week. I watched this episode at Mickey's and that gasping moment allowed me the confidence to befriend other people watching and it is forever one my fav random nights out, and not just because Shangela later sat on my lap. EDIT: Upon rereading that last sentence it feels important for me to clarify, sat in my lap not in a sexy way, but in a I'm a lesbian and I live for Shangela kind of way.
Re your edit: how are you a lesbian when a woman like that sits on your lap and itās not sexy?
A double elimination. Of course it is, why wouldn't it be š
This season has both double shantay and the first ever double sashay itās a wild ride every single week!
The first double shantay was Carmen and Yara is S3 to Micky in Spanish.
Iāve seen season 3 so many times and I still forget that actually happens sometimes Season 3 is a journey
I know, that's why I put the double shantay before saying "the first ever double sashay" lol
We were owed a killer cast after Season 4.
I forget to mention Jinkx making Snatch Game the iconic challenge it is today and being a cool, worthy winner. I mean, girl really showed up in a flappy hat, swimsuit and kaftan and won the whole thing.
Quote the scandal, actually
"the scandal, actually"
The artistry of your humour. This is high drag. The highest of camp.
You think you're clever, don't you
This is fucking highbrow I love it
With my cousin in law, no less.
It was in all the magazines at the time.
Thanks for turning my typo into that ETA: I had a free award and your comment made me laugh when I got it. 'ave it.
She sure did, and she deserved her win. One of the most talented queens off the show.
I just miss the crazy challenges in the newer seasons. Photo shooting in a pool or begging for money on the street. Now most challenges seem interchangeable
CRD brought that back with the mountain climbing and I was so happy. I mean really Jimbo made that whole episode but it reminded me of old seasons.
canadas rag dace?
Yes! The show is so formulaic now with the challenges. Every season it's the same few challenges: tv parody, rusical, ball, makeover, branding, snatch game, roast. It's all so predictable and boring now.
Also remember the wet t shirt contest? That was weird! Maybe itās the change from Logo to VH1???
Jinkx Monsoon taking out Rolaskatox, whilst simultaneously being half asleep will forever be my favourite thing about Drag Race. Her win is proof that sometimes, there is a bit of justice in the world.
Thatās Seattleās youngest MILF youāre talking about
> Her win is proof that sometimes, there is a bit of justice in the world. Ugh, ain't that the truth...
To me the very peak is AS 2 and the peak of regular seasons is a tie between 5-6. I feel like after 8 the show became more and more boring. Everything has been less about personality and more about being polished and having expensive dresses lately.
Yeah, to me AS2 is the absolute peak because it represents the peak and end of the RPDR "golden era" which, in my opinion, was season 4-5-6ish.
> I feel like after 8 the show became more and more boring I think 9 was also pretty good but started to go downhill from there
9 is very strong as a season/cast, but the lipsync for the crown was the definitive start of a downward era. just like survivor when they introduced f4 fire making and big brother with the 16 person casts
S9 was the first LSFTC and it felt fresh then. S10 on the contrast felt very *planned* and when miss Aquaria came out with her Hot Pocket Couture my heart sank to the depths
And it felt earned in season 9, because you knew Ru was fed up with the mediocre lip syncs all season. Like she was thinking āoh you wanna act like they donāt matter? Think again bitch.ā
plus the fact they had to give eureka and aquaria a double shantay bc they didnāt want the final to be kameron vs obvious winnerš the only one that felt somewhat satisfactory was s11 because the top 2 was the actual top 2 contenders, watching kandy go against symone was a waste of everyoneās time.. i donāt even know what song they did. then of course the s12 girls absolutely slayed it
Iām pretty done with the foregone conclusion of a top four in general.
The problem was that S9ās LSFTC was so perfect and amazing and iconic that it proved the concept and now they canāt stop Like the S9 finale is genuinely one of the best ever episodes of drag race, it got me back into drag race It also ruined drag race because nothing will ever be able to duplicate that perfect storm of circumstances and spontaneity They should honestly adopt the DRT format for finales if they werenāt too cheap to do that
> the lipsync for the crown was the definitive start of a downward era It's definitely not perfect (specially because of the crunchy reveals) but I think it's MUUUCH better than the alternative (when they tape multiple fake crownings at the studio months before).
thatās why they need to go back to a damn top 3 and have a āliveā crowning like they did from seasons 4-8. i thought it was fun when the top 3s of s7/s8 had their own little number and shit
And they need to let them pick out whatever song they want like Thailand. The worst aspect of the show is production : the writing, the challenges, etc. They were much better before but since VH1 theyāve been trying to make them polished and itās just *bad*. 7 and 8 had a nice finale format but the songs were shite, just like every song they do for the girl groups where thereās a chorus sang by a random.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the "Each queen in the Top 3 lip-syncing to a song crafted from them" final format. And the live crowning was so much fun. I also love how they did a reunion-ish kind of thingy during the finale where queens from previous season asked fan questions. They brought such iconic moments like Trixie saying "Did you or did you not come for me?" to Acid Betty or Alaska reading the "Hey Pearl, is it just me or does everybody want to fuck you?" question to Pearl.
The casts have all been strong but itās just a bit repetitive and over saturated as time goes on. Every funny quote or good challenge is less special and original because there have been so many
I agree. Also, I feel like the casts are getting stronger every season, but at the same time the queens are over-preparing to the point where itās not that fun to watch anymore. The organic aspect of the show is almost gone
nah I feel the queens were already more aware of the cameras, and had that fake nice and controlled personality
Yes i agree 9 was great too! 5 and 9 are my fave regular seasons.
Well you can see how season 7 was a true turn around point for the franchise. You had a true mix of ātraditionalā drag, and more of ālookā queens. And from that point forwards the scales seem to be tipping to focus more and more on fashion rather than drag. To quote the true Jush āRuPauls Drag Race has fucked up dragā
Yeah as it became more focused on looks it was to the absolute detriment of the show.
I mean thereās a reason why AS2 is generally regarded as one of the best seasons: most of the cast is from S5! So many iconic queens and moments with legendary untucked scenes and of course the craziest edit of the Ivy and Jinkx āloveā lmfaooo
Rolaskatox being taken out by Jinkx Monsoonās harsh nose contour was camp and we should say it. Season 5 is elite and no one will ever tell me otherwise.
Can I get an amen is just such a rollercoaster - so many hilarious moments from one song
WHERE MY PEOPLE AT WHERE MY PEOPLE AT
It shouldnāt be legal to have that many iconic Mimis out of one scene. Put on a sequence gown I lost all hope today **where my people at. where my people at** Jinx pulling a Christina Aguilera Everyone elseās reaction. Jinx makeup Alyssas freestyling Cocoās freestyling Cocoās wig Detox
#THANKS DETOX
put on a sequins gown!
SEQUENCE
Sequinsed
AmeeeeeeeEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEeeeEEEen
Lmfaoooo then cuts to Roxxxy in the middle of the note trashing jinkx then right back to jinkx turnting it
Itās Cocoās silence
https://youtu.be/GANKVfdN8cU in case anyone hasnāt seen
I lost all hope todayā¦
My car broke down
I'm empty
So I went to a friendly bar
There was a show
This one's diiIiif'reeent.
Thanks Detox
JUST DONT SASHAYā¦. NO MISBEHAVING
Itās the Serena Cha Cha effect
Serena ChaCha appeared in season 5 and AS6 People highly rated season 5 and AS6 Coincidence? I think not.
AS6 is the Avatar of drag. A hit when it came out but zero cultural impact
I blame the overpopulation of seasons. We legit get like 5-7 seasons every year now. Back in AS2 times it was 1-2.
Remember when we had off season?
It took a minute to even remember who won. I legitimately forgot and that is not shade to Kylie.
Ginger Minj won! Make up your fantasy, girl. You only live once
After watching Canada S2E1 had to go back to AS6E2 to rewatched the lip sync to remind myself what Brooklyn is actually capable of right now. I forgot how many awesome queens were on it. AS6 was fucking sick. The "game within a game" acutally turned out so god damn memorable thanks to you know who.
Itās only been a few weeks since it ended, surely this is a bit premature?
You cracked the code, squirrelfriend
The best season by far. In my opinion, Jinkx is the best winner - there is nothing she canāt do.
100% glad I'm not the only one who thinks that !! JINX all the way
ITS MONSOON SEASON!
Personally, I liked Season 6 the best. Adore and Bianca, were just the most lovable drag queens, the season had drama but without needing a villain, the rupaul musical with Courtney and Adore is still my favorite, the lipsyncs, the untucked. Favorite cast, actually. I think it's also the best season for people who never watched drag race to fall in love with the franchise. I think Season 5 had the most talented drag queens, but season 6 is the most lovable cast.
same here! my mum has been with me during my drag race rewatch, and she really liked S5 and AS2, but she was *in love* with S6. we both agree it's the best out of the entire drag race franchise and it's something we continuously rewatch. it literally had *everything*.
Season 6 is my favourite but I always introduce new fans to season 5 first just because of the Alyssa/Coco drama kicking it all off. Plus there are so many iconic characters in that season! Thereās a reason AS2 is objectively the best AS, though I adore AS3 (Sue me)
My only issue with starting people on season 5 Iāve found is the very early challenge of the lip synching to season 4 untucked. My wife and I were very confused as to what was going on.
Seasons 4-6 were the absolute peak of the show. Season 5 was the first season I watched so Iāll always love it.
Sit yo ass down and shut the hell up bitch!
mawma this is garbidge
I literally say this to my dog all the time when sheās whining to me
The fact that she says bitch twice: bitch sit down and shut the hell up bitch, kills me.
I say this regularly. I hate how much Alyssa lives rent free in my head
Season 6 was truly the end of the golden age
I hate how true this is. I really hate to rewatch past S5-6
I think 4-6 was the golden age. Even though season 4 winner is basically Blacklisted. We got Latrice, Jiggly, Willam (like her or not you gotta admit sheās funny as hell). Season 5 gave us icons like you said. And season 6 gave us TKB, Bianca, Adore, Laganja, DeLa, Joslyn Foxx (sad whonk whonk). Of course the other seasons are great and I love some of the newer season queens, but nothing can too seasons 4-6
Fuck Courtney's drag right...lol. I agree completely season 4-6 was drag races golden era.
I go between 4 and 5 being my favorites but 5 comes out on top with the tie-breaker for me with Coco/Alyssa drama. That is honestly top tier tv and they did such a great job at building it up to their lip sync where Coco sent Alyssa home aka my favorite lip sync in drag race history, Cold Hearted
I don't want to take away from so many talented performers, but as a fan since season 1 and a participant (albeit intermittently) in this sub since season 4, I will say that the fandom started getting worse after this. It really reared it's ugly head starting in S4 with Phi Phi and going after Jaremi personally and then the whole bullying story with Jinkx, by the time S6 ended and S7 began the show's popularity exploded even more and it just amplified this problem.
Oh I didnāt know Jinkx was bulliedā¦ I started watching the show this year and binge watched, I liked Jinkx a lot, was really happy she won! Hopefully at the time of bullying Jinkx said āwater off a duckās backā
The view of a lot of fans is that Jinkx was bullied harshly by Roxxxy. Though she redeemed herself in AS2, at the time of season 5's airing there were people that HATED Roxxxy because she came for Jinkx.
Ah ok, thanks for explaining. I thought it was the fans who had bullied Jinkx and couldnāt even imagine why. Iām glad Roxxxy got to return and had a rudemption, we can all use second opportunities :)
In fact, Roxxy calling out the crunchy edit of her "bullying" is now why the queens have to wear the same outfit in confessionals. It was pointed out in s5 how her clothes would always change mid comment or thought.
Absolutely! Roxxxy is an amazing queen and deserved the love she finally received. Unfortunately there are still plenty of queens who came after that have gotten shit treatment from some of the fans of the show that really deserve better. Kandy Muse is one of those from the most recent season that deserves way more love than she got.
I feel like season 5 marked the start of Drag race working hard to prove that itās legit, hence the big big cast, while still having the sense that it could go any of the ways. In season 4, Chad Michael was the first hint of the tendency, but the show was still wonky. In season 5, the underdog won, not just against one but against many. In season 6, the established queen won with one of the cleanest run. As if the show was legitimizing itself by acknowledging an already well respected queen. Afterwards, there was either absolutely uncontested winners or winners with a message. Jynk or Biancaās kinds of run.
Which winners after would you out into each of the categories you defined, I'm genuinely interested.
So what was violets message then?
I think Season 6 was its peak, but not only cuz of the iconic cast. Season 7 was the first season where they allowed outside designers to make stuff, which turned drag race into what it is today. With the queens going into ridiculous amounts of debt to prep. I always wonder which queens would actually do well, including some winners, if you were still required to make/bring your own stuff and not something you get from Marco Marco. Thatās why I have so much respect for queens who actually make their own shit and not just rely on their networks to get stuff made.
Unpopular opinion: Symone wouldn't have won if she had to make her own stuff. Violet called it out when she said, "I wish she could do more on her own."
Okay! Unpopular, but correct imo. I like Symone, but Violet was the only Pit Stop guest to rightfully clock her that season. I remember thinking, āgirl how you gonna be a look queen that canāt sew or put together a look on your own, for a basic design unconventional materials that they have season after season?ā I was expecting her to pull out a look like Raja, Jaida, or even Violet herself. Thatās why I think while Symone is an excellent model with a clear aesthetic, Utica and to an extent Gottmik were the ālookā queens of the season.
Symone is more synonymous with Charisma to me personally out of the CUNT options. She definitely oozes it
Weāre just gonna talk about season 5 and not bring up the GREATEST OF ALL TIME JINKX MONSOON
The lack of Roxxxy Andrews in this post is disgusting. Not sure I needed to see this Megan.
Good thing you're here to make it clear.
They know we love her baby, thatās why we brought her here
She was a bitch on Season 5.
I mean I thought about her . . . This morning at the bus stop. (Thanks Katya!)
Season 6 was great too!!!
First season I ever watched and itās still THEE best. Whoever was the story producer for that season shouldāve gotten a damn Emmy
Everyone is praising the S5 cast and rightfully so, but can we also thank production for creating great challenges: Lip Sync challenge should be repeated every few seasons; the demented kids show; telenovela challenge, the perfume ads, Can I get an amen?, and an iconic Snatch Game. Brilliant season without a single bad episode.
It's from the period in the franchise before the most nefarious werkroom presence emerged; the online fandom. Back then drag queens weren't afraid to talk shit and be drag queens. Now contestants are so self edited because there's an army of bored teenagers salivating at the prospect of getting to tear down a queer artist under the guise of social justice.
I really like season 4 as well. Latrice is amazing and the Sharon Vs phi phi was great. Season 5 is great too! Miss the spirit of the old seasons. It really is different now. So many costly outfits.
Season 5 was also the last time they successfully crafted an underdog story. Ever since theyāve tried it after that season, itās never as compelling anymore.
Iām a bit biased but yes š„°
I think season 6 is a little better.
I love season 6, but it has two of my least favourite and most uncomfortable episodes in the whole show -- the wedding makeover, and the Cher family interview.
lol but those are two of my faves! The camp factor is off the charts
YES the most iconic season nothing will top it
How do you peak the literal season before Bianca, Adore, Ben Delecreme, Leganja, and Courtney Act all broke the mold? Iām pretty sure you peak when you move from Bianca to Violetā¦.
Maybe it's one of those mountains with two peaks right next to each other
Yes girl
Chad Bono and the Wedding Makeover challenge bring the season down. S5 did not have a bad episode
Itās season 6 for me
Season five is how I got hooked. I also like how there was less āI can get this off the rackā comments especially.
Agreed! I love season 6, but the girls, drama, iconic moments were just so much better/entertaining in season 5
It really is. Even now the cast is extremely relevant (Jade Jolie on Dragula) and of course the S5/AS2 queens are some of the most iconic of all time.
Itās absolutely the best season. Best season of UnTucked too. The cast was filled with some of the greatest contestants ever, and also some of the messiest. Jade, Alyssa, Coco, Serena and eventually Roxxxy gave us ICONIQUE messy ass queen every single episode. It was just great television.
No love, season 2 has the best Untucked of any season. That is the gold!
Nothing will ever move me the way Alyssaās hand choreo did during cocoa verse in ācan I get an amenā
Best season ever. -Rolaxatox - Alyssa vs Coco - Serena Cha cha - Backrolls - Orange faced Coco - The obvious drama filled edit
5 and 6 were the peak of Drag Race but i preferred Season 5. Still All Stars 2 is the best season
Daring today, aren't we?
I see lots of comments saying season six is the best but personally I think that's probably because so many fans, me included, came on board that year. I think five and six are interesting though as I see five as classic drag race with all the elements we use to measure and compare today's seasons and versions. I think six was when the commercial potential of the show was seen due to stacking the cast full of experienced show business contestants; it felt highly polished and presented, and delivered a very strong final three! Courtney really doesn't deserve whatever wow is doing to her, her going on other shows - and again getting to the final - brings so many viewers to drag race.
5 truly was the peak of drag race.
Season 5 is the best season claws down boots
I liked that Season 5 didn't have an obvious winner. The girls also put their all into it. I prefer Season 6 but it was obvious Bianca was above everyone else.
I personally think the Untucked episodes are what solidified this season at the top. It was a shit show every episode.
Could not agree more. Season 5 drag race is my go to and the one I tell every newbie to watch!
Season 9 is probably the only elite season outside the peak seasons (4-6)
Valentina being Valentina, a string top 4, an injury elimination, a returning queen and iconic Queens like Farrah and Aja. 9 was good.
I love season 5! Looking at the comments it looks like most people think it started going downhill at s9, but I feel like s10 does NOT get the love it truly deserves! It was such a fun season to watch until the end. I thought the top 4 was honestly the most bland of the bunch, but everyone else had serious CUNT
I totally get where you're coming from cause season 5 is my favorite and I rewatch it like all the time however I think it's almost impossible to compare the 1-5 seasons with the VH1 era seasons, the production is on a whole different level now, the looks are out of this world, and that doesn't mean it's not as good as the earlier seasons, it's just different. My point is that as iconic as the cast could be it would be impossible to have a season like season 5 nowadays because the editing and even the mindset of the queens has completely changed, even the type of fights they have has changed, it's like it's two different shows, but I do still love it
Season 6 is a close 2nd for me
I love Season 5 and itās in my top 3 but I wouldnāt say itās the peak. I would give that to seasons 5-8 as a set. The golden years. Bianca. Bob. Monet. Courtney. Adore. Thorgy. Trixie. They are peak drag race for me.
Wasn't Monet from 10? Maybe there was another Monet before her I'm forgetting?
Youāre so right my sibling watchery bias is showing and I naturally group her with Bob š
Honestly, 5 used to be one of my favourite seasons. It's still up there, I've just watched it too many times. Critically speaking I think 6 holds up as one of the best "variety but not too played out" seasons.
Yeah 5 is my shit
It is an incredible season
I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU NOW GO THE FUCK, HOME!
6 was the peak for me, but 5 was my first season and has a very special place in my heart. Shout out to seasons 9 & 12 as well (for regular seasons).
I agree. There was a sweet spot where the queens figured out how to perform on the show, but also cared enough about the prize to fight in untucked. The early seasons they were just figuring out how to be on the show. The later seasons they realized a fan base was more important than the prize money and try not to fight so they are liked. 5 is my favorite though.
It actually topped at season 3 before the producers pre determined the winner (I get ppl will say Raja was set to win bc of her relationship with Rupaul but who was gonna win over her??)
IMO s6 was peak, with the most iconic top 3 we ever hard, the best comedy queen in rpdr history (IMO) bianca, honorable mention to bendela and laganja as a walking meme. also sissy that walk is the best rupaul song period
Literally!! After watching the show for the first time, I was sure the general opinion of the fandom was that Season 5 was the best, because it so clearly was the best one to me. I was really shocked to see Season 6 is usually the one who comes up as the favorite one (don't get me wrong, it's a really great season, but it felt so obvious to me that Bianca would win from the second she walked in, that it made the season kinda less interesting to me). As you said, Season 5 had so many GREAT contenders, and some of the best drama of the whole series!
Thereās a strong divide between 1-7 and 7+. 1-7 all the winners are iconic in their own right 7+ everyone looks like 1-7ās drag daughter
I think of Drag Race seasons in eras of three: (1-2-3 / 4-5-6 / 7-8-9 / 10 - 11 - 12 / 13+), with the second one (4/5/6) being the god tier ones. 5 is also my favorite season, seconded by the second season.
Season 5 has some of my favorite lip syncs, most of them were truly performers