With so many iterations of RuPaul’s Drag Race to choose from in the franchise, you’d think it would be more difficult to decide on an all-out best. Many have had their hit-and-miss seasons, with some winners being more highly regarded than others. But when you take a good look at the franchise as a whole, it’s remarkably easy to see which version stands out as a more positive, inclusive and all-around fun celebration of the art of drag — RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
The UK version of the show is hands down the best of all of RuPaul’s international, and even America’s endeavors. It consistently has the most interesting collective of cast members each season, often causing a bit of confusion as to who should actually triumph as the winner in their season. The cast tends to get along better in the UK version, as the community and country are smaller, which results in a more positive and congenial vibe, which the American show in particular can often lack. And of course, British drag is just amazing, and has long been a staple in the country’s mainstream pop culture, giving the UK version a bit of an edge over the other installments in the franchise.
‘Drag Race UK’ Queens and Winners Are Generally Funnier, and More Interesting
The drag artists featured on Drag Race UK are unparalleled. They may not have the big budgets that the American queens have to work with, but they have the DIY attitude and distinct British humor which makes them world-class. There are always standout queens in all the international editions, but the UK cast tends to be more evenly spread out across the board. Seasons Two and Five in particular could have been won by a number of the queens, before settling on the eventual winner.
The UK cast pushes the boundaries of drag further than their international counterparts. For example, Season 3’s Victoria Scone is the first cisgender female drag queen to appear on any of the Drag Race shows. Season 4’s Danny Beard is a bearded drag queen with a distinctly painted and hairy face. Season 3’s Charity Kase is so all around terrifying, it makes Sharon Needles’ drag look like it actually does come from Party City.
The UK cast is so beloved, they keep coming back for more. Season 1 winner The Vivienne was brought onto the original RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars all winners season of the show, to compete alongside the Americans. RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs. the World seems to have been created with the sole purpose of showcasing British fan-favorites, and giving them their own crowns to make them part of the hall-of-fame. Tia Kofi, in particular, was clearly always going to win UK vs. the World Season 2, because even as a “mediocre” queen from her star-making turn in Season 2, she’s still a world-class queen who everyone’s rooting for.
The UK Is an International Hub of Drag
Because the UK is an international hub of drag, the cast is often racially, or at least nationally, diverse. Obviously, the UK is made up of multiple countries, all quite distinct from each other — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many of the queens are born and bred in one of these UK countries, but you also have the likes of Canada, America, Spain, and Saint Lucia represented in the mix. The UK cast is just interestingly eclectic.
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The ‘Drag Race UK’ Cast Are Rooting for Each Other — Positivity Triumphs Jealousy
With perhaps a few exceptions, the UK cast has gelled really well together in each season. Even when there have been villain arcs, the messages of positivity and inclusivity have risen above it. The latest villain, Season 6’s Chanel O’Conor, is friendly and supportive most of the time, and when disagreements are had or feelings are hurt, the queens tend to work it out through mature discussions and mutual understanding. When Chanel hurt Marmalade’s feelings, Marmalade took a step back, gathered her thoughts, and confronted Chanel, who took responsibility for her words. No grudges are being held, but they just work out their issues.
The UK queens also seem to genuinely be rooting for each other. After Chanel and Marmalade had their tiff, they continued to work together, and when Marmalade found herself in the bottom, none other than Chanel seemed shocked and asked if the judges were blind! Outside of a few blips, they generally have each other’s backs on this show, ego’s be damned.
This positivity stands in stark contrast to many of the American seasons, where bullying, pettiness, and negativity have driven the season’s storylines. The bullying arc is often used in other versions to create an underdog narrative for the victim, but sometimes even the bully has triumphed or been given more opportunities to return to the fold, rewarding their bad behavior. The UK hasn’t had much of that proper bullying, and nothing on the same level as some of the more infamous American bullies. Season 2’s A’Whora has arguably been the UK’s biggest villain, but even then, she had her moments of vulnerability, and has sometimes taken responsibility for her behavior.
The British Have a Long History With the Art of Drag
Great Britain is no stranger to the art of drag, as the culture has a long history of drag queens working in the mainstream. The best known is Lily Savage (Paul O’Grady), a drag queen who found ongoing television success since the 90s. Another is Dame Edna Everage (Barry Humphries), who may have been an Australian born international star, but was a fixture on UK television throughout her long career.
Because of its long history with the art form, the British style of drag is more relaxed, versatile, and humorous than the more visually polished American version. There is more room for clowning and buffoonery — just look at the British winners versus the American ones! With the exception of Season 3 winner Krystal Versace, the winners all have comedic talent at the forefront, many being very aesthetically atypical of who would win the American version of the show.
To complement the distinct style of British drag, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has chosen the best possible judges to join RuPaul and Michelle Visage on the panel. Graham Norton and Alan Carr are two of the UK’s most beloved comedians, and their sense of fun and obvious love of drag cannot be understated as to how it elevates each episode. America’s Ross Matthews and Carson Kressley are not on the same level in America as Graham and Alan are in the UK — these judges are top tier talent and bring their decades of comedic and chat show experience, as well as a devoted audience, with them to the show.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is, in every way, the greatest of the franchise. The queens are the best of the best, and it’s nicely feel-good to have an overall positive message supersede a villain’s arc. The fresh take on drag that the UK has always brought to the scene also helps to elevate this version of Drag Race to be a cut above the rest. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of Drag Race currently out there, there is a clear winner in which one version of the show you really must watch. RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is available to stream on WOW Presents Plus in the U.S.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
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