(Warning, spoilers.)
This last Monday, the eighth season of the popular show "RuPaul's Drag Race" premiered as the show celebrated both it's 100th episode and the 100th queen to walk into the workroom.
For those of you who don't know, "RuPaul's Drag Race" is a show on the LGBT television network, LOGO, that celebrates the art of drag, which can be described (in the simplest terms) as female impersonation. The past eight years we've seen queens of all kinds, drama -- oh, lord -- a lot of drama, but most importantly, we've seen some of the most talented artists that this industry has to offer.
While past some past seasons have been wonderful, and other past seasons have been...seasons, I can honestly say this season eight looks to be one of the most promising yet.
For starters, we have some beautiful and interesting queens this season from varying ends of the drag spectrum; from pageant to high fashion to (my personal favorite) New York drag.
Even from just the workroom entrance, these queens look promising.
Promising, hilarious... the one liners are already starting, people. But what can I say? I live for it.
Following the workroom entrance (and the subsequent '100th episode' announcement), the queens participated in an amazing mini-challenge featuring the winners of the previous seasons (and a clown).
(Favorite photo of the challenge. Naomi Smalls killed it, don't even play.)
This was followed by the main challenge which was to design an outfit based on a challenge from previous seasons.
(Kim Chi, working her interpretation of "RuPaul's Hair Extravaganza.")
While first impressions are never concrete, I have to say some of these queens really killed it and / or grabbed my attention in this opening episode, and I can see these queens really going far in the competition.
Acid Betty
Acid Betty, a New York Queen, has an eclectic style of drag that I absolutely adore. I think her take on drag is something the show hasn't seen before, and I can't wait to see what she brings style wise the rest of the season. She's got style and a big personality, things that will take you far in this competition.
And that workroom entrance? It was everything.
Derrick Barry
Derrick is a Vegas queen known as being one of the best Britney Spears impersonators in the world.
I will say this; her Britney is un-f*cking-clockable.
She's shown us her Britney in the first episode. I, along with many others, am really excited to see what else she brings as the competition goes on. We know that she's talented, beautiful and I definitely see her going far this season.
And hello? Impersonation? She's gonna do great in Snatch Game.
Dax Exclamationpoint
Dax is one of those queens I should have been banking on from the "Meet the Queen" video reveal. Sit down y'all, because her drag is amazing.
Dax fancies herself a cosplay queen (see above, also check our her Facebook page to see more), and that's something I cannot wait to see more of this season.
She's another queen whose style we haven't particularly seen before, and I'm super into her take on drag, incorporating makeup and fashion and the very underestimated art of cosplay.
She's one I'm banking on making it far because I just want more of Dax.
Kim Chi
An Internet sensation and a favorite among the fans, Kim Chi's drag can be described as a stunning "over the top anime fantasy." And at the expense of sounding like an over enthusiastic fangirl, I am loving her!
Let's start with the obvious: that make-up is stunning. This is literally art and drag at it's finest. But as the episode went on, I was also super thrilled with her craftsmanship with her outfit design (see "Hair Extravaganza" GIF above) as well as her humor and personality. Humor and looks are a killer combo in this competition, guaranteed to not only make for a fan favorite, but a versatile and fierce competitor.
Kim is certainly one of the ones to beat. So "donut" come for her.
Naomi Smalls
Her name comes from Naomi Campbell and Biggie Smalls and she's got legs that go to the sky. She is beautiful, she's hilarious and has amazing fashion sense.
If you are not here for Naomi, then I am not here for you, end of story.
She is so stunning it's actually insane. She's got the supermodel looks down, and from what we've seen, she's got an amazing and funny personality. As I've said before, winning combination. It's no wonder a lot of fans see her cracking top three.
It's because she's fierce and she knows it. She's going to go far, I know it.
Bob the Drag Queen
Bob isn't just one of my favorites, she's my odds on favorite for the win.
Anyone who knows me and my affiliation with this show knows that I tend to gravitate towards the funny / comedy queens as my favorites. And while Bob is hilarious, she's so much more than that.
I see her as one of those queens having that "star quality" RuPaul is always talking about. She's got charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent; and she knows it. I love a queen that's confident in her abilities, and that level of recognition of your own talents and the ability to carry yourself with that knowledge (and dignity) is really admirable.
She may be a funny b*tch, but she's so much more, and I know for a fact she's gonna make it far and stands a good chance at the crown.
RuPaul's Drag Race airs every Monday on the LOGO TV network at 9/8c. "Untucked" can be viewed on the World of Wonder Presents YouTube channel.
To watch the first episode of season eight, click here.
For "Untucked," click here.
