Ranking Every Season of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'

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Logo TV/MTV

Over 200 episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race have aired on Logo TV, VH1, and MTV over the course of 15 seasons. At this point, Drag Race is not only a hit series, but also an Emmy darling, and a successful global franchise.

Between fierce queens, legendary rivalries, unforgettable lip syncs, hilarious memes, Snatch Game impersonations, emotional moments, and so much pure LGBTQ+ talent, Drag Race has truly become one of the most important and timely shows of our time. With that said, it’s fair to say that some seasons have been better than others – for one reason or another. It should also be noted that all rankings are subjective, and so is this one. So, without further ado, let’s take a deep dive into the archives and rank all 15 seasons of Drag Race so far!

Scroll through to see our ranking of every flagship season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

15. Season 11

VH1

There’s just something about season 11 that didn’t quite land. This felt even more egregious given that it was already a season on VH1... with a higher budget, better production value, and at least 10 years of experience making the show. With certain exceptions, this season had a lower expectation for fashion, only a few memorable lip syncs, and a bloated cast of queens who got very two-dimensional edits throughout the competition.

14. Season 1

Logo TV

It always feels unfair to rank season one of Drag Race this low. But it is what it is, mama! This whole season felt like a “pilot,” with RuPaul, producers, and even the queens themselves still figuring out what this show would be. While it’s fantastic to see how much of the series was established from the jump, it’s hard to rank this first season higher than a lot of the newer Drag Race seasons.

13. Season 10

VH1

With the 10-year anniversary of Drag Race running through as the overall theme for this entire season, there was a lot of pressure (and expectations) for this to be a legendary cycle in the series… but that’s not really what we got, was it? Well, highlights include Aquaria raising the bar for fashion, Monét X Change and Mo Heart setting themselves up to become the drag superstars they are today, and the “Miss Vanjie” meme reaching mainstream audiences from episode one.

12. Season 14

VH1

It’s chocolate. Here’s the thing: Drag Race season 14 was full of fierce queens who were vying for the crown in a competition that felt way too controlled by external forces. We literally had countless non-elimination episodes. A chocolate-themed twist that didn’t feel believable. The early elimination of a frontrunner, Kornbread, due to an injury. A double shantay that didn’t really make sense. Not to mention the overly-edited bad Snatch Game. Props to this season for having the most trans representation ever – but let’s just say that we want these queens getting another shot on All Stars.

11. Season 2

Logo TV

Season two doesn’t have a lot of repeat-watch value, but it is an incredibly influential cycle in Drag Race herstory. After all, this was when Raven elevated the makeup game with her aesthetic, Pandora Boxx taught future queens how to play the Snatch Game, Tatianna created an origin story for herself that would pay off on All Stars 2, and Kylie Sonique Love became the first-ever out trans contestant in the franchise. And how can we not love being introduced to queens like Jujubee, Shangela, and Jessica Wild for the first time?

10. Season 13

VH1

If you love fashion, then baby, season 13 is thee one for you. There is literally no other regular season of Drag Race with so many queens competing on an All Stars level on the runway. Symone, Gottmik, Rosé, Kahmora Hall, and Utica Queen are some of the most fashionable queens in herstory, and they were all in the same season! We were also introduced to amazing characters like Kandy Muse, Denali, LaLa Ri, Tamisha Hall, and Olivia Lux. But this season did fumble right on the premiere episode, making the rest of the ride feel kind of whacky and, at times, strange to follow.

9. Season 4

Logo TV

It’s usually said that season four “put Drag Race on the map,” and that’s a pretty fair statement. Sharon Needles, who’s embroiled in controversies, was a revolutionary winner for the series at the time. Her feud with Phi Phi O’Hara remains unmatched. Latrice Royale is the ultimate Miss Congeniality of the entire franchise. Chad Michaels was a legendary queen that absolutely deserved this world introduction. Willam shook up the reality TV game and remains one of the most popular queens of all time. DiDa Ritz gave us that “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” lip sync! Season four truly gave us great TV.

7. Season 8

Logo TV

Bob the Drag Queen, Kim Chi, Naomi Smalls, Chi Chi DeVayne, Thorgy Thor, and Derrick Barry are some of the most iconic queens to ever compete on Drag Race. On the other hand, a lot of season eight contestants seemed to get a weird edit in the competition. Sending Miss Continental winner Naysha Lopez home in the first episode was premature. Making fun of Cynthia Lee Fontaine for being a Spanish speaker already felt a tired trope. And even the “mean” edit of Acid Betty seemed a bit exaggerated. Alas, the frontrunners in the competition were fierce and fantastic, and we LOVED season eight for introducing us to them.

8. Season 3

Logo TV

Season three is iconic on so many levels. Raja is one of the most influential winners in Drag Race herstory. Manila Luzon changed the game when it came to lip syncing. Alexis Mateo won our hearts. Yara Sofia took runway looks to new heights. Shangela re-introduced herself and further solidified her career as a hard-working queen. Carmen Carrera ushered in an era of stunning contestants. And even as of 2023, Delta Work is still proving just how much she was overlooked back on the show. This was truly a season of superstars!

6. Season 15

MTV

Unlike season 10, which tried too hard to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Drag Race, season 15 actually felt like a celebration and return-to-form that the series really benefited from. Queens like Sasha Colby and Mistress Isabelle Brooks gave us old-school Drag Race feels, whereas queens like Anetra and Luxx Noir London pushed the show forward with their candid stories and passion for drag. Other characters, like Salina EsTitties, Loosey LaDuca, and Marcia Marcia Marcia were fascinating to watch… and the stunt casting of Sugar and Spice had us literally gagging.

5. Season 12

VH1

After the confusing and not-so-satisfying journeys of seasons 10 and 11, it absolutely felt like we were back on track when the cast of Drag Race season 12 was announced. Granted, one queen was disqualified after accusations of sexual harassment came to the surface, but we quickly forgot about her and focused on the legitimate superstars that appeared in our screens. Jaida Essence Hall, Gigi Goode, Crystal Methyd, Jackie Cox, Jan, Heidi N Closet, Widow Von’Du, and Nicky Doll all came from this one season. Talk about star power!

4. Season 7

Logo TV

For many years, season seven of Drag Race was deemed to be terrible. Many fans and critics loved placing this season in dead-last when they came up with rankings like these, and it all felt extremely exaggerated and misplaced. This is the season that gave us Trixie Mattel, Katya, Kennedy Davenport, Ginger Minj, Violet Chachki, Miss Fame, Jasmine Masters, Mrs. Kasha Davis, and Pearl. While these queens could’ve definitely benefited from a different set of challenges that catered more to their strengths, you literally can’t re-watch this season without gagging on every single episode.

3. Season 9

Logo TV

Season nine was another cycle of Drag Race that so many people tried to dismiss when it first aired. While it is true that the lip syncs throughout the season weren’t great, this cast of queens was diverse, charismatic, and unbelievable. Sasha Velour, Shea Couleé, Peppermint, Trinity The Tuck, Valentina, Aja, Nina Bo’Nina Brown, Farrah Moan, Eureka, and Alexis Michelle brought their A-game to this competition. And then we got a finale twist, a lip sync for the crown, where we saw Sasha reveal rose pedals and suddenly become America’s Next Drag Superstar right in front of our eyes. ICONIC.

2. Season 6

Logo TV

This is a lot of fans’ no. 1 favorite season, and it’s not hard to understand why! Season six gave us Bianca Del Rio’s comedy, Adore Delano’s charisma, Courtney Act’s polish, BenDeLaCreme’s creativity, Darienne Lake’s reads, Trinity K. Bonet’s lip syncs, Laganja Estranja’s eagerness, Milk’s nerve, and Gia Gunn’s memes. Season six is absolutely a top-tier cycle of Drag Race, largely due to an incredible cast of queens who all came to slay the competition.

1. Season 5

Logo TV

It’s probably impossible for any future season of Drag Race to top season five, but we’d love to see the show try to do it. Between Jinkx Monsoon’s winning journey, the introduction of Alaska, Roxxxy Andrews’ entry into reality TV, Detox’s iconic catchphrases, and the unforgettable rivalry between Coco Montrese and Alyssa Edwards, this season is the one. Thee one. There’s a reason half of All Stars 2 was made up of season five queens. There’s also a reason Jinkx is the first two-time Drag Race winner after her return to All Stars 7. Season five is top-notch!