14 years into its legacy, Drag Race just got its highest rated episode ever on IMDb

Just when you think RuPaul’s Drag Race has showed you all it can do, has made all the global impact it was ever going to make and served the fashion moments that you think you’re going to see – along comes an episode that shows exactly why this underdog and fringe reality show changed the world and became a cultural phenomenon. This week on season 14 of Drag Race, thanks to an excellent acting challenge, a sickening runway and a heartfelt moment showcasing a trans woman’s journey with her identity – the show has gained its highest rated episode on IMDb in herstory. This is pretty groundbreaking stuff, and made for a reminder of how emotional and sickening this show really can be.

Four trans queens representing on one season is groundbreaking

It feels like absolute insanity that for the longest time, trans queens were told they couldn’t compete on Drag Race. It is embarrassing that it took this long to get to the stage we’re at now – considering a show that has educated so many on the drag community and queer culture in general gatekept competing from trans people who have been stalwart pillars and trailblazers of drag and LGBTQ rights throughout history. Nevertheless, here we are. We started this season knowing of two trans queens representing with Kerri Colby and Kornbread Jeté, and now we have two more as the episodes have gone on.

On February 11th, Bosco came out as trans – crediting Kerri and Kornbread for giving her “clarity” on her gender identity and giving her the confidence to transition. This week, during season 14 Untucked and in one of the most emotional and heartfelt reality TV moments in not just Drag Race herstory but in reality TV history, Jasmine Kennedie broke down in tears and came out as trans to the other girls – again, thanking Kerri for helping her find the inner clarification she needed to say it out loud. It was an absolutely beautiful moment, and there wasn’t a dry eye in my flat when we watched.  Jasmine’s post on social media after was equally as touching. Of course, the show was filmed a long time ago, so this update from Jasmine on how her journey was going just felt so warming.

The acting challenge was actually amazing?

I groan every time I hear that we’re in for an acting challenge, because – let’s face it – the scripts the queens get given often leave more than a little to be desired. Something was in the air this week though, and it wasn’t the farts. The queens were all absolutely on form, and maybe it was because Ru himself was directing but he really got the best out of them. It was a joy to watch, even when the show tried to ruin it all by shoving in fart jokes. We pretend that didn’t happen. Instead, let’s just rejoice in a good acting challenge and the right decision to have nobody in the bottom.

Because truly, none of them deserved it.

The Werk Room Pride discourse was important

This week, the queens discussed Folsom Street Fair, and the importance of having Prides that are away from the mainstream and remain adult-only and sex positive. As Drag Race hits its mainstream stride more than ever – with even Ant and Dec this week having The Vivienne, Lawrence Chaney and Krystal Versace perform with them on Saturday Night Takeaway, a show that epitomises straight family-friendly television – it’s really great to hear kink conversation and discourse happening in the Werk Room because it educates the mainstream audience (and Angeria) on something they may have misconceptions about.

Both the main episode and Untucked are the highest rated on IMDb in franchise herstory!

For The Daytona Winds, RuPaul’s Drag Race achieved its highest ever score on IMDb. For Untucked, Jasmine’s emotional coming out helped to get the episode a 9.8 score on IMDb, beating out the second highest, also set by her after her fight with Maddy last week which got a 9.6. The main episode itself has a 9.5 – again, the highest in history. It’s truly remarkable that a show all these later can still win over its fanbase and new audiences a like with the essence of Drag Race. Season 14 has shown, and continues to show, that the strength of Drag Race lies with its cast, and this year we have a cast of representation from the trans community that feels so important. Couple that with excellent chemistry and likability, and these IMDb records make so much sense. Shantay, everyone stays!

Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 every Saturday on the streamer of all things drag, WOW Presents Plus. For all the latest Drag Race memes and Netflix news, drops and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.

Featured image courtesy of World of Wonder and Jasmine Kennedie. 

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