- 4 months ago
From jaw-dropping performances to iconic personalities, these seasons brought us the crème de la crème of drag excellence! Join us as we countdown the American seasons where the competition was fiercest, the talent was overflowing, and multiple queens went on to achieve legendary status in the Drag Race pantheon. Who will take the crown for most talented cast?
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the seasons of Drag Race
00:10that had the most talent, potential winners, and contestants who went on to bigger success.
00:15For this list, we're only focusing on American seasons,
00:18and we're excluding All-Stars seasons because a stacked cast is kind of the point.
00:30Number 10. Season 12.
00:32You are all heroes. Absolutely. You're all just fabulous. You're all fantastic. Really.
00:42Barring one disqualified cast member, the top half of this cast is collectively one of the strongest ever to compete on the show.
00:49You had lip-sync assassins, comedians, musical theater queens, and fashion icons in equal measure.
00:55Most of season 12's ensemble were all of that and more.
01:00The great thing about watching them week to week was that every time you thought you could pigeonhole them,
01:13they would unleash a brand new skill you had no idea they had.
01:16How do you plan to engage younger voters?
01:18That's a question.
01:20Yeah. Yeah, and what's the answer?
01:23Look over there!
01:25Where?
01:27Oh.
01:27It was the season of surprises and discoveries, with artists reinventing themselves as they needed to.
01:33Number 9. Season 16.
01:35Variety is the key word for this cast.
01:38Throughout the season, these queens were fighting for the top spot,
01:41and we learned quickly that with this much talent, anyone could go home at any time.
01:46Plasma, my queen.
01:48Thank you for giving this season an infusion of life.
01:53Now, sashay away.
01:55The finale was a real fight to the finish.
01:58Nymphia Wind, Zafira Cristal, Plain Jane, and Q were all real contenders with multiple challenge wins under their belts.
02:05Even the queens who didn't make it far put on a show before they left.
02:08Down on your knees, bitch, pray to me, cause my gummy is the god I still pay to see.
02:12That's Emmy, G-A-M-I, what?
02:14Clear the run, we watch a big girl struggle.
02:16It's just the beginning, I'll keep your head spinning and all the boys spinning.
02:19I better start winning.
02:20Season 16 is the perfect mix of modern day social media queens and the messiness of older seasons of Drag Race.
02:26We have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of a lot of these contestants.
02:29She's such a bitch.
02:31What a bitch.
02:33She's such a bitch.
02:34Coming out that nice and I'm not your sis.
02:39You're cracking?
02:40Yes, ma'am.
02:41Number 8. Season 2.
02:43If the first season was the trial run, the second was where the show really found its footing.
02:48Season 2 is iconic precisely because it's classic drag.
02:52Here you have a cast of pre-social media contestants who come from the club scene.
02:56Upstart winner Tyra Sanchez may be a controversial figure,
03:00but you can't argue she didn't slay several challenges.
03:03Poor dumb Ellie Mae.
03:06Who's gonna tell her that she smells like fish too?
03:09Perennial returnee Jujubee made her Drag Race debut here.
03:12Raven, Pandora Box, and Morgan McMichaels were the seasoned pros,
03:16with Tatiana, Jessica Wilde, and Mystique Summers-Madison heading up the underdog contingent.
03:21Girl, no, I have never done drag in high school.
03:24I did drag in middle school.
03:25Girl, we know. You came out the womb putting on makeup.
03:28I know.
03:29Do you feel like a woman or do you feel like a drag queen?
03:31A little bit of a home.
03:32Even early outs Nicole Paige Brooks and Kylie Sonique Love have made their mark on the fandom.
03:37Kylie later returned and won All-Star 6.
03:40Also, did we mention the drama?
03:42Bitch, I am from Chicago.
03:44I don't gotta get your ass to probably get voted off, bitch.
03:47Hit me, do it.
03:47Walk off.
03:48Do it.
03:48Step off, bitch.
03:49Number 7. Season 14.
03:51From the first episode's talent show, we knew we were dealing with a very special group.
03:56True, think I said, oh, oh.
03:58Hey!
03:58Get us out of the storm.
03:59Step it up, heart is true, dick.
04:00Winners come and stand, oh, oh.
04:02Get us out of the storm.
04:03Step it up, heart is true, think it's true, dick.
04:05Season 14 found stars in several queens.
04:08It also meant that the fans were completely divided as to who the best really was.
04:13This is the season that saw Willow Pill take a bath.
04:16We saw RuPaul fall in love with Georges in real time.
04:19And who could have seen Matty Morphosis, the season's 10th place finisher, becoming one
04:23of the most iconic YouTube personalities the show has ever produced?
04:27Like, in this lip sync, I'm just gonna do me and show them why I should still be here.
04:31I've already done it once.
04:33I feel like I'm gonna do it again.
04:34All to you.
04:35This was a cast so good that RuPaul broke protocol and allowed the entire top five to
04:40advance to the finale.
04:41We have a top five, damn it.
04:46Gold bars for everyone.
04:49Number 6.
04:50Season 15.
04:51It's easy to forget how incredible this lineup was when you remember Sasha Colby was there.
04:56She was the powerhouse of the season.
04:58They say God is a woman.
05:00And I am.
05:02And I'm also a drag queen.
05:03And your personal guide to life's ultimate after party.
05:08But in any other season, her fellow finalists could have easily taken the crown.
05:13What also set this cast apart, aside from talent, is they were more authentic and eager to get
05:18into dust-ups when needed.
05:19They all seemed to know what they offered and made no apologies.
05:22Y'all are saying like, oh, we could have had a conversation.
05:25No.
05:26You couldn't have had a conversation.
05:27I'm an adult.
05:28I can have a conversation.
05:29I'm not gonna go back and forth on this conversation because it's getting nowhere.
05:32When someone as compelling as Irene the Alien is a first out, you know you're dealing with
05:37some serious talent.
05:38Each time we lost one of these queens, we were left with the feeling that they had a lot more
05:43to offer.
05:51Number 5.
05:52Season 3.
05:54Raja is still one of the most fashion-forward queens drag race has ever seen.
05:58Once I get out there, I feel awesome.
06:00That's my thing.
06:01I am a runway girl.
06:02I am a photography girl.
06:03I'm a model.
06:04I just can't take my eyes off of her.
06:06While her win may have seemed like a foregone conclusion, competitors Manila Luzon, Alexis
06:12Mateo, and Yara Sofia gave her a run for her money.
06:15Season 3 is also where fans got to know Carmen Carrera and Stacey Lane Matthews.
06:19Instead of shaking hands, she shakes a chicken leg in my face because the bitch know I'm hungry.
06:26Bitch know it.
06:28I'm hungry as hell.
06:29We'll see about getting you some food over here.
06:31All right.
06:31We also can't forget Delta Work, who has since gone on to become a well-known podcaster
06:36and Diet Coke connoisseur.
06:38Despite what some of the queens had to say, there actually weren't that many boogers in
06:42this exceptionally well-rounded cast.
06:44Oh, Stacey, I, you know, I'm not sure if she's ready.
06:48And Shangela, although your personality shines, I think you should be on season 5 or 6.
06:53That's where you should be.
06:53Number 4.
06:55Season 7.
06:56Looking back, it's kind of crazy just how many good queens were on this cast.
07:00Between her burlesque art and ability to attract controversy, Violet Tchotchke is one of the
07:05show's unique winners.
07:07Oh!
07:09Bay City Roller.
07:11I'm giving you Tar-chan Alaganza.
07:14Being able to serve two looks in one is a talent.
07:17Aside from the superstardom of Trixie Mattel and Katya, Ginger Minj, Kennedy Davenport,
07:22and Jasmine Masters have each achieved cultural relevance in their own ways.
07:26Even the ones who didn't stay in the drag race fold, like Pearl, Max, and Miss Fame,
07:30bring something fascinating to the table.
07:32Girl!
07:34After we swing on by Gatorland, we can get on back to my apartment and swing on my husband!
07:41At the time, fans just didn't appreciate season 7.
07:44It's become clear that the cast was a gem.
07:47The challenges were the real letdown.
07:49Tastes like burning.
07:54Basic witches, not wanted.
07:59What is happening?
08:02Number 3.
08:03Season 6.
08:04Bianca Del Rio may have been accused of sailing through the competition, but her incredible
08:08run since winning has proven she is a genuine success story.
08:11All I've ever heard from the judges was that we need to see more versatility.
08:17And you know what I gotta say to y'all?
08:18Is that I will show you versatility when Santino wins a sewing competition and Visage wears
08:22a f***ing turtleneck!
08:23But season 6 is one of those seasons that generated more iconic queens than usual.
08:28Finalist Adore Delano was an instant fan favorite, and her success as a singer translated offscreen.
08:34Cause I'm the biggest star, and I'm going far, just a miracle in front of you.
08:45Courtney Act has taken her fame and advocacy for LGBTQIA plus rights to several other platforms.
08:51Beloved contestants include later all-star participants in Benda LaCreme, Gia Gunn, Darian
08:56Lake, Milk, and Trinity K. Bonet.
08:58I did think it would be rather amusing if there were libation flavored with citrus.
09:06Can you imagine such a thing?
09:08On another season, most of these queens would have been true contenders.
09:14This is easily one of the strongest Final Fours of all time.
09:18Sasha Velour, Shea Coulee, and Trinity the Tuck are all Drag Race franchise winners.
09:31The only reason Peppermint isn't is because she hasn't come back for All Stars yet.
09:35Season 9 also brought us immensely talented and controversial contestants like Valentina,
09:40Alexis Michelle, Aja, and Nina Bonina Brown.
09:48You're beautiful, you look like Linda Evangelista, you're a model.
09:52Beloved Season 8 Queen Cynthia Lee Fontaine returned to recapture our hearts,
09:57while future Season 10 finalist Eureka would have been a threat to win if she hadn't been injured.
10:02In terms of stacked casts, this one has more potential winners than almost any other.
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10:32Number 1. Season 5
10:34If we were including All Stars casts, this one would be fighting for the top spot with All Stars 2.
10:40That's because literally half the cast is from Season 5.
10:44Where my people at? Where my people at?
10:47How you gonna, how you gonna love someone else besides yourself?
10:50Here's a cast who represents everything Drag Race can be.
10:53This is the season of Roxy Andrews, Alyssa Edwards, Coco Montrese, and Detox.
10:59Everyone brought something to the table.
11:01Girl, you look like the Black Pee Wee Herman.
11:04He is so hot. He look like he in New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina, girl.
11:12Runner-up Alaska has become a producer, host, and frequent TV fixture.
11:16Winner Jinx Monsoon is rightfully the crown jewel.
11:19She's the franchise's first two-time winner, and she's now become a fixture on Broadway.
11:24Gilda! You are muy estupida if you think you are going to take over our familia!
11:32Simi-tsang!
11:33Between the unreal fashions, the non-stop hilarity, the ingenuity, and the drama,
11:39Season 5 is the epitome of a stacked cast.
11:41Which Drag Race cast is your favorite?
11:43Tell us in the comments.
11:44Make a step on love, but that's what you want to me.
11:52Make a step on love, but that is what you want.
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