draggz 
RuPaul’s Drag Race is one of the most popular reality television shows ever created. Mama Ru really did that and the universe thanks her. The show amassed millions of fans across the globe so naturally the localizations were inevitable. However, not every one of them is gleaming with positive reviews.
Drag Race Down Under was never my cup of tea. I’ll be honest, Season 1 was horrible. The contestants were edited in a forgettable way, the budget was virtually non-existing and the twists were tired. I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that Art Simone returned to the competition for no reason whatsoever. Not even a slight explanation. But I’m not the only one. The fans were really disappointed in general. I guess Scarlet Adams’ scandal didn’t help the negative reviews.
Down Under Season 1 really was a rough spot. However, it’s not as bad as Drag Race Italia. Now that was a catastrophe. But we’re well into Season 2 of Drag Race Down Under and the winner is about to be crowned in a week. And did the Australian version of the show improve in its second season? Well, a little bit for sure. However, there are a few things that still need some improvement.
The workroom is too small
It bears repeating. The workroom is f…ing tiny! Most of the time, the queens and RuPaul are not even in the same frame. Therefore, the fans started speculating online that RuPaul was physically not there during the filming and was just edited in postproduction. However, that turned out to be false. And how is the workroom in season 2? Well, it’s still tiny AF. I’m not sure what’s going on there. Couldn’t they rent a bigger studio to film? It’s really a bummer since this is something that could potentially be fixed.
The challenges are repetitive and boring
Season 2 is lacking some diversity in the maxi challenge department. It seems the producers are focusing more on the acting aspect and less on the fashion. However I’m not mad about it. I like acting and comedy challenges. It’s just not fun to watch a show repeat itself over and over. As Gia Gunn would say: “Where’s the glamour?” Just kidding. The contestants are fabulous, but I haven’t seen some major fashion moments. That’s all.
The casting choices
While I think the casting for season 2 of Down Under is much better compared to season 1, I’m still not seeing much diversity. The queens’ capabilities and talents also seem to blend together into a bowl of forgetful laughter and cringe. Where are the fashion queens? The iconic and unforgettable looks? The singers? Where the f..ck is Courtney Act?!
The production and editing
Well this is not exclusive to Drag Race Down Under but it’s definitely a contributing factor. I’m not sure why Art Simone came back and obviously the production is also clueless. Maybe she just happened to sleep in a tent outside the studio and was the only one available considering the budget. We’ll never know. It’s possible since we were never given an explanation. But who cares, right? Well, season 2 did improve a little bit in the production department. At least we didn’t have some random queens returning to the competition for no apparent reason. However, why was Beverly kept for so long? The drama? Why did Minnie Cooper leave? She was amazing until the snatch game.
The unbearable and cringy “special guest” video messages
I get it. Australia has some strict COVID regulations. It’ fine. I don’t need a boring, stupid video message from an “extra special guest judge”. I can live without it. What the viewers want to see from a guest judge is some direct interaction with the contestants. Some funny banter with other judges. Not a prerecorded video message. Or even a Zoom call. Nobody cares. Move on.
Should you watch Drag Race Down Under?
I think there is room for improvement – however, the second season of Drag Race Down Under is still worth watching. Nothing compares to the atrocity that was season 1. Except maybe Drag Race Italia. Season 2 is entertaining, but is somewhat lacking in the discussed departments. It’s getting there. I’m still excited for the winner.
What do you think about Drag Race Down Under? Did you watch any seasons? Leave a comment! Let’s chat!
