Long read: RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series 3 ‘Rucap’ and ‘Ruview’

Jake Yates-Hart 6 December 2021

Image courtesy of BBC and World of Wonder

It was only in March of this year that after a spectacular second series, Lawrence Chaney won RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Now, only eight months later, series three has reigned in a new champion, but was the journey to the grand finale worth it?

Well, it’s important that series three isn’t reviewed entirely based on its predecessor. Series two was great, yes, but it also came at the right time; It aired during the height of the pandemic, when everyone was starved for entertainment, a sense of nightlife, and something to talk about. Series three, on the other hand, aired post-lockdown and audiences weren’t completely in need of escapism.

Perhaps this is the reason DRUK didn’t feel quite as captivating this time around, but it should be evaluated on its own merits and faults, and not another series’ - so let’s dig into them, shall we? Spoilers ahead.

The tops of series three!

The iconic cast of queens

Image courtesy of BBC and World of Wonder

It might be RuPaul’s show, but the cast will always be the stars of Drag Race. Each queen that entered the ‘werk room’ had a story to tell, and we had enough time each episode to delve deep into their backgrounds and how that informed their views on life and drag.

River Medway delivered a heart-breaking confessional as she opened up about losing her mother to Covid only a couple of weeks before the show began production; Veronica Green, who returned to the show after her initial run on series two was cut short due to Covid, discussed her struggle with depression caused by the financial burden of the pandemic; and Charity Kase’s story offered a nuanced perspective on what it is like to be HIV positive. In her confessional, she discussed how drag became a therapy for her to deal with the discrimination she faced after contracting the virus at 18.

The cast in general was terrific. From the hilarious and compassionate Choriza May, to lip-sync assassin Vanity Milan, to Miss Congeniality Anubis who was only in one episode, each queen brought a certain prowess and flair that made their appearance on screen special. This sentiment can especially be said of Victoria Scone, the franchise’s first ever AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth) drag queen, who hit the ground running at the beginning of the series but sadly had to leave shortly after injuring herself in the first episode.

Had Victoria not left, she may have very well made it to the finale, consisting of powerhouse Ella Vaday, show-stopper Kitty Scott-Claus, and fashionista Krystal Versace, the latter of which ended up taking the crown and title of Drag Race UK Superstar in an excellent final challenge performance. Speaking of which...

Fresh and fun takes on Drag Race staples

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From the premiere’s double runway challenge (which gave us the iconic River Medway pose) to the ‘Fugly Ball’ that had queens racing against the clock in their high heels to show off three separate looks, the challenges in series three were great!

Okay, well, I’m still not sure what the Peloton-inspired one was meant to be and RuPaul’s criticism about the queen’s advertisements is hypocritical of what the show has done in the past. But for the most part, the challenges were top-notch. They served their purpose in highlighting just how strong the cast is; Snatch Game, girl groups and design challenges are nothing new to Drag Race, but Kitty, Scarlett Harlett and many others offered a fresh perspective on these staples of the series.

The roast challenge in the penultimate episode especially deserves a shout out. They’re a personal favourite, as the queens are put under pressure to deliver hilarious jokes about their competitors and judges that won't hit too deep. The cast performed terrifically and shone a light on the very best of British humour. Even the bottom two that week garnered a few laughs. It also bagged Ella Vaday’s fourth win, the most of anyone this series!

Which leads us to the finale, as Ella, Kitty and Krystal sung and danced their hearts out in a choreographed performance to RuPaul’s song ‘Hey Sis, It’s Christmas!’ RuPaul’s music might be cheesy, but the trio proved their top three status with great vocals and excellent lyrics (and yes, I do listen to their single, please don’t judge).

And the bottoms of series three…

Inconsistent or unfair judging

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Whereas the queens and challenges shone this series, the judging did not, specifically from RuPaul, who’s criticisms throughout seemed either nonsensical or inconsistent.

It’s difficult to discuss this topic without appearing to compare or unfairly criticise other queens, so I’ll say this; Each contestant was stellar, and most of the looks and performances this series were amazing - the Spice Girls inspired runway is an absolute highlight, with not a single bad outfit to be seen! That said, RuPaul seemed keen to shine a spotlight on a select few queens, disserving other contestants’ performances as a result.

Why were all the queens up for elimination one week when Kitty and River were clearly in the top? How come Charity was the only queen to be told to push herself out of her comfort zone, but the other glamour queens weren’t? And why, oh why, did RuPaul tell both Choriza and River to sashay away after their lip-sync? It wasn’t the best performance, sure, but it wasn’t a great song either. The decision came straight out of left field, was entirely unnecessary and felt almost cruel.

Some of RuPaul’s decisions this series felt as if they were made just for the gag, a twist to have us coming back for next week. But in truth, it just reminded me of the worst aspects of the American series. Which brings us to…

The overt production choices are concerning

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Without a doubt, the worst part of any series of Drag Race - spin off or original - is how produced it can be. Thankfully, DRUK has mostly strayed away from this aspect, but this series in particular has me worrying for the future.

Series three is the most produced of the British spin-off, with shocking eliminations, double saves and a challenge where literally no queen wins. The American version utilises these the most, sometimes to great effect, but often to the detriment of creating an authentic narrative. What makes its UK counterpart so special is its genuine, campy, and irreverent charm which is so true to British drag culture. It’s fine to use these twists if they’re necessary, but their inclusion this series have felt out of place and at the expense of the viewers’ enjoyment.

Of course, with any reality competition, there will be an element of production but DRUK’s most discussed or meme-worthy moments come from when the show actually wasn’t produced. From Divina De Campo’s ‘Red wig and a silver dress?’ line in series one, to series two taking a break mid-production due to the Covid outbreak, these moments brought authenticity and real weight to the show. The twists might raise the stakes slightly, but they feel unearned - Drag Race UK works best when working with a simple format.

What to expect from series four...

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Drag Race UK series three is an all-round good season of Drag Race, but it suffers from the same fate as US season seven. Both have great casts and fun challenges but struggle to meet the high bar set by their predecessors. For UK, its series two; For US, its season six.

In terms of next series, the producers need to remember that DRUK’s success is dependent on trusting that the audience will fall in love with the charming cast rather than constantly adding twists in the hopes of gaining more viewers. We come back each week for the queens, not for the gags. It’s important to let the series breathe so that the show can flourish in its on brilliant way.

Series four also needs to tackle the lack of diversity we’ve seen in Drag Race - especially this series. When DRUK announced the cast this year, it garnered criticism for only having one black queen, Vanity Milan. It’s a shame as Black Drag Culture has such a deep, rich history in the UK that is yet to be explored properly.

If the producers listen to their fans, most of which love drag as an art form just as much as they love Drag Race, series four could reach new heights, perhaps becoming more successful as its predecessors. But all we can do for now is hope for the best and see what Krystal Versace does with her well earned crown.