RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 to release full 90-minute episodes, and fans are rejoicing: ‘We won!’
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 is ru-turning – with full-length episodes. (World of Wonder/MTV)
RuPaul’s Drag Race fans, it’s time to start your engines once again: season 15’s full-length, 90-minute episodes will be dropping on Paramount soon.
Season 15 originally aired from January to April this year, with trans trailblazer and vice-president Kamala Harris’ BFF Sasha Colby slaying her way to the crown.
Colby entered the werk room alongside 15 other drag queens from around the US, but she slaughtered the competition by winning four maxi challenges and being the very-best-dressed on the runway.
In the season’s finale, she performed almost nude in an attack on Republican lawmakers attempting to legislate against trans people in states across the country. Maybe unsurprisingly, she stormed her way to victory and walked away with the crown.
While fans were thrilled with Colby’s win and seemed to have a lot of love for the season in general, there was uproar when, before the season began, it was revealed that most of the episodes would be cut to 60 minutes – just 40 minutes without adverts.
Fans weren’t the only ones upset either, with the cast claiming that the shorter episodes meant that their talents and outfits weren’t being given fair air time.
“We worked too hard and invested too much money for a 45-minute edit,” wrote competitor Salina EsTitties on Twitter.
The decision came after the show was moved from VH1 to MTV, with the latter channel deciding to cut the episodes to make room for other programmes in the schedule.
A reality TV show, Real Friends of WeHo, was added to MTV’s schedule to air after Drag Race. As a result, many fans blamed the new series for the shorter episodes.
Some Drag Race super fans even petitioned for the decision to air shorter episodes to be reversed.
Real Friends of WeHo stars, including Todrick Hall and Canada’s Drag Race judge Brad Goreski were forced to defend the show, with the former writing a note criticising the “insane influx of hate” he had received.
“When our LGBTQ+ show was announced, you’d think any pushback would’ve come from the Church or conservatives upset with three hours of queer programming,” he wrote. “But a closer look would show you that the call was coming from inside the house.”
Now, three months after season 15 finished, fans will finally see the full 90-minute cuts of the episodes, as they are set to drop on streaming service Paramount+ on 9 August, according to Variety.
“You asked for it, and you got it – and we’re thrilled to deliver 90-minute episodes for all of Season 15, showcasing the joy and genius of this legendary cast,” said Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the show’s executive producers.
Many fans have been elated by the news, particularly at the prospect of seeing more of Colby.
Others are thrilled that they’ll be able to see a little more of the queens who didn’t get much air time, such as Robin Fierce and Princess Poppy.
“This season is about to become a top-tier season of Drag Race,” wrote one fan, while a second simply said: “Dreams do come true.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race has been nominated for nine Emmy Awards at this year’s ceremony, including outstanding reality competition programme and an outstanding host nomination for Mama Ru.
