RuPaul's Drag Race season 17


The seventeenth season of the American reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race premiered on January 3, 2025. This marks the third season to air through cable network MTV. The seventeenth installment of the series documents drag queen RuPaul in search of the "Next Drag Superstar" for the United States.
RuPaul remained as host and head judge of the series. Television personalities Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Ts Madison, and Ross Mathews continued as regular judges. Fashion stylist Law Roach, who previously appeared as a guest judge, joined the judging panel.
After few contenders remained in the competition, Onya Nurve won the season alongside its title, a cash prize of $200,000, and a years-worth of Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics. Jewels Sparkles was the runner-up and Crystal Envy was voted Miss Congeniality.
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Production

Development

Throughout social media, the host and head judge RuPaul announced a casting call for drag performers to apply for the seventeenth season on October 30, 2023. The final deadline coincided with the premiere episode of season sixteen on January 5, 2024.
Two months later, RuPaul published his memoir titled The House of Hidden Meanings and embarked on a book tour where he was given a flash drive containing an audition tape from drag queen Hormona Lisa. Just months after its sixteenth season concluding, American cable network MTV announced the series renewal, including the companion series, on August 16.

Workroom

As season sixteen received several nominations at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, many journalists had the opportunity to visit the main stage and the workroom set. Fans quickly realized the newly constructed set for the upcoming season with journalists for People witnessing previous contestants Mhi'ya Iman Le'Paige and Morphine Love Dion using the main stage for a lip-sync contest. Architectural Digest released a video on August 22, where previous winner Nymphia Wind tours around the set with production designer Jen Chu explaining the scenery and inspiration for the series.

Tribute

The British Broadcasting Corporation reported British drag performer The Vivienne, inaugurated winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK and contestant of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, had died on January 5, 2025. Subsequently, the second episode of the season featured an in memoriam segment dedicated to The Vivienne, following the regular credits on January 10.

Marketing

A ten-second teaser was released on November 22, 2024, throughout social media, with RuPaul announcing the season premiering in January 2025. Nymphia Wind presented the contestants through the series official YouTube channel on December 4, showcasing their water-themed outfits and background.
Variety first reported on December 11 that All Stars winner Monét X Change would host The Pit Stop, a weekly webseries serving as an aftershow. The first episode premiered through YouTube with alumni contestant Raven as the first guest on January 4, 2025.

Format

The season's double premiere retained the same format as the previous season, where contestants rank each other based on their performances for the main challenge; this format parodies television series The Circle.
Similar to the Chocolate Bar twist from season 14, this season featured a twist where the lip-sync loser is given an opportunity to stay in the contest called the "Badonka Dunk Tank" - the contestant is presented with Michelle Visage sitting on a dunk tank and must chose one of ten random levers, which if successfully struck, would drop Visage into the water and save the contestant from elimination. If they selected the incorrect lever, the contestant will be eliminated.

Contestants

ContestantAgeHometownOutcome
Onya Nurve31Cleveland, Ohio
Jewels Sparkles23Tampa, Florida
Lexi Love33Louisville, Kentucky3rd place
Sam Star24Leeds, Alabama3rd place
Suzie Toot24Fort Lauderdale, Florida5th place
Lana Ja'Rae22New York City, New York6th place
Lydia B Kollins23Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania7th place
Arrietty28Seattle, Washington8th place
Kori King24Boston, Massachusetts9th place
Acacia Forgot28Los Angeles, California10th place
Crystal Envy27Asbury Park, New Jersey11th place
Hormona Lisa30Chattanooga, Tennessee12th place
Joella25Los Angeles, California13th place
Lucky Starzzz26Miami, Florida14th place

Lip syncs

Legend:

Guest judges

RuPaul and Michelle Visage remained as the regular judges, with Carson Kressley, Ts Madison, and Ross Mathews reappearing as alternating judges. Various celebrity guest judges set to appear were revealed on December 12, 2024. Law Roach was initially advertised as a celebrity guest judge but was later confirmed to be an alternating judge. Starring celebrity guest judges are listed below in order of episode appearance.

Special guests

Special guests who appeared in episodes, but did not judge on the main stage.
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Episodes



Broadcast

The seventeenth season, and its companion series, premiered through MTV with its first episode on January 3, 2025. The season consisted of sixteen episodes and aired weekly at 8:00 p.m.. Episodes were later released throughout various streaming services such as Crave for Canada, Stan for Australia, and on WOW Presents Plus internationally with next-day availability starting on January 4.