Rate-A-Queen

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"Rate-A-Queen"
RuPaul's Drag Race episode
Episode no.Season 16
Episode 1
Directed byNick Murray
Featured music"Break My Soul" (2022) by Beyoncé
Original air dateJanuary 5, 2024 (2024-01-05)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Rate-A-Queen" is the first episode of the sixteenth season of the American television series RuPaul's Drag Race . [1] [2] [3] [4] It originally aired on January 5, 2024. The episode sees contestants perform in a talent show hosted by former competitor Derrick Barry. Charlize Theron is a guest judge.

Contents

Sapphira Cristál wins the main challenge and no contestant is eliminated from the competition. The corresponding episode of RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked earned editors nominations in the Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program category at the 76th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Episode

The season's first seven contestants enter the Werk Room individually. RuPaul greets the group and reveals the photo shoot mini-challenge, which tasks contestants with posing for a Ring camera on RuPaul's porch as he watches. [5] [6]

Former contestant Derrick Barry hosts the episode's main challenge, which is a talent show. Rupaul Dragcon 2018-307 (41377493234) (crop).jpg
Former contestant Derrick Barry hosts the episode's main challenge, which is a talent show.

Back in the Werk Room, the contestants get out of drag. RuPaul returns and reveals that Sapphira Cristál is the winner of the mini-challenge. [7] RuPaul then reveals the main challenge, which tasks contestants with performing in the "MTV's Spring Break" talent show, hosted by former contestant Derrick Barry. RuPaul shares that the winner of the main challenge will receive immunity and that a twist in the competition will have contestants rate each other. Following are the acts:

On the main stage, RuPaul welcomes fellow judges Michelle Visage and Carson Kressley, as well as guest judge Charlize Theron. RuPaul shares the runway category: "RuVeal Yourself". Dawn, Mirage, Q, and Sapphira Cristál receive positive critiques. Amanda Tori Meating, Morphine Love Dion, and Xunami Muse receive negative critiques. The contestants rank each other using the Rate-A-Queen system. Q and Sapphira Cristál receive the highest placements, making them the top two contestants of the week who will face off in a lip-sync contest to "Break My Soul" (2022) by Beyoncé for the win. Sapphira Cristál is declared the winner, earning her immunity. [6] [8] No contestants are eliminated from the competition.

Production

Charlize Theron is a guest judge. Charlize-theron-IMG 6045x (cropped).jpg
Charlize Theron is a guest judge.

The episode originally aired on January 5, 2024, as half of a two-part premiere. [9] [10] Theron said being a judge on the show was "a dream come true". [11]

Sapphira Cristál's talent show song "O mio babbino caro", a soprano aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi (1918) by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, was released as a single and received a music video. [12]

Fashion

In the Werk Room, RuPaul wears a train conductor-inspired outfit. [13] For the talent show, Sapphira Cristál wears a "theatrical" ball gown and a "Marie Antoinette-style" wig, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer . [14]

For the fashion show, Morphine Love Dion wears a white towel dress that she removes to reveal a blue swimsuit. She wears sunglasses. Dawn has a yeti-inspired white outfit. She has long white sleeves and purple hair. Amanda Tori Meating's look reveals into a purple outfit. She has three breasts and neon green hair. Xunami Muse has a red outfit and a long braid. Q's outfit is black and reveals colorful wings. Mirage has a blue-and-orange outfit with feathers. Sapphira Cristál wears a blue outfit that reveals into a leotard. She has pasties over her breastplate.

Reception and recognition

Sapphira Cristal (pictured at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2024) wins the episode's mini-challenge and main challenge. DragCon2024 @DVSROSS (150).jpg
Sapphira Cristál (pictured at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2024) wins the episode's mini-challenge and main challenge.

Reviews noted the Rate-A-Queen ranking format as a triangle-shaped parody of The Circle . [6] [15] Kevin O'Keeffe of Xtra Magazine opined, "I don't mind the more languid start to the season, but I do wonder why they didn't just keep the incredibly successful premiere format from Season 15." [6] Out magazine's Bernardo Sim called the Rate-A-Queen twist "draggy and fun". [16] Gay Times included Mirage in a 2024 list of the seventeen best talent show performances on Drag Race to date. [17]

Ricky Cornish of Pride.com called Sapphira Cristál's talent show performance "unbelievable". [18] Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle said her lip-sync performance "heralded the arrival of an icon" and opined, "Everything about it was ridiculous. And so, so good." [19] Jeremy Rodriguez of Philadelphia Gay News said Sapphira Cristál's lip-sync exhibited her comedic side and wrote, "At some point during the number, Sapphira's breast plate fell off and she bounced her fake breasts up and down on the stage. Instantly iconic." [20]

The corresponding episode of RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked earned editors Matthew D. Miller and Kellen Cruden nominations in the Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program category at the 76th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. [21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 16 Episode 1: Meet Half the Queens". Miami New Times . January 5, 2024. Wikidata   Q137363111.
  2. ↑ Joey Nolfi (January 5, 2024). "Drag Race queens react to 'rotted' Rate-a-Queen twist and reveal 'dirty' votes". Entertainment Weekly . ISSN   1049-0434. Wikidata   Q137363118.
  3. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race Season-Premiere Recap: You Just Got Me Started". Vulture . January 5, 2024. Wikidata   Q137363121.
  4. ↑ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Returns With Gag-Worthy Twists, Fake Boobs, and Beyoncé". The Daily Beast . January 5, 2024. Wikidata   Q137363126.
  5. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 16 Episode 1 RECAP: Rate-A-Queen". IN Magazine. January 6, 2024. Wikidata   Q137363129.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 16 premiere recap: Spring breakers". Xtra Magazine . January 7, 2024. ISSN   0829-3384. Wikidata   Q137363138.
  7. ↑ "Philly's Sapphira Cristál impresses audiences and wins challenges in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season premiere". Philly Voice. January 6, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Sashay Away! Who Was Eliminated in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 16 Episode 1?". Parade . January 5, 2024. Wikidata   Q137363361.
  9. ↑ "Drag Race: Here's your first look at the season 16 premiere". Gay Times . December 30, 2023. ISSN   0950-6101. Wikidata   Q137363374.
  10. ↑ Villa, Lucas (December 6, 2023). "Here Are the Latina Queens Competing on Season 16 of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Remezcla. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  11. ↑ "'Don't Give Up': Charlize Theron Voices Support for Drag Community in Her Debut as 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Guest Judge". Variety . January 5, 2024. ISSN   0042-2738. Wikidata   Q137363428.
  12. ↑ "Sapphira Cristál, a Houston native who attended HSPVA, is a 'Drag Race' frontrunner after 1 episode". Houston Chronicle . January 10, 2024. ISSN   1074-7109. Wikidata   Q137363390.
  13. ↑ ""RuPaul's Drag Race" Episode 1601 Recap: Get Immunized". Autostraddle . January 6, 2024. Wikidata   Q137363165.
  14. ↑ Forman, Beatrice (January 6, 2024). "Philly queen Sapphira Cristál wins first episode of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  15. ↑ "'RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE' TURNS INTO 'THE CIRCLE' IN CHARLIZE THERON-JUDGED PREMIERE". Rolling Stone . January 5, 2024. ISSN   0035-791X. Wikidata   Q137363141.
  16. ↑ "For 'Drag Race' judges, queens & fans, Sapphira Cristál is the moment". Out . January 6, 2024. ISSN   1062-7928. Wikidata   Q137363169.
  17. ↑ "From Tatianna to Mirage: The 17 best talent show performances in Drag Race herstory". Gay Times . February 12, 2024. ISSN   0950-6101. Wikidata   Q137363143.
  18. ↑ Cornish, Ricky. "Sapphira Cristál spills on getting cast on 'Drag Race'". Pride.com . Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  19. ↑ "9 reasons why Sapphira Cristál, Houston native & HSPVA grad, will win 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 16". Houston Chronicle . April 19, 2024. ISSN   1074-7109. Wikidata   Q137363407.
  20. ↑ "A joyous time to be a Philadelphian". Philadelphia Gay News . January 10, 2024. Wikidata   Q137363439.
  21. ↑ "Creative Arts Emmys, Night One: Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter . September 8, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
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