"Squirrel Games" is the seventeenth season premiere of American reality competition television series RuPaul's Drag Race, and the 224th episode overall. The episode first aired in the United States through cable network MTV on January 3, 2025. It was followed by an episode of the companion series RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked.
The episode opens with 14 contestants transported to an undisclosed location where several previous competitors from the franchise join them. To continue in the competition, the drag performers play the children's game red light, green light.[1] In place of the game's traditional rules, contestants have to dance across the field when music plays. When the music stops, they strike a pose. Any movement detected results in the player being pied in the face and eliminated. Afterwards, the remaining 14 contestants who "survived" the game are allowed to enter the workroom.[2]
As the contestants meet each other, RuPaul revealed that they had unknowingly competed in their first photo shoot mini-challenge. Lana Ja'Rae is deemed the winner, earning a cash tip of $2,500.[3] RuPaul announces the first main challenge, tasking contestants with forming two groups to participate in a talent show that will span two episodes. The next day, as the contestants prepare for the show, American singer Katy Perry enters the workroom requesting tucking tape; the singer immediately recognizes Joella.[4] Perry offers the queens advice for success.[5]
RuPaul introduces Katy Perry as the guest judge, alongside regular panelist Michelle Visage and alternating judge Carson Kressley.[6] "Masc for Masked Singer" is the runway category, which requires contestants to present mask-themed outfits. During the talent show, Acacia Forgot performed and played guitar and Arrietty wore a traditional and danced baile folklórico (lit.'folkloric dance'). Next, there were three original lip-syncs: Jewels Sparkles choreographed a milk-themed song,[7] Joella performed a song referring to her drag name, and Lucky Starzzz lip-synced about making lemonade. Finally, Lydia B Kollins performed a burlesque-comedy routine and Suzie Toot performed a tap dance number that included a joke about reciting the "Gettysburg Address" (1863) in Morse code.[8]
Suzie Toot (pictured in 2025) as the winner from the episode.
Acacia Forgot was revealed to be in last place based on the rankings from her fellow contestants. She was informed that she would be lip-syncing next week against the lowest-ranked queen of the second talent show group. Jewels Sparkles and Suzie Toot were ranked as the top two contestants for the week and faced off in a lip-sync contest to Perry's "Woman's World" (2024). Suzie Toot won the lip-sync contest and earned a cash prize of $5,000.[9]
Production
"Squirrel Games" was previewed in a lengthy promotional trailer for season 17 on December 12, 2024. This included various scenes of the rankings format and talent show.[10] An online video was released through YouTube that featured the first 10 minutes of the episode. It showcased the reappearance of Lil' Poundcake, a fictional character created by Alaska Thunderfuck and Lineysha Sparx in a previous season of the series.[11]
"Squirrel Games" was originally broadcast through MTV in the United States on January 3, 2025. The episode was seen by approximately from 671,000 viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research (NMR). The viewership received a five percent drop compared to its previous season premiere.[16] The episode was later released on January 4 through streaming services: Crave for Canada, Stan for Australia, and WOW Presents Plus internationally with next-day availability.[17] This episode, alongside others, were released through video sharing platform YouTube on June 2, as part for their for your consideration advertisement.[18]
Perry entered the workroom in an all-black punk fashion ensemble that resembles to fetish fashion. Her outfit features sunglasses, a hoodie bearing the all-caps phrase "sex symbol", and knee-high boots.[19] On the main stage, Perry wore a champagne "boudoir-inspired" outfit that resembled the Jean-Paul Gaultier pink conical-bra corset made for American singer and record producer Madonna. The "part-avant garde" gown was designed by Judassime, and her choker featured an "oversized silver ring detail" customized by Zana Bayne.[20]
For the runway presentation: Acacia Forgot wore a white catsuit with a grumpy snowman helmet, Arrietty presented a white mermaid dress, dripping in blood with an arrowed mask, with Crystal Envy dressed as a porcelain doll, which revealed a cracked skull as her mask. Hormona Lisa wore a black and white gown with a helmet resembling a skunk,[21] Jewels Sparkles showcased an Ariana Grande-inspired blue tulle gown with a masquerade piece, meanwhile Joella had an outer space-inspired illusion catsuit including a crescent moon disc, and Kori King wore a black feathered gown with a train, wearing a raven mask.
Lana Ja'Rae dressed as her cat Gouda featuring a stoned catsuit with a cat mask, Lexi Love appeared as an astronaut suit resembling the Moonman statue from the MTV Video Music Awards,[22] with Lucky Starzzz carrying a pizza box and wore a pizza-inspired catsuit, with Lydia B Kollins wearing a silver stone dress over a black catsuit and a totem mask. Lastly, Onya Nurve wore a beauty supply mask and a black decorated dress with a red-orange train, Sam Star wore a rainbow one-shoulder gown and a beaded cloud mask, and Suzie Toot wore a tuxedo mini dress with a custom-made coin shield.[23]
Reception
Jason Frank, for entertainment website Vulture, wrote that he laughed when previous contenders were "pelted by pies" in the parody challenge. He described most of the talent show performances as "forgettable" and noted that they did not "steal control of the camera's eye". Frank criticized the lip-sync song selection as "actively bad to the point of camp" and wrote that it gave Suzie Toot an opportunity to win against Jewels Sparkles.[24] Belen Edwards, on digital media platform Mashable, enjoyed the lip-sync contest in which Jewels Sparkles performed a flexible, "high-energy" choreography, adding that Suzie Toot "breaks out a perfectly timed Charleston".[25] Edwards also acknowledged the negative criticism around for "Woman's World" regarding Dr. Luke's role in the song's production; American singer Kesha previously accused him of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.[26]
Kevin O'Keeffe of online publication Xtra Magazine, called the episode "solid" and stated that it "does a good job of introducing us to the queens, it breaks up the talent shows nicely and it’s just twisty enough to keep things interesting." The episode's lip-syncs were repetitive, but O'Keeffe soon realized that "those performances win", mentioning the premiere episode for season fourteen.[27]
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