SCREEN JEST
Drag shows ready for their primetime closeups
THESE queens are royally transforming TV. Drag is having a huge moment on television, courtesy of the pioneer: “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” the Emmy-winning cross-dressing competition now in its 12th season. Former contestants are reigning over new shows across multiple networks. And in the latest twist from RuPaul Charles’ extravagant empire — which currently includes the original “Drag Race,” “All Stars,” “Untucked” and several international editions — a rotating set of queens will make over public figures in “RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race” (9:30 p.m. Friday on VH1) featuring “All Stars” Season 4 winner Monet X Change as the celebs’ drag mentor.
Here are some of the other shows leaping over hurdles and transforming TV into a big drag showcase:
“LEGENDARY” Series premiere May 27 on HBO Max
What becomes a legend most? The showrunners of this upcoming HBO Max series hope the underground ballroom community finally will.
In the show, voguing teams (aka “houses”) will compete in over-the-top balls in front of boisterous audiences and a panel of judges en route to achieving “legendary” status. The series throws a spotlight on “Pose” star Dashaun Wesley, who serves as master of ceremonies, and judges including ballroom veteran Leiomy Maldonado, stylist and “America’s Next Top Model” judge Law Roach, singer Megan Thee Stallion and “The Good Place” star Jameela Jamil.
“WE’RE HERE” 9 p.m. Thursdays on HBO
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” alumnae Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela Laquifa Wadley sashay into small-town America to help townsfolk face their fears and mend emotional fences.
With a resounding “Halleloo!” they don their most eye-popping outfits, transform residents into queens themselves and “put on one hell of an amazing” drag show.
In the first hourlong episode, they travel to historic Gettysburg,
Pa. “We don’t know if everyone’s gonna accept us,” says Eureka with a hint of foreshadowing. It turns out the tantalizing trio has their work cut out for them as — you guessed it — not everyone is pleased to see them. “I’ll never buy anything in here again. All these freakin’ freaks,” a thrift shop customer says before storming out when the hosts pop in for a visit.
“DRAGNIFICENT!” 10 p.m. Mondays on TLC
“Dragnificent!” takes the conceit of Bravo’s “Queer Eye” — in which four fabulous experts reboot someone’s self-image — and give it an even more fabulous twist.
Each week, “Drag Race” faves Alexis Michelle (makeup and body image), BeBe (event planning), JujuBee (fashion) and Thorgy Thor (music and entertainment) “zhoozh the flower” who is wilting on the vine before a milestone life event.
“NIGHTGOWNS” Available on Quibi
Meet Sasha Velour, stream queen.
“I always had a vision for what ‘NightGowns’ could be, where each number feels like a completely different universe,” the Season 9 “Drag Race” winner says in a teaser for her eight-episode series, which premiered earlier this month on Quibi, the short-form platform with episodes lasting 10 minutes or less.
“NightGowns” follows Velour and six other performers behind the scenes as they turn her acclaimed Brooklyn drag bar review — which she started in 2015 — into a full stage production.
They have help from an entertainment heavy-hitter: Each episode is directed by Sophie Muller, the force behind music videos for Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani, Shakira, Maroon 5, Sade, Pink, Annie Lennox and more.
“I LIKE TO WATCH” Available on the Netflix YouTube channel
What queen doesn’t like to dish?
The dynamic drag duo of Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova settle into a plush, white sofa on the pink-washed set of “I Like to Watch” and hilariously deconstruct original Netflix content like “The Crown” (“Helena Bohnam Carter is kind of serving it”), “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings,” (“heavy-handed metaphors”), “The Knight Before Christmas” (“He’s jousting her!”), “The Circle” (“Did he say he’s a ’hood spiritualist hustler?’ He’s assistant manager at Crabtree & Evelyn”) and more.
Think of it as “Mystery Science Theater 3000” but with better hair and makeup plus random chatter about other topics.