RuPaul’s Drag Race has been a phenomenon since its debut, captivating audiences with its blend of talent, creativity, and drama. To compare the winners of the 14 seasons, we’ve ranked them based on their performance in main challenges and runways throughout their respective seasons. Due to varying numbers of competitive episodes, we’ve focused on the percentage of wins, bottoms, and other performance-related statistics.
Season Standouts and Surprising Results
From BeBe Zahara Benet’s six episodes in Season 1 to Raja’s 12 episodes in Season 3, the number of competitive episodes has ranged from eight to 13 across all seasons. Sharon Needles stands out with the most main challenge wins of any season-winner, tied with Shea Couleé, a Season 9 semifinalist. Jinkx Monsoon and Bianca Del Rio also emerged as strong contestants in their respective seasons, with Jinkx securing high rankings in nine out of 11 competitive episodes and Bianca being the only queen to never land in the bottom two or receive a “low” rating.
Lower Rankings: Bob the Drag Queen and Aquaria
| Season | Contestant | % Wins | % Wins/Highs | % Bottom | % Bottom/Low | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S01 | BeBe Zahara Benet | 33.33% | 50% | 16.67% | 16.67% | 3 |
| S02 | Tyra Sanchez | 33.33% | 55.56% | 0% | 11.11% | 7 |
| S03 | Raja | 25% | 58.33% | 8.33% | 16.67% | 7 |
| S04 | Sharon Needles | 36.36% | 54.55% | 9.09% | 18.18% | 7 |
| S05 | Jinkx Monsoon | 18.18% | 81.82% | 9.09% | 9.09% | 9 |
| S06 | Bianca Del Rio | 30% | 70% | 0% | 0% | 10 |
| S07 | Violet Chachki | 27.27% | 45.45% | 0% | 18.18% | 6 |
| S08 | Bob the Drag Queen | 37.5% | 37.5% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 4 |
| S09 | Sasha Velour | 18.18% | 63.64% | 0% | 9.09% | 8 |
| S10 | Aquaria | 27.27% | 36.36% | 0% | 18.18% | 5 |
| S11 | Yvie Oddly | 7.69% | 30.77% | 7.69% | 15.38% | 2 |
| S12 | Jaida Essence Hall | 25% | 41.67% | 8.33% | 8.33% | 6 |
| S13 | Symone | 35.71% | 50% | 14.29% | 14.29% | 8 |
| S14 | Willow Pill | 7.14% | 7.14% | 14.29% | 14.29% | -2 |
Bob the Drag Queen and Aquaria scored surprisingly low in the “Dusted or Busted” scoring system, despite being well-respected among fans of the show. Bob’s low score can be attributed to Season 8’s abbreviated format, with only eight competitive episodes, while Aquaria’s season was notably competitive from top to bottom. Even lower-ranked contestants from that season, such as Blair St. Clair and Mayhem Miller, could have fared well in other seasons.
Yvie Oddly: Lowest “Dusted or Busted” Score
Yvie Oddly, the winner of Season 11, surpassed BeBe Zahara Benet for the lowest “Dusted or Busted” score of any season-winner, with only one win and three high rankings. However, this could have been different if Ru had declared her a winner in an episode before the reunion, in which she had the best runway look and was named the first semifinalist. If she had been declared the winner, her score would have improved to 4.
In conclusion, the rankings reveal insights into the performance of winners across all seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race, highlighting the varying degrees of competitiveness and standout moments throughout the show’s history.