The Emmy-winning series “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will be returning to its original 90-minute episode format next month, following intense backlash from viewers. The 15th season of the drag competition show had been trimmed down to an hour in early January, coinciding with its move from VH1 to MTV. The condensed episodes caused an uproar from the series’ dedicated fanbase, who launched a social media campaign and online petition to voice their grievances.
Common complaints about the shortened runtime included the lack of screen time for contestants to showcase their full personalities and creativity, as well as inadequate time for judges to give full critiques. The addition of a new reality series “The Real Friends of WeHo” between “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and its spinoff series “Untucked” only fueled the fans’ frustration.
“If there is one thing us queers know how to do, it’s get what we want,” said season 14 contestant Daya Betty on Twitter. The return to the original 90-minute format has been met with joy from fans and former competitors.
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV and will return to its original 90-minute format on March 10th.