Drag Den is a Philippine drag pageantryreality competition television series that premiered on 8 December 2022, through Amazon Prime Video. Manila Luzon acts as the host, head judge, and executive producer of the series.[1] Cornerstone Studios and Project 8 Projects produce the series, with Rod Singh as the series creator, director, and producer.[2]
The first season's contestants and judges were revealed on 17 November 2022.[3] Eight drag queens competed for the title as the "Filipino's First Drag Supreme".[4] The first season premiered on 8 December 2022, and it concluded on 19 January 2023. Naia won the first season, with Shewarma and Maria Cristina as the runners-up.[5]
Production
Concept
The series takes inspiration from many beauty pageants with challenges based on Philippine culture. The series has shown many political aspects of comedy challenges or shared "anecdote[s] about Philippine society."[6]
Format
In season one, contestants are instructed to participate in two challenges in the series; the judges will critique both challenges and choose their winner for the episode. The episode's winner and their chosen opponent will enter the Dragdagulan involving a wrecking ball. The winner of the battle will gain an advantage for the next episode and the opponent won't be eliminated and will continue in the competition.[7]
Judges
The competition series is hosted and judged primarily by drag queen, Manila Luzon, also known as the "Drag Lord". Philippine model Nicole Cordoves and comedienne Sassa Gurl, made appearances as the competition's prominent judges.[8] The three judges are known as the "Drag Cartel" in the series. In every episode, a guest judge appears for the series, known as the "Drag Enforcer".[9] "Drag Agents" were introduced in the second season, where season one contestants come back as judges.[citation needed]
Currently, there has been a total of eighteen contestants that competed in the Philippine reality series so far, with Naia being crowned "Filipino's First Drag Supreme".[10] In the first season, the series welcomed its first openly trans woman contestant, Barbie-Q.[11] In season two, the series also welcomed its first cisgender female contestant, Marlyn.[12]
Drag is still kind of underground here, so I'm excited to bring the Filipino audience and let them see underground and see the scene that's happening and to fall in love with these queens and to be inspired by their creativity, to be in awe of their beauty and their transformations, and so it's going to be like a pageant.
— Manila Luzon, introducing Drag Den to Mega Entertainment.[13]
In July 2021, RuPaul's Drag Race alumna Manila Luzon exclusively told Entertainment Weekly about an upcoming project she is up to host and judge.[14] On 16 August 2021, Luzon partnered with TikTok and announced a casting call for the series.[15] The deadline for the casting call ended on 31 August 2021.[16]
On 17 November 2022, eight contestants were shown in the new trailer heading down the runway,[17] revealing the panel of judges,[18] and the date of the premiere episode.[19]
The first season premiered on 8 December 2022, through Amazon Prime Video. The contestants competed to become "Filipino's First Drag Supreme" and win ₱1,000,000. The season ran for eight episodes and concluded on 26 January 2023. Shewarma and Maria Cristina are the runners-up, and Naia was crowned the first season's winner.[20]
On social media, Amazon Prime Video joined the trend involving promotional material from the film Barbie (2023), and posted an image of a Manila Luzon doll-like figure.[21] On 14 April 2023, Manila Luzon and Rod Singh announced the renewal of the reality competition series and a casting call for season two on social media. The casting call was open until 30 April 2023.[22]
Throughout the month of December, ten contestants were shown in a new trailer with the panel of judges coming back, and the date of the season's first episode.[23]
Reception
Critical response
Ysmael Suarez from CNN Philippines mentions the series mainly focuses on the contestants' "growth before and during the competition" and that "no queen was put in a bad light, each having their clear strengths and defined perspective to Filipino drag."[24] Rafael Bautista from Nylon Manila describes the series "made an emphasis to highlight how diverse the Philippine drag scene is" and giving "giving viewers even more slices of local drag that go beyond location and gender."[25]
Accolades
The series was nominated for "Best Reality Show Entertainment" from the Asian Academy Creative Awards and "Best Reality Show Entertainment" by the Asian Television Awards.[26] Manila Luzon won both entertainment hosting categories from the Asian Academy Creative Awards and the Asian Television Awards.[27]
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee(s) of the award, and the result of the nomination
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