''The Boulet Brothers' Dragula'' is an American

reality competition Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...

television series produced by Boulet Brothers Productions, hosted by the

Boulet Brothers The Boulet Brothers are drag artists, television personalities, writers, producers and modern day horror hosts. They were featured on the cover of ''Fangoria'' as "Horror's New Icons" in 2022. Their projects have included horror themed televisi ...

. The series originally aired on

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and has aired on

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in the United States,

OUTtv OutTV (stylized OUTtv) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English language specialty channel that was launched in September 2001. It broadcasts general entertainment and lifestyle programming aimed at the LGBT community. The network is owned b ...

in Canada, and

Amazon Prime Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service from Amazon which is available in various countries and gives users access to additional services otherwise unavailable or available at a premium to other Amazon customers. Services include same, one- ...

in the United Kingdom and Australia. Starting with

season 4 Season 4 may refer to: * "Season 4" (''30 Rock'' episode), an episode of ''30 Rock'' See also * * Season One (disambiguation) Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughte ...

, the series moved to

Shudder Shudder may refer to: *Shivering * ''Shudder'' (album), a 2008 album by American band Bayside *Shudder (streaming service) Shudder is an American over-the-top subscription video on demand service featuring horror, thriller and supernatural fic ...

in all territories. The series will become a Shudder exclusive, with all seasons being hosted on the platform. The series is created and hosted by the Boulet Brothers, who challenge a different set of eleven drag artists from around the world to compete in an underground style drag competition each season. The artists compete for the chance to win a cash prize and the crown of "Dragula - the World’s Next Drag Supermonster". The show celebrates underground and alternative drag art, and bases each episode's challenges on the four principles of the show - "Drag", "Filth", "Horror" and "Glamour". Competitors on the show are tasked week to week in a variety of challenges ranging from costume creation,

special-effects makeup Prosthetic makeup also called special make-up effects and FX prosthesis) is the process of using prosthetic sculpting, molding and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects. Prosthetic makeup goes back to the beginning of film maki ...

, live performance and acting abilities. Each episode a winner is chosen, and the contestants who end up on the bottom must face extreme "extermination challenges" which test them physically and psychologically to prove they have the

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

spirit required by the judges to remain in the competition.

History

''The Boulet Brothers Dragula'' is created and produced by the

, and their production company Boulet Brothers Productions. The reality show is loosely based on their club event and nightlife pageant of the same name. The first season of ''The Boulet Brothers Dragula'' premiered on October 31, 2016 and aired as a seven episode pilot series on the

channel Hey Qween!. Later that year, the show was picked up by Canadian network

OutTV OutTV (stylized OUTtv) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English language specialty channel that was launched in September 2001. It broadcasts general entertainment and lifestyle programming aimed at the LGBT community. The network is owned b ...

who ordered a full remastered and expanded version of Season 1, as well as a full second season of the show. Season 2 premiered on October 31, 2017 and aired on Amazon Prime and WOW Presents in the United States. The season aired on

in the United Kingdom, OUTtv in Canada and

SBS Viceland SBS Viceland (stylised as SBS VICELAND) is an Australian free-to-air television channel owned by the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). It began as SBS TWO on 1 June 2009, and was branded as SBS 2 between 2013 and 2016. On 8 April 2017, SBS ...

in Australia. The series' third season premiered on Amazon Prime on August 27, 2019. ''Dragula'' became the first American reality television competition to feature a

drag king Drag kings are mostly female performance artists who dress in masculine drag and personify male gender stereotypes as part of an individual or group routine. A typical drag show may incorporate dancing, acting, stand-up comedy and singing, eit ...

after

Landon Cider Landon Cider (born Kristine Bellaluna) is an American drag king, actor and host. He won season 3 of '' The Boulet Brothers' Dragula'' and was crowned the "World's Next Drag Supermonster". Early life and background Kristine Bellaluna was born a ...

appeared as a contestant in Season 3. Beginning October 31, 2019, seasons 2 and 3 of the series moved to the American streaming service

. On October 20, Dragula had a special episode called "Dragula: Resurrection", where the Boulet Brother's brought back seven past contestants to compete for a spot on

. This season had streamed on

, and the winner was Saint from the third season of Dragula. On December 7, 2021 Shudder renewed the series for a fifth season. On September 12, 2022 it was announced that an all-stars season titled '' Dragula: Titans'' would premiere on Shudder on October 25, 2022. The cast was announced on September 26, 2022 and features 10 contestants returning from the first four seasons of the main series: Abhora (Season 2), Astrud Aurelia (Season 4), Erika Klash (Season 2), Evah Destruction (Season 3), HoSo Terra Toma (Season 4), Kendra Onixxx (Season 2), Koco Caine (Season 4), Melissa Befierce (Season 1), Victoria Black (Season 2), and Yovska (Season 3). Kendra Onixxx and Victoria Black had also previously competed on the special "Dragula: Resurrection".

Format

Each episode opens with a scripted scene starring the Boulet Brothers that introduces the episode’s theme and challenge. The rest of the episode is filmed in a

reality TV Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...

documentary format. The competitors are issued that week’s challenge, and must work among each other, work out their interpersonal issues and create their looks and performances for that week. Both the competition and the show's scripted cinematic segments are noted for drawing inspiration from the horror genre. The show's influences include films ranging from "''

Mad Max ''Mad Max'' is an Australian post-apocalyptic Action film, action film series and media franchise created by George Miller (filmmaker), George Miller and Byron Kennedy. It began in 1979 with ''Mad Max (film), Mad Max'', and was followed by thre ...

'' and ''Little Shop of Horrors'', to

folk horror Folk horror is a subgenre of horror film that uses elements of folklore to invoke fear and foreboding. Typical elements include a rural setting, isolation, and themes of superstition, folk religion, paganism, sacrifice and the dark aspects of natu ...

and beach party films."

Floor show

Each episode features a main “Floor Show” where each of the competitors display their looks and performance on the main stage. The performances and looks are judged, and one competitor is chosen the winner while the two or more lowest scoring competitors are put up for “extermination”.

Extermination challenges

The show features "Extermination Challenges", fear-based physical and psychological tests created to push the competitors to “face their fears” in order to remain on the show. Past extermination challenges have included being buried alive in a coffin, being pierced with gauged needles,

skydiving Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes. For ...

, eating cow intestines, and surviving an evening in an extreme haunted house. The competitor who fails the extermination challenge is "killed off" by the Boulet Brother's in a scripted scene at the end of each episode.

Judges

The Boulet Brothers serve as the primary judges on the show, and are the only regular judges on the panel. Each episode they are joined by a rotating cast of celebrity musicians, directors, writers and horror alumni including

Henry Rollins Henry Lawrence Garfield (born February 13, 1961), known professionally as Henry Rollins, is an American singer, writer, spoken word artist, actor, and presenter. After performing in the short-lived hardcore punk band State of Alert in 1980, Rolli ...

, Milly Shapiro,

Amanda Lepore Amanda Lepore is an American model, singer, and performance artist. A former Club Kid, she has appeared in advertising for numerous companies. Lepore is noted as a regular subject in photographer David LaChapelle's work, serving as his muse, as ...

Bonnie Aarons Bonnie Aarons is an American actress and writer. She is best known for her roles as the bum in ''Mulholland Drive'' (2001), Baroness Joy von Troken in ''The Princess Diaries'' (2001) and its sequel, '' The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement'' ...

Felissa Rose Felissa Rose Esposito, better known as simply Felissa Rose (born May 23, 1969), is an American actress and producer. Rose has amassed over 100 film credits, and is best known for her work in the horror genre, for which she is recognized as a s ...

Danielle Harris Danielle Andrea Harris (born June 1, 1977) is an American actress and film director. She is known as a " scream queen" for her roles in multiple horror films, including four entries in the ''Halloween'' franchise ('' Halloween 4'' and '' 5''; 19 ...

Rachel True Rachel India True (born November 15, 1966) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in such films as '' The Craft'' (1996), '' Nowhere'' (1997), and ''Half Baked'' (1998). True is also known for her role as Mona Thorne on the UPN ...

, and Cig Nuetron. American horror film director

Darren Stein Darren Stein (born December 24, 1971) is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer who grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Among his works include the documentary ''Put the Camera on Me'', the 2010 horror comedy ''All About Evil' ...

and drag legend

Peaches Christ Peaches Christ (stage name for Joshua Grannell) is an American underground drag performer, emcee, filmmaker, and actor. Peaches currently resides in San Francisco where her Backlash Production Company and Midnight Mass movie series are based. Gr ...

are the only judges to have appeared in all four seasons of the show.

Series overview

Season 1 (2016–17)

Season 2 (2017–18)

Season 3 (2019)

Season 4 (2021)

Spin-off series overview

''The Boulet Brothers' Dragula: Resurrection''

A spin-off film titled ''The Boulet Brothers' Dragula: Resurrection'' was released on

AMC Networks AMC Networks Inc. is an American entertainment company headquartered in 11 Penn Plaza, New York. AMC Networks owns and operates the eponymous cable channel and its siblings, IFC, We TV, and Sundance TV; the art house movie theater IFC Cen ...

on October 20, 2020. The film was written, co-directed, and produced by the Boulet Brothers.

Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...

described it as "part-horror movie, part-documentary and part-reality competition". The film featured a competition between contestants from previous seasons of ''Dragula'', with the winner returning for the fourth season of ''Dragula''. The film's soundtrack includes music from

Orville Peck Orville Peck is a South African country musician based in Canada. He wears a fringed mask and has never shown his face publicly. He released his debut album ''Pony'' in 2019, followed by the EP '' Show Pony'' the next year. His second studio a ...

and

Kim Petras Kim Petras (born 27 August 1992) is a German singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Between 2016 and 2020, she released music as an independent artist under her own imprint, BunHead Records, before signing with Amigo and Republ ...

Contestants

Legend: Notes:

''The Boulet Brothers' Dragula: Titans'' (2022)

Reception

Since its original online airing, ''Dragula'' has received positive reviews, and was dubbed “Required Horror Viewing” by ''

Fangoria ''Fangoria'' is an internationally distributed American horror film fan magazine, in publication since 1979. It is published four times a year by Fangoria Publishing, LLC and is edited by Phil Nobile Jr. The magazine was originally released i ...

''. The series has had consistently high viewership, and its fourth season was the most watched program on Shudder. The show treats drag as a form of

outsider art Outsider art is art made by self-taught or supposedly naïve artists with typically little or no contact with the conventions of the art worlds. In many cases, their work is discovered only after their deaths. Often, outsider art illustrates e ...

, and encourages different styles of drag which could be labelled "weird" or unconventional. Carly Maga of horror magazine ''Rue Morgue'' identified the rising popularity of ''Dragula'' as having a positive impact on drag as a whole, saying that the "rise of horror drag is keeping the art form true to its nonconformist origins." ''Vice'' writer Jeff Leavell reviewed the series as being "loud, weird" and that it "pisses on

heteronormativity Heteronormativity is the concept that heterosexuality is the preferred or normal mode of sexual orientation. It assumes the gender binary (i.e., that there are only two distinct, opposite genders) and that sexual and marital relations are most ...

". He also said that ''Dragula'' should not be thought of as "just a show about drag queens who love grotesque, hardcore queer performance art", and that "in its own way, it's encouraging us to stand united, whether you're a supermonster or not". Adam Zee of Wussy Magazine praised the series for its philosophy towards drag, exemplified by the Boulet Brothers' statement that "We are not here to judge your drag. Drag is art and art is subjective." Zee commented that:

"While it seems simple, this simple idea is what truly distinguishes ''The Boulet Brother's’ Dragula'' from ''RuPaul’s Drag Race'' and most other reality competitions. The Boulets place significant value in the artistic merit and anti-establishment traditions of drag. They have directed their focus on drag artistry that is unpredictable, outlandish and disturbing rather than getting queens to conform to show business standards. The only molds contestants must fit into are challenge-based or the loose overarching tenets of Filth, Glamour and Horror. Even then, 2 out of 3 is usually good enough to get by."

''Dragula'' has also received favorable coverage for its inclusion of all genders and types of drag performers in the competition. It was the first televised U.S. show to feature a

and an AFAB drag artist. The film ''Dragula Resurrection'' was praised for foregrounding trans narratives in a "sensitive, understated" manner.

References

External links

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Boulet Brothers' Dragula, The 2010s American LGBT-related television series 2010s Canadian LGBT-related television series 2010s Canadian reality television series 2010s LGBT-related reality television series 2016 Canadian television series debuts American LGBT-related web series Canadian LGBT-related web series Drag (clothing) television shows OutTV (Canadian TV channel) original programming Television series by World of Wonder (company) The Boulet Brothers' Dragula American LGBT-related reality television series Canadian LGBT-related reality television series Reality competition television series