RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17: Everything we know so far

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 is confirmed to return on January 3, 2025, on MTV. But with a new season comes a new twist: the Badonka Dunk Tank. A trailer released for the season confirms the giant dunk tank and wait, there are twists on top of that as well.

The network revealed cast members for the upcoming installment on December 4, and a trailer is already here. Even the promo shoot that gave us a cast list was water-themed, and now we have put the pieces together about what water meant for this season.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 Trailer Breakdown

The show looks glamorous and has introduced new designs and twists this time. And let's face it—we knew it was coming. Ru has never been one to shy away from creativity; this time, we see it in its grandest form.

So, what's the deal with the Badonka Dunk Tank? It will be used after a queen has been eliminated during the lip sync round. They will have to sit on top of the tank and be presented with ten random levers.

Two levers will send the queen down into the water. This will give them a chance to stay on the show for one more week. However, if they end up choosing a fake lever, the queen will face elimination.

In the trailer, we see Visage sitting in a fabulous swimsuit on the Badonka Dunk Tank. While talking about it later, she expressed,

"I felt in my head that I would look like that. Spoiler alert: Absolutely not! I didn't love going into the water in full drag, but I would do it for the cause. It was so fun in the end to see the queens who were saved by the Badonka Drunk Tank get really excited, and I'd be dancing in the water with them. It's just so camp, and that's what this show is all about: having fun!"

Visage talked about this dunk twist that let her experience her childhood fantasy of being a mermaid. Turns out, she loves visiting the real-life mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Florida. She was also able to match headscarves with her swimsuits, which was a divine bonus.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 Trailer Fan Reactions

Most of the commenters on the RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 trailer video praised the stage and the vibe the new season will bring forth. Here is what the reactions looked like.

"The guests?? The stage??? The vibe??? The everything?? US wants to reclaim the best franchise crown!"

"At this point the show has more twists than DNA."

"We are so back, the season needs to come fasterrrrr."

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 Judges

Ru is heading the judging panel with Michelle Visage, Ross Matthew, Carson Kressley, and Madison. The season premiere on January 3 will have Katy Perry on the show. It is called "Squirrel Games."

The guest judge list includes Doechii, Julia Schlaepfer, Hunter Schafer, Sandra Bernhard, Paul W. Downs, Quinta Brunson, Law Roach, Betsy Johnson, Sam Smith, June Diane Raphael, Jamal Sims, Adam Lambert, Whitney Cummings, Jerrod Carmichael, and Tracee Ellis Ross.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 Release Date

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 release date is January 3, 2025. The episode will be released on MTV at 8.00 pm ET on Fridays and is 90 minutes long. It is called "Squirrel Games." Here is what the bio says for the same.

Drag Race is back, doing what it does best: parodying reality shows; a new cast of queens must survive a game of Ru Light, Green Light, before showing off their skills in a talent show.