Sometimes, history just has a way of repeating itself. This can be good or bad in a reality series like RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars; created by the Queen of Drag herself, RuPaul Charles. This spin-off of the historic RuPaul’s Drag Race brings back former contestants to take another shot at winning the illustrious Hall of Fame crown. For some, this means continuing the positive showings that aired in their original seasons. For others, it’s a time of great redemption as they come back and perform better than they ever had before – and for some, it’s just more of the unfortunate same.
That’s the experience of one of the current season’s biggest legends, an LGBTQ+ artist known for presenting an astounding Drag package – though, that doesn’t save her from being severely underappreciated every time she shows up in this franchise. Shannel is a truly talented queen who is always showcasing some kind of exquisite art, yet it doesn’t matter if it’s her original season, her first time returning, or this latest All-Stars outing, it seems the judges are intent on humbling her by never giving her the biggest form of validation they have to offer – leading to some of the most jaw-dropping moments this franchise has ever seen.
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Has Never Given Shannel Her Flowers
Shannel is one of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s most famous queens, not only for her amazing art, but for literally being the first queen to ever sashay into the werkroom. Even on a season one dominated by big personalities, she instantly stood out; her poise and confidence (plus the sickening drag package to back it up) made her a daunting figure for every other competitor. They (along with those watching at home) were astounded each week as she introduced more and more unique talents, quickly setting herself apart as one of the show’s biggest competitors – which made it surprising to everyone that she never received a win. It was the biggest shock to Shannel herself, leading to one of this franchise’s first truly memorable moments when, during the top four elimination, Shannel announced that she would like to be sent home, calling out the judges the entire time for consistently failing to appreciate all she presented to them week after week. She got her wish and was eliminated, but was luckily able to return for the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars to hopefully snag the ultimate win she’d always been fighting for…only to be stuck in the infamous “partners” setup and get overshadowed by the constantly spotlighted Chad Michaels.
All-Stars 9 presented another opportunity for the Queen; being free from the partner’s format truly allows Shannel a chance to shine, with the first few episodes of this newest iteration showing that even though more than a decade has passed since her first tenure, her Drag still keeps up with the absolute best. Watchers were elated to see her thrive once again…only to, once again, wonder why she was still receiving little to no recognition from the judges. Of course, they’d spare her a positive comment during critiques, but episode seven just aired and Shannel has become the only Queen to not receive a prestigious “Benefactress Badge” – despite many people arguing there were many times she should have already received one. This is one of the hardest seasons ever, so fans knew the competition would be stiff, but it’s jaw-dropping that this Queen has once again failed to win the validation that so many players yearn for. The judging panel, in a disappointing and ironically hilarious watch, has once again failed to give Shannel her roses, making fans wonder: should we expect another legendary moment of self-elimination from the Queen sometime soon?
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars’ is More of the Same For This Iconic Queen
Participation doesn’t entail appreciation, especially not on a show as cutthroat as RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars. This entire spin-off is about putting the franchise’s best competitors to the test, so no Queen should feel that they’ll be given praise no matter what – but it can’t be denied that this one is more than deserved. Shannel’s every episode is a masterclass in excellence that reiterates what a true star this performer is. This installment is more of the talented same from this performer, yet she continues to hilariously receive no concrete validation from the judges in the form of the win and has cemented herself as statistically the bottom of the pack in this genuinely all-star group. It’s undeniable that Shannel is having the worst flashback possible – but if viewers are lucky, season one Shannel may just return and create another of this show’s most iconic moments ever.
RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars is Available to Stream on Paramount Plus