Baga Chipz doesn’t know the words. And that’s smart.

There’s always a hidden punchline in Season 2 and All Stars 1 alumna Raven’s appearances in the Drag Race UK workroom. The queens express such excitement to see her, when of course, they see her all the time.

The ability to banter is an invaluable skill on RuPaul’s Drag Race. In recent seasons, we’ve seen tremendous success for queens who can keep up with Ru, not just in challenges like Snatch Game, but on the main stage during critiques.

It’s been a year since we last saw a UK season—I’m counting UK vs. The World as the first season of a new franchise—which has allowed the less-than-pleasant memories of Season 3 to fade.

Of all the many, many spin-offs of RuPaul’s Drag Race currently in production, Canada’s Drag Race is the one I enjoy discussing most.

Outside of occasionally sharing some insights from watch parties with friends, I tend to not let my experience of watching Drag Race influence my writing about it.

What a year it has been for Drag Race! With nine seasons airing across the many international editions of this rapidly expanding franchise, 2021 has been the biggest year ever for the reality competition behemoth. That goes for the winners’ circle, too.

For my money, the reunion format peaked in Season 9.

It actually feels kind of quaint to remember a world in which the Drag Race fandom did not know and respect “Read U Wrote U”—the song is so beloved among fans now that it feels like it’s always been with us.

Happy autumn, Drag Race fans! Let’s fall into the season with a swirl of tartan, courtesy of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7 champion Violet Chachki.