Stream It or Skip It: ‘God Shave the Queens’ on Wow Presents Plus, a Tour Doc about the ‘Drag Race UK’ Divas

The queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK are back in God Shave the Queens, their very own docuseries exclusively on WOW Presents Plus. This traveling TV show documents the divas like you’ve never seen them before: really real and really raw as they prep for the biggest tour of their lives. 

GOD SHAVE THE QUEENS: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: The series begins where RuPaul’s Drag Race UK ended, with mama Ru crowning The Vivienne as the winner of Season 1. And now, five days after that televised coronation, the cast is prepping for the Season 1 tour.

The Gist: The format of God Shave the Queens will be crystal clear to anyone that’s watched WOW Presents Plus’ other drag docu-series, Werq the World. This isn’t a highly-produced affair built on shade and drama, where straightforward storylines unfold with the rhythms of a scripted series. This is a true docuseries, with cameras catching moments both big (the scope of these ten-queen numbers!) and small (The Vivienne checking in on a sick Divina De Campo). We see the queens rehearsing at the studio and at the venue, interacting with each other like chums and colleagues during smoke breaks and backstage goof offs. This series shows us—more so than what we see in rehearsals on the main stage of a regular Drag Race season—how the work gets done.

Our Take: Truth be told: this is how I like to see my queens once they do a lap on Drag Race. It’s fascinating to watch as the cast leaps from the highly-controlled competition format into something much more loose, much closer to reality reality. The personalities you know and love from the talking heads and Werk Room moments are still there (Baga Chipz can’t not be herself), but now you get to see these people closer to how they actually are.

This realism extends to the rehearsals, too. Unlike the rehearsals on Drag Race, which are zippy and designed to keep viewers guessing as to who is going to win or lose the challenge, these rehearsals look exhausting. I think shows like God Shave the Queens and Werq the World accomplish the very necessary task of reminding Drag Race fans that drag is not just Insta-stories and makeup videos. It’s hard, sweaty work.

The real selling point of the show is, of course, the UK queens. I tell you, I have missed this group of gals in the time they’ve been gone. We’ve gotten three whole seasons of other spectacular Drag Race shows, and it was just great to see more of them—more of Vinegar Strokes’ gregariousness, Cheryl Hole’s enthusiasm, Blu Hydrangea’s sweet-faced shade. My heart swelled just hearing the opening whistle tones of the Frock Destroyers number.

The other selling point, as if I wasn’t already bought-in, is Drag Race icon Alyssa Edwards. The Texas queen serves as the tour’s emcee, and the doc greatly benefits from having her wildly different energy in the mix. Alyssa enters the series in quite possibly the most Alyssa Edwards fashion, and she’s the go-go juice that makes the show pop.

Parting Shot: We get a look at the season to come and, trust and believe, there are some highs and lows coming up—and creative director Chancelor Dayne is not here for those low moments!

Sleeper Star: Give it up for Chancelor Dayne, the creative director for Voss Events who keeps all the girls in line and is not afraid to tell it like it is.

Our Call: STREAM IT. If you loved RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, I cannot imagine a reality wherein which you would want to skip this.

Stream God Shave the Queens on WOW Presents Plus