Rate-A-Queen

"Rate-A-Queen" is the first episode of the sixteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. It originally aired on January 5, 2024. Charlize Theron is a guest judge. Former contestant Derrick Barry also makes a guest appearance, hosting the episode's main challenge, which is a talent show.

Episode
The season's first seven contestants enter the Werk Room. The episode's mini-challenge is a photo shoot in which contestants post for the Ring camera on RuPaul's porch as he watches.

For the main challenge, contestants are tasked with performing in the "MTV's Spring Break" talent show, hosted by former contestant Derrick Barry. Following are the contestants and their acts:


 * Amanda Tori Meating – original song lip-sync
 * Dawn – original song lip-sync
 * Mirage – original song lip-sync
 * Morphine Love Dion – lip-sync / Baile Folklorico
 * Q – puppet ballet show
 * Sapphira Cristál – opera singing
 * Xunami Muse – original song lip-sync

On the runway, the category is "RuVeal Yourself". In addition to RuPaul and Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley is a judge and Charlize Theron is a guest judge. Dawn, Mirage, Q and Sapphira Cristál receive positive critiques. Amanda Tori Meating, Morphine Love Dion and Xunami Muse receive negative critiques. The queens rank each other using Rate-A-Queen. Q and Sapphira Cristál receive the highest placements, making them the top two contestants of the week who will face off in a lip-sync to "Break My Soul" by Beyoncé for the win. Sapphira Cristál is declared the winner, earning her immunity. No contestants are eliminated from the competition.

Reception
Kevin O'Keeffe of Xtra Magazine opined, "I don’t mind the more languid start to the season, but I do wonder why they didn’t just keep the incredibly successful premiere format from Season 15." Gay Times included Mirage in a 2024 list of the seventeen best talent show performances on Drag Race to date.