Putting on drag is a 180-degree transformation, utilizing a unique precision to craft the perfect contour, that tight tuck to keep the body snatched, and the bright, sparkly polyester costumes with 5+ inch heels, the over-the-top persona to match. Drag is a way to flip the mundane script of everyday life and become something bigger than yourself; heroic, almost.
Enter “Super Drags,” a show that is best described as “Powerpuff Girls” or “Sailor Moon” meets “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The show follows three Brazilian gay men, Ralph, Donizete, and Patrick who are sales associates in a department store by day but also double as the Super Drags, whose personas are Cran’s Sapphire, Crimson Scarlet, and Lemon Chiffon. The Super Drags overall mission is to protect the “highlight” of each member of the LGBTQ+ community, a special power that lives inside each queer, trans and gender non-conforming person. They are guided by Champagne, who sends them off on their mission to protect queer icon and pop star Goldiva from the evil Lady Elza, all while living under a homophobic political leader.
The show pays homage to RuPaul’s iconic show by implementing Drag Race alumna to voice the characters themselves. Donizete and Patrick are voiced by the iconic legends Shangela and Ginger Minj, respectively while Champagne is voiced by Trixie Mattel and Lady Elza is voiced by Willem Belli.
This raunchy candy-coated cartoon makes it very clear through its promo that it is not for children: characters make incessant sex jokes, bulges in all the male characters are made prominent, swaying every which way, and literally everything from robots to flatulence are illustrated in the shape of a phallus. But while the show is irreverent, it is also extremely aware of the community it is representing.
Each of the Super Drag members tackle prevalent issues in the queer community. Patrick faces superficial criticism about his body while dating, dealing with queer men who are of the “no fats, no femmes” ilk on the Grindr. Ralph deals with getting kicked out of his house once his father finds out he’s gay and ends up going to a conversion camp to win his family’s love back. Donizete faces racism within the queer community and in mainstream society and is hyper-policed as an Afro-Brazilian man. But throughout the series, we see all of these characters grow into themselves with a confidence that eventually helps them save the world.
Just as the theme song “Highlight” says, “Super Drags” shows that the queer community is here to stay and not going away. The show premieres in a time when we need these larger-than-life characters the most. In a world bogged down by racism, homophobia, transphobia, sizism and more, Ralph, Donizete, and Patrick fly in with their rainbow streaked tails to protect their community from any harm.
You can check out the five-episode season on Netflix now, but for those of us who have already binged? We’re just waiting for the tea on Season 2, honey.
